NRL 2022

@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2022:

@Nepia is this the part you thought he was having a dig at rugby?

Rugby union loves territory more, as you can defend position and capitalise on penalty goals, so basic tactics involve kicking with no intention of getting the ball back.

I actually think he is bang on there and I didn’t read it as a criticism.

I think these paragraphs are utter bullshit:

Rugby league is a game that has always lived on the balance between territory and possession. All football codes have this push and pull to some degree, but league lives on the edge more than most.

Some might say that it is what makes the game so interesting: the constant battle of physicality and skill, of guts and guile, of individuality and solidarity.

Rugby union loves territory more, as you can defend position and capitalise on penalty goals, so basic tactics involve kicking with no intention of getting the ball back.

A game that has a central tenet of contest for possession makes the statement 'no intention of getting the ball back' utterly fucking daft. Particularly when the prime objective in a kicking duel is to receive the ball in a favourable position.

NAS once again doesn’t get suspended. What a joke

So the good Parramatta turn up last night, jeez they would be tough to follow. Melbourne wont be in the top 4 for the first time since 2014. Given the injuries and the results that happened earlier, to finish this high still earns them some merit. Not convinced either team goes too far in the finals though

@bayimports Is it just me or does the NRL look like there's a top four, then another four-six teams to make up the finals and then habitual strugglers, and finally a basket of deplorables.

@antipodean said in NRL 2022:

@bayimports Is it just me or does the NRL look like there's a top four, then another four-six teams to make up the finals and then habitual strugglers, and finally a basket of deplorables.

There is Penrith

then there is Cowboys, Sharks, who can finish 2-3

then there is Parra, Roosters, Souths, Storm

then probably Raiders.

One their day Roosters, Souths, Cows, Sharks could challenge Penrith. Storm and Parra, you just dont know what you are going to get, but both capable of winning as well. Anyone in that top 7 look good, but all need a few things to be true. Like injuries and suspensions etc

Raiders/Broncos appear to be making up numbers (Raiders can be a tough team and will fight, just they don't have enough in my mind to win any finals games) and the rest have well and truly given up, except a couple trying to avoid the spoon. But the difference between the top and the bottom is huge this year.

@bayimports said in NRL 2022:

@antipodean said in NRL 2022:

@bayimports Is it just me or does the NRL look like there's a top four, then another four-six teams to make up the finals and then habitual strugglers, and finally a basket of deplorables.

There is Penrith

then there is Cowboys, Sharks, who can finish 2-3

then there is Parra, Roosters, Souths, Storm

then probably Raiders.

One their day Roosters, Souths, Cows, Sharks could challenge Penrith. Storm and Parra, you just dont know what you are going to get, but both capable of winning as well. Anyone in that top 7 look good, but all need a few things to be true. Like injuries and suspensions etc

Raiders/Broncos appear to be making up numbers (Raiders can be a tough team and will fight, just they don't have enough in my mind to win any finals games) and the rest have well and truly given up, except a couple trying to avoid the spoon. But the difference between the top and the bottom is huge this year.

yeah that's how i see it. Penrith's best is a mile in front of everyone. Right now Souths and the Roosters look like the biggest challengers, and good Parra (as long as good Parra turn up)
Might be a year early for the Sharks and the Cowboys.
Melbourne would need to find a gear they haven't had for a month or more
Everyone else is pretty average
And everyone from the Dragons down fucking sucks.

@bayimports said in NRL 2022:

So the good Parramatta turn up last night, jeez they would be tough to follow. Melbourne wont be in the top 4 for the first time since 2014. Given the injuries and the results that happened earlier, to finish this high still earns them some merit. Not convinced either team goes too far in the finals though

Bro, we are Warrior fans. The Eels would be a dream compared

I think the Eels best is at least as good as the Chooks, Cowboys and Sharks.

But with players coming back and GF experience on their side, it’s the Panthers to lose this year.

@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2022:

@bayimports said in NRL 2022:

So the good Parramatta turn up last night, jeez they would be tough to follow. Melbourne wont be in the top 4 for the first time since 2014. Given the injuries and the results that happened earlier, to finish this high still earns them some merit. Not convinced either team goes too far in the finals though

Bro, we are Warrior fans. The Eels would be a dream compared

I think the Eels best is at least as good as the Chooks, Cowboys and Sharks.

But with players coming back and GF experience on their side, it’s the Panthers to lose this year.

yeah my point about the Eels was more about when they are good, they can beat anyone but then lose to a team they should not the following week. There style of play is also conducive to beating Penrith which also makes them a threat. They just need to put the same effort in over the next few weeks. Im not ruling them out at all.

Eels would give their fans more hope than Warriors fans, we have hope as well but...tainted with the probability that we will likely lose anyway

Bunnies defence is like a sieve tonight. So many missed tackles.

Golden point lol, well will miss the anthem's in the ABs Test I guess

Fucking Warriors. Handy lead at half time. Decent lead with 10 to go. Now in Golden Point.

@FakatavaAllBlack said in NRL 2022:

Golden point lol, well will miss the anthem's in the ABs Test I guess

I never watch the anthems, but any time I miss the haka we lose so I'll have the laptop going to make sure I don't miss it.

Titans win in Golden Point.

@Nepia said in NRL 2022:

Titans win in Golden Point.

seriously should have almost been unlosable going into halftime..

my only hope is the AB's do not say "hold my beer"

Broncos have issues these last few months. Completely fallen apart. I hope it doesn't affect then next year

The Warriors always find a new way to lose.

Try of the season by Mathew Feagai

Raiders must make playoffs now from out of nowhere a few weeks back. Sorry to see Broncos drop off so much.

@ARHS said in NRL 2022:

Raiders must make playoffs now from out of nowhere a few weeks back. Sorry to see Broncos drop off so much.

Having lived in Brisbane, I'm not.

the fucking Warriors. Losing from there should be physically impossible. But look, there it is.

Brisbane decide the state of the 8 early by just up and losing to the Dragons. That's as bad a finish to the season as it is possible to have.
Then the Raiders go on to flog the Tigers. Yep, the coach was definitely the issue at the Tigers. Good job they got rid of him aye?
And the Sharkies get 2nd because they only had to play the Knights, who suck.
Manly are very lucky that Brisbane exist, or they would be getting torched as well. Absolutely fell in a heap. And the reports out of that club are not good.

The ladder finishes with the bottom 5 clubs going a combined 29-91 with a points diff of -1,306. Great season lads.

First week of finals actually looks tasty

Eels at Panthers
Cowboys at Sharks

Canberra at Melbourne
Souths at Roosters

@mariner4life said in NRL 2022:

and, after a pretty quiet off-season, we're back this week. Penrith v Manly kick us off on Thursday night.
At this stage it appears the Warriors are still to be based on the Sunny Coast, any word on when they might get back to Mt Smart? The poor buggers are entering year 3 on the road.

God i really miss Sneak's season preview, his breakdown on the squad was always so good. I am not even attempting it, so i'll just stick to throwing around a few cliches and then just basing it all on last year

Top 4
Can anyone really see this moving? The best squads are still the best squads. Penrith have had their depth eroded so will not be able to be protected from injury as well, and their entire game relies on Cleary's management and boot. If he stays fit they'll be at the pointy end. The Roosters still have a great squad, look light at halfback, and will really on Keary's sponge head staying healthy. Melbourne have one last crack at it before they get a bit broken up next year. Their success will rely on Munster actually being engaged in playing footy, not have a good time off-field. Still have the best coach in the game, and watch Xavier Coates score a million tries now he's out of Brisbane. Souths have a good side, i rate their new coach (as do most in the NRL) but i think they are going to seriously miss Reynolds.
Manly might make it if Tommy Turbo's hamstrings stay together.

After that it gets murky
Parramatta are Parramatta, and never ever put it together, things don't seem to be happy there, Gutherson is wildly overrrated, and i don't think Arthurs is a good coach
Cronulla have the apparently new gun coach on the scene, and have recruited pretty well. Can Nico Hynes play halfback?
Is this the year that the Titans finally put it together? They have heaps of talent, but question marks in the halves (even without Taylors huge contract).
The Dragons appear to have recruited will, and Griffin is a solid is unspectacular coach.
The Tigers will come 9th.

The Bottom
The Dogs went heavy on recruitment but Barrett is a shockingly bad coach apparently, so they are cooked. The Cowboys made so many bad signings, and have fuck all in the spine. That's your bottom 2 right there.
I expect the Warriors to finish 10th or so.
Newcastle don't have a half even good enough to replace Mitchell Pearce so are probably cooked.
Don't expect much out of the Broncos. Kevvie has no clue, they are week in the halves, and question marks everywhere else. Already whinging from the players that preseason was too hard.
Canberra will do nothing and Sticky is already on the whinge train hard.

Mariners in no way to be relied on ladder

Penrith
Roosters
Melbourne
Souths
Manly
Cronulla
Parra
Gold Coast
St George
Tigers
Warriors
Canberra
Newcastle
Brisbane
Cowboys
Dogs

and lets see just how wrong i got it

Penrith was easy
Slightly over rated the Roosters and Souths
Under rated the Sharks and parra.
lol at where i had Manly (but in my defense that was based on Tommy Turbo playing)
Gold Coast?? Tigers in 9th??? was i drunk?

Under rated the Raiders (halfway through the season i was pretty close though)
Holy shit did i get the Cowboys wrong!

@bayimports said in NRL 2022:

@mariner4life yeah I also am not going to attempt a sneak preview, that takes time and I dont have that and I wont use spell check either, so fuck you pendants in advance lol. No idea on when they go back as the original date got canned thanks to NZ previous rules on when people could enter NZ, so potentially enough time to play some games now this year there.

I will say for the warriors that their top team could create a few headaches for the big teams. If they stay injury free and avoid suspension then potentially they should be top 8, even located where they are. The problem is that key players like SJs hammys are worse now than Turbos, Curran although impressive looks like a concussion magnet, E.Kotoa and CHT are also injury magnets and we have a forward pack that in general will go through a suspension rotation. Not to forget no Tohu until about half way through the season. Still at least we should look ok for round one, although a little toothless at fullback attackwise. How long does it take SJ to fit in? How long before Taniela Otukolo gets a run and Egan benched? How long also before CHT signs with Canberra to cover the Fogarty loss?

A Possible best 17
1. Reece Walsh, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Rocco Berry, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Marcelo Montoya, 6. Shaun Johnson, 7. Kodi Nikorima, 8. Matt Lodge, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Addin Fonua-Blake, 11. Tohu Harris, 12. Euan Aitken, 13. Josh Curran, 14. Jazz Tevaga, 15. Bayley Sironen, 16. Ben Murdoch-Masila, 17. Bunty Afoa.

Likely Round 1 17.
1. Chanel Tavita Harris, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Rocco Berry, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Marcelo Montoya, 6. Shaun Johnson, 7. Kodi Nikorima, 8. Bunty Afoa, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Addin Fonua-Blake, 11. E.Katoa, 12. Euan Aitken, 13. Bayley Sironen, 14. Jazz Tevaga, 15. Josh Curran , 16. Ben Murdoch-Masila, 17. Aaron Pene.

Top 4
Clearly I am hearing wont play until round 4 and a tough start to their draw. I suspect they finish in the 4, just not on top. Roosters, Manly, Melbourne will be my picks. Turbo stayed relatively injury free last year after his drunken beginning racing punters in Manly. So while he remains booze free, they are a chance.

Next lot
Paramatta start well, just wont finish there. Cronulla look ok if they can stay injury free, I expect the Hynes Nikora combo to do really well. I agree Dragons fans might have something to smile about, and the Titans have some really game winners in that stable. I do expect the young kids of Sexton and Campbell to do well. Souths have some changes and fatrell, who on his day is a game breaker, but put him off his game and he will sit on the side lines for half a year. Still they will be thereabouts

The rest
I agree with you, dont see much different, although the Tigers I dont see as high, unless Hastings runs the show like a pro..so my unreliable table is

Roosters
Penrith
Manly
Melbourne
Cronulla
Souths
Parra
Gold Coast
St George
Warriors
Canberra
Newcastle
Cowboys
Tigers
Brisbane
Dogs

lol, always fun to go through these @mariner4life , a bit like you, I expected more from Manly but again relying on Turbo. But go that extremely wrong. Cowboys the other big mistake, well done Todd Payten.

Rather happy I called the Tigers falling to bits though.

7 of the top 8 called (not in the right order), but then the rest pretty average guessing, in fairness given the talent at the Titans they should not be that low, but they continue to suck.

still cant believe the warriors lost that one on the weekend..just should not have been possible

But of pressure on the Kangaroos heading into the WC.

Not sure I’m a fan of whenever I turn on a league show and all the Aussie commentators and ex-players are talking up the Kiwis as much as they are….

@ACT-Crusader given joey manu has a calf problem that wont go away and Hughes is playing busted, two key parts of our spine worries me before we even start!

Great game so far raiders v storm

@Mackerzzzz said in NRL 2022:

Great game so far raiders v storm

If it’s NAS’s knock on that costs the Storm it will be sweet justice for a player that has had way too much luck with his grub play

The commentators seem to be enjoying watching the Storm lose.

Great win raiders well deserved. Papalii and Tapine were brilliant

@Bovidae said in NRL 2022:

The commentators seem to be enjoying watching the Storm lose.

They’re all from NSW, so yes.

I’m enjoying it too

@Bovidae said in NRL 2022:

The commentators seem to be enjoying watching the Storm lose.

So am I...

Does it get any better than this for a sports fan? Huge game. Tapine Papalii and Young dominated the last 20. Yeehah Raiders!

Great finish in Cowboys v Sharks too

Happy Valentine Holmes!

This is interesting.... rabits vs roosters

Brilliant brilliant Rabbitohs

Tom Burgess is the filthiest player in the game. Don't know how he gets away with the cheap shots. One or two of his team mates are not much better. Roosters only have themselves to blame for being behind though.
Crowd just loves the drama. Plenty of sparks ahead no doubt.

@ARHS said in NRL 2022:

Tom Burgess is the filthiest player in the game.

That's a rich field. So much high contact going on and they don't punish most of it, to the cries of "GAME HAS GONE SOFT!"

@ARHS Could say the same about JWH.

Haha see ya Roosters.

@African-Monkey said in NRL 2022:

Could say the same about JWH.

That guy is a fucking tool. Getting right up in the refs face.

@African-Monkey yep. At top of the next tier with Lattrell