Apparently Tedesco has been named captain of the Kangaroos. WTF. He's a shadow of his former self.
The 2nd GF of an epic weekend was every bit as good as the first.
The first half sort of looked like Penrith were just going to do Penrith things and squeeze Brisbane to death. But, for all their effort, the only try was a freak error, and then Flegler sending the Broncos in to half time only down 2 felt really significant.
The 2nd half Brisbane blew them away and at the hour mark that game should be put to bed. The Brisbane middles had taken over, and their speed was tearing Penrith up. That should have been it, Penrith looked beaten.
But Nathan fucking Cleary. Sets up Leota. Kicks a 3rd tackle 40/20. kicks the wide conversion. Scores the game winner. And on the flip side Adam Reynolds was falling apart. Brisbane commit grave error after grave error, and eventually got buried.
Penrith win 3 straight, and cement themselves as the best NRL team i have ever seen, even above the great Melbourne side, and the Broncos of the early 90s
@mariner4life said in NRL 2023:
The 2nd GF of an epic weekend was every bit as good as the first.
The first half sort of looked like Penrith were just going to do Penrith things and squeeze Brisbane to death. But, for all their effort, the only try was a freak error, and then Flegler sending the Broncos in to half time only down 2 felt really significant.
The 2nd half Brisbane blew them away and at the hour mark that game should be put to bed. The Brisbane middles had taken over, and their speed was tearing Penrith up. That should have been it, Penrith looked beaten.
But Nathan fucking Cleary. Sets up Leota. Kicks a 3rd tackle 40/20. kicks the wide conversion. Scores the game winner. And on the flip side Adam Reynolds was falling apart. Brisbane commit grave error after grave error, and eventually got buried.
Penrith win 3 straight, and cement themselves as the best NRL team i have ever seen, even above the great Melbourne side, and the Broncos of the early 90s
Better than the great Storm sides? That's a big call
4 straight Grand finals winning 3 of them? Minor premiers 3 of the 4 years? (and the other was 2nd on points diff)
Losing a couple of top level first graders along the way without any hiccup at all?
I actually think a few of their players are weirdly underrated because the collective is so good. Those Melbourne sides probably had the higher end talent in Smith, Slater, Inglis etc. But Penrith across the board are better. And their a middle four in JFH, Leota, Yeo and Leniu is probably better than anything Melbourne threw up.
It's an interesting discussion
@mariner4life said in NRL 2023:
The 2nd GF of an epic weekend was every bit as good as the first.
The first half sort of looked like Penrith were just going to do Penrith things and squeeze Brisbane to death. But, for all their effort, the only try was a freak error, and then Flegler sending the Broncos in to half time only down 2 felt really significant.
The 2nd half Brisbane blew them away and at the hour mark that game should be put to bed. The Brisbane middles had taken over, and their speed was tearing Penrith up. That should have been it, Penrith looked beaten.
But Nathan fucking Cleary. Sets up Leota. Kicks a 3rd tackle 40/20. kicks the wide conversion. Scores the game winner. And on the flip side Adam Reynolds was falling apart. Brisbane commit grave error after grave error, and eventually got buried.
Penrith win 3 straight, and cement themselves as the best NRL team i have ever seen, even above the great Melbourne side, and the Broncos of the early 90s
I have to agree that this was a great game and both of these teams deserved to be in that grand final
Penrith almost caught going through the motions in the first half. Error free mounting pressure but added very little to the score line. When Brisbane went in before halftime they were right back in it, where perhaps they should not have been.
Ezra Mam then tears the game apart with some insane speed and skill and at 24-8 you would think the game was dead and buried.
The chin single handedly steps up and carries Penrith to the next level where most of his team were only just hanging on.
Seriously one of the best grand finals I have watched. I feel for Brisbane as they were involved in two of the better grand finals across codes and came out on the losing side of both, but fans should be proud as their effort was incredible.
It will be interesting to see how both Penrith and Brisbane go next year with both losing some more key players. I suspect one or both becomes a bit like Melbourne, still really good and will beat most, but beatable. Penrith are arguably the best as @mariner4life says, three peats are near on impossible with the salary cap being followed correctly (hey Melbourne)
of all people, The Cheese actually made a very pertinent point about Sunday.
The Broncos were dealing with the Panthers' shape on Sunday, they had done their homework, knew what was coming, and were comfortable.
Then what happened?
The Panthers lost Luai and most importantly Yeo. Suddenly Cleary is at first receiver and Cogger is playing 6, and playing straight, and the Panthers offence changes, and the Broncos didn't know what to do about it.
12 days later
Internationals started on the weekend
Australia has a frankly ridiculous side, even with Tedesco at the back. Talent everywhere, and they just smashed Samoa. The Aussie pack is huge and mobile.
James Fisher Harris has been named captain of the Kiwis. Interesting choice, very much a follow me style player, but his speaking is terrible, if I didn't know any better I'd have thought English was his second language..
heaps of movement in North Queensland
The Cowboys have traditionally used 3 feeder teams to spread their talent, in Cairns, Townsville and Mackay. Last year they decided they wanted more direct control, and just used the Townsville Blackhawks as their reserve grade side. This proved too much disruption, and the Blackhawks had a poor year.
So they went nuclear and have declared their allegiance is now to the Rabbitohs. Meaning the Cowboys now do not have a Q-Cup presence in Townsville. Presumably they will come crawling back to the Pride and Cutters asking them to take back their players. Bizarre situation all round
And now it is being widely reported that the next NRL team will be "PNG". Now, will that be based in PNG full time? Or will they be based here in Cairns? How can you have 2 NRL teams up here? We don't even have a stadium worth the name. If it's based in PNG, exactly how are they going to attract players who aren't already from there? I haven't seen any answers for any of that.
Wests Jnr takes things literally when they get asked to show a little more killer attitude. Masei Tavui 'charged with the murder of underworld figure Dejan “Danny the Serb” Radulvoic in Sydney’s inner west'.
Kiwi A playing really well in this second half after Tonga A were dominant in the first.
Our spine starting to get on top
Some earlier posts about international league matches can be found here: https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/5288/international-league-matches/49
lol International League alive and well.
Losing 50-0 to NZ. Who do Samoa think they are? The Wallabies?!!
@NTA said in NRL 2023 + Internationals:
lol International League alive and well.
Losing 50-0 to NZ. Who do Samoa think they are? The Wallabies?!!
I don't follow league too much, but how many of Samoa are kiwi born like their union brethren?
@Machpants said in NRL 2023 + Internationals:
@NTA said in NRL 2023 + Internationals:
lol International League alive and well.
Losing 50-0 to NZ. Who do Samoa think they are? The Wallabies?!!
I don't follow league too much, but how many of Samoa are kiwi born like their union brethren?
I don't either, so @mariner4life is about to come in here and tell me to fuck off 
But I suspect a few of the Samoan blokes are Aussie-based, if not -born.
International league is a poach-a-thon. It used to be easy, if you were brown you played for the kiwis, no matter the link.
Then the islands became a viable option, so heritage got really blurred.
Kiwis. Samoans. Tongans. Unless they are warriors juniors they are all Australian developed.
And we can't whinge. We've had a lot of "my dad was from NZ" over the years
@mariner4life said in NRL 2023 + Internationals:
International league is a poach-a-thon.
There is a guy from a Subbies club here in Sydney. Anglo surname, white as fuck.
Playing an "international" for Chile v Malta tomorrow.
I reckon the Malta team would have far more Maltese in it - Borg, Camilleri, Farrugia, Zammit, Galea - they're fucking everywhere!
@Stargazer said in NRL 2023 + Internationals:
Trying to learn from their mistakes, from letting Ivan walk because they wouldn't give him a long term deal
@Stargazer said in NRL 2023 + Internationals:
Leo Thompson leading the Kiwis' haka.
I find it interesting that the newbie is leading the haka. Would be like if Tamaiti Williams led it in his first text.
Kiwi’s on their heels in defence.
Poor exit (hopefully that’s the last time I write that in the next 12 hours)
We are playing poorly. Look a bit disorganised in attack. Aussie ball runners are hitting the line with some venom
Sweet move by Jerome.
In rugby that would be a YC too I reckon. Blatant after the kick take down. Poor organisation by the Aussies in defence there.
The knock on rule in league changes week to week. A straight drop down like that was a knock on last week.
Dylan Edwards is a gun player. For a winger he gets so involved in the play. Not the biggest guy either.
The Roos defence has been awesome. Getting lots of numbers in and slowing our play of the balls.