NRL 2024

gee what a surprise, Walsh's face is fractured, he has to drive back to Brisbane, and he'll be out for a fair while.

May not charged for the collision.

Two Panthers opponents in two weeks get their faces caved in for a grant total of zero weeks suspension.

Yes, this was a head clash, and i'm pretty big on footy accidents happen. But May sort of launched himself forward in a motion that even if he didn't crush his head, would have resulted in nothing more than a shoulder-charge. I'm a little surprised it's been chucked straight out.

For me (trying to look at it through league and not my rugby eyes) it was a complete accident, however if you blow a penalty for it, then surely something greater occurs and should have been at least put on report and reviewed later.

I don't buy into Penrith being a protected species, but putting on my warriors jersey for a second, I think if it was a warrior we would be asking if 2-4 weeks was appropriate

it was on report. report dismissed

wow, yeah find that hard to believe, will be interesting to see how the ref boss justifies this

Dylan Walker out too.. watch out for that banana skin

yeah this is now outside banana skin territory, i have the Raiders as favourites

+8.5 Canberra @ 1.85 looking good to me as well

The lack of footy nouse from the Warriors is astounding. Plenty of effort but very little brain.

Two big opportunities failed to be converted, shame they look so good in full flight. Conversely Raiders just grind shit out so well. If this comes down to a a small margin, im not sure we tough this out especially with no AFB.

DWZ was a journeyman fullback, seriously one of the most complete wingers in the game, good on him for that change, amazing

Big second half incoming

Warriors attack not really clicking at all.

AFB back at least

Surprised no kick for goal in penalties, might come back to haunt them

@Stag said in NRL 2024:

The lack of footy nouse from the Warriors is astounding. Plenty of effort but very little brain.

`yup, butchered two certain tries by simply not passing the ball. luckily they got 1 soon after the first miss

Don’t have a great feeling about this, we’ve wasted our chances, and we’re giving them plenty…

As I type, Canberra hit the front

sigh

oh dear............

whewwwwwwww that was bloody lucky

They are finding a way, but Ford is a ball of energy with the brain of a flea isn’t he?

Cotric drop may have saved the Warriors season, and yes I am that pessimistic that I think a loss here and they'd be goneburgers.

@bayimports said in NRL 2024:

DWZ was a journeyman fullback,

I always thought he was a wing who filled in at fullback? At any rate he had a couple of good tests at fullback.

God how had that been overturned.

Bloody NRL

The warriors defence is still very good. There attack, mistakes, and discipline have slipped back to 2021 and 2022 levels so far this season. The defence has won them this game.

2 points!!

How fucking good?!

We tried to lose but we didn't. Whoop!

@Nepia I’m looking for positives and DWZ is one, love his effort, has had a couple of good games at fullback for sure, referring to overall career in NRL especially at the doggies

Bunnies can still win the comp as they avoid a 50 piece from the roosters

Agree, good roster JD in the running though for first coach sacked if he doesn’t turn things around

Demetriou has lost the dressing room, that's clear to see. Not much out there to replace him though.

I doubt it's overly difficult to lose walker and latrell.

@bayimports said in NRL 2024:

@Nepia I’m looking for positives and DWZ is one, love his effort, has had a couple of good games at fullback for sure, referring to overall career in NRL especially at the doggies

Almost gave the game away. I ran into him in Canberra a few years ago, his missus family lived there and it’s chalk and cheese how he now plays and also the confidence.

@mariner4life Well Demetriou has managed to do,and a lot of others have gone backwards under him too. They also lack an enforcer which leaves their middle somewhat weak, and their gameplan of loading up heavy on their left edge has been figured out by other sides.

Think it could be a long season for them, with internal problems and other sides overtaking them.

@African-Monkey said in NRL 2024:

@mariner4life Well Demetriou has managed to do,and a lot of others have gone backwards under him too. They also lack an enforcer which leaves their middle somewhat weak, and their gameplan of loading up heavy on their left edge has been figured out by other sides.

Think it could be a long season for them, with internal problems and other sides overtaking them.

Think he lost the room over the Burgess incident, they were top of the table last year before that happened (even until about R11), then it went backwards. Hasn't recovered and looked really bad last night.

If the Tigers taught us anything last night, it was that every team this year on its day is capable of winning. This comp is going to be more even in many cases this year than previously. Great effort and win. Sharks played like they thought they could just turn up, but take nothing away from that Tigers effort, it was superb. The challenge for Benji is to get them to maintain that which other teams are also struggling with.

Fuck manly are good

@mariner4life Yup despite the Parra comeback and we're still in March, they are the real deal.

Bunker cooked one, but Parra too good. Great game could have gone either way

Awesome game it was so much fun to watch

Game changed when the Eels bought on Paulo, and at the same time stopped making errors and giving away penalties. At one point they had 10 of 11 sets

Manly were too gassed by the end, but still could have won.

Fun way to spend a Sunday arvo

Saw an absolute cracker in the Manly v Parra game, followed by an absolute stinker between the Knights and a severly depleted Storm side.

I know it’s early days, but appears it’s going to be an even competition.

After 3 rounds, only the Cowboys are unbeaten, and only the Rabbitohs winless.

we're probably still on more round from being able to properly assess the teams.

But i reckon we are very close to a complete rethink around the make-up of the bench. Most teams are running a spare hooker, and three middle forwards.
Already this year there have been multiple games where a back has ben lost early, a reshuffle is needed, a backrower gets left defending at centre, and the opposition are just punishing it.
With stricter HIA rules, i think we are coming up fast to coaches carrying a back in the 17. They are not going to like it, but i think they risk is too high. Most teams are carrying a substandard spare dummy half anyway, so just rissole that spot and have a part timer cover their main guys rest period. Lets face it, would the Warriors miss Lussick?

Egan goes down far too often, not to carry a back up. Now if that back up were a CHT, it probably gives you more positions covered.
It does probably mean you should have to think about your bench more, but I don't think many teams will move to that model, unless someone nails it.
Interestingly I would have thought if Walsh doesn't get cleared for HIA, then I don't think we have this conversation, as 18th man should have been activated, because it was deemed a penalty for foul play, albeit no bin (and even though nothing further happens). Since he tries to come back for a minute, claims blurred vision shows he should not have been cleared. Perhaps there needs to be more leeway here, because maybe symptoms weren't immediately apparent?

Graham Annesley believes Taylan May should've been charged for contact on Reece Walsh ...even just him making that statement will create a storm

Penrith lose cleary for a couple of weeks to a hamstring

Eels lose Moses for longer with a broken foot

And the poor Titans have lost Tino for the year