NRL 2025

Round 1 Wrap

Wahs? Dogshit. Raiders? not bad. Ricky looks to have let the young guys off the leash
Penrith will not die. Sharks have an inferiority complex they need to overcome
Broncos look tasty. Madge has them fit, and committed on defense. They will play harder teams than this Roosters outfit, but that's a big start. They have elite middles which makes everything easier. Haas is terrifying, and moving Carrigan to prop was a great move.
The Tigers tried, but still failed. Shit game of two average sides.
The late game wasn't much better. Is there anything more guaranteed than a Wayne Bennett coached side winning a game they are supposed to lose?
Dragons staged a late but largely meaningless comeback against the Bulldogs. But the effort made the call of them being favourites for the spoon look ridiculous. Dogs looked pretty good getting out to that lead.
Why is Mariner not allowed nice things? The Cowboys, in a crowded field, came up with the worst effort of the weekend. They fucking SUCKED! and Manly tore them apart. NQ looked completely unprepared in another piece of evidence that Payton is a shit coach. Manly were fucking good, with Turbo running free, and DCE arguably the best player of the weekend.
Melbourne v Eels was what happens when premiership favourites play a NSW-Cup team. That Eels side is shit, those that are there look like they are just there for a pay cheque, and Ryles is probably wondering what he has done. Melbourne were hot though. Papi looks fit and fast, Munster looks dialed in, and they just tore the Eels to bits.

Round 1 showed there are some really good teams (Penrith, Brisbane, Melbourne, and i guess the Sharks) which most already picked for the top 4. On the other hand there are some shit teams. Teams with no talent (Eels, Warriors), teams with holes (Roosters) or teams with no heart (Cowboys). Two of the shit teams have already been eliminated from premiership contention, it will happen to a couple more soon.

@mariner4life lol great analysis. Arguably the biggest gulf in class/effort between a few teams we have seen in a couple of years.

Just on the warriors, they generally fail when they have to aim up in big games and if Vegas wasn’t enough, then the official farewell to Tohu will send panic through the team. But I do expect them to start physical but ultimately get beaten by a much classier team.

interesting round after what was a pretty lop-sided start.

Knights v Dolphins won't have much in it tonight you wouldn't think
We're hosting Manly and by rights should get pumped, but i don't trust Manly, and just sometimes we get all hyped up and win when we're not supposed to
Panthers were pretty good in Vegas while the Roosters were dogshit. How much does the travel affect Penrith and was the Roosters game an anomaly?
Dragons fought hard last week, and the Bunnies got an unexpected win. Could go either way
Jeremiah Nanai is the only big name to pay the price for some shit performances last weekend. Surely the Cowboys can't be that inept again? Sharks lost but showed a bit first up.
Broncos looked shit hot, but the Roosters were terrible. Ricky's Raiders looked good too. Should be a good game in the Capital.
Spoonbowl take 1! Eels v Tigers. Tigers were pretty average week 1. Yet the Eels were even worse, and they've had quite the week, with Moses confirmed out for a while, and Brown walking at the end of the year. But they are playing the Tigers...
And finally the bulldogs who looked solid week 1 get the Titans in their first hit out for the year, a team most expect to be deep in the Spoon fight. Des Hasler has to show early he can actually still coach, and not just have a gorgeous mane of hair the envy of many younger men.

It's got so dire in Warriors land that not only has Webster already lost a lot of his good will with the fan base, some are so desperate that they are keen to get Payten back when the Cowboys fire him in June. Todd Payten is a shit coach, and this would be an awful idea.

How about we don't fire the coach (it's not like there are upgrades just floating around waiting for a job) but may try something different? Lets stop buying old kiwis looking for a final contract just because they are kiwis? How about we stop buying treadmill journeymen that other clubs are happy to give up just because we feel we have no other option. With the Warriors' history i could easily see them throwing $800k at the Cheese because he ticks a few of those boxes and comes from the Storm via the Roosters.

Change the tact, focus on youth (there has to be talent out there we can steal and develop) with a few hardened professionals to show them how to be first graders (Fish is a great buy in this instance) and see how that goes.

I would also fire all the assistants who never get any scrutiny but seem to hang on season after season (looking at you Stacey)

Todd Payten far out haha. He's still living off 2022.

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

It's got so dire in Warriors land that not only has Webster already lost a lot of his good will with the fan base, some are so desperate that they are keen to get Payten back when the Cowboys fire him in June. Todd Payten is a shit coach, and this would be an awful idea.

How about we don't fire the coach (it's not like there are upgrades just floating around waiting for a job) but may try something different? Lets stop buying old kiwis looking for a final contract just because they are kiwis? How about we stop buying treadmill journeymen that other clubs are happy to give up just because we feel we have no other option. With the Warriors' history i could easily see them throwing $800k at the Cheese because he ticks a few of those boxes and comes from the Storm via the Roosters.

Change the tact, focus on youth (there has to be talent out there we can steal and develop) with a few hardened professionals to show them how to be first graders (Fish is a great buy in this instance) and see how that goes.

I would also fire all the assistants who never get any scrutiny but seem to hang on season after season (looking at you Stacey)

Some of our best teams were built this way, I don't know why we don't focus more on youth. Or have the Aussies pilfered all the best quality? I know there is a national grass roots system that the warriors run, so where are the quality young prospects?

Kalyn Ponga is very good at football. The Knights were excellent last night, but there are already danger signs at the Dolphins, their attack looks very ordinary

Webby doesnt have to change much to get his base back. Hell I suspect we can still lose and the base stays. Some small changes like stop pin holing sixes into seven jerseys, put our best fullback at fullback and FFS give your bench of great youngsters (who have come though or system) some minutes. Demetric and Leka are fking wrecking balls, let them loose.
Most would be ok with this Im sure.

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

Kalyn Ponga is very good at football. The Knights were excellent last night, but there are already danger signs at the Dolphins, their attack looks very ordinary

has the Wayne has gone factor already set in? I hope for the dolphins no

@mariner4life said in NRL 2025:

Kalyn Ponga is very good at football. The Knights were excellent last night, but there are already danger signs at the Dolphins, their attack looks very ordinary

Dolphins edge defence was a mess last night, Averillo especially. The bad weather back home been affecting them perhaps?

I think they'll come right. There's enough out their in their spine to get things right.

Well that's ominous

currently in KL with no coverage, but everyone typing give them spoon now, must be bad

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

currently in KL with no coverage, but everyone typing give them spoon now, must be bad

Shit, I didn't realise it had kicked off.

What the fuck sort of last play was that while hot on attack?

That’s a 1-3 tackle play, for fuck sakes have a go, create some deception, something different than a one out runner smashing into the defensive line.

@Nepia said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

currently in KL with no coverage, but everyone typing give them spoon now, must be bad

Shit, I didn't realise it had kicked off.

from what I am hearing it might not be a bad thing you're not watching

Better.

Got a roll on through the middle, then shifted it to the quick guys.

Harris-Tavita scores.

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

@Nepia said in NRL 2025:

@bayimports said in NRL 2025:

currently in KL with no coverage, but everyone typing give them spoon now, must be bad

Shit, I didn't realise it had kicked off.

from what I am hearing it might not be a bad thing you're not watching

Well, I'll turn over at the end of the rugby - so I'll get a half of bad.

Tuapiki, makes something from nothing!!!

Lol we're in front!

Tommy Turbo having a stinker.

I still don’t get these “6 agains”

Seem to get called when nothing obvious has happened.

Dropped that cold. And unnecessarily too.

Try awarded to Manly, but on replay the winger has dropped that.

Can’t be given, surely!

But hang on it’s the NRL, try awarded.

What a farce. Every day of the week the NRL rules that a knock on, but not today.

@Gunner I'm convinced the bunker is manned by the dumbest available people at the ground.

Well that's fucking bullshit right there

Warriors need to dig deep here, Manly are having their inevitable patch in the 2nd half of dominating possession…

Olakauato is a fucking massive human

I get that 6 again, after Wayde deliberately got held down after that break…
However that’s a professional foul, shouldn’t it be a penalty and sin bin?

Confused.

Anyway Wayde scores a couple of tackles later.

Or does he, NRL? Probably not…

Edit. Try awarded.

Commentators were carrying on like dickheads for the Saab try. They were essentially saying it was inconclusive but he likely scored before the bunker got involved, then when the bunker said the same thing they had a melt down at them.

Then silence for the Egan (no) try.

Was pleasantly surprised when I switched over from the rugby. The Saab scored and I thought I was the jinx.

Inconclusive will be the call from the bunker.

RTS has gifted everything to Manly so far, he has been terrible on the wing, every point has been scored through his horrendous defence and mistakes.

@antipodean said in NRL 2025:

Inconclusive will be the call from the bunker.

Well at least they're being consistent.

@Stag co he’s a fullback, not a winger.

Criminal he’s not playing there.

Nothing against CNK, but RTS is just the more dangerous fullback.

I think we miss Rocco Berrys defence too, hopefully he got through the reserves game today and is a chance to play NRL next week.

@Gunner it's genius level coaching to move a bloke in the twilight of his career onto the wing.

@Gunner said in NRL 2025:

I think we miss Rocco Berrys defence too, hopefully he got through the reserves game today and is a chance to play NRL next week.

He doesn't move he. Industrious but lacking impact

@Gunner I totally areee, on the flip side Egan has been outstanding.

@canefan said in NRL 2025:

@Gunner said in NRL 2025:

I think we miss Rocco Berrys defence too, hopefully he got through the reserves game today and is a chance to play NRL next week.

He doesn't move he. Industrious but lacking impact

As opposed to the very limited Pompey?

I think Berry has been really good in the last couple of seasons and would have him in front of Pompey by a mile.

As I type, the Warriors show a lack of composure on attack and turn it over in great field position.

What knock on am I missing? It seems inconclusive means not enough evidence to rule in Warrior's favour.

I was watching the Canes, I won't risk turning the channel over and jinxing the boys, they need all the good juju they can get

@antipodean said in NRL 2025:

What knock on am I missing? It seems inconclusive means not enough evidence to rule in Warrior's favour.

We always get a raw deal