*Official* NRL 2012 Season thread

[Johnners]

Don't at all like Yow Yeh, but wouldn't wish that on anyone. Sickening

[benchmark00]

Wish Burgey the **** would hurry up and come online. Have a massive urge to kick a bloke when he's down.

[Ausage]

Ughh is there anything worse that Ray Hadlees commentary?

[benchmark00]

Ughh is there anything worse that Ray Hadlees commentary?

Rugby league?

[Ausage]

[Prince EWS]

Penrith have a squad that many pundits tipped to finish in the bottom 4. It would be quite the surprise for many if they were to make the top 8 too.

Parra's squad on the whole is not terrible either. If they had a full strength team with footballers playing at their optimal level they would finish in the top 8.

Hayne, Burt, Tonga, Roberts, Sandow, Mannah, Moi Moi, Hindmarsh, Maitua have all been good players at different stages of their careers.

The squad they have contains:

2 x Origin & 1 x Kiwi international prop
1 AT back rower for the club
1 x lock who's played for Australia
1 x 5/8 who's played for NZ
1 x international centre
1 x international winger/ fullback.

And whilst Sandow is no Thurston, he's a decent enough half back, and there aren't many around.

The way the team is going is piss poor. You have a look at those two Origin props - they run like scared women into the defensive line. It's an embarrassment.

Tonga hasn't seen the ball, Hayne has played 15 minutes. These aren't excuses btw - they're playing ****. But the squad itself isn't a dud squad. There's some decent enough players there, but I'm sad to say some of them aren't having a go, and should therefore probably be sacrificed on the altar of Sterlo and killed.

Nah I honestly think it is a dud squad. Not based on how they've played so far this year either; I said so elsewhere before the season started. Average players having small purple patches and unjustly picked in rep teams doesn't make them anything more than average players, nor does average players who were good a number of years ago before drug bans/injuries still hanging around make them more than that either.

There's probably nothing more misleading than calling Ben Roberts a Test player for example, true as it might be. If he lasts the year in first grade I'll be surprised - and it's not because he's not trying either; it's because he's ****.

Last year you had a group of no-name duds. This year you've traded them in for a group of high profile over-rated duds who people will mistakenly think should be playing better. Some of the players are under-performing - most notably Hindmarsh tonight who clearly came back from injury too early - but a lot of them just aren't very good, or certainly aren't as good as they like to think they are. There's a reason Parramatta were more prepared to throw more money at Sandow and Poore than Souths and St George were; there's a reason Ben Roberts was relegated to NSW Cup last year - etc etc.

[NUFAN]

Ughh is there anything worse that Ray Hadlees commentary?

Yeah it's not enjoyable listening at all. I hate how he's pretty much become the Broncos caller.

Awesome effort from us tonight though, great win.

[Burgey]

Wish Burgey the **** would hurry up and come online. Have a massive urge to kick a bloke when he's down.

You been down since 96. That's why I like kicking you, ****

[benchmark00]

You been down since 96. That's why I like kicking you, ****

So 99 didn't exist ****??

Taaaaaaaaaaaaste ittttttt.

[Ausage]

Don't at all like Yow Yeh, but wouldn't wish that on anyone. Sickening

Just saw it, that's absolutely horrible. All the best to him.

[GingerFurball]

I know this is the NRL thread but St Helens are utterly tearing Leeds apart, 24-0 after 20 minutes. Great rugby.

Either Sky are brilliant at picking fixtures or I'm getting lucky, all the games I've seen this season have been top notch.

[Ausage]

Didn't think I'd be saying this at the start of the year, but the Tigers really miss Bryce Gibbs. 45 missed tackles last night, Canberra with 12 line breaks. Lucky not to have 50 put on them.

[Prince EWS]

Didn't think I'd be saying this at the start of the year, but the Tigers really miss Bryce Gibbs. 45 missed tackles last night, Canberra with 12 line breaks. Lucky not to have 50 put on them.

Galloway being injured and Sheens refusing to play Blair in the middle third have made Gibbs's loss felt, definitely. It really is high time that Heighington and Blair swapped positions and Bell started getting much more gametime than Groat.

[Ausage]

Galloway being injured and Sheens refusing to play Blair in the middle third have made Gibbs's loss felt, definitely. It really is high time that Heighington and Blair swapped positions and Bell started getting much more gametime than Groat.

Both Meaney and Humble on the bench is pretty WTF too. Particularly when you start a guy like Groat who tires quickly. Was every front rower at the club injured or something? Very strange.

Blair was just awful last night. Tons of missed tackles, few meters, cheap penalties and on report for a chicken wing.

[Burgey]

Thrilled to see big Dave Shillington, who I traded into my Dream Team this week, pick up 22 points before half time.

Now of course he's injured for months. Brilliant.

The Tigers are woeful. Too many blokes there believe too much of what they read about themselves. As soon as a side challenges them up the guts, they go to water. Laughable they were favourites a few weeks back.