Offical Rugby League Thread

[dontcloseyoureyes]

pearce is quite clearly the best half nsw have, thought he was one of the blues best on wednesday to

Oh hey someone with a brain.

 

[howardj]

Yep automatic pick

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

People act like NSW have plenty of options but really, Reynolds didn't play even a half-decent game until after he wasn't picked for Game 1, our best/2nd-best HB (Reynolds) has been plagued by injury all year (which has shown Keary up as not ready for the big time), Austin (who couldn't kick his way out of a wet paper bag) and then we have a bunch of halves who couldn't tackle me 1 on 1, let alone Sam Thaiaday (Soward, Moloney et al.). Pearce isn't the best player in the world or anything but he has a good kicking game, can actually defend quite well and is 2nd or 3rd in try assists this season. Who else are we gonna pick really?

Personally I think Trent Hodkinson is a rubbish player and shouldn't be there but I understand our options are pretty damn limited. In an ideal world I'd probably pick Pearce and Reynolds, Carney would be another I'd consider but yeah. It's not like we're lucky enough to have gone from Locky to Thurston to Cronk to Cherry-Evans and whoever else is next. Hell you even had Scott Prince just chilling out watching a bunch of games and he was probably better than anyone we've had in years. We haven't had an elite half since Fittler and Johns, that was a decade and change ago now.

 

[howardj]

Though the process was absolutely terrible, I am glad DCE is staying at Manly

He's Manly to the core, and I love seeing players stay at the club that gave them their first chance

The NRL not only needs to scrap the Round 13 deadline, but more broadly should move to make it much more difficult for players to move between clubs

Total free agency, especially when guys sign pre-season or midseason, just leaves you cold

 

[morgieb]

Though the process was absolutely terrible, I am glad DCE is staying at Manly

He's Manly to the core, and I love seeing players stay at the club that gave them their first chance

The NRL not only needs to scrap the Round 13 deadline, but more broadly should move to make it much more difficult for players to move between clubs

Total free agency, especially when guys sign pre-season or midseason, just leaves you cold

Well from next season onwards the Rd 13 deadline will be replaced by a ten-day cooling off period.....which at least avoids farces like the DCE thing.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Free Agency should be restricted to the off-season, or to a month-long period from say November 1st - December 1st, like it is in almost every other sport. I get that players want to sort their futures out as early as possible, but I can't really see it benefiting anyone allowing players to sign contracts throughout the season. It affects players, teams and coaches almost always negatively, and takes attention away from the actual game.

 

[dermo]

People act like NSW have plenty of options but really, Reynolds didn't play even a half-decent game until after he wasn't picked for Game 1, our best/2nd-best HB (Reynolds) has been plagued by injury all year (which has shown Keary up as not ready for the big time), Austin (who couldn't kick his way out of a wet paper bag) and then we have a bunch of halves who couldn't tackle me 1 on 1, let alone Sam Thaiaday (Soward, Moloney et al.). Pearce isn't the best player in the world or anything but he has a good kicking game, can actually defend quite well and is 2nd or 3rd in try assists this season. Who else are we gonna pick really?

Personally I think Trent Hodkinson is a rubbish player and shouldn't be there but I understand our options are pretty damn limited. In an ideal world I'd probably pick Pearce and Reynolds, Carney would be another I'd consider but yeah. It's not like we're lucky enough to have gone from Locky to Thurston to Cronk to Cherry-Evans and whoever else is next. Hell you even had Scott Prince just chilling out watching a bunch of games and he was probably better than anyone we've had in years. We haven't had an elite half since Fittler and Johns, that was a decade and change ago now.

agree with all this though i'd probably pick mullen before i'd pick reynolds

brooks, moses, bird and keary will all become very good players in a few years but none of them are close to ready yet.

 

[dermo]

and the way cherry-evans and his management team have used the titans as a pawn to lift his value with manly makes me sick, what an absolute ****.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Any system where as soon as he signs, there is talk about whether or not he will actually follow through on that, is ridiculous.

Ten day cooling off period makes a lot more sense, if you are announcing mid year movement.

 

[social]

Manly have come across as being incredibly desperate

Not only have they bet a huge chunk of their salary cap on DCE but they have also had to punt other players to do so

IF they were competitive this year and IF DCE was an Inglis or Thurston, I might see the point but neither is the case

Appears as if the Orr brothers have done a complete number on them and I wouldn't be surprised if they end up having buyer's remorse

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

agree with all this though i'd probably pick mullen before i'd pick reynolds

Had honestly forgotten about Mullen, which Reynolds you talking about though? Don't think there's much of a case to pick him over Adam if he'd played the whole season tbh.

EDIT: After re-reading my post, at the end when I said "in an ideal world etc" I was referring to Adam, not Josh.

 

[dermo]

ah i thought you were talking about josh, i could live with adam reynolds in the side considering our other options though i don't think he'd go particularly well

 

[Shady Slim]

with hindsight as a benefit would you have lost foran, glenn stewart, anthony watmough and maybe brett stewart to keep DCE?

it's no for mine.

 

[Nate]

Ben Ross ohmygosh. Why Footy Show/rugby league people so dumb.

 

[howardj]

Dave Smith's dismissive attitude around the timing of Origin, the effect that it has on the premiership and player welfare more generally is disappointing

I cannot believe that the players don't take a collective stand and demand a more friendly schedule

Smith should be dictating to the TV networks in the next broadcast deal, not the other way around

Nine need the NRL more than the NRL needs them

20 rounds, standalone Origins, and proper in-season Test series

 

[social]

****ing hell

Only the NRL would think that making a doper its origin poster boy would be a good idea

 

[Spikey]

will be devastated if pearce walks out a winner tonight

 

[social]

will be devastated if pearce walks out a winner tonight

Ha ha

Mistake is rewarded in attempt to take series to a decider

Classic NRL dodginess

What a disgrace

 

[Burgey]

Thought it was a cracking game tbh. Nsw deserved winners. Thought Jennings was motm

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

The Inglis call was so obviously a make-up call for the crappy forward pass. Which is horse****, if I was a QLDer I would be ****in' pissed.