2021 Finals Wk 3: Teams and Game Day

[Canberra Milk]

That was a very ugly game. Everybody gushing because it was a Preliminary Final between the top 2 sides. If the same thing happened in a regular round between Dogs and Tigers everyone would have been calling it a shocker.

Bulldogs or Tigers would have lost by 50 to either team

[zim]

Man Melbourne were **** terrible. It was a spectacle but as far as quality goes it was a let down.

[RedRaider]

According to NRL.COM Melbourne had 55% possession in this match. It meant little as they looked like they only had to turn up to win. The Panthers showed Melbourne that the season is not completed until after the final whistle blows in the Grand Final. Those of us who love the defensive side of Rugby League, even under Vlandy's ball, found the game one to savour.

[Rickmando]

Penrith and Melbourne weren’t anywhere near their best, but they were light years ahead of anything we served up this season. It’s scary how far behind the top teams we are.

Melbourne especially executed poorly - but even then you can see their shape and system in effect for 80 mins, all 17 players know their roles. Our players in comparison have no idea what they are doing.

[Rickmando]

That was a very ugly game. Everybody gushing because it was a Preliminary Final between the top 2 sides. If the same thing happened in a regular round between Dogs and Tigers everyone would have been calling it a shocker.

Seriously, finals rugby league is a **** house spectacle. It’s officiated totally differently to the regular season, it’s a boring wrestle fest

[greeneyed]

According to NRL.COM Melbourne had 55% possession in this match. It meant little as they looked like they only had to turn up to win. The Panthers showed Melbourne that the season is not completed until after the final whistle blows in the Grand Final. Those of us who love the defensive side of Rugby League, even under Vlandy's ball, found the game one to savour.

Losing a prop foward after eight minutes and one of your hookers and best players... it is tough, even with good possession share. The games are being refereed VERY differently to the rest of the season. That's not good administration, even though I think the balance was wrong in the regular season. There are lots of problems the NRL need to fix.

[Billy Walker]

Munster went missing in the SOO and had a shocker today. He isn’t great on the big stage.

[Billy Walker]

Yeo is a gun, Capewell is very good and I thought Liam Martin killed it today. Kikau was better but too many mistakes in his game.

[Hong Kong Raider]

Melbourne were terrible and bombed two tries. Jennings played like he was playing for the West Tigers, and Reimis Smith was also terrible. Grant was terrible at hooker. There was no enforcement of the 10 m and ruck today. Munster should also have been penalised for the Luai tackle. Welch should have been straight off. There should be a host of rule changes discussed regarding stopping the game, trainers, head high tackles, crusher etc.

I really don't want Penrith to win - I dislike them very much for their antics and cheating. Ivan Cleary is the most unlikeable person in rugby league. Cannot believe I'll be cheering for the likes of Cody Walker and Campbell Graham next week.

[bonehead]

I hate souths more than any other team not from Brisbane

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[Billy Walker]

Penrith will be excited to learn they will receive a massive boost from dodgy ref calls next week now that GE has declared he is backing south’s.

[benda]

It felt like storm lost more than Penrith beating them. Way too many handling errors by storm.

Ill be cheering souths next week. Penrith is going to be tough to crack.

[bonehead]

Penrith will be excited to learn they will receive a massive boost from dodgy ref calls next week now that GE has declared he is backing south’s.

penalty Bennett

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[Dr Zaius]

Very happy for Penrith

[Billy Walker]

Very happy for Penrith

Yeah I can’t say I begrudge them anything- some bloody good players!

[Botman]

That was a very ugly game. Everybody gushing because it was a Preliminary Final between the top 2 sides. If the same thing happened in a regular round between Dogs and Tigers everyone would have been calling it a shocker.

Agreed
This was not a defensive struggle or high intensity
It was a very spirited panthers team and a storm side completely out of sorts
Ugly game to watch imo

[Botman]

Why do Storm look this bad? Is this a choke?

You could call it that if you like
But they’ve just played arguably the worst 60 minute of their last year 18 months

15 men, no forwards on the bench. They actually did well considering, imo

That’s probably fair
But they had what? 3-4 chances clear try scoring chances that they simply bombed
They had… I lost count… of errors in key attacking positions
The kicking game in the red zone was really unimaginative and poorly executed
I mean even the support play, something Melbourne are renowned for was well off

They had enough chances to win this game going away imo

[Schifty]

Who did the HIA assessment? Martin Lang?

[GreenMachine]

I told you Penrith would win the competition this year.
The whole Melbourne thing was overblown..

[zim]

Tonight's game was a good example of where Hughes has got improvement left as a 7. Probably their best player individually but they looked like they lacked a proper director quite a few times. Bellamy would be hoping Munster and Grant would have stepped up a bit but Hughes performance was head and shoulders above theirs.

[Billy Walker]

Tonight's game was a good example of where Hughes has got improvement left as a 7. Probably their best player individually but they looked like they lacked a proper director quite a few times. Bellamy would be hoping Munster and Grant would have stepped up a bit but Hughes performance was head and shoulders above theirs.

The end is near for Storm. Munster is a fraud. They made to wrong call keeping Paps over Hyne. Brandon Smith is too loose for a disciplined outfit. All over red rover

[zim]

Ok

[Lui_Bon]

Tonight's game was a good example of where Hughes has got improvement left as a 7. Probably their best player individually but they looked like they lacked a proper director quite a few times. Bellamy would be hoping Munster and Grant would have stepped up a bit but Hughes performance was head and shoulders above theirs.

The end is near for Storm. Munster is a fraud. They made to wrong call keeping Paps over Hyne. Brandon Smith is too loose for a disciplined outfit. All over red rover

Given his concussion, how much tighter did you expect him to be? You are a maggot.

[RedRaider]

Tonight we saw the best defensive team in the NRL versus the best attacking team in the NRL and the best attacking side had a much greater share of possession. The best defensive side won.

Yes the Storm lost two players during the game but in this high pressure match the Smith they missed most was not Brandon it was Cameron imo. I think on field leadership is important even in 2021. When the heat was applied there was a lack of direction for the Storm in this match. Anyway, Panthers v Rabbitohs in the Grand Final. May the best team on the day win.

[Billy Walker]

Tonight's game was a good example of where Hughes has got improvement left as a 7. Probably their best player individually but they looked like they lacked a proper director quite a few times. Bellamy would be hoping Munster and Grant would have stepped up a bit but Hughes performance was head and shoulders above theirs.

The end is near for Storm. Munster is a fraud. They made to wrong call keeping Paps over Hyne. Brandon Smith is too loose for a disciplined outfit. All over red rover

Given his concussion, how much tighter did you expect him to be? You are a maggot.

Be nice Lui, you appear small and fragile when you lower yourself to insults like that. Brandon Smith is a loose unit and takes pride in the tag. The club has gone from the most disciplined and professional 9 in the history of the game to a guy who has huge talent but a totally different mindset and outlook. I’m don’t think “the hectic cheese” aligns well with the mechanical formula that driven storm to the success it has had over the last decade or so. Pair that with Munster who also seems more set on being a lad that a disciplined successful player and I’m seeing frayed ends to the Storm dynasty.

[Billy Walker]

Tonight we saw the best defensive team in the NRL versus the best attacking team in the NRL and the best attacking side had a much greater share of possession. The best defensive side won.

Yes the Storm lost two players during the game but in this high pressure match the Smith they missed most was not Brandon it was Cameron imo. I think on field leadership is important even in 2021. When the heat was applied there was a lack of direction for the Storm in this match. Anyway, Panthers v Rabbitohs in the Grand Final. May the best team on the day win.

Spot on Red - Love him or loathe him Cameron Smith’s leadership on a football field is without peer. The man drove success in every team he played in. He also created a culture of disciplined players that understood and played their roles - Cronk, Slater, Hoffman. Almost robotic like players that played a role in a successful machine. Without that leadership and discipline talented players like Brandon Smith and Cameron Munster very much return to the field.

[Hong Kong Raider]

I think the Storm should regress next year with the departures of Hynes, JAC and Finucane. But that's been said before when Smith, Suli V, Tino departed last year and Cronk, Billy Slater, Inglis in other years. Papenhuyzen played well today w/o chances. Right call I thought. Brandon Smith didn't lose the game for Melbourne - in fact I think he would have won the game for them if he had passed his HIA. Melbourne lost due to their mistake rate - Jennings had a clear line but dropped the ball, NAS should have scored.

What today showed is it's meaningless to be the best side all year - unlike top 5 finals pre 1994 when the top side had a week off and then played winner of 2 v 3 for a place in the GF. It also showed the need for good wingers - anyone bar Jennings would have been helpful for Melbourne. To'o was outstanding for Penrith.

[Hong Kong Raider]

Tonight we saw the best defensive team in the NRL versus the best attacking team in the NRL and the best attacking side had a much greater share of possession. The best defensive side won.

Yes the Storm lost two players during the game but in this high pressure match the Smith they missed most was not Brandon it was Cameron imo. I think on field leadership is important even in 2021. When the heat was applied there was a lack of direction for the Storm in this match. Anyway, Panthers v Rabbitohs in the Grand Final. May the best team on the day win.

Spot on Red - Love him or loathe him Cameron Smith’s leadership on a football field is without peer. The man drove success in every team he played in. He also created a culture of disciplined players that understood and played their roles - Cronk, Slater, Hoffman. Almost robotic like players that played a role in a successful machine. Without that leadership and discipline talented players like Brandon Smith and Cameron Munster very much return to the field.

Brandon Smith hardly played today. He was not the cause of the loss. In fact, if he was on the field Storm's passing from the ruck and defence would have been better. And when he did play he was good, inc kicking a 20 / 40. He's one of the best players in the comp, other teams know that inc. Roosters who want to sign him up.

The loss was caused by the Storm having their worst game in a decade - too many dropped balls, and Penrith's great defence

[the bone]

All Sydney Grand final!

NEW SOUTH WALESLANDER!

[gerg]

Not sure Smith was the problem tonight. They really struggled to fit Hynes and Papenhuyzen in the same team. They were humming along when Papenhuyzen was out and haven't really clicked but they still should have won... Jennings dropped a sitter when all he had to do was fall over the line. Far too many errors, very un-storm like performance. And I'm sure they'll be fine.

Hughes is a very good runner but you may be right zim.. lacked a bit of game management and Munster was poor.

Losing two players in the first 10 minutes didn't help either. How Smith goes off as a HIA was baffling. How Welch stayed on as long as he did was baffling, especially after stopping play. How Luai came back on was .. well interesting and how that wasn't a penalty? The games got plenty of issues to fix but we'll probably get a few stupid rule changes and all will be sweet.

[Billy Walker]

Not sure Smith was the problem tonight. They really struggled to fit Hynes and Papenhuyzen in the same team. They were humming along when Papenhuyzen was out and haven't really clicked but they still should have won... Jennings dropped a sitter when all he had to do was fall over the line. Far too many errors, very un-storm like performance. And I'm sure they'll be fine.

Hughes is a very good runner but you may be right zim.. lacked a bit of game management and Munster was poor.

Smith was one of Storms best till he injured his shoulder. He is a very good player but a very loose unit. I don’t think he has great leadership and not sure Storm has the quality of leadership it has with Cameron Smith and Ryan Hoffman. Finnucan will be a further loss. I think Brandon might go well in the Roosters or another disciplined team that defines his role. He isn’t the right fit for a Storm team about to go into decline

[Hong Kong Raider]

I think Brandon Smith was the best player for the Storm for this year, in a year when they equaled the record for the no of consecutive victories and also had the best ever points differential.

[Billy Walker]

I think Brandon Smith was the best player for the Storm for this year, in a year when they equaled the record for the no of consecutive victories and also had the best ever points differential.

But failed to make the grand final. Or are you in the Botman camp where premierships are just one success indicator for a club. Individual players point records, hot dog sales and all manner of other things apparently matter. I’m sure that is why Bellamy was sipping champagne last night and why I’m told we are enjoying the greatest period of success since the 90s here at Canberra. Good teams have one goal in mind and it has nothing to do with individual glories or meaningless incremental returns.

[-PJ-]

I’m on Penrith here.

Don’t want to see sidemouth grab another premiership.

[gangrenous]

I’m on Rabbitohs.

Bennett already has plenty of premierships, what’s one more. I want to see Penrith not win given their arrogance. Plus I like the idea of Benji bookending his career.