NRL : The Official NRL Thread 2006 (2 Viewers)

[Jiga]

But seeing as though I (nor anyone), haven't seen Finch play with Anasta yet, I don't think I could comment on whether their "styles" conflict

Yes you can, off previous years. And IMO both players have a dominant style of football, and I dont think its going to work...... just like how they went over the cap to buy Roberts and Co and how they have been a massive flop, so will the Anasta and Finch combination.

My prediction for 06:

1. Knights (If Johns stays fit, they will win the premiership, they were the best team at the end of the season last year with him and with a crap side, theyve made some good buys this year and will be good)

2. Parramatta (Despite the uncertainty surrounded in regards to the coach, they have an excellant side on paper and will be up their)

3. Sea Eagles (They had their moments in 06 with a crap 1/2, this year with Orford anything is possible, theirs talent in the side and all that has been needed in the past years is a decent halfback to unlock it)

4. Tigers (I think their something of a spent force in 06, will still be competitive but opposition teams will be alot more prepared in 06 for their style of footy)

5. Broncos (I dont think the Broncs bought well espeically a decent halfback which is the key to a Premiership winning side... unless I missed something)

6. Sharks (I think the sharks will get through easily into the top 8, they have bought well with some quality players like Albert, Ross and Thompson and as long as Kimmorley doesnt have a shocker like in 05 we should go ok)

7. Dragons (They lost a couple of good players like Ennis and their is alot of crap surrounding the club amidst his loss. The loss of Thompson is also a huge blow to the side IMO)

8.Cowboys (I dont know how they got into the grand final ahead of alot of better sides in 05, but it was luck, in 06 all the hype behind them is gone and they will struggle IMO to make the 8..... the underdog tag is gone)

As for rest, who gives a shit.

Sharks (Battlers, lost their heart in Nutley, gained a disgruntled shadow...around top 8)

Nutleys 'heart' was replaced 10 fold by Thompson and by the passing for Rogers... heart wont be an issue in 06 for the sharks. As for Thompson being a shadow, I highly doubt it, despite my dislike for the stains he is still a quality footballer who has heart and will be eager for revenge against the Dragqueens.... whether that be by smashing them on the park or by playing his heart out each week to finish higher than them.

 

[fornstar]

i think brisbane will make the top 4. i dont think the roosters will do that great and i think cowboys will struggle to stay in the top 8. raiders will come last, but only if souths manage to win when they play each other

 

[copious]

Hmm I think for Brisbane alot depends on who plays halfback. Brett Seymour wasnt very good last year imo, and I wouldnt be surprised if Bennet pairs up Lockyer and Hunt in the halves?

 

[DRAGONZ]

My prediction for 06:

*Your table here*

Nutleys 'heart' was replaced 10 fold by Thompson

Did you actually follow the Lance Thompson saga? Or is it a case of you just hearing that he left the Dragons in fucked up circumstances and came to Cronulla?

Because as it turns out, he still actually loves the Dragons. He has said so himself. The only thing he hates there is the management. And Nathan Brown, but I guess he fits into 'management' anyway.

Now that he's gone to the Sharks, do you think he is just going to start loving them straight away?

But yes, I can see what you mean about how his departure will be a huge loss for the Dragons. Because now they won't be left with any option but to give Ashton Sims and Ben Creagh more game time .. and it totally SUCKS when two guys selected in an Australian squad have to play more.

Anyway .. I figure we'll probably have a few arguments during the year, what with your supporting Sharks and my supporting Dragons. As long as we don't hate each other in the process, here's to an interesting NRL thread in 2006!

Hmm I think for Brisbane alot depends on who plays halfback. Brett Seymour wasnt very good last year imo, and I wouldnt be surprised if Bennet pairs up Lockyer and Hunt in the halves?

Probably a good move for them. Steve Michaels could then get a gig at fullback. If they don't give him a run soon, he'll probably be off to the Titans in '07.

 

[Jiga]

Did you actually follow the Lance Thompson saga? Or is it a case of you just hearing that he left the Dragons in fucked up circumstances and came to Cronulla?

Because as it turns out, he still actually loves the Dragons. He has said so himself. The only thing he hates there is the management. And Nathan Brown, but I guess he fits into 'management' anyway.

So he hates managment (60% of the club), and the coach.... Id say he hates the Dragons club. He just doesnt hate his mates..... the players.

In any case, I expect him to have a bumper season along side big Ben Ross, I can see the sharks side looking something like this (OR at least I wish it was like this):

1. Simmons
2. Albert
3. Vagana
4. Pomeroy
5. Scott
6. Dykes
7. Kimmorley (c)
8. Ross
9. Latu
10. Thompson
11. Bailey
12. Gallen
13. Hilder (#1 Kicker)

14. Maiava
15. Williams
16. Bird (#2 Kicker)
17. Leuluai

That forward pack in particular I rate very highly.

 

[copious]

Cant believe you guys got Latu from us , what the hell was the board thinking!

 

[Suney_J]

Re: NRL Thread

Duuuuuuude! Long time no see!

I agree that Melbourne are a much weaker outfit in 2006 than they've ever been before, but I still don't have them down as wooden spooners.

They have a knack of staying competitive throughout the season, and they'll still be tough to beat in Melbourne because opposition halves just can't adjust to short in-goals.

And Cooper Cronk did put in a pretty awesome performance against an understrength Eels outfit in their 38-18 win last weekend. So perhaps he'll go ok in the halves.

With the departure of Steven Bell, perhaps there is a case for Greg Inglis to get a starting spot somewhere. Perhaps moving Webster into the centres and putting Inglis on the wing. He is a star in the making.

Its good to be back!

My prediction of Melbourne for the spoon has little to do with them and a little to do with others.
Teams that finished at the end of the table last year I predict will improve (like Knights, Souths and Bulldogs) and someone has to take their place

My bottom 3 teams for this year are Canberra, Panthers and the Storm

The only thing that will save the Raiders from the spoon is their usual strong performances in the early rounds (they remind me of the kid at the school cross-country that sprints at the start ).

So that just leaves Penrith and Melbourne who I think will live at the bottom for most of the year (Canberra will join them later in the year).
Melbourne will really miss Kearns and Orford and their lack of direction will be their downfall. They might put in a good performance once in a while (like the trial you mentioned) but I dont think they'll be consistent.

 

[Suney_J]

Re: NRL Thread

9. Bulldogs (I hate the bulldogs, so I dont want them to make the finals, simple)

Thats a pretty stupid reason

 

[chocolate_lover]

Re: NRL Thread

1. Roosters (Meh, parochialism, so sue me)

2. Dragons (Their last season with the current full strength, quality roster, they better have a good crack at it)

3. Cowboys (A bit like the tigers, cept they have shown more consistency over the two seasons, I think they're finally a true top tier team [lol for alliteration])

4. Parramatta (Personnel too good not to be contenders, but don't have the temperament to win)

...

I think (and hope) that the table is going to end up something like that (especially for the Roosters and Cowboys coming in at least the top 3), except i think the knights will be lower...

 

[Jiga]

Okay champ, they haven't played together so you cannot judge whether they will form a good combination yet, capice? Ummm, Roberts wasn't a flop, he was our leading try scorer, our main problems last year were the halves and discipline.

Im making my judgements off styles, which is quite reasonable. In any case, I do agree with you on one thing, the problem was halves, and to be more specific the problems name started with F and ended with H..... and it hasnt been rectified in 06 Im afraid.

 

[nerd2die4]

So he hates managment (60% of the club), and the coach.... Id say he hates the Dragons club. He just doesnt hate his mates..... the players.

In any case, I expect him to have a bumper season along side big Ben Ross, I can see the sharks side looking something like this (OR at least I wish it was like this):

1. Simmons
2. Albert
3. Vagana
4. Pomeroy
5. Scott
6. Dykes
7. Kimmorley (c)
8. Ross
9. Latu
10. Thompson
11. Bailey
12. Gallen
13. Hilder (#1 Kicker)

14. Maiava
15. Williams
16. Bird (#2 Kicker)
17. Leuluai

That forward pack in particular I rate very highly.

you want simmons in the team?! He had to be close to our worst player last year. he has absolutley nothing going for him, except for the blind support he gets from the board and the coach.

and where is covell? he defends well, because he reads play well. unlike simmons who misses more tackles than he makes.

also you have bird as #2 kicker. is this goal kicker? cos i wouldnt trust him to put boot to ball in general play. the guy has had numerous seasons at the sharks and produced nothing, but i guess depth isnt a strength so he has to be there.

also i think gallen works better at lock. raper moved him from lock to second row towards the end of last season, and then quickly moved him back because he wasnt as involved as he needs to be.

and a quick note, pomeroy is injured and it looks like pewee moke will be replacing him for our first match.

 

[snickerdoodle]

Results of trials:

Broncos 28 - 20 Raiders

Eels 30 - 24 Storm

Sharks 34 - 30 Bulldogs (6 tries a piece without any of our internationals + Tonga and El Masri. From the match reports it sounds like Sherwin is back with a vengence and Holdsworth played solidly, so suddenly v. v. v. excited about '06)

Souths 14 - 12 Dragons. Souths retain charity shield.

Gord, I can't wait for the beginning of the season. I had a strange urge to hug the TV when I saw Smitty and Daley sitting side by side again.

Can anyone (probably DRAGONZ) tell me why Matt Cooper wasn't playing tonight? Is he injured?

 

[shortygb]

maybe they were resting him for the game?

 

[chocolate_lover]

Excellent signs! This year's gonna be good.

 

[Jiga]

Excellent signs! This year's gonna be good

Would be a good year for any club over the cap

you want simmons in the team?! He had to be close to our worst player last year. he has absolutley nothing going for him, except for the blind support he gets from the board and the coach.

I cant see anyone else their besides Albert, in any case he will be in the team because their is a shortage of decent wingers/full backs. As for worst player, you have to be joking, Im not a fan of him but he was one of our top try scorers last year so STFU.

and where is covell? he defends well, because he reads play well. unlike simmons who misses more tackles than he makes.

Covell does not defend well at all, sides in 05 targetted his wing because all though yes he is a thinker he does not have the legs of a winger, simple as that. He will be in the side for 06 only because we have a shortage in that position and because he can kick (Although sometimes I think Hilder kicks better).

also you have bird as #2 kicker. is this goal kicker? cos i wouldnt trust him to put boot to ball in general play. the guy has had numerous seasons at the sharks and produced nothing, but i guess depth isnt a strength so he has to be there.

Of course I meant goal kicker, why would I highlight the general play kickers for? Its obviously Kimmorley and Dykes. As for produced nothing, he looked good in 05 until he was injured, and from all reports he went ok in the trial yesterday so I wouldnt judge him just yet.

also i think gallen works better at lock. raper moved him from lock to second row towards the end of last season, and then quickly moved him back because he wasnt as involved as he needs to be.

Well I personally like Hilder their, because he is IMO aliitle more mobile then Gallen but in any case they are both reasonable selections.

and a quick note, pomeroy is injured and it looks like pewee moke will be replacing him for our first match

What about Beau Scott, surely he wouuld be first choice after his demonstrations of rock solid defence and reasonable attack?

As for the sharks trial, some good signs shown their..... Ross supposedly had a great game, Albert managed 2 tries with a very limited amount of game time, Bird played well etc. The biggest positive is that whilst the star players were on the field (well at least those named in the side for the trial) we looked very sharp, and the dogs only looked solid when 2 major rotations of quality players occured.

 

[DRAGONZ]

Can anyone (probably DRAGONZ) tell me why Matt Cooper wasn't playing tonight? Is he injured?

Calf injury.

He, along with Dean Young, are both supposed to be fit again for the Roosters trial at WIN Stadium next weekend.

But according to Cooper himself, he reckons he won't be fit for the trial, but will be ready for Round 1. He told a supporter that when they ran into each other at Miranda during the week.


Edit: I forgot to mention .. John Lang has been replaced as coach of Penrith at the end of 2006. Canberra's coach, Matthew Elliot, will take over from 2007 on a three year deal.

Elliott to coach NRL club Penrith

 

[Bookie]

So he hates managment (60% of the club), and the coach.... Id say he hates the Dragons club. He just doesnt hate his mates..... the players.

In any case, I expect him to have a bumper season along side big Ben Ross, I can see the sharks side looking something like this (OR at least I wish it was like this):

1. Simmons
2. Albert
3. Vagana
4. Pomeroy
5. Scott
6. Dykes
7. Kimmorley (c)
8. Ross
9. Latu
10. Thompson
11. Bailey
12. Gallen
13. Hilder (#1 Kicker)

14. Maiava
15. Williams
16. Bird (#2 Kicker)
17. Leuluai

That forward pack in particular I rate very highly.

Well, we no doubt have the best back row depth in the comp.

Anyway, my side (the one i WISH for)

1. Brown
2. Albert
3. Vagana (C)
4. Scott
5. Covell
6. Dykes
7. Kimmorley
13. Gallen
12. Williams
11. Bailey
10. Thompson
9. Latu
8. Ross

Hutch, Hilder, Bird, Leuleuai, Pomeroy, Kinga - THERES TOO FUCKING MANY GOOD BACKROWERS.

Rapers side

1.Simmonds
2.Albert
3.Vagana
4.Scott
5.Covell
6.Dykes
7.Kimmorley
13.Gallen
12.Bailey
11.Williams
10.Thompson
9.Latu
8.Ross

meh, fuck the bench.

i cant actually see latu being that good. i think hell be shit this season. kings will need to come in mid season

 

[Jiga]

Williams in the second row, I thought they had him lined up as a prop, especially when you consider our relative lack of depth in that department (Or at least lack of NRL expereinced depth).

I would like to see Hilder finally get a start in the backrow, for once starting in his proper position cos it really has been sad seeing him waste away at hooker for the start of matches.

 

[no.5_LC]

my side

1. albert
2. simmons
3. vagana
4. moke
5. scott
6. covell (kicker)
7. kimmorley (captian)
8. ross
9. kingston
10. williams
11. bailey
12. thomo
13. gallen

14. hutch
15. hilder
16. latu
17. leualeaui

18. pomeroy
19. leualeaui
20. bird
etc
etc
etc.

 

[Bookie]

no5lc, hows it goin mate?

i should probably give LU a check.