Rugby League Finals.....

[BOOSTDEF]

Yeah but in saying that, this is the first year since 98(I think ) where T8 beat T1..

So you could say that the hard work all year results in having the opportunity to play the 'worst' finalist?

And if they lose, they have in fact blown the 'best' chance?

[Ralliart]

can't believe storm lost Grrr!!! : : : : , i heard that one of storms tries/goal was disallowed what the deal with that.

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by BOOSTDEF

Yeah but in saying that, this is the first year since 98(I think ) where T8 beat T1..

So you could say that the hard work all year results in having the opportunity to play the 'worst' finalist?

And if they lose, they have in fact blown the 'best' chance?

that is true, there is arguments for both sides. but why should 5th host 1st. it just seems wrong to me
any time 1st-4th lose in the finals, they play away against a side that finish 5th-8th depending on other results of course, but that is the normal way

[tetgreg888]

Hmmmm the BUM SNIFFING Finals
One of only two games where 1 bloke, tries to push 2 blokes, up 3 blokes *****.

Sorry Guys don`t follow it but ALWAYS watch the GF
I`ve got family in NSW that follow the Roosters and try to explain WTF is going on.
As long as THE STORM in a teacup don`t win I`ll be happy ( bloody mexicans )

[FTE217]

Oh christ a wood duck had to come in first insult and apoligise oh sorry mate !!

[Falc'man]

Here's hoping the Broncos and the Storm will smash each other to bits, thus leaving the victor a little too bruised for the Sharkettes, who are doing quite well without Birdseye.

However, I'm a little concerned for the Sharks as this week off won't do their intensity any favours.

I don't envy the Roosters supporters right at this moment.

[FordSteve]

Havent the Warriors got some momentum?
They have now beaten Storm and the Roosters in the semis

If they beat Manly next week (god I hope they do)

They would have beaten 3 of the years top 4 sides to make the GF from 8th position, Amazing achievement

[itchy brother]

Originally Posted by FordSteve

Havent the Warriors got some momentum?
They have now beaten Storm and the Roosters in the semis

If they beat Manly next week (god I hope they do)

They would have beaten 3 of the years top 4 sides to make the GF from 8th position, Amazing achievement

It would be great to see them do well for Rubes! :
Got to say that the WARRIORS did a great job of lopping of the heads of the chooks though! :voldar02: :hihi: :hihi:
The Roosters are Gooooooooooooooooooooone!!!!! :
Cant wait to see the game tonight!
I think it's going to be a cracker!!!

[FordSteve]

hehe, yes I am glad the chooks were all slaughtered off very nicely last night too :

Yup, Should be a corker of a game tonight, I wonder how many grapple tackles the ref will let go this week after the Storm had a little whinge about it during the week?

toss of a coin game for mine, though Id like the Storm to win cause I like the Broncos as much as I like the Chooks :Up_to_som

[BOOSTDEF]

Im stuck in camp with no tv.....(long story)..

I would do anything to get to a tv. Channel 9 doesnt even stream online(why?? its free to air)..

Shocking state of events :(

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by FordSteve

hehe, yes I am glad the chooks were all slaughtered off very nicely last night too :

Yup, Should be a corker of a game tonight, I wonder how many grapple tackles the ref will let go this week after the Storm had a little whinge about it during the week?

toss of a coin game for mine, though Id like the Storm to win cause I like the Broncos as much as I like the Chooks :Up_to_som

Cameron Smith will be a little worried after his tackle on Thaiday's neck.

Very unfortunate for the Broncos, after dominating and leading for 79 minutes, it showed why the Storm are the reigning premiers...



Next week;

My Sharkies will put up a good fight, but I don't think they have enough points in them to overcome the Storm, who statistically, have the best defence in the comp. Yes, the Storm will be tired after tonight's bruising encounter, but I think tonight's win will also be a great confidence booster going into the semi. And the Sharks, they'll have stage fright and end up choking.

The Warriors went into last weeks game against the Storm with nothing to lose, no pressure on them to overcome the Storm, and I think that's what got them over the line more than anything else. Oh, and they have a brutal pack that will hurt Manly's and if they keep their composure they will cause another upset. If Manly have prepared well enough they will be in the GF.

[jornsmith]

Originally Posted by RobRoy

Most definately. Broncos in the finals.

GOOOONE!!!
i thinks the warriors can do it this year

[Ralliart]

sweeeeeeeeeeet Storm in final again GO STORM

[BOOSTDEF]

Gutted me..... What a match though.

Referee also handled the game pretty well I thought.

Congrats to Melbourne.

[FordSteve]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Very unfortunate for the Broncos, after dominating and leading for 79 minutes, it showed why the Storm are the reigning premiers...

Not sure that the Broncos dominated, thought the game was fairly even for most part except first 15min where Broncos came out a million miles per hour.

Im glad Storm won and Lockyer had a cry afterwards "Never felt this way before" bwaaahaaahaaaa

Manly will be one of the grand finalists, I cant see the Warriors beating them

Sharks and Storm will be a great tussle, though Cam Smith might be suspended for the game. Though sharks have seymour and bird out so evens out a bit

Storm vs Manly Mark II coming up maybe?

[BOOSTDEF]

See the thing is, the broncos are usually the team doing the houdini act. So to have it happen to them is something new for Bennet & even Lockyer.

I agree that Broncos werent the better side throughout MOST of the match, I mean the amount of times Hodges dropped the ball, and not to mention a couple of the Forwards was rediculous.

Ahh well, always next year for the Broncos.

I think ill follow the Warriors now. Go the underdogs!!!!!!!

[FordSteve]

Originally Posted by BOOSTDEF

See the thing is, the broncos are usually the team doing the houdini act. So to have it happen to them is something new for Bennet & even Lockyer.

They have been pipped at the death a few times actually. The Sunday footy show someone mentioned a few games where they lost it in the last minute.

Its just never really happened to them in a big game

[SirHenry]

Storm are a very controversial football team in many ways. My only comment on Melbourne is why does the NRL have to provide total financial support to them. They weren't propping up other clubs a few years back.

The single greatest problem with the game today, in my humble opinion, is the referring standards forget about paying the players more $ they need to inject more $ into developing quality referees. You can't have a game without a ref.

[BOOSTDEF]

Originally Posted by SirHenry

Storm are a very controversial football team in many ways. My only comment on Melbourne is why does the NRL have to provide total financial support to them. They weren't propping up other clubs a few years back.

The single greatest problem with the game today, in my humble opinion, is the referring standards forget about paying the players more $ they need to inject more $ into developing quality referees. You can't have a game without a ref.

I personally think its the rule makers, not the Refs.

Sure there are bad calls, but its the same with any sport.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by FordSteve

Not sure that the Broncos dominated, thought the game was fairly even for most part except first 15min where Broncos came out a million miles per hour.

Come to think of it, you're right. The Storm weathered the onslaught really well, and had enough character in them to not give up, and they came up trumps. They deserved the win.

[partzkid]

I'm storm through and through and even i thought we shouldn't have won that game, the broncos were on top of us for most of the game and if it weren't for some individual efforts then we wouldn't have won, storm were shocking in attack last night and last week as well. were gonna have our work cut out for us next week, even more if cam smith doesn't play.

partzkid

[FTE217]

Good tuff tussle all game imo but for the ?? tackling by the storm but it was damn good to see the bronks coming off second best.....though I felt for Lockyer damn fine clean player compared to some of his fellow teammates.
Good luck to the warriors but I reckon next week will be their exit though close.
The sharkies have a chance I reckon, storm is beaten up and I'm sure stuart would have seen plenty how they need to play.
Been a great finals series got to say and I hardly watch through the normal season.

[TCK-098]

Was at the storm broncos clash lats night and what a game and the mood change at the end of the match.....

Anyhow to really upset people i reckon a Warriors and Storm grand final.

[HLC]

i cant believe the broncos got beaten last night. that was unbelievable. and disappointing, being a broncos supporter lol

they werent premier material anyway i dont reckon so it as lucky they got as far as they did!

[T3-STROKER]

Not a bad game that one I won a carton out of it ''lol''
Iam starting to think she might even be a sea eagles warriors in the final maybe ??
the warriors looked sharp there on friday night
and all I can say about my team is lookout next year for the mighty knights ''LOL''

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by T3-STROKER

Not a bad game that one I won a carton out of it ''lol''
Iam starting to think she might even be a sea eagles warriors in the final maybe ??
the warriors looked sharp there on friday night
and all I can say about my team is lookout next year for the mighty knights ''LOL''

Warriors and Sea Eagle CAN'T be in the final together. They play each other on Saturday and the winner moves on to the final.

[T3-STROKER]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Warriors and Sea Eagle CAN'T be in the final together. They play each other on Saturday and the winner moves on to the final.

yer ok then : it would be good to see a team win that has not been there for a long time or grand final win under there belt.
might have to put me cash on the warriors on saturday she should be a good game anyway may the best team win on the day.

[capriv8]

sharks and warriors to make final, sharks to win but I really would like the warriors to win just dont think it will happen this year

[Falc'man]

Cameron Smith guilty of grapple tackle
AAP

Melbourne captain Cameron Smith has been found guilty of a grapple tackle at the NRL judiciary and suspended for the rest of the NRL season.

Smith was handed a two-game suspension for the grade one contrary conduct charge for unnecessary head or neck contact on Brisbane's Sam Thaiday and will miss Melbourne's preliminary final with Cronulla this Friday.

The judiciary panel of Royce Ayliffe, Darrell Williams and Darren Britt took just 20 minutes to decide upon the guilty verdict.

It is a huge blow to the Storm's title defence as the skipper is not only the competition's best hooker but the club's main goalkicker.

It also caps a horror day for the club as Test forward Ryan Hoffman was tonight also ruled out for the year after undergoing ankle surgery that puts him out of the World Cup as well.

Smith was found guilty of forceful contact to Thaiday in the 59th minute of last Saturday's semi-final win.

Smith argued that his contact with Thaiday's chin was unintentional and that by the time he realised the dangerous position he "immediately released" his grip.

"The whole tackle took three seconds. Contact with his face was one second at most, if not less," Smith told the panel.

"It is hard to rectify faster than that, I think."

But prosecutor Peter Kite claimed Smith made two efforts to "yank" Thaiday's head before he eventually released his dangerous grip.

"There is conduct here that should have been avoided that was not avoided," said Kite.

Smith is only the third player since 2005 to be found guilty of a grapple tackle by a judiciary panel.

Teammate Hoffman (2005) and St George Illawarra prop Jason Ryles (2007) were also banned two weeks after being found guilty by the panel.

Six players in four years have successfully argued against grapple charges at the judiciary.

Smith is the highest-profile and his penalty of potentially missing a grand final is indeed the harshest.

Smith joins fellow internationals Jeremy Smith (suspension) and Hoffman (ankle injury) on the sidelines for the crucial clash with the Sharks.

Jeremy Smith will at least be available should the Storm reach the grand final as he had earlier accepted a one-game ban for his chicken wing offence in the same tackle on Thaiday.
Posted:
Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:29:32
http://www.nrl.com.au/News/Latest/ta....aspx?id=53000



This comes as a blow to Melbourne, but they still have enough talent in the really hurt the Sharks. The Sharks need to play out of their skin.

[The Mighty Red]

St George fan here but I'll going for the Sharkies this weekend....