2007 NRL Thread (2 Viewers)

[jemsta]

well it is only round 2, so theres plenty of more rounds to go before we can predict whos going to be a genuine premiership contender

 

[iamsickofyear12]

It's not that they don't have anyone. They do have people.

It's just that the game they're playing... well, it isn't first grade rugby league.

2 absolutely nobodies at halfback and five-eight - you can't go anywhere without decent playmakers. They have no hope on this fact alone.

Their side isn't all that horrible but compared to the rest of the teams in the comp they are pretty average.

I think they are better than the Raiders, but other than that they've got nothing.

 

[lil_georgie_gal]

I don't like bandwagon jumpers though like the ones during the Roosters' dominance period. You just don't come outta nowhere and start talking about the football when you have no idea what you're on about, let alone know all the players in your team week in week out, then when the going gets tough, they get going. Shameful - Gives a bad name to those who actually support their teams truly.

Sorry but to reinform u i do know alot about my footy and even though i havent posted that much on this board before i havent come out of nowhere and become a supporter.

 

[watatank]

Will the Roosters make it 1000 wins....ever?

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Will the Roosters make it 1000 wins....ever?

Maybe week 5, they play the Raiders. Possibly week 6 but on their current form the bye will probably beat them.

 

[chocolate_lover]

2 absolutely nobodies at halfback and five-eight - you can't go anywhere without decent playmakers. They have no hope on this fact alone.

Their side isn't all that horrible but compared to the rest of the teams in the comp they are pretty average.

I think they are better than the Raiders, but other than that they've got nothing.

Roosters went horribly last year, partly due to their 6 + 7, Finch and Anasta. (Parra supporters, aren't u glad you've got Finch?!? )

If the defination of a "nobody", is a player that supporters from other teams haven't heard of, then yes, Roosters have nobodies for 6 + 7. Roosters supporters though, know that Lewis, Pearce and Soward (different combinations, depending on who you talk to) are definately not nobodies; and just need experience and consistancy with who's playing with who, and then the Roosters will be on their way to winning their 13th Premiership.

 

[watatank]

Roosters went horribly last year, partly due to their 6 + 7, Finch and Anasta. (Parra supporters, aren't u glad you've got Finch?!? )

If the defination of a "nobody", is a player that supporters from other teams haven't heard of, then yes, Roosters have nobodies for 6 + 7. Roosters supporters though, know that Lewis, Pearce and Soward (different combinations, depending on who you talk to) are definately not nobodies; and just need experience and consistancy with who's playing with who, and then the Roosters will be on their way to winning their 13th Premiership.

To be fair, I rate Lewis, and its not fair to expect as much from Pearce as he is only 17. In saying that...Hahaha everyone knows Soward's rubbish. His greatest achievement will forever be leading the Roosters Flegg (U20's) side to a GF victory.

 

[chocolate_lover]

Yeah, from what I've seen, I definately prefer Lewis and Pearce (I was impressed by Pearce's game vs. Cowboys... one of the only players I was actually happy with. ) It's a pity that Lewis injured his... toe I think it was. Hopefully he isn't out for too long.
This season I've also been impressed by SKD, and his couple of games in first grade.

 

[SyCoTiC]

Sorry but to reinform u i do know alot about my footy and even though i havent posted that much on this board before i havent come out of nowhere and become a supporter.

Sorry but did I make the wrong implication? Bandwagon jumpers was a whole different subject I was talking about, I wasn't calling you a bandwagon jumper at all. Apologies either way. =)

Simply saying - People only scratch the surface of the Sharks' performance and they definitely will not be spoon contenders. They share the same rookie development area as the Dragons and look where that's gotten them.

 

[watatank]

Simply saying - People only scratch the surface of the Sharks' performance and they definitely will not be spoon contenders. They share the same rookie development area as the Dragons and look where that's gotten them.

Rubbish. Majority of all the good juniors come from the Illawarra, not St George area.

 

[SyCoTiC]

No. They share the same junior development system - The likes of Paul Gallen, Dean Young, the Morris brothers could've gone to the Sharks/Dragons instead of who they are playing for right at the moment, many of which were schooled at Endeavour Sports High and the like. It's one of the best there is in Australia with the likes of Penrith and Newcastle only sporting something a lot better. The only reason now that the Dragons aren't able to win a Premiership bar their ability to choke is the fact that once their players reach a certain level (ie. State of Origin or Test level) they aren't able to hold onto these players due to the salary cap as these players are more valuable and they get bought by other teams. If you look carefully, stars like Kite, Fitzgibbon, Thompson, Bailey all made a name for themselves before the Dragons couldn't hold onto them.

 

[watatank]

No. They share the same junior development system - The likes of Paul Gallen, Dean Young, the Morris brothers could've gone to the Sharks/Dragons instead of who they are playing for right at the moment, many of which were schooled at Endeavour Sports High and the like. It's one of the best there is in Australia with the likes of Penrith and Newcastle only sporting something a lot better.

The only reason now that the Dragons aren't able to win a Premiership bar their ability to choke is the fact that once their players reach a certain level (ie. State of Origin or Test level) they aren't able to hold onto these players due to the salary cap as these players are more valuable and they get bought by other teams. If you look carefully, stars like Kite, Fitzgibbon, Thompson, Bailey all made a name for themselves before the Dragons couldn't hold onto them.

I looked at this weeks Dragons teams and out of the 20 man squad, at least 10 are Illawarra juniors, about three or four are St George juniors and the rest were recruited from other clubs.

Get your facts straight. Young, Morris brothers, Bailey, Fitzgibbon, were all south coast juniors, and went to the Dragons through the Illawarra region. Kite was a Canberra junior, a former Australian schoolboy who Dragons picked up when he was young. Thomson was a Dragons junior, but he didn't leave due to salary cap restrictions but other reasons, I think politics within the club or something.

Endeavour Sports high does house many St George and cronulla juniors. But they don't contribute as much to the Dragons system as you make out to be. Out of all the players you named, Gallen and Thompson MIGHT have gone to Endeavour, but I can say that the others went to schools scattered all over the South Coast.

Endeavour is strong and I'm not saying players don't go there on scholarship or whatever but I think that you will find there are just as many Dragons players most likely more coming from the Illawarra region than St George.

If you looked carefully you wouldn't be making ridiculous assumptions. So no, just no.

 

[SyCoTiC]

Perhaps not as much but they still share a bit of depth with one another nonetheless. I still commend the Sharks juniors because they are just as talented as those in the Illawarra region and stand by the fact that I can't see the Sharks getting the spoon this year.

 

[lil_georgie_gal]

No probs sycotic apologies to you too

I agree with your point though, that alot of boys from endeavour high go to the dragons, with a few going to the roosters and other clubs. This school has been at the top of the school boys football league for the past 3 or so years, producing some of the best. But i guess alot of juniors also come through the illawara region too so i wont argue against that either.

 

[watatank]

Perhaps not as much but they still share a bit of depth with one another nonetheless. I still commend the Sharks juniors because they are just as talented as those in the Illawarra region and stand by the fact that I can't see the Sharks getting the spoon this year.

Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against the Sharks and their development system. I don't think Sharks will get the spoon either. Thats for the Raiders lol. Its just that Illawarra's contribution to the merger has been a lot more than people will be willing to give credit for.

 

[SyCoTiC]

Well the Steelers were a genuine side. Shame they had to merge now that I think about it, both teams would've been fine being separate.

 

[watatank]

Unfortunately not. But the merger works real well, because they need each other. Steelers need money to survive and St George provide the bulk of that, and in return they get access to one of the best rugby league nurserys in the country. At the start it was a takeover but now its evened out quite nicely. It's a bit of give and take but it works well. I'd still rather see Steelers stand alone though... but either way as long as rugby league doesnt leave Wollongong I'm happy.

 

[SyCoTiC]

On a side note, Mason's been yabbing on about a salary cap rise and I guess he has a right to but his point about rookies being paid on average $40 000 a year to play full time makes no sense to me. I can understand the fact that they need something financially but there is also the fact that the politics of Rugby League has become so deep these days that he makes it seem that players play the game for the cash rather than the passion. And I'm sure there are players out there who play for the love of the sport but I can't see a salary cap rise let alone a player's strike from SoO or the Test matches because there will always be players out there who are willing to fill that void for the idiots who think they aren't paid enough.

Which brings me to my next point - Considering the NRL is a co-management brand ie. the ARL and News Ltd. I think this slows down the progress of the code in Australia significantly. Gus pointed out earlier that it should instead be one governing body to make all the decisions and then break away the grass-root development authority to the NSWRL and QRL where all SoO and Test match revenue goes back to the grass-roots where it all begins. Seemingly something I find very logical however I don't think that'll happen anytime in the near future considering News Ltd is reluctant to give up ownership of the NRL even though the contract clauses they made after the Super League war were that News Ltd is expected to give up their ownership some time soon.

They are and I stand by the fact that they are the reason why the NRL will always be playing catch up with the AFL and probably eventually with Football.

 

[watatank]

On a side note, Mason's been yabbing on about a salary cap rise and I guess he has a right to but his point about rookies being paid on average $40 000 a year to play full time makes no sense to me. I can understand the fact that they need something financially but there is also the fact that the politics of Rugby League has become so deep these days that he makes it seem that players play the game for the cash rather than the passion. And I'm sure there are players out there who play for the love of the sport but I can't see a salary cap rise let alone a player's strike from SoO or the Test matches because there will always be players out there who are willing to fill that void for the idiots who think they aren't paid enough.

Which brings me to my next point - Considering the NRL is a co-management brand ie. the ARL and News Ltd. I think this slows down the progress of the code in Australia significantly. Gus pointed out earlier that it should instead be one governing body to make all the decisions and then break away the grass-root development authority to the NSWRL and QRL where all SoO and Test match revenue goes back to the grass-roots where it all begins. Seemingly something I find very logical however I don't think that'll happen anytime in the near future considering News Ltd is reluctant to give up ownership of the NRL even though the contract clauses they made after the Super League war were that News Ltd is expected to give up their ownership some time soon.

They are and I stand by the fact that they are the reason why the NRL will always be playing catch up with the AFL and probably eventually with Football.

Mason is demanding $120K as minimum range. No worries! You can't blame the players for wanting more though. For most rugby league is all they have, although that is both the fault of their own and also the clubs for wrapping them up in cotton wool and not encouraging trade/degree/other work outside of footy.

I think AFL is run much better than NRL, but I'd take an NRL over any AFL match any day.

 

[SyCoTiC]

Except for Swans games of course. =)

Look at the last 5 encounters with the Eagles. Only 12 points in it!