2020 Finals discussion thread

Harry Smith said:
I think if JAC and Paps are controlled w/ pressure on the halves you go a long way to beating them. I just remember their early game against the Roosters, where they just looked to lack a few gears in attack. Just after half time they'd levelled the game up, but could only break the roosters through scoring against the run of play off JAC picking up a Chooks knock on, and Hughes off an intercept.

Unlucky not to already have a big lead, the Roosters had them out on their feet by the 50th-70th minute. Pulling away to 24-12 and on the verge of 30-12. Two tries in two minutes from the Storm in a sudden momentum swing, one with hughes walking through a massive hole in the defence and one off a kick. But I always felt that game reminded me of the finals last year (outclassed by Raiders, and ineffective against Roosters). Same with Raiders' 22-6 win and Penrith's 21-14 win. They grind really well against the bottom 12 and their attack can be explosive against them but I just feel Penrith will contain them with shifting defence. Storm have actually had quite a tame draw.

I think the Panthers will be their first big test in a long while (esp. seeing Storm had Eels in finals and the Raiders who were pretty dead before the ball was even kicked). Luckily it will be a wet track so it will be a grind. That helps the panthers contain JAC and Vuni, halfway there to victory.

I vote Panffers 26-12 (tight game, the riff break away late). Here's to hoping
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look I agree but by that same logic Melbourne will beat Penrith if they do the exact same. Penrith are a team of their halves, with Crichton / Naden / To'o flowing off the back of them. The threat with the storm is their ability to score from anywhere - kicking to wings & centres, backrowers or props goign through gaping holes made by smith / munster, hughes running the ball.

Another point to refute is 'Raiders being dead before the ball was kicked' - they showed extreme energy until the end but Storm came out with the perfect game plan - if you out enthuse the raiders, beating them with energy, they cannot game manage themselves back into momentum. Wighton is a great player but by no means a game managers, same with Williams. Still, think Raiders are pushover. Eels, yeah they sucked come the end.

Another point is the grind - a wet track plays into the Storms hands more than anyone. The 6 again rule is great but the game still has the wrestle and no team has perfected it more than the Storm. Not only that, but the winners of a grind are often the best game managers and a forwards battle. Forwards are tough but I would give the storm an edge on size and bench impact. Game management is another question: Cleary has been the best player of the year... but can he do it himself? A lot of Penrith's attack has been off flair, not game management. Luai flicking the ball out the back, the classic penrith attack. Smith is the best game manager in the competition and I would say a grind swings the way just of Storm.

I guess we shall see. As an NRL fan would be great to see Penrith win, but I just think the Storm are the perfect package at the moment. Penrith have no big game experience, except the handful of origin matches Cleary has packed into his bag, compared to Smith (how many tests/finals/origins?), munster, and even their test players - hughes, NAS, smith, bromwich x2, kaufusi, addo-car have all played international footy.

Can't wait to see the game. Will be interesting to see what happens.
 
Mataiforerver said:
look I agree but by that same logic Melbourne will beat Penrith if they do the exact same. Penrith are a team of their halves, with Crichton / Naden / To'o flowing off the back of them. The threat with the storm is their ability to score from anywhere - kicking to wings & centres, backrowers or props goign through gaping holes made by smith / munster, hughes running the ball.

Another point to refute is 'Raiders being dead before the ball was kicked' - they showed extreme energy until the end but Storm came out with the perfect game plan - if you out enthuse the raiders, beating them with energy, they cannot game manage themselves back into momentum. Wighton is a great player but by no means a game managers, same with Williams. Still, think Raiders are pushover. Eels, yeah they sucked come the end.

Another point is the grind - a wet track plays into the Storms hands more than anyone. The 6 again rule is great but the game still has the wrestle and no team has perfected it more than the Storm. Not only that, but the winners of a grind are often the best game managers and a forwards battle. Forwards are tough but I would give the storm an edge on size and bench impact. Game management is another question: Cleary has been the best player of the year... but can he do it himself? A lot of Penrith's attack has been off flair, not game management. Luai flicking the ball out the back, the classic penrith attack. Smith is the best game manager in the competition and I would say a grind swings the way just of Storm.

I guess we shall see. As an NRL fan would be great to see Penrith win, but I just think the Storm are the perfect package at the moment. Penrith have no big game experience, except the handful of origin matches Cleary has packed into his bag, compared to Smith (how many tests/finals/origins?), munster, and even their test players - hughes, NAS, smith, bromwich x2, kaufusi, addo-car have all played international footy.

Can't wait to see the game. Will be interesting to see what happens.
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Sadly ( for the Panthers ) I think you are spot on and the biggest factor to me is the experience that the Drizzle have in , finals , rep games led by the 430 game veteran who knows every nuance the game has.

Penrith are young , enthusiastic, skilful, energetic , fearless and a few other cliche’s BUT what they seriously lack is experience and in Grand Finals ( you know the old saying you have to lose one to win one ) this is priceless.

I see a Drizzle victory but I’d pencil in the Panthers as unbackable favourites for 2021.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if the youthful exuberance of The 'Riff eventually overcome the precision of The Storm, winning the GF in the last few minutes.
I'm not sure that many of us fully appreciate the quality of The 'Riff. They have done something with their string of wins that no other team has done since the glory days of St George. If a punter who didn't know anything about RL studied the form then I'm sure he'd have The 'Riff at hot favourites. Winning is a habit and I think Penriff can overcome finals inexperience because they are not afraid to make mistakes.
 
Mataiforerver said:
look I agree but by that same logic Melbourne will beat Penrith if they do the exact same. Penrith are a team of their halves, with Crichton / Naden / To'o flowing off the back of them. The threat with the storm is their ability to score from anywhere - kicking to wings & centres, backrowers or props goign through gaping holes made by smith / munster, hughes running the ball.

Another point to refute is 'Raiders being dead before the ball was kicked' - they showed extreme energy until the end but Storm came out with the perfect game plan - if you out enthuse the raiders, beating them with energy, they cannot game manage themselves back into momentum. Wighton is a great player but by no means a game managers, same with Williams. Still, think Raiders are pushover. Eels, yeah they sucked come the end.

Another point is the grind - a wet track plays into the Storms hands more than anyone. The 6 again rule is great but the game still has the wrestle and no team has perfected it more than the Storm. Not only that, but the winners of a grind are often the best game managers and a forwards battle. Forwards are tough but I would give the storm an edge on size and bench impact. Game management is another question: Cleary has been the best player of the year... but can he do it himself? A lot of Penrith's attack has been off flair, not game management. Luai flicking the ball out the back, the classic penrith attack. Smith is the best game manager in the competition and I would say a grind swings the way just of Storm.

I guess we shall see. As an NRL fan would be great to see Penrith win, but I just think the Storm are the perfect package at the moment. Penrith have no big game experience, except the handful of origin matches Cleary has packed into his bag, compared to Smith (how many tests/finals/origins?), munster, and even their test players - hughes, NAS, smith, bromwich x2, kaufusi, addo-car have all played international footy.

Can't wait to see the game. Will be interesting to see what happens.
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True it is a bit generic if you boil it down. I will add though that I believe the Storm aren't as good a grinding team as the other top teams (Raiders, Chooks, the Riff) this year as I probably didn't make that clear enough. IMO in the big games (but I admit they've only had a handful w/ their draw) they seemed to fail to reach a few gears to break the deadlock.

At the end of the day it is probably an opinion that is only held by few, and probably hasn't been proven enough this year to hold (although I did notice the other day that Gus Gould holds it which worries me a little). I guess we'll have to find out this sunday. Actually quite an interesting GF
 
I'll say this.

If Nathan Cleary doesn't stand up to be counted on Sunday ... Melbourne will win. Penrith can't afford to have him shut down and/or have a quiet game.

I'm still picking Melbourne (I hate it, but I'm trying to be logical), but I think if Penrith are to win or present a challenge, Nathan Cleary needs to have a big game.
 
HoldenV8 said:
I'll say this.

If Nathan Cleary doesn't stand up to be counted on Sunday ... Melbourne will win. Penrith can't afford to have him shut down and/or have a quiet game.

I'm still picking Melbourne (I hate it, but I'm trying to be logical), but I think if Penrith are to win or present a challenge, Nathan Cleary needs to have a big game.
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And kick the winning FG :wondering:
 
One thing for sure given Scams last game, he will be pulling out every dirty trick in the book on Sunday. I even expect a Slater Studs up slide at some stage
 
It will be a good game.
I think Melbourne have enough to win this one. Panthers looked very predictable against Souths. I thought Cleary and Leuai were both very quiet, and their gameplay in the second half was very predictable.
Melbourne are a bit too skilled and the players play their roles more effectively. I think their halves will be the difference, and the Papenhuyzen off the back of their work.
They won't blow out 18 pionts in 10 minutes like they did against Canberra though as Penrith have great D this year.
NYEagle
 
Cliffymagic said:
Penrith need to take a leaf outa the storm text book and absolutely smash papinhauzin. Ala Brett Stewart . Otherwise paps and fox will shred em.
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Disagree. He is dangerous because they put him into space, same as JAC, so Penrith have to win the middle if they want to cut down Storm's chances out wide.
They are young and tough and energetic enough to do it, won't be easy though.

For Storm, the plan is simple. Stop Fisher-Harris in his tracks. I'd love it if I had more faith in the NRL drug testing but saying that is probably being unfair to this guy, but seriously he has gone to a whole new level this year and Penrith's winning streak has come directly off his back. Just about player of the year for me, though props rarely get recognition 🙂
 
SeaEagleRock8 said:
Disagree. He is dangerous because they put him into space, same as JAC, so Penrith have to win the middle if they want to cut down Storm's chances out wide.
They are young and tough and energetic enough to do it, won't be easy though.

For Storm, the plan is simple. Stop Fisher-Harris in his tracks. I'd love it if I had more faith in the NRL drug testing but saying that is probably being unfair to this guy, but seriously he has gone to a whole new level this year and Penrith's winning streak has come directly off his back. Just about player of the year for me, though props rarely get recognition 🙂
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Yeo ( I think it’s Isiah ) is a pretty fair player too, think he’ll make the Blues 27 so he’s had a great year also.
 
davohan123 said:
I agree panthers feel like us in 07 just a year before our time. The storm will be sending out smith in style , makes me sick saying that.

think something 14-8 at half time with storm running away with it in the last 20 minutes.

I so want the panthers to win but just can’t see the storm losing this weekend.
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See if they take out cleary
 
Truth is - I WANT Penrith to win...but they are up against it in this game.
The Storm will use the extra leverage - "Refs like to keep the whistle in pocket far more in a GF to let the game flow)
They will stretch Everything from offsides, holding down in the tackle, late 3rd man in to slow it up ect....BUT, there are 2 hopes Penrith have....
1 - They have NO Fear and may just handle this pressure cooker situation...and the big thing
2 - They play plenty of heads up footy that even the best structured defence can't train for...if they bust out some 2nd phase and unpredictability, with a TOP kicking game..they are a Real show.
 
I think the Panthers can win. They are decent enough at slowing down the ruck and based on Sutton's efforts in their game against Souths he won't be punishing sides with set restarts, so the wrestle will be back for both teams. It won't be the quick style of game we've seen for most of the season, the whistle will be put away and the bell won't be ringing very often. I think that negates a bit of the Storms attacking strength with their speed out wide catching back pedalling defences.

Munster isn't 100% fit either. Also Brenko Lee is suspect in defence, so Kikau and Chrichton targeting him may reap some reward for Penrith down their left.
 
Wow that just dawned on me, Brenko Lee has made a grand final. He is still bad and I think panthers can really exploit his edge
 
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