2020 Finals discussion thread

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How hard would it be to coach that out of them ( after using the old method for so long )??

The reason I ask is , as I suspect , we are largely going to have the same team as this year so aren’t they just automatically going to do the same thing ?
If they can't adjust they are not worthy of first grade, wont happen overnight but we are already seeing teams adjust in this first year of change so why should it be any different for Manly.

Remember Des played under Manly's mid 90's slide defence so should have some ideas of what he would like to tweak in that regard, don't expect full on slide defence like those years because teams will eat us alive---up and in will still be the foundations but more fine tuned and flexible depending on if we win the ruck(if that is even possible with the more stringent 6 again rule)

Give it a few years and everyone will once again be complaining about prototype fit players, the death of the big guy and too many cricket scores.
 
Then again if the Raiders start well then that match falls into a grind and as we saw from the game tonight it was 10-6 after the Storm's opening 20 minutes in favour of the Raiders (who were playing like donkeys). Im death-riding them hard but if the Panthers (or I suppose Rabbits) start ok against them, the storm are much more vulnerable in a grinding contest and will have to rely on individual brilliance. Penrith, on the other hand, are more of a team-unit and believe they'll start well against the storm
Storm are probably the best grind team in the comp. the difference is this year they have mastered the balance between structure and flair/offense (probably to do with the rule change).

in prior years when they have ‘finals flopped’ their undoing was always an overly structured, meticulous strategy. Constantly fighting a war of attrition won’t always go your way. now they have learnt that and will have the strike power and game management to roll Penrith on Sunday
 
Sure thing, looks like you will be sad come Sunday night then.
I actually won’t be because storm win scum Smith retires. I don’t care for that club but to see smith gone when they win, they will win by 13+ is what will happen.

smith will get the Clive Churchill medal and retire
 
I actually won’t be because storm win scum Smith retires. I don’t care for that club but to see smith gone when they win, they will win by 13+ is what will happen.

smith will get the Clive Churchill medal and retire
Shrewd call at end completely agree. Backed Smith for Clive Churchill when it was $6 earlier in the week, strong bet... if they win, he’s surely a 75% chance of the medal ($1.75 x $1.33 = $2.33 - back it)
 
Personally i dont think sCam is that good at all. He's been blessed to always have a great team around him. He isnt fast and doesn't have much natural ability like turbo teddy Papenhuyzen etc. If you put him in the tigers side do you think they will goto another level? I doubt it very much. No our sCam has always had the best and the storm ALWAYS get a leg up! Iv seen him do sweet FA in origin and still get MOM.. multiple times! Hes a good player sure but he's no cook or fainu. Hes a boring player who has thrown countless forward passes over the years. Throw him in a bad team and he would probably get dropped for being too slow. Fuk sCam
Wow

Cam Smith not as good as Cook... OR FAINU? Hahahaahaha. Is this a troll or serious?

I guess game management and smarts are overrated... all you need is pace. Because all the greats have just been speed demons with no game control ability - Johns, Lockyer, Wally, Thurston, Cronk.

Mate sorry but if you dont think Smith is even considered a ‘good’ player let alone one of the greatest players in the modern era there’s not much I think i can do for you
 
I think the big issue for the young Panthers is inexperience.

This is going to be one very very big deal for them and I sort of see them as us in 2007.

I hope I’m wrong but yes Drizzle Premiers / Scam Clive Churchill would be a fair bet.
 
I think the big issue for the young Panthers is inexperience.

This is going to be one very very big deal for them and I sort of see them as us in 2007.

I hope I’m wrong but yes Drizzle Premiers / Scam Clive Churchill would be a fair bet.
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.
 
Storm are probably the best grind team in the comp. the difference is this year they have mastered the balance between structure and flair/offense (probably to do with the rule change).

in prior years when they have ‘finals flopped’ their undoing was always an overly structured, meticulous strategy. Constantly fighting a war of attrition won’t always go your way. now they have learnt that and will have the strike power and game management to roll Penrith on Sunday
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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Wow

Cam Smith not as good as Cook... OR FAINU? Hahahaahaha. Is this a troll or serious?

I guess game management and smarts are overrated... all you need is pace. Because all the greats have just been speed demons with no game control ability - Johns, Lockyer, Wally, Thurston, Cronk.

Mate sorry but if you dont think Smith is even considered a ‘good’ player let alone one of the greatest players in the modern era there’s not much I think i can do for you
I said he was good just not as good as everyone makes out. He has no flashy plays he has no speed he is a boring fart imo and i think hes been fortunate to have the best players around him his ENTIRE career! Fainu and cook are great hookers and are great players to watch they ruin teams at the ruck. Slow sCameron has a good footy iq no doubt i just think hes boring AF and compared to the elite players of the game
Turbo
Sheck
Teddy
Lomax
Ponga
Cody walker
Keary
Manu
Wighton
Papenhuyzen
Munster
Etc
All possess skill sCameron can never dream of.

Plus the amount of forward passes the dog has thrown over the years and got away with because of who he plays for... like i said throw him in a crap team and he wont make the starting side or if he does he wont improve jack shyte
 
I’m not at all sure that the sentiments about the Chocolate Soldiers not being ready or able this year are 100% accurate.

This group of kids have come up through the grades together, won some premierships and have a couple of old stagers and a premiership winner to add some experience to their youthful exuberance and skills.

I reckon that they can, and will, get the job done on Sunday.
 
Where’d you hear that ??

cameron-smith-of-the-melbourne-storm-appeals-to-the-referee-during-picture-id1167343098
 

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