The Finals thread:

[Terry Zarsoff]

His mouth is like a graveyard. I bet he stands near McInnes a lot to feel better.

A derelict graveyard, with the headstones toppling over (like his bottom teeth) and the neighbouring church about to be sold off for housing.

 

[Eagle 1]

I have been saying storm all season for the win

9 days rest plus revenge for last year's defeat.

Huge advantage
Another GF with them in it.

Sharks were close but still cant get it done in big games stick lacking class.

Not playing at SLIMIE Park next week tho.

 

[Cliffycomeback]

Wouldn't be surprised if they put him in the shop window

Or they will loan him out like they did with Grant when they had Smith and are going to do with Pezet because they have Hughes and Wishart. How must the Knights feel when they offer Pezet 800k a year and he knocks them back to play third string reserve grade? If Melbourne win the grand final they won't need to shed players like Penrith either. It must be easy running a team in AFL's heartland.

 

[wombatgc]

I’m sticking with the Panthers. As long as Cleary, Yeo, and Mad dog Martin make it through Sundays game mostly unscathed, I reckon they can do it from outside the top four and make it five in a row.
I was bribed to go to the 2007 gf by one of my brother-in-laws. No amount of free tickets, food, and grog was enough to make it the worst GF I’ve witnessed live. I still haven’t forgiven him.

 

[robbiea]

Nothing worse than having to watch Storm in the finals.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Munster is King Wally 2.0. I hate them both but geez they can play, especially in big games.

I think Eddie Munster is a much better player for 80 minutes than Lewis ever was. Lewis was a lazy footballer who played in short bursts, which admittedly could win his team the game.

But I would prefer to have Munster in my side than King Lewy Wallace.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

So much to learn for a team in playing finals. Seems like MWSE make one don't make one. Nil consecutive learnings. Sharks been there a few years now and they are building, if they keep em altogether.

Footballing goldfish.

 

[Waz13]

Tough ask to back up after 6 days in a final against a team that has had a 2 week break. That’s why top 4 is so important.

Since 2015 only one team has won the GF after not having the week off. Cowboys did it in 15 and Penrith in 21. I stopped looking at results pre 2015.

 

[Waz13]

People raving about Bellamy are smoking crack. Below is a list of some of the players he has coached in the past 22 years during a supposed salary cap era. Like I have said before, they are the biggest cheats alongside Sydney Roosters. Everything is geared towards them being successful. All rep players below. I left out guys like Brenko Lee who played for Qld because there are too many other great players.

Rodney Howe, Robbie Kearns, Matt Geyer, Paul Bell, Robbie Ross, Glenn Lazarus, Brett Kimmorley, Scott Hill, Billy Slater, Stephen Bell, Steve Turner, Matt King, Matt Orford, Cameron Smith, Stephen Kearney, Ryan Hoffman, Dallas Johnson, David Kidwell, Brett White, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Jeremy Smith, Ben Cross, Adam Blair, Michael Croker, Israel Folau, Antonio Kaufusi, Dane Nielson, Will Chambers, Tim Glasby, Cameron Munster, Felise Kaufusi, Christian Welch, Tino Faasuamalaui, Harry Grant, Trent Loiero, Xavier Coates, Anthony Quinn, Josh Addo Carr, Dale Finucane, Stefano Utoikamanu, Marcus Bai, Josh Olam, Will Warbrick, Jerome Hughes, Nelson Asofa Solomana, Brandon Smith, Tohu Harris, Kenny Bromwich, Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor, Matt Duffie, Sika Manu, Jeff Lima, Jake Webster, Alex Chan, Sisa Waqa, Marika Koroibete, Tui Kamikamica, Suliasi Vunivalu, Gareth Widdop, Jordan McClean, Christian Welch.

There's more if anyone feels compelled to look up Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands etc...

Dirty cheating scum of a News Ltd Queensland team.

I despise the Storm as much as the next man or women, however a good number on that list are prob not rep players at other clubs and under other coaches. A good number were also lost to other clubs. Bellamy is the best at getting high level contributions out players who had been pretty average at other clubs, or who he and the Storm system have developed.

 

[Eagle 1]

Nothing worse than having to watch Storm in the finals.

It's always good having a team to dispize tho, and the Slime never fail in this category.

 

[eaglebuzz]

Since 2015 only one team has won the GF after not having the week off. Cowboys did it in 15 and Penrith in 21. I stopped looking at results pre 2015.

If any team can do it, it's Penrith. They know how to get the job done. I'm actually more concerned about the Storm getting a 9 day turnaround to the other side's 7 days.

Unfortunately it's Melbourne's to lose now.

 

[Under the Sticks]

If any team can do it, it's Penrith. They know how to get the job done. I'm actually more concerned about the Storm getting a 9 day turnaround to the other side's 7 days.

Unfortunately it's Melbourne's to lose now.

How rigged is that? How did the NRL let this happen?

 

[stoodamire]

How rigged is that? How did the NRL let this happen?

AFL gf clash.

 

[Under the Sticks]

AFL gf clash.

Play it at night. It’s not stopping Bledisloe Cup.

 

[Waz13]

Play it at night. It’s not stopping Bledisloe Cup.

Yelp fairest way is Sat night into Sun arvo. Even Bellamy said it’s an advantage. It’s embarrassing really, but it’s the nrl so why are we not surprised?

 

[Hibyemama]

well, the game has to be a success in victoria.

 

[max]

To me, and howl me down as I never (competition )played League, Melbourne are coached like a team that plays like they are just inside or outside the rules, like a bloke who drives at 65K's in a 60 zone everywhere, hoping not to get noticed enough to get picked up.

The Papenhousen chip try. To me he was a fraction offside. They Union like play the balls where they just virtually play on to me is 'just' outside the rules. And many others. Dumb coached teams like ours can't predict it or counter it.

 

[Eagle 1]

To me, and howl me down as I never (competition )played League, Melbourne are coached like a team that plays like they are just inside or outside the rules, like a bloke who drives at 65K's in a 60 zone everywhere, hoping not to get noticed enough to get picked up.

The Papenhousen chip try. To me he was a fraction offside. They Union like play the balls where they just virtually play on to me is 'just' outside the rules. And many others. Dumb coached teams like ours can't predict it or counter it.

Where they really revel is the slowing down of the tackled player, it's usually a hug like tackle holding up the player then slowly letting the tackled player go to ground then peeling of one at a time. The ref can't blow a penalty because it looks like the tackle hasn't been completed yet.

 

[Cliffycomeback]

I despise the Storm as much as the next man or women, however a good number on that list are prob not rep players at other clubs and under other coaches. A good number were also lost to other clubs. Bellamy is the best at getting high level contributions out players who had been pretty average at other clubs, or who he and the Storm system have developed.

Rubbish straw man argument. Elite players in every spine position during his entire career. They buy the very best junior talent from Qld and the only adversity they have ever faced was when someone on the inside blew the whistle on the multi million dollar salary cap fraud they had been running for years. Cheats are cheats are cheats. Do you really think Pezet knocked back a five year 4 million dollar deal to play third string halfback in reserve grade? They are the darlings of the NRL.

 

[Cliffycomeback]

I despise the Storm as much as the next man or women, however a good number on that list are prob not rep players at other clubs and under other coaches. A good number were also lost to other clubs. Bellamy is the best at getting high level contributions out players who had been pretty average at other clubs, or who he and the Storm system have developed.

And if all the advantages they get weren't enough already, the NRL give them a nine day turnaround before the big dance next weekend. It really is deplorable. No other sport would dare to openly display such blatant favouritism toward ones side. If the Storm lose next weekend it will be a massive fail.