NRL 2015

jimjimjimmy

Souths kick off the 2015 season in imperious form. Dismissing the Broncos 36-6 in Brissy.

Great to have the footy back.

Come on the Bunnies!

Dozen Wicked Words

jimjimjimmy wrote: »

Souths kick off the 2015 season in imperious form. Dismissing the Broncos 36-6 in Brissy.

Great to have the footy back.

Come on the Bunnies!

They'll certainly take some stopping, going to have a couple of quid on the Warriors again this year, more habit than expectation.

jimjimjimmy

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

They'll certainly take some stopping, going to have a couple of quid on the Warriors again this year, more habit than expectation.

Great to playing like this but counts for little at this stage. The Bunnies will have their bad days this season but hopefully they can be back in form like this come September/October.

Manly - Parra about to kick off, good to see Hayne at the game but he's a huge loss to the NRL this season. Gonna be a cracker of a game nonetheless.

Dozen Wicked Words

Warriors managed to throw a good lead with 20 minutes to go. Led Newcastle by 8 and managed to lose by 10.

old gregg

Decent enough start to the season by the Roosters. Unfortunate to see how they still manage to concede so many penalties along the way. Go Roosters.

junkster12345

old gregg wrote: »

Decent enough start to the season by the Roosters. Unfortunate to see how they still manage to concede so many penalties along the way. Go Roosters.

Just got me season membership for the roosters for this season.... play the rabbitohs next weekend....that will be a cracking game !!

old gregg

junkster12345 wrote: »

Just got me season membership for the roosters for this season.... play the rabbitohs next weekend....that will be a cracking game !!

It's nearly always a cracker which is great. Sadly I've no plans to scoot back to Australia this year so won't catch any Roosters games this time. I've been a Roosters fan for nearly 50 years and grew up going to games every week.

jimjimjimmy

Fantastic game yesterday between the Bunnies and the Chooks. Rabbitohs at the minute just don't look like losing, great willpower and composure to come from behind. Also the Bunnies looked fitter, the Roosters were dead on their feet at the end. Amazing stuff from GI again, he does things that no other player in the comp can do, such a great mix of speed, strength and balance.

Dozen Wicked Words

Good win for the Warriors at the weekend. Mid table glory beckons.

jimjimjimmy

Incredible performance from Dylan Walker for the Bunnies today. Played most of the game with what looks like a broken hand, scoring 2 tries, brings back memories of Slammming Sam in last years GF.

Bunnies never really got into a rhythm but still done enough to see off Wests Tigers.

Looking forward to tomorrow's clash between the Panthers and Roosters, has the makings of a classic.

Dozen Wicked Words

Tomkins in the NRL didn't last long then. Ending his contact with the Warriors early at end of this season. Injury hasn't helped but he hasn't pulled up any trees there.

jimjimjimmy

He started very well last season but just hasn't kicked on, Tuivasa-Sheck going to be his replacement, big loss for the Chooks.

old gregg

Huge loss. A bit of panic among fans at recent loss announcements. Am not a happy canmper.

Dozen Wicked Words

old gregg wrote: »

Huge loss. A bit of panic among fans at recent loss announcements. Am not a happy canmper.

Is he worth what the Warriors are supposedly going to be paying him? Sounds like he's going to be on great money.

old gregg

He's a really exciting player I think. A guy who knows how to score.

skippymac6

jimjimjimmy wrote: »

Fantastic game yesterday between the Bunnies and the Chooks. Rabbitohs at the minute just don't look like losing, great willpower and composure to come from behind. Also the Bunnies looked fitter, the Roosters were dead on their feet at the end. Amazing stuff from GI again, he does things that no other player in the comp can do, such a great mix of speed, strength and balance.

What a difference a couple of weeks make. The Rabbitohs looked clueless from the 20th minute on and never looked like scoring in the second half. That said if GI had been able to ground that ball when Morgan got a toe to it at 12-4, it obviously would have been a completely different game.

It just seems like a wide open competition this year. After losing their opening three games, the two form sides now are arguably the Dragons and the Cowboys along with the Broncos. The Rabbitohs won't be pushing any panic buttons yet but they will really miss Reynolds while he's out. Teams like the Titans and Sharks have bounced back after a bad start too and won't be easy outs for anyone this year. Added to that the Raiders look like a plucky team too and the Warriors in NZ are tough to put away. Melbourne aren't lighting it up but they are getting the wins on the board. It's just really Manley that seem to be struggling but you'd imagine that when Jamie Lyon and a few others get back that they will improve, but there does seem to be something amiss behind the scenes with player unrest and guys like Cherry-Evans and Foran already set for greener pastures.

The Dragons vs the Broncos on Friday will be a good game. The Dragons defence is awesome but they could miss Frizell if he is suspended for his high shot last week. Storm vs Roosters is the other one that sticks out but it will be interesting to see if the Titans and Sharks keep their runs going against the Panthers and Rabbs respectively and Manley vs Canterbury on Friday is a must win for both teams too. Another exciting week ahead!

augustus gloop

Greg "the brains trust" Bird to miss Origin with an 8 week ban after lifting Nightingale in the rep test. Delighted for him.....
James Taumo to go to the Raiders sounding like a done deal. Ricky building a decent team in the success starved capital.
I was at the Storm Raiders a few weeks ago, they are really on the up.
Roosters Penrith GF for my money!

augustus gloop

Also I see a few Roosters on here, big whispers Matt Moylan is the big target to replace Rodger TS next year.

skippymac6

augustus gloop wrote: »

Also I see a few Roosters on here, big whispers Matt Moylan is the big target to replace Rodger TS next year.

That would be a serious coup for them. RTS is a fantastic player but Moylan is a bit special and the sky is the limit for him at his age. He'd be a brilliant signing for them.

KaiserGunner

Isaac Luke leaving the bunnies at the end of the season to join the Warriors as, citing family reasons. Big loss for the bunnies, the Dragons up next on Monday night, will be a tough match.

Dozen Wicked Words

Warriors got a couple of very good players lined up for next season then. Good, very late win for them over the Sharks this round. Their standard season so far, inconsistent.

skippymac6

KaiserGunner wrote: »

Isaac Luke leaving the bunnies at the end of the season to join the Warriors as, citing family reasons. Big loss for the bunnies, the Dragons up next on Monday night, will be a tough match.

Yeah interesting one that. He'll like playing with Johnson as he does at international level. Dropped for tonight though with Reynolds and Sutton back in. Dugan a late inclusion for the Dragons too.

KaiserGunner

Finished 16-10 to the Bunnies tonight, ends the 3 game losing streak. Aaron Gray the youngster with his first 2 career tries in only his second match (could be wrong) and Alex Johnston with the other. Impressive win anyway as the Dragons were on some winning streak.

skippymac6

KaiserGunner wrote: »

Finished 16-10 to the Bunnies tonight, ends the 3 game losing streak. Aaron Gray the youngster with his first 2 career tries in only his second match (could be wrong) and Alex Johnston with the other. Impressive win anyway as the Dragons were on some winning streak.

Yeah I think you're right about young Gray. He took his two tries well. The Dragons will be disappointed as they completely controlled the first half and should have been further ahead at half time. The Bunnies stepped up their game in the second half and sustained pressure allowed them to cross the whitewash twice while controlling the second half. The Dragons didnt have any decent possession until well inside the final ten minutes and the Bunnies were able to shut them down. Having reynolds back was a big boost and Luke made a difference in the second half too. Sutton struggled from a bad poke in the eye early in the first half and the Rabbitohs still look like they are struggling a bit, they aren't as fluent as they were early in the season. However, this will be a big boost for them and I'd be surprised if they didnt step up their game over the next few weeks when their big men are back fully 100%.

corny

Nearly fell off my seat watching this. Ouch.

skippymac6

corny wrote: »

Nearly fell off my seat watching this. Ouch.

Ha yeah was a massive hit by Matai. The Sea Eagles should have done better in that game but their play inside both 10s leaves a bit to be desired

KaiserGunner

Fast approaching the business end of the NRL season now. Chris Sandow requested to be released from his Eels contract early, to sign with Super League club Warrington, but that was rejected. The Bulldogs comfortably beat the Eels last night and Melbourne Storm hammered Penrith last night too.

Important match tonight between the Dragons and The Rabbitohs tonight at the Sydney Cricket Ground, will be going to that myself, first visit to the SCG for me. Looking forward to it and hoping for a Bunnies victory!

skippymac6

KaiserGunner wrote: »

Fast approaching the business end of the NRL season now. Chris Sandow requested to be released from his Eels contract early, to sign with Super League club Warrington, but that was rejected. The Bulldogs comfortably beat the Eels last night and Melbourne Storm hammered Penrith last night too.

Important match tonight between the Dragons and The Rabbitohs tonight at the Sydney Cricket Ground, will be going to that myself, first visit to the SCG for me. Looking forward to it and hoping for a Bunnies victory!

Yeah the dragons have been in very poor form since their sequence of wins earlier in the year. They were creamed last week without the likes of Marshall, Dugan etc so they need a big one tonight. The Rabs are pretty much back to full strength though and I'd expect them to take it

GiftofGab

Is NRL not showing on irish tv? Sorry newbie here, used to attend melbourne storms matches when i lived there

skippymac6

GiftofGab wrote: »

Is NRL not showing on irish tv? Sorry newbie here, used to attend melbourne storms matches when i lived there

Every game is live on Setanta Sports (except sometimes when the Friday night games are played at the same time). However, this won't happen for the rest of the year with the Thursday night games running from now on so every game until the Grand Final will be on live!!

If you have a betting account, you can also stream every game live through Bet365, Ladbrokes or Coral so long as you have money in your account and you have bet at least €1 on an event the previous 24hrs leading up to the match you want to stream.

jimjimjimmy

Getting into the business end of the season now, big games all the way to the end. Bunnies v Doggies tomorrow and Roosters v Broncos Saturday, will really tell where the teams are at.

Still believe, as a biased Rabbitohs member I must add, the Bunnies are being underestimated to win the Premiership. 4th favourite and 4th on the ladder may seem fair but the Bunnies have beaten all 3 teams above them. They turn up in the big games, majority of defeats have been as favourite against lower ranked teams. With all the remaining games against top teams I can see the Bunnies winning 2/3 going in the playoffs. Missing Luke and Keary this week but should be full strength for Broncos and Roosters.

Who you guys got winning the Premiership?

Dozen Wicked Words

Would have said definitely the Cowboys until they got totally outclassed by the Rabbitohs in the second half of their game. Still think their last couple of games have been a blip and they'll do the job, but not as convinced as I was. Nice easy round next to settle their nerves, with a trip to the Warriors?

skippymac6

At the minute I would have to say the Roosters. Although they can go missing in the middle of games, I think they have the right blend of power up the middle, creativity in the halves and then the pace out wide to finish moves to do it. The Broncos strike me as a team that will struggle away from Suncorp and that means that a top 2 finish is essential and with a run home of the Roosters, Bunnies and then the Storm, that top 2 place is by no means wrapped up.

The Cowboys have been the best team in the comp since their early poor run but again they can be frustrated when teams really get at them like the Bunnies did last Thursday. I think if they came up against a massive pack like the Doggies or the Bunnies again, then I'd be fearful for their chances. Tomololo has been quiet the second half of the season as has Matt Scott. They need them firing on all cylinders but with JT and Morgan in the halves, tehy will always have a chance.

The Sharks I think will be found out but the other teams in the 8 have good chances too. The Doggies on their day can beat anyone with that massive pack and at the minute the Sea eagles are playing brilliant stuff evidenced by their stuffing of both the Broncos and the Bunnies lately and their come from behind victory against the Raiders last week. The Storm have done it all before and some of their younger brigade like Munster, Duffey etc have really stepped up in the absence of Slater and others. The Bunnies certainly have the forward pack to trouble teams but they need more from the Burgess twins. They were fantastic against the Cowboys but they need that until the end of the year now. Inglis is magic and Sutton and Stewart give them two ball players in the row too. Reynolds is the key though and if he can stay healthy, his goal kicking and play making ability will win them tight games.

So in a nutshell, I actually don't have a clue!!! Some cracking games this week, there is something on the line in every game save maybe for the Titans vs Raiders game but even still that should register a few points in it knowing the Raiders! Should be a brilliant run into the finals and I'm just hoping that the main guys for each team stay injury free so we can see the best talent on show when it comes down to the business end of things!

skippymac6

The Bunnies getting run over by the Doggies today. The Dogs pack is just monstering the Bunnies equivalent. In one off games the Dogs will be a match for anyone come finals time, especially in Allianz or ANZ. Out in Suncorp or 1300 Smiles they could be found out but they will be tough to beat in Sydney.

KaiserGunner

So the regular season has ended and the NRL Finals begin next week. The ties are
Qualifying Finals
Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm
Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys

Elimination Finals
Canterbury Bulldogs v St.George Dragons
Cronulla Sharks V South Sydney Rabbitohs

I'm gonna go for a Roosters,Broncos,Bulldogs, Rabbitohs quadruple.

skippymac6

KaiserGunner wrote: »

So the regular season has ended and the NRL Finals begin next week. The ties are
Qualifying Finals
Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm
Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys

Elimination Finals
Canterbury Bulldogs v St.George Dragons
Cronulla Sharks V South Sydney Rabbitohs

I'm gonna go for a Roosters,Broncos,Bulldogs, Rabbitohs quadruple.

Yeah I think you are probably spot on but obviously the Cowboys--Broncos one is the closest of the four. If anyone can stifle the Roosters at the minute it's a defensively minded Storm team but I expect them to come through but I feel it will be a lot closer than their earlier meeting when the Storm were wiped out in Allianz. The Storm were able to beat the Roosters in wet weather earlier at AAMI park too.

The Dragons look very brittle and need Widdop back this weekend if they are to have any chance. The Sharks don't do well as favs and if Souths can get GI & Sutton back and the halves start firing, I think they can upset the Sharkies. Also the fact that the match is in Allianz, negates the "home" advantage the Sharks should have enjoyed by finishing ahead of the Bunnies.

skippymac6

Well gents who are we going for this weekend? After having time to reflect on the games I'm actually going to renege on some of my picks! I'm going to take the storm to beat the roosters -- I just feel the roosters don't like to be stifled and hassled. If they are allowed play their usual free flowing brand, they win by 12 but I think the storm will frustrate them and win a low scoring contest.

I'm going to go cowboys in the other big one. With the injury cloud over Hunt, I think the cowboys can take advantage and get over the line. The bulldogs look straight forward winners against the dragons but a lot depends on Widdop being fit. Hodkinson is a loss for the doggies but I think they have too much power through the middle for the dragons.

In the final game then I will reserve judgement until the 11th hour! The big question is whether GI will be fit or not. Sutton likewise. If these two are out there, I give the bunnies a great chance. Burgess and Luke missing are big losses though, esp Isaac so I'd probably just side with the Skarkies but it will be very tight!

Dozen Wicked Words

As has been shown numerous times I'm more of a guesser than anything but I fancy the Dragons to be the surprise of the weekend.

Also reckon the Cowboys will beat the Broncos.

Dozen Wicked Words

skippymac6 wrote: »

Well gents who are we going for this weekend? After having time to reflect on the games I'm actually going to renege on some of my picks! I'm going to take the storm to beat the roosters -- I just feel the roosters don't like to be stifled and hassled. If they are allowed play their usual free flowing brand, they win by 12 but I think the storm will frustrate them and win a low scoring contest.

Not low scoring but nice one on the prediction.

jimjimjimmy

Brilliant end to the Bulldogs v Dragons game, Dragons almost pulled off the upset. Broncos v Cowboys about to start, fancy JT and the boys to get it done. Great weekend of footy so far and only half way there.

Dozen Wicked Words

jimjimjimmy wrote: »

Brilliant end to the Bulldogs v Dragons game, Dragons almost pulled off the upset. Broncos v Cowboys about to start, fancy JT and the boys to get it done. Great weekend of footy so far and only half way there.

Shame it was a drop goal that won it but thems the rules. I'd prefer golden try to golden point but not sure the players would!

jimjimjimmy

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Shame it was a drop goal that won it but thems the rules. I'd prefer golden try to golden point but not sure the players would!

Ha, probably not, most of them looked dead on their feet at the end. Have to feel for Widdop, kept them in it with his kicks then pretty much handed them the chance with the botched 40-20 attempt.

Dozen Wicked Words

So I was reassuringly wrong again about the Cowboys Broncos game then, missed the end of it as my broadband went pear shaped.

Dozen Wicked Words

Sharks still lead by 18, thought Souths got one back there but no try.

Edit: 20

Dozen Wicked Words

First points on the board for South Sydney, can't see them pulling back 20 plus more in just over 10 minutes though!

skippymac6

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

First points on the board for South Sydney, can't see them pulling back 20 plus more in just over 10 minutes though!

Yeah they had a few chances in the first half and when they didn't take them, they were playing catch up. The better team won for sure.

Next week now the Roosters and the Bulldogs and the Cowboys and the Sharks. Both underdogs have had success this year against their more fancies rivals. The Bulldogs should have beaten the Roosters in Allianz after spotting them a massive lead and the Sharks did the double over the cowboys this year. Think they'll be two tight games

Dozen Wicked Words

https://twitter.com/NRL/status/642984930578796545?s=09

jimjimjimmy

Very disappointed in the Bunnies yesterday, we rarely play well without Isaac Luke, which is worrying as he's off to the Warriors next year. Reynolds had one of his better kicking games for a while but we're just so ineffective going forward.

Had no real conviction and just ran out of ideas. Just looked like there was no plan B, also it's bad enough to be outplayed but Sharkies wanted it more too. Reigning Premiers should have more heart than that, GI is great at times but he's not a leader in the mould of Sam Burgess or Isaac Luke. It's probably going to be much of the same next year.

skippymac6

jimjimjimmy wrote: »

Very disappointed in the Bunnies yesterday, we rarely play well without Isaac Luke, which is worrying as he's off to the Warriors next year. Reynolds had one of his better kicking games for a while but we're just so ineffective going forward.

Had no real conviction and just ran out of ideas. Just looked like there was no plan B, also it's bad enough to be outplayed but Sharkies wanted it more too. Reigning Premiers should have more heart than that, GI is great at times but he's not a leader in the mould of Sam Burgess or Isaac Luke. It's probably going to be much of the same next year.

I guess the loss last week to the Sea Eagles focused the minds of the sharks players and probably the likes of Lewis, Fifita etc getting an extra week to be at optimum fitness helped too. One thing that is overlooked is Michael Gordon as the last line of defence. He's up there with any of the full backs in the comp at stopping tries in desperation and he had at least another two yesterday

Dozen Wicked Words

Roosters out of the gates early. 8 nil up.

Dozen Wicked Words

Nice try from the Bulldogs, conversion to come.

Conversion missed, 8-4