There is so much debate about golden point lately with the recent ‘field-goal-athon’ between the Roosters and Sharks that I would like to remember the more recent golden point matches that have been utterly scintillating.
Round 1 2012: Knights versus Dragons was one of the best opening matches in years, decided by a GP.
Finals 2011: Broncos versus Dragons; Lockyer kicks the winning field goal with a broken cheek! One of the most exciting and memorable moments in rugby league history, especially for Darren Lockyer’s last ever game!
Round 4 2011: Titans versus Raiders; Titans comeback, an incredible turn of events down to Greg Bird kicking a winning field goal to snatch victory. You have to admit it was truly amazing.
Finals 2010: Tigers versus Roosters. One of the most exciting games of football when SKD ran nearly the full length of the field to seal their spot in the 2010 grand final.
But in light of this, with the recent ‘field-goal-athon’ that was present last Monday night, the game would have ended flat and decision-less at 80 minutes.
But if you can steal victory from a field goal, shouldn’t a coach have up to three players out of his 17-man squad able to perform pressure field goals? Line drop outs require a drop kick, so if we have a game with terrible line-drop outs all the time should we abolish it?
It seems like there is a push from coaches to remove golden point from the game, only to deny that a game can be one with a field goal from 40m out (State of Origin Game III – Cooper Cronk).
If that is the case, and I was Brian Smith or Shane Flanagan, I would have my halves, hooker and fullback have two hours each in front of the sticks snapping field goals with the second rowers all trying to apply pressure, smother play etc.
Peter Sterling is a very strong voice in league, and he is against GP, and mentioned that there is three types of refereeing. Origin, Telstra Premiership and golden point refereeing.
If this is the case a coach should train his side to these conditions, and the first coach who realises this and does train for GP conditions will ultimately succeed.
So to sum it up, some of my most memorable matches were decided in golden point. As a fan I think players should perfect their field goals above all else and ‘play the game’, rather than remove parts out of the game that are their weakest strengths.
If any of the players from last Monday nights game knew it was going to be a golden point affair, Carney and Pearce would be spending at least two hours a day leading up to that practicing field goals from 40m out, and after their failed attempts to level on State of Origin III, why hadn’t they already been perfecting them?
Andy
Guest
i think teams would be more open to the GP ruling if after 80 minutes each team was given a point each, then to try and get the advantage of an extra point to win the game, field goal or not, if i were a current player and lost to golden point and got nothing out of if when teams get flogged by 40 odd points i would be angry too, the GP is on the edge of your seat action, weather or not its from 10m out to 40m out, if your player is good enough to kick from anywhere then so be it..
Bluedog dan
Guest
Who gives a sh@t about soccer.dont worry bout extra time in soccer being boring the whole game is boring.wrong opinion page dude
Bluedog dan
Guest
Who gives a sh@t about soccer.wrong opinion page dude
NCB619
Guest
I find it quite hilarious how people LOVE golden point because it's 'more football', but hate extra time is soccer because it's 'soo boring' -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
LT80
Roar Pro
Golden point is predictable and boring, I hope it is tossed out. There's nothing wrong with a draw. Queensland's win by 1 point in Origin 3 illustrates why golden point is such a waste of time. That match was exiting because NSW had a chance to score points after Cronk kicked the FG. If NSW had scored a try and won the game on that final possession then Cronk's decision to go for a field goal rather than the try line would have ended up being the wrong one. There is none of this uncertainty in golden point. There is no decision to make - almost every golden point match is decided by a FG.
The Barry
Roar Guru
your logic doesn't make sense...just because players celebrate doesn't mean the quality of football is any good. They celebrate because they won a close game not because the football is good quality. Do the losing team celebrate the quality of the footy? I'm off to have a cuppa... Golden point is for people that wouldn't know good footy if it bit them on the arse.
Bluedog dan
Guest
Leave it as it is.gpoint is awesome.i love a game that is so close.if u cant win it in 80mins it has to be a lottery.f goal it is .who cares i knw if ive got a 6pk left on ice on a fri sat sun nite and it goes to gold point im stoked.doesnt mata who u go 4 it makes them last 6beers perfect (sometimes il even crack out the sly bottle of johny)beta then watchn survivor,2n a half men, the big(im stil waitin)bang theory or ncis.the more footy even if it is 10mins a wkend is bloody awesome.keep it dnt mess wit it .
Brendan
Roar Rookie
I still thing Golden Try will make the extra 10mins a true waste of time. The whole point of this article is for players to become experts at field goals and snap the game up with ease.
Mick H
Roar Rookie
If neither team has the ability, skill or attitude to beat their opposition within 80 minutes of football, that should be the end of it. Or to put it nicer, if both teams are equal on the day/night they should be rewarded with 1 point each. The only reason the NRL has it for the TV money.
dishes
Guest
If the NRL wants more product, fine. But it needs to be done properly. either a) have a different points system that takes into account golden point or b) have regular extra time, but if a try is scored it's "game over" or c) both of these. The field goal is an important skill but it shouldn't decide who gets the 2 points when both teams have worked hard to level the scores after 80 minutes. It is unbalanced the way golden point is right now.
MG
Guest
Don't get ride of extra time, get rid of the golden point field goal. Make it golden Try to win, like in the NFL. All the forwards would out on their feet and would make for some spectacular tries
turbodewd
Guest
The Barry, if its rubbish quality why do the players explode in jubilation when they win GP? Because its tense, white knuckle football. The players concentrate like buggery. If 48m is as close as they managed, of course they will try the FG. GP is for people who like football and life. Draws are for camry drivers who like tepid tea with 3 drops of organic lemon juice.
sheek
Guest
What is it with this golden point extra-time obsession during the regular home & away season??? Is this thinking a by-product of the 'me' generation - "we want it all, & we want it now". Is watching regular season home & away matches so boring, that we have to add ever so more additions to it? The whole point of finals football, is that it provides a clear break, a clear point of difference with home & away. It also provides a build-up to a climax to the season. Suddenly, it becomes just that - sudden death football. One team progresses, another team gets an early shower. In finals football, there can be only one winner. That's why you need extra-time. You don't need extra-time in home & away. No matter how many different ways you try to dress it up. Nothing wrong with a draw in-season. But no, it seems today's generation wants more & more' adrenalin' hits. Can't wait for finals football before we see extra-time, we have to have it now, in-season. WE HAVE TO HAVE IT NOW.....WAAAA.... Where will it end? When will the natives be satisfied? When the losers are offered up as human sacrifices to the gods? Come to think of it, that's been done before too..........
The Barry
Roar Guru
Because it's rubbish quality turbo. 5 dummy half hit ups followed by a wild shot from 48 metres. It's not what I think of when I think of footy and it's not how I think games should be decided.
Dayer
Guest
ENOUGH said on the GP issue. ARLC .. Get rid of it or come up with a better alternative..... end of story.
turbodewd
Guest
I just want to know why MORE football is a problem? An extra 5-10min of footy, and the players leap for joy like nothing else when they win it. GP games are infrequent - no problem. GP games are decided by field goals - no problem, RL is not dominated by them normally unlike rugby. I am all for GP. Its more footy, its tense, what's the problem?! Its the damn camry-driving brigade who are against it!
steve b
Roar Guru
A lot of the players dont like it either,, but i don't think anything will change this year,,but i am sure it will be on the table for the new commish during the off season ..For mine i would like to see left alone , but their is merit in some of the different slantes on the idea of golden try, or dropping a player out of extra time to create a gap ,but it has certainly been a big talking point the last couple of weeks...
The Barry
Roar Guru
There's nothing wrong at all with a field goal winning a game - and you're right there's been some stunning GP games over the years. However, like most things in league, coaches have recently adopted a safety first approach to GP and they have become very boring. The Roosters v Sharks game was just the icing on the cake (although that was a terrible game from the first whistle) Most people think semis and origins should be decided by extra time so you wouldn't have the Broncos v Dragons or Roosters v Tigers games end 'flat and decisionless'. There's no reason why you can't have draws in regular season games - a draw is a result.