No matter what you tinker with on the edges, it always seems that the best teams end up winning the comp or getting to the last 4.
Don’t think we need to tinker with the point system and confuse everyone!
I hate golden point but would back golden try if pressed ( field goals count but don’t win you the game )
Play 12 minutes continuous and if the hooter goes on say tackle three , just play on but going the other way from the same distance out so it’s flipped(So the breeze isn’t an issue and both sides get the chance to run with and against the breeze)

What do you reckon each of those players you listed is earning??
Morris brothers especially Brett is pretty much wired saying he offered himself to the Dragons who rejected him at a bargain price so he went to East’s.. read things like $250k..
I’ve never seen a report stating $500k for JS …

Won’t argue whether the anthem should or shouldn’t be sung….
But think about it…
We live on this tiny minute spec of dust floating around an infinite universe, yet we divide it up and we each have our only little happy sing song about our little patch of this little spec!!
We sing a song about a country… how stupid and how relevant do people really think our little piece of turf is to this universe.
Why cant we sing a state anthem?? Or a local council anthem??? Why limit it to just our country!!!
Can we have a planet anthem for when aliens attack us??
This is a satirical post… but there is some truth!!!
I don’t sing the anthem but I stand and appreciate the fact I won the birth lottery!!!

I think the winner must always come from the winning side!!! To the victors goes the spoils…
In the two games I saw (2023/2019) both players were worthy… but not enough to get their team home and in Wightons case, I think some of his options were the reason the Raiders lost despite having so much possession, field position and the opportunity to play against 12 men!
Great player…. great game… but not great enough to get victory.
JWH was a machine…… would have been equal to Wighton and being the winners… to the victors go the spoils!

I think the changes to the game post Covid probably made it harder for the inexperienced young half which would have been bought to play a more Cronk like Controlled game but now you seem to need the guys that can play a little more eyes up football which comes with experience or speed.
Couple that with a pack that might need a little refresh, then you are going to find yourself on the back foot. Be interesting to see how Or which way they go next year!

You mean you hope they can get revenge without the aid of the ref like the GF which they still couldn’t capitalize on!! Or you want more ref assistance just like the grand final but hopefully this time that will capitalize on the refs help?
Maybe Soliola will actually take out Keary for the whole game after attacking his legs on a charge down?

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/roosters-were-robbed-in-grand-final-just-like-raiders-refs-boss-20191102-p536vg.html

A few of those roosters players on the edges looked like they never played together in their life… Flanagan/Sitilli/Aubo/ Ikavalu… all on the right…. and they hadn’t really… and by all reports they only had a couple of training runs during the week after a 4 day rest…
Not sure you can take much out of that game…
Be interesting to know what the approach to that game was.
Still think others are better and my roosters Have looked a little tired most the year!

I think top 4 is going to be a struggle when comparing their run to Raiders…even knights could jump them.
They will struggle without Keary and new halves pairing would require some adjustment even with every other player back on deck….so could and most likely will drop some games and miss the 4.
Their strategy should be to lock in the eight then give some players good rest and others more game time….
Thinking Friend and SST need a break and the roosters need to blood a back up 9.
Manu hasn’t missed a game either.
I could imagine a very depleted team come the last round….then the 4 week campaign begins.

How about all clubs just make themselves more desirable for players to want to stay at or come to? Pretty simple really. Once a club lands on it’s nucleus of core players, then it’s easy to have players want to stay or come across for unders…or developing players are able to adjust better …… the cap works!!
It’s all about timing, patience, structure, coaching, smart recruitment and then luck!
You get that core group of 4, 5 or 6 players which you can spend half your cap on, then the rest easily fit into the remaining cap if they want to be there knowing they have a chance for glory.
These will be the fringe players or your development players who peak at the right time …. you need to keep this group evolving because you will lose a couple each year who do want more money or want a starting spot etc…but you need to replace them with the same value they were on.

Totally agree, and rarely is a try scored because the pass may have travelled forward. It’s not like a gridiron pass or soemthing…let it go unless 100% certain. Anybody who understands camera angles coupled with relative velocity knows that nobody can tell what happened in that pass… but I cna def se the ppor defensive read by the knights! Thats what coach would be looking at!

When I see stuff like that happen against my team, I don’t care if the pass was or wasn’t forward…I’m looking at the defence to see how the hell the break was made and blame my own team for letting the break occurr. Did the pass go forward, possibly, but looking from the half way line camera, you will never know. The ref was in the best position! (doesn’t mean he got it right) but seriously, that try occured due to a poor defensive read not due to a pass possibly going forward. And I’m sure that’s what the coach will be more focused on (P.S..I was on the knights for that game)

All this rubbish …the roosters are in a patch where they have landed on a great core group of players that take up a good chunk of their cap and then fill in the holes with developing players and astute buys…. Their backline only has Tedesco on massive coin from what I gather… Keary is being upgraded now…Manu is best in his position but we know centres don’t command superstar money… the roosters never pay big for outside backs or wingers compared to some clubs…
The 2/5/4 and 7 probably only take up 1.3 at best (that’s extreme) 3/6/1 probably around 2.5 at max!!! Their pack starting pack probably only total 3.5 mill….then its easy to fit in a lot of solid players or emerging players into the remaining 2.1 mill….
I think people over value players or don’t realise how far 9.6 million can go…

OK…got through the team 1 by 1 and tell us what you think they are getting on their current contract?

I come from the school that if anything happens off a bomb which is unclear, then the ref should give the benefit off the doubt to the defense. If the attacking team is not good enough and needs a bomb to manufacture a result, then they should execute well enough to remove doubt.
I wrote this piece discussing this type of decision and how I think we should look at it. (gets pretty left field but just a simple Benefit of Doubt to the defense would suit me)

I know footies about luck etc, and the raiders did get some luck right through out the game, it wasn’t just one decision that cost them. Roosters defense was spectacular!!!

It’s not the refs, it’s the rules: Part 1

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/roosters-were-robbed-in-grand-final-just-like-raiders-refs-boss-20191102-p536vg.html

In relation to that roosters try….everyone is saying the raiders were unsettled …..The team did settle….. the roosters played the ball and went left and were handled. (tackle 1)They went right and were tackled,( T2) went right again and were tackled (T3) then went left and exposed BJ in a one on one who was clearly exhausted or injured (T4). Then they went again and scored. The Raiders had 4 controlled tackles to set. Re-watch it as us Roosters supporters have many times, you can see they were set and moved up together but BJ went too fast and made the tackle by himself on Cordner who seldom gets dominated one on one. This was why they were exposed.
The try didn’t come on the back of the back of 2 rapid fire left edge plays or even 3 as some people perceive nor did it come on the back off unsettled defense.
Should the original 6 again call have been over turned….no!!! But I can put a play by play list together of everything that went one way or the other and the reality like every game is that things are not as perceived. (well actually my son did and it was clear the Raiders got many bogus calls go their way also…maybe more!!!)
As for the original Teddie knock on before the raiders try, even the NRL said that was incorrect….Roosters should have done better to than this and generally did all game though.

They said 80% humidity.. which is the killer!

I always find this an interesting discussion and love most sports…I preferred playing AFL and soccer many years ago, but to watch generally like the linear games where you defend and then get a turn to attack… here’s why…

I find there are two types of ball sports… 1) The ball is always contested and the transition from attack to defense and back again is continuos and the teams are spread out all over the field! (AFL/Soccer/Ice Hockey/Basketball etc) . 2) The linear games where the battle for possession is not the main aspect , rather it’s a battle for field position.

I find when I watch the 1st groups like soccer or AFL (and I do enjoy both) it can be very tense (especially soccer where scores are closer) and enthralling but I don’t find a lot of highlights or things to “cheer” about outside of a couple of things like the goals, shots at goal or an incredible mark/save (offensive or defensive)…there really isn’t a lot more….. I know when they put together highlight packages of games for AFL they struggle to find anything significant for a news bulletin. Nothing wrong with this but just an observation. The crowd cheers “ball” etc, but that’s nothing exciting really…if you lose possession you’ll probably get it again very soon.

In games where possession doesn’t change often(League/Union/NFL) there is so much emphasis on what you do with the ball when its your turn that you can get some massive highlights outside of the actual scoring of points…because winning possession back either through defence or an attacking play (40/20, repeat set etc) is a huge play in the context of the game…and also where you hand possession over can be decisive or impact the next few phases of play.

I can list so many things that make a highlight reel for these games (especially League) that it makes the game so exciting TO ME. Here are a couple of things outside the scoring of point that bring people to their feet…. Massive Tackle especially if the ball is dislodged…. Great kick chase to trap the player in goal or conversely if that player escapes a great kick chase…..40/20…. great bomb take defensively…. great defense on goal line stopping multiple waves of attack before winning ball back….a great break with players streaking down field can be exciting for either the attack or defense if the chase is on…. I could go on about so many things in league v AFL that are huge or exciting plays outside of just scoring….but again, that’s just me observing.

Even the way a try is scored is so different so many times…. from kicks, from many passes, from a long way out , from a dummy half dive over, a spectacular wingers put down, a break behind the ruck…. every try is virtually different. Where as in AFL, the ball will often stop after a mark and then the shot is taken. I know there are often good passage of ball movement which can lead to a quick fire shot, but more often than not the great passage is paused to take the shot. And there are some amazing angles that guys kick from or conversely the scrappy seagulls chasing chips near the goal mouth which lands with a goal… but really there isn’t many more that don’t look like the above examples.

I also see that the group one games are more rapid fire fire and they don’t have set plays or set up plays as much because of the lack of control of the ball. They are cosntantly probing etc but not constantly controlling…The group 2 games (especially 2 rugby codes)are always trying to move the defence to expose players …they work to field positions, shorten defensive lines and then strike….they can control the defence by the way they shift the ball. An educated observer can see this.

To me AFL is like checkers and League/Union is like chess….

But be interesting to see how an AFL fan sees it.

Another Luke Keary concussion (Allah forbid) may destroy this satirical narration!!! I do remember being envious of other great teams in the past… people forget our bad days, they forget how the draft was over turned by the then cashed up Magpies pursuit of Terry Hill…who’s fans now call for a draft to save them..
My dad was always saying throughout the 80s and 90s that he wont see another premiership since the 75 win….but here he is at 85 years old and has another 4…some people just want to see their team in the semis let alone a GF let alone winning one!!!
Thank god Paddington was a working class migrant melting pot when my old man arrived for Malta, fell in love with the game and bestowed on us his love for this great club!!! (Even though we ended up growing up near Parrismatta where we endured years of watching my class mates celebrating in the 80s …some have recently just re-surfaced!!!)

I’ve heard this argument before…that the Raiders didn’t have time to reset….that is absolute rubbish that even I believed until re-watching the game (several times now as all us loopy footy heads do when our team wins)
By the time the roosters played the ball after the hand over, there was a good 1 to 2 minutes to reset. Then the roosters had 3 hit ups to the centre and right hand side then on the 4th went left wide to Lielua. The defence was set and had 4 tackles to reset, but BJ was left on the ground by Cordner and this is where Keary exposed them down their right edge with numbers. BJ was spent by this stage and found out.
Seriously, the Raiders only try came off an incorrect 6 again call also… talk about getting help from the ref.
The raiders should have played the game with 12 men after Sia Sliola took out Kearys legs when the ball hit the trainer. The raiders got more dodgy calls go their way than the roosters or at least even. Except people watched with one eye because we love a fairy tale and also hate the roosters.
Most peoples comments only came when viewing the game the one time live or on TV or the subsequent news reports that don’t show the whole passage of play from bomb to try where most people think the try came in the next tackle!

Agree on Matterson.. could have stayed at the roosters if they hadn’t brought in Crichton although he is playing very well… but probably on more coin the Ryan?

I wrote in another response that the key is finding that 5 or so players that will make the rest look better… your gun half and fullback, your hard 3 forwards, your solid or better hooker…. get them right and you fill the rest with workers and development players…it’s just so hard to get that first group right.
But I do look at well coached teams and it is the coachable/training stuff that they seem to always do better…..
– Kick chase
– Solid defence working as a unit
– Bodies in motion in attack where decoy runners don’t impede defenses for example
– Generally look fitter.
– General focus and attitude and play with calmness.

These are simple things that the top teams seem to do..
I do know Trent Robo says that he likes to bring in smart players and players that can attack and then they teach them defence!

When you look at the balance of the top teams that win the comp and keep challenging it seems they all have the following attributes….

1) The spine and a couple of great forwards…. you need these guys to be good and have games under their belt…. this is where your coin is spent…probably about 40% or more of your cap goes to these 4 or 5 players…. if one leaves, they must be replaced by someone of equal or close to status or else you slip back to the pack. The roosters have found this core group, the storm had it for years, Manly/Parra/Knights and the Raiders are close if not there already. Souths/Sharks had it for a few years but injuries and age crueled both….Once teams get this group sorted, they do not leave the club until they retire and it sets up an era

2) Solid group of unsung hard workers with some games under their belt but are not in demand and are at a good price that will remain consistent through out most of their career…some of these leave later in their careers when developing clubs are chasing experience and willing to pay a little more to get it (probably about 35% of cap) you can also fill these spots with journey men or players looking for a change.

3) Some great up and comers who are on lower contracts but are about to peak at the right time. These guys will either and will slot into group one or 2 or move to another club for $$$ if there is no room. (25%)

The critical thing is getting the right players into group 1 and maintaining that… this is where the money is spent and can set up an era….

You can always purchase players for group 2 but many of these will be good solid club men….

And group 3 is where some luck and good coaching and talent identification comes into it…probably as critical as group 1….you are looking for value but these guys need to step up and need to shine. These are players 15/16/17/18/19 that make up the some of the bench and depth beyond the bench…some cases they are now in first grade on their second or 3 rd season and are starting to peak but on their topped up contract not what they will command next contract (make sense?)

Its easy to see how you can spend $4 mill on say your top 6 to 7 players then $3 mill on the next 6 with the rest (around $2.6 mill) going to the rest of the squad… I don’t get why people think its so difficult for any club.

The clubs that are missing out all the time just can’t get group 1 right…. if they do, like say the tigers, they struggle to keep them because they don’t have the other groups right to challenge or the coach is not right…. it’s not just about money because players often leave certain clubs because they see something better elsewhere (Jai Arrow/Tedesco etc)

Who’d be a coach!!!

I’ll disagree respectfully….haaaa….How many times did you watch the game???
I just thought Souths didn’t earn the right to get quick play the balls and the ref saw it that way.
They don’t run hard enough and they often surrender hoping to get a quick play the ball. (Murray is the king of this lame type of footy… great player with so many wonderful attributes, his surrender tackles and subsequent quick play the ball are not one of them IN MY BOOKS)
Compare the way Cordner runs to Murray ….hard and fast as. If he gets a quick play the ball, it’s because he has destroyed the defender and eared it.
I can’t stand the surrender tackle and I hate the game being about the dummy half. It never was about either … but I also hate the wrestle… I thought the ref was spot on!!
I’ve seen many roosters play those tactics also…SKD and Sam Perret were often trying to play the ball as soon as the defence looked at them….loved Craig Wing darting out of dummy haly…but only when they earn it.

Agree…they do look like a different team this year though…just more confident and an attitude adjustment… … Early days but seems like the coach has made a difference?
Time will tell!