Smith @ 1 for me . If I was starting the Dolphins 5, 10, 15 years ago, he’d be the first and most important player I would want to add to my roster. Could count the amount of times he played average games, not bad, just average, on both hands, with fingers to spare. Over 400+ games. That’s insane. Tho, as a Queenslander I may be biased

I’m biased here, as Cam Smith is my favorite player of the NRL era, but even his biggest detractors and critics can’t deny he was one hell of a captain. Calm, collected, cool under pressure, knew the game better than anyone on the field (yes yes, handy if you’re also the ref) and understood how to control the game to suit his team, whether it be the Storm, QLD or the kangaroos. The GOAT.

Genuine question – is it tall poppy syndrome when they are genuinely unlikable, and do unlikable things? Is calling out behavior and saying that you don’t like it, or the people doing it merely ‘tall poppy syndrome’, or aren’t we allowed? Do we just have to bow at the feet of this remarkable football team (and don’t get me wrong, they are one of the most dominant and impressive teams I’ve ever seen) and accept that this is just who they are, no questions asked or standards expected? I dislike this team not because they’re good, I don’t like this team because of their actions outside of their ability to play a game.
And it may just be ‘a few bad apples’ but that particular saying doesn’t end there

Totally agree. The cowboys had their chances, and but for a pass (or lack thereof) or two , we might be having a different conversation about just how will the Cowboys go against an all conquering Panthers this week. I gotta know tho – what did Feldty do to the team that they refused to pass to him! ????

If you consider not being able to bring a full speed RCG to a grinding halt within a couple of metres disgusting and pathetic, well then yes, sure, why not? P.s. Your tackling technique must really be something truly amazing! Any chance the cows can hire you for a tackling coach next year?

My original war and peace response to this went missing so I’ll give the abridged answer…
Maybe.
But maybe we knew if we blew up supreme, people would throw the tigers game in our face (like it equals out). No matter the Hand of Foz, seventh tackle try, mystery knock on, you guys got a lucky call against the wooden spooners in a mid season game so you deserve it because you didn’t all hold your breath until the nrl gave the points back.
Or maybe we’ve been good sports because we are really, really happy with how or team played this year, they took themselves from 15th to 5 points shy of a grand final, playing fun, exciting football, and the excitement over what that this may bring in future seasons is too good to let a ref call ruin it.

Hey if they all went into their shells, the heads went down, slapped on a ‘we wuz robbed’ look and used it as an excuse to let the standards slip then yeah, sure, I’d say it had a massive impact on the game. But they didn’t, and I’m happy they didn’t let it get to them. They could have, and that would have been disappointing. Aside from a few defensive errors they played good, fast football. That should be celebrated

Hmm, maybe. But maybe not. Look, we blew up supreme when we got bounced after losing to the hand of Foz. When they got scored against on the seventh tackle. When they found a knock on to deny a Thurston try in the dying moment’s of a final. Three years in a row. Where did it get us? Nowhere. Can’t even get a call against the tigers without everyone demanding we give the points back, like we have that authority. So maybe we just know complaining won’t get us anywhere, without people throwing the tigers match in our faces (like it’s comparable.)

Or maybe, just maybe, we are genuinely happy with how our team went this season. Everyone else put an asterisk next to the cowboys ladder position – easy draw, the tigers game blah blah blah, but hey, the boys played good this year. Fun, attacking football. Halved their average amount of points conceded in games. Even when they lost 22 nill to the Panthers, there was plenty to be proud of. So yeah, sucks to lose, but hard to be pissed at your team who goes from 15th to 4 points away from a grand final.

As a Cowboys supporter, personally I don’t really care if he came out today and said it was or wasn’t forward. Yeah, I thought it was forward but that doesn’t matter. What I know, rather than just think, is that this did not cost the Cowboys the game. The Cows dominated across all stats, except the one that mattered most – points on the scoreboard when the final whistle sounds.
As Todd Peyton said, they got past this decision, came back and ended up leading with 15 to go (and what a great press conference to boot!) . We had our chances, and weren’t able to covert. Parra did, and as much as it pains me to say, played that last 20 like they wanted it more. I’m disappointed sure, but the disappointment pales in comparison to the pride I have in the way they played that game, and have gone this season, when no one (including myself) gave them much of a chance of doing anything this year.
And this may be my bias talking, but I think the 2 finals games that featured the cowboys were the 2 most enjoyable games of the finals series!
So fair play Parra, you got the chocolates, no excuses, and good luck in the GF. I have a feeling whoever wins this week is going to have to earn it!

Phew, because if we couldn’t come to a compromise on that then I feared what direction this may end up going in!
Look, I hope Moses doesn’t face sanction, it was a great hit and in the context of the game, a potential game winning one. And whilst my fellow commentator here states that “trying to equate these tackles is ignorant beyond belief”, I respectfully have to disagree. All I was agreeing with was the premise put forward by Brendan that head on head contact, which results in a HIA, may be looked at by the MRC, and once there, who knows what’s going to come out of it? It’s easier picking a perfect round in tipping than figuring out what will or won’t attract a charge at the MRC and judiciary this year.

Yes, you’re right, RL has always recognized accidental head contact. Except until they didn’t. Starting a few weeks ago.

Tell you what. I’ll concede he did not rush out of the line if you concede that the HIA appears to be due to his head hitting Bromwich’s chin

I tend to agree Brendon. If the decisions of recent times are any indication, accidental or not, if your tackling technique causes your head to come into contact with an opposition player and that causes a HIA (or a gruesome ear injury), then you spend time on the sidelines. He came out of the line, put on a big hit, does it matter if the head clash came a bit later on in the completion of the tackle? I don’t for one second think he meant it, but not intending to do it didn’t save Finucane or Hess.

Whoa whoa whoa, admitting you’re not an expert and therefore not sharing an opinion on a football matter??

Is..Is that allowed on here?

I don’t think you’re wrong, I only hesitate as the Cowboys attack only clicked when Drinkwater got a start.

That being said, gun to my head I know which player I’d hate seeing more lining up against us in an opposition jersey.

Here’s an unfortunate question that may need an answer soon – who do the Cowboys keep – Nanai or Drinkwater? I think they can both start negotiating 1 Nov and I think plenty of clubs will be throwing $$ at them, and I don’t know how we keep both. Same question with Hammer and Tualagi. Do we go in hard to keep Robson, or trust that if we lose him that Cotter can play 9?
November is gonna be stressful

It’s funny, I was so confident in the Cowboys heading into last season, only to be heartbroken with the insipid performances week after week. I bemoaned Peyton’s changing of JT’s minutes, shook my head over the signing of Chad and went into this season with zero hope.

And how wrong I was.

I am so happy with the Cowboys this year. Happy with the team, the direction, and the style of football they are playing. I don’t know if they can go all the way this year, but that is ok. If we can keep this group and not lose too many come November, the cowboys time may come sooner rather than later.

At this stage in the season if the Panthers don’t win the minor premiership they’ll have no one to blame but themselves

I refuse to take brain health advice from an ex NRL player who now makes a living getting punched in the head 😂

Give the poor guy a break! Half his brain was left on the 40 metre line 20 minutes into the contest! Seriously however, I didn’t notice that but it’s something he (or anyone else with this flaw in their technique) had better correct quick smart, or they may find themselves missing a final. The judiciary aint mucking around it would seem (if a player actually attracts a charge that is). At the risk of inviting the obvious comments, I cringe whenever the Cowboys players start getting the hands up around the heads of the opposition as it is a recipe for things to start going wrong. As others have said before, unfortunately this is a by product from fatigue of the newer, faster game they play, that we see more and more of these slapping tackles. Technique goes out the window when you’re gasping for breath!

Wow. Just wow. A week later, and after your best player tries to grow a Brown tree by planting him almost head first into the field, and you’re still on about Dearden.
Take the L lady.
I resisted jumping on Roar and carrying on like a pork chop following Cleary’s correct send off, making snide comments like how the weather forecast may be fine at GIO next weekend but that the raiders should bring their own neck braces because hey, two wrongs don’t make a right, and there is no glee to be had in a tackle gone wrong. Also, whilst I wont deny a smile on my face seeing an exceptional (and let’s be honest here, teflon coated) player being rubbed out for 5 weeks just before finals, I don’t take pleasure in rubbing it in opposition supporters faces. But you just couldn’t help yourself.
Of course I don’t believe Cleary set out to make a spear tackle, but that doesn’t matter. It was the textbook definition of a spear tackle. He was just lucky Brown was conscious to hear the apology, and able to stand up after it. Intent, as you say, is very hard to prove, however you seem to have no problem in assigning it to Lawton, Dearden, the ref, the judiciary and even Channel 9 and fox sports for hiding alleged incriminating footage. Continue to scream into the void if you must, but you are doing your argument no favours.

The mafia let’s go of a grudge quicker than you.

Deardon wasn’t charged. You don’t have to like it, but you have to get over it. Just like the dozens of charges the Clearys and Kikaus et al from the Panthers seem to dodge.

Trust me, let it go. You’ll feel better.

Cheers to that Rob. I’m usually not one to bite but this is getting ridiculous.

And if people think getting the courts involved will mean less intervening by the bunker on the future and not more, then I’m afraid they are in for a rude shock. What do you think will happen if they find out an incorrect call may land them in court?

I’m happy to see the broncos doing well

I’m sorry Wayne, but you keep saying in all your posts that its all about who you play for and I’m seriously wondering what on earth you can point to in the past that leads you to think that the Cowboys the supposed “darling” of the NRL you believe them to be? Deardon (who with reckless forethought and malicious intent led with the finger in his tackle attempt according to Jennyfrompenny) escaped the MRC because he plays for the Cowboys??? Seriously?
Let me be clear, I think the Tigers were robbed. No doubt. If they end up getting given the 2 points, I wont be writing my local rep demanding justice, but I find all this outrage just a little hard to swallow.
Feldt smiled after = he must be the worst person to ever exist. Meanwhile, the Hand of Foz is treated as a punchline in how to get away with something. Holmes didnt kick the ball over the sidelines in disgust = the Cowboys have no integrity. Meanwhile ask yourself, if your team were in the same situation, would you actually expect that from them? Really?
There have been a couple of lucky calls go our way this year. I can name plenty more that went against them (and not just me saying it as a one eyed fan, but also the same “expert pundits” who bemoan the Tigers result as well). To actually think that they are somehow handed their victories and are now 2nd on the ladder by the grace of being one of the NRL’s favourite children is just plain delusional.
I’m all about raising the standards of the game, the officiating and all that, but if you set this precedent and take away the premise of “it was a bad call that sometimes you get, sometimes you don’t” via a legal challenge like this then get used to finding out the who wins the premiership and state of origin hopefully before next season’s kick off, and all the lawyers are sporting brand new yachts.

Full disclosure – Cowboys supporter here. So sure, overturn the result and give the tigers the 2 points.

But be careful what you wish for, because in all likelihood, the Cowboys are playing finals this year. And if history is anything to go by, the Cowboys tend to get screwed by poor ref decisions that cost far more than than 2 competition points in finals games. If/when that happens, don’t tell us sorry. Don’t tell us ‘that’s footy, sometimes you get the calls, sometimes you don’t.’ Or ‘we got the call was wrong but we can’t do anything about it now because what decisions happen on the field blah blah blah.’

I expect the same uproar and public outrage to overturn a clearly wrong result for a team that has actually learned from past mistakes and pulled themselves up from the bottom of the comp in the span of 12 months as this Sydney team has received.

Yeah, I think that’s wishful thinking too…