2022 NRL General discussion

[Shortfin Mako]

I'm not sure there's been a closer run home/finals series in recent memory.

With so many top team clashes left to play out, every position besides 1st is still up for grabs and we should see some excitement going into the last round:
- If Eels win (broncos) and Melbourne lose (roosters) this week, the two will play off for 4th in the last round.
- Cronulla, NQL and Melbourne all competing for positions 2,3 and 4 with wins. All being from different states, that home final is super important.
- If Roosters (storm), Souths (Cowboys) or Brisbane (Eels) lose this week, they could find themselves level with the Raiders (Manly) with a play off for the bottom half of the eight. Particularly vital round for the Roosters and Souths as they play each other in the final round. If both teams lose this week, it's likely one misses the 8 altogether which is crazy.

Last year 22 points was enough for 8th spot, this year the Raiders could miss out on 30 points potentially.

Penrith are still red hot favourites, but I don't think anyone would be surprised if any other team in the 8 made the GF this year, apart from maybe the Broncos with their poor end of year form. Penrith won't get their halves back on the park together till the start of the finals, so a high flying Melbourne or Eels could easily knock them off and make that run to the GF all the more difficult.

TLDR - After a number of years of domination from the top few teams, this years finals are shaping up as very interesting.

Eels seem to be the Panthers' bogey team. It would be very interesting if they were to meet and Eels eliminated them.

 

[Gards]

We need that home final - to heck with playing the Cowboys at country bumpkin stadium (I still bare some scars from 2015... though mostly healed from 2016)

Also I am going to make a bold Grand Final Prediction: Sharks vs. Roosters

Panthers & Storm to drop their prelims
Cows out in straight sets

**** that would be amazing

 

[stormshark]

I would rather Play Storm in a Prelim than Pamfers.

 

[Gards]

I would rather Play Storm in a Prelim than Pamfers.

I didn't speculate who we would be beating in the Prelim.... but knocking out the Panthers would be sweet, no idea if the finals draw would allow that and cbf checking but the top 8 isn't set yet so I imagine would still be possible.

Panthers in Sydney or Storm in Melbourne for week 1 of finals is still technically possible for us - both sound horrible. I would take Cows in Townsivlle over either of those options in a canter but ideally we end up playing Cows in Sydney but for my GF scenario to play out we would still have to go through Panthers or Storm in a Prelim - hopefully one or both of them don't even get that far but unlikely.

If Storm finish 4th and win in week 1 I think the rules were changed so they don't play the Prelim in Melbourne if they are versing a team that finished above them on the table (i.e. Panthers and possibly Sharks/Cows)

It was kinda silly the top 2 teams last season having to face off to knock each other out in a Prelim (Panthers vs. Storm) even if the Rabbits weren't expected to beat the Panthers in week 1 it did happen.

It wasn't the Storms (who finished 1st on ladder) fault Panthers lost to Souths in week 1 but because of that they had to face off in a prelim against the 2nd best team throughout the regular season (and eventual GF winner) in Penrith while the Rabbits got a comparatively easier Prelim against Manly

Yes Souths had to win that week 1 game against the 2nd place team in Panthers but a single win swung teams around on the finals draw too much from there IMO. 1st & 2nd should have as many advantages as reasonable beyond simply the first week of finals especially with Sydney finals often played at neutral 'home' venues

Anyways we don't have to worry, just win our finals games and let the rest take care of the rest

 

[bort]

Panthers in Sydney or Storm in Melbourne for week 1 of finals is still technically possible for us

Not if we win both our games though!

Predictor now gives me
Panthers 44
Sharks 38
Storm 36
Cowboys 34
Rabbitohs 32
Broncos 32
Eels 30
Raiders 30

Way I have it the Rabbitohs step up to keep roosters out of the 8 in last round and secure 5th for themselves.

But there are a few close ones that could have big impacts next week (Broncos/Eels, Storm/Roosters, Rabbitohs/Cowboys)

 

[Paul C]

if Sharks finish second is the first game at Shark Park?

 

[Sir Chadley]

if Sharks finish second is the first game at Shark Park?

Not confirmed yet mate. Some people are saying we'll have one but others are saying our ground doesn't have the capacity for a semi final. My guess is we'll be at the new SFS.

 

[Gards]

Not if we win both our games though!

Predictor now gives me
Panthers 44
Sharks 38
Storm 36
Cowboys 34
Rabbitohs 32
Broncos 32
Eels 30
Raiders 30

Way I have it the Rabbitohs step up to keep roosters out of the 8 in last round and secure 5th for themselves.

But there are a few close ones that could have big impacts next week (Broncos/Eels, Storm/Roosters, Rabbitohs/Cowboys)

Sharks vs. Storm in Sydney wouldn't be a terrible outcome, we know we can match it with them and beat them on our day but they are finding some huge form at the right time of year but we are going pretty well ourselves

Not confirmed yet mate. Some people are saying we'll have one but others are saying our ground doesn't have the capacity for a semi final. My guess is we'll be at the new SFS.

Our ground and all other Sydney suburban grounds (bar Commbank - Parra) were deemed to be too small to host finals games years ago after that St George finals game at Kograh where not enough fans could get in the ground.

And that was with our capacity before we did renovations and cut it in half. No way would every fan get into an 12k capacity ground in Shark Parks current state.

I'm confused as I didn't even relise it was a thing being considered until I saw some articles and talk a few weeks back - why the NRL backflip now after years of pushing for games to be played out of the big stadiums? Now all of a sudden they relise the suburban grounds matter and fans like them?

I mean the NRL were wanting us to play our regular season games out of Homebush, SFS & Commbank ffs - maybe the rents have gone up post Covid LOL

It's not like the funding didn't come through for Homebush & SFS unless I am mistaken so those updated grounds will still be available for the finals series

Anyone shed some light on what's driving the change of heart?

 

[bort]

Having been to Shark Park only once for a game I'm quite happy for a lot of fans to miss out so we can play finals at our home ground.

Regardless I'd be happier playing Cows or Storms anywhere in Sydney rather than their home grounds.

 

[HaroldBishop]

I reckon beating Panthers in the prelim would effectivily be our GF, doubt we could back up the week after.

 

[bort]

I reckon beating Panthers in the prelim would effectivily be our GF, doubt we could back up the week after.

I'd be willing to see us try though

In saying that, I might be watching the NRL grand final in England at this stage so it'd be pretty mixed feelings if Sharks made it and I couldn't go

 

[Proud Shark]

If we finish 2nd or 3rd, we can only play Panthers in the prelim if one of us lose their first finals game and the other wins. Otherwise you'd stay on opposite sides of the draw till the GF.

 

[stormshark]

Isn't the talk on the Sharkies home grnd conditional on who we were to play? The suggestion being, if it was an out of Towner ie The Cowboys, it just might fly?

 

[Gards]

I reckon beating Panthers in the prelim would effectivily be our GF, doubt we could back up the week after.

Just put the defense in the rack and go all out attack in the GF - less demanding of our energy reserves
But then the opposition might think yea I don't like tackling either **** this and start throwing it around and doing chip and chases as well haha

If we finish 2nd or 3rd, we can only play Panthers in the prelim if one of us lose their first finals game and the other wins. Otherwise you'd stay on opposite sides of the draw till the GF.

This sounds like Chaos Theory mixed in with a game of Reverse Chicken

Isn't the talk on the Sharkies home grnd conditional on who we were to play? The suggestion being, if it was an out of Towner ie The Cowboys, it just might fly?

Cue the conspiracy theories about refs ensuring Sharks finish somewhere on the ladder to ensure we arn't hosting finals at an under capactiy stadium

 

[MrDravid]

We want NQ to lose to Panthers. Better for our chance at 2nd place

Pretty good bet that Ivan is going to rest a truckload of players before finals.

 

[MrDravid]

Isn't the talk on the Sharkies home grnd conditional on who we were to play? The suggestion being, if it was an out of Towner ie The Cowboys, it just might fly?

I think officially it hasn't been ruled out... practically I think the chances are pretty slim.

 

[Six Again]

I think officially it hasn't been ruled out... practically I think the chances are pretty slim.

The chances are slimmer than slim & a little less than zilch.

 

[apezza]

Isn't the talk on the Sharkies home grnd conditional on who we were to play? The suggestion being, if it was an out of Towner ie The Cowboys, it just might fly?

Not to my knowledge mate. It's all to due with where we finish (ie top 2) and whether our ground meets NRL requirements.

Unless the MRC make the call, in which case it could be played at Perth, NZ or PNG.

 

[Western Sharkie]

Not to my knowledge mate. It's all to due with where we finish (ie top 2) and whether our ground meets NRL requirements.

Unless the MRC make the call, in which case it could be played at Perth, NZ or PNG.

Would be about the ONLY good thing the MRC did all year.

 

[sharkgaz]

Just want to give a shout out to the Women's game. Has certainly come a long way, and very good now. In my opinion, their skill level is light years ahead of the AFL women's game which I find totally unwatchable to tell the truth