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Wiz

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So, early days I know but with what everyone has seen in the first three rounds, are we a top four team?

Before you answer, take into consideration the following points:

1. We have no major injuries to our top 17. By this I mean only weeks where someone might be out for 1-2 weeks.
2. There are no distractions, scandals, off field incidents.
3. The coaching staff remain the same.
Roosters look tired
Storm look like they can be beat
Panthers would be a good test
Bunnies have their weaknesses

I feel like once/if Moylan/Trindall find their feet and add more value to help Hynes in the harder games we are sweet elsewhere across the park to make the top 4
 
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Waaaaaay too early to answer. We’ve had one clinical win, one close scrappy win and one loss on the bell. Not exactly top 4 form, but its only 3 games in so its impossible to answer.

Also I think the club captain counts as a ‘major injury to our top 17’ 😂
Yes mate, I did miss Wade. Sorry to everyone about that.

Now having brought Wade into the conversation I am a little worried about his lack of form and time out from the game.

When he’s fit and back on deck he obviously goes straight back in but I’m just hoping it’s not a distraction for everyone else.

Especially when everyone else is firing - if he’s just 5-10% down compared to everyone it could affect the timing of our passes and plays.

Not sure if I’m making myself clear or not.
 

HaroldBishop

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Roosters look tired
Storm look like they can be beat
Panthers would be a good test
Bunnies have their weaknesses

I feel like once/if Moylan/Trindall find their feet and add more value to help Hynes in the harder games we are sweet elsewhere across the park to make the top 4
Penrith will go to another level when chin nuts returns.

Don't know what to make of Roosters, can't believe how impatient they were against Souths, looked like they wanted to score every set. I'm sure they'll improve.

Storm still have a gun spine so they'll be up there, looking forward to playing then in a few rounds.
 

CrazyMatt

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Roosters will get better, they’re roster and set up means they’re too good not to.
Melbourne will also get a lot better once they’re best 17 get back on the park. They’ve had a disrupted pre season.
Penrith are missing their most important player and are still in top spot, they’ll only get better.
Bunnies are the only one out of that four I think are on the slide, although they looked good against the Chooks.

There’s definitely a spot open in that top 4 this year, but its still waaaay to early to tell if it could be us that makes that step.
 

Sparkles

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Roosters look tired
Storm look like they can be beat
Panthers would be a good test
Bunnies have their weaknesses

I feel like once/if Moylan/Trindall find their feet and add more value to help Hynes in the harder games we are sweet elsewhere across the park to make the top 4
The only team I think is a cert to go badly is the Tigers. Every other team seems to be improved and have at least one game in them where they look like top four finishers. You just have to hope they don't pull it out against you.

I think Bunnies will click once Illias settles in. They're gelling better every game.
Panthers still the benchmark
Storm... If they can avoid long term injuries to Munster, Paps and even Grant/Cheese they'll go close to the big dance. The Sharks are in this boat.
Roosters... Rooted
 

bort

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At this stage it does feel like a more even comp than the last few seasons
I heard the average losing margin has been 9 points (or was it 8?) and the over the past decade the average losing margin for first three rounds was 16 points. Over that time frame current Tigers also have the best defence of any 0-3 team. So games at (recent) historically close and even the worse team is doing better than the garbage of previous seasons.

Should make for good watching
 

Sparkles

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I heard the average losing margin has been 9 points (or was it 8?) and the over the past decade the average losing margin for first three rounds was 16 points. Over that time frame current Tigers also have the best defence of any 0-3 team. So games at (recent) historically close and even the worse team is doing better than the garbage of previous seasons.

Should make for good watching
This is what the NRL have been aiming for, right? And I guess it's shooshing the salary conspiracists, too.
I have to admit, even though I know the Storm are dirty stinking salary cap cheating rorters, somehow most teams have ended up with serviceable enough rosters to give anyone a shake on their day. Injury and covid are helping even things out, but still... I've always thought the biggest gap between clubs was the quality of coaches and training staff. I think we've got a pretty decent crop of those involved today too.

Based on this comp and the youngsters coming through, I wouldn't be worried about an18th team coming in sooner than later.
 

BurgoShark

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It’s not necessarily the final margin which is the issue for the league/broadcasters. People turn off the telly of the margin gets too big during a game.

E.g. team gets up by 22 a few minutes before half time, other team scores 2 late ones and lose by ten. That’s a very different game than one where there is a 4 point difference with ten to go and the leading team seals it.

Viewers are switching off in that first scenario. It’s not the final score that matters.
 
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It’s not necessarily the final margin which is the issue for the league/broadcasters. People turn off the telly of the margin gets too big during a game.

E.g. team gets up by 22 a few minutes before half time, other team scores 2 late ones and lose by ten. That’s a very different game than one where there is a 4 point difference with ten to go and the leading team seals it.

Viewers are switching off in that first scenario. It’s not the final score that matters.
I know I am just one person but I like to watch a game all the way through no matter the scoreline. While I understand blow outs are good for the game, I love seeing points scored (not against us obviously). I do like a good close game as well, but those who switch off their television are not true league fans I reckon. @Born&bred has form in this department if I recall correctly. 😆
 

Capital_Shark

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I always finish a Sharks game. Tend to fade out of others if its 1 sided. Actually after last couple seasons I think I've bothered to tune into about 10 games other than our's this year. Used to watch all 8 live where possible or a replay.
 

Sparkles

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It’s not necessarily the final margin which is the issue for the league/broadcasters. People turn off the telly of the margin gets too big during a game.

E.g. team gets up by 22 a few minutes before half time, other team scores 2 late ones and lose by ten. That’s a very different game than one where there is a 4 point difference with ten to go and the leading team seals it.

Viewers are switching off in that first scenario. It’s not the final score that matters.
Or if you're Canberra, make everyone miss an incredible comeback by getting owned in the first half.

Interesting landscape atm though. That tuning out only affects FTA (and radio). Pay TV, you're in regardless.
 
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It’s not necessarily the final margin which is the issue for the league/broadcasters. People turn off the telly of the margin gets too big during a game.

E.g. team gets up by 22 a few minutes before half time,
other team scores 2 late ones and lose by ten. That’s a very different game than one where there is a 4 point difference with ten to go and the leading team seals it.

Viewers are switching off in that first scenario. It’s not the final score that matters.
Well, they would have missed a mammoth comeback by the Raiders had they done that last weekend
 

HaroldBishop

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I always finish a Sharks game. Tend to fade out of others if its 1 sided. Actually after last couple seasons I think I've bothered to tune into about 10 games other than our's this year. Used to watch all 8 live where possible or a replay.
Yeah I lost a bit of interest the last two years, so far it seems much better this year.

Hopefully it continues.
 

BurgoShark

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Or if you're Canberra, make everyone miss an incredible comeback by getting owned in the first half.

Interesting landscape atm though. That tuning out only affects FTA (and radio). Pay TV, you're in regardless.
Yeah - Ch9 puts more money in the bucks store though, so has more sway. Set restart rule was done to appease Ch9.
 

Sparkles

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Yeah - Ch9 puts more money in the bucks store though, so has more sway. Set restart rule was done to appease Ch9.
They're fighting tooth and nail to hang onto it aren't they? Apart from reality shows, sport is about all fta has left
 

GF78

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They're fighting tooth and nail to hang onto it aren't they? Apart from reality shows, sport is about all fta has left
Rugby League is a reality show. The only thing missing are desperate gold diggers...oh wait, no all covered on that front too. Always disappointed to see the wifey drop off the arm once the league player is no longer in the spotlight, and/or the big pay check stops rolling in. Hey, maybe this is a given in this crazy modern world which launders twitter profile, and pays no head to old fashioned craziness like “Stand by your man” - Patsy Cline, or “until death do you part” - JC Pfffttt.
 

Born&bred

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I know I am just one person but I like to watch a game all the way through no matter the scoreline. While I understand blow outs are good for the game, I love seeing points scored (not against us obviously). I do like a good close game as well, but those who switch off their television are not true league fans I reckon. @Born&bred has form in this department if I recall correctly. 😆
These days I don't turn it on in the first place. Much safer for the tv. I prefer to watch games at the ground - at least there I feel I can have some influence ( cheer our boys on, bag opp players / ref etc). Watching on tv is too frustrating for me.

If I'm not on the game I follow progress online, including the wrist-slitters on here. I can watch the replay afterwards if I wish.
 

Gards

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I absolutely love that sweeping play where Kennedy is out back and pushes up next to one of our centres (or possibly a back rower or Mozza) and Hynes passes as if it would be for Kennedy but it goes slightly wider to the bloke standing just to the outside of Kennedy (the 2 players almost could trip over each other!)

The defense has been focused on Hynes and are then then pushing up committing to what Kennedy is going to do but Kennedy doesn't get the ball and by now our centre has received it with a tonne of space to his outside and behind the line and passes it onto our winger who has plenty of room to work with and can make a beeline for the try line.

Katoa has already got some line breaks and scored a couple trys this year from this play and he doesn't necessarily have to dive for the corner post he has been able to stroll in relatively speaking and even improve the position for the goal kick

It looks fantastic and works brilliantly, they execute it so well it can't be an accident whereby Kennedy was actually supposed to receive it so I am putting it down to coaching and being intentional.

It offers variation to the usual Kennedy sweep play and puts more doubt in defenders mind. Opposition teams will study this and have to come up with some plans and tactics to counter it which could present us new opportunities to exploit

Defenders might feel they have to hang back deeper and further out wide which means we can cut it back on the inside to a rampaging forward with a head of steam or even Kennedy to slip through

I havn't really seen other teams do this play or at least use it very often or quite as well
 
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