2023 NRL General Discussion

[Sevshark]

Picking Val doesn't send a bad message at all...

 

[bort]

Was a bit surprised to see Cobbo also off the back of a relatively uninspiring GF performance, but guess options limited with guys like To’o otherwise aligned, and I guess Tualagi obviously didn’t do enough in PM13

Started trying to draft out a team, middle is stacked

Teddy
JAC
Staggs/Hammer
Holmes
Cobbo
Munny
Cleary
Tino
Grant/Hunt
Haas
Martin
Murray
Yeo

Hunt/Grant
Carrigan
Collins
Flegler/Cotter

Leaves Jurbo*, Cotter/Flegler, Hammer/Staggs & DCE

Hammer or Cotter probably a good 18th
Alternately you could wing Holmes and start both Staggs and Hammer in centres

Definitely should have left a middle out and taken Ponga or Walsh

*Jurbo might get that last jersey, but don’t think he should

I have no issues with that side.
The only one I question is Val given the current situation he finds himself in.

oh and maybe Teddie, who is past his best IMHO (watch him kill it now)

Does his one match suspension apply here? Or NRL only?

I haven't heard, but presumably Ponga is recovering from his AC injury? Walsh probably unlucky, but they said he can only play fullback so they didn't pick him

Staggs the other interesting one for me.

Think he must have won it with good GF performance because I wouldn’t have been taking him before that. In saying that no Trell and no Turbo helps him, plus no Wighton. Campbell Graham (injured?) later season form not good enough either I guess. Lomax had a chance in PM13

 

[Western Sharkie]

Does his one match suspension apply here? Or NRL only?

Should it matter?

I think Val should have missed out altogether based on “Stupidity”

 

[MrDravid]

Does his one match suspension apply here? Or NRL only?

Yeah he'll miss the first test match.

Think he must have won it with good GF performance because I wouldn’t have been taking him before that. In saying that no Trell and no Turbo helps him, plus no Wighton. Campbell Graham (injured?) later season form not good enough either I guess. Lomax had a chance in PM13

Yeah agree... Trell "injured" so wasn't considered (didn't he play on the weekend?), Graham presumably injured, Crichton presumably playing for Samoa.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Kangaroos Squad:

Josh Addo-Carr, Patrick Carrigan, Daly Cherry-Evans, Nathan Cleary, Selwyn Cobbo, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Thomas Flegler, Harry Grant, Payne Haas, Val Holmes, Ben Hunt, Liam Martin, Cameron Munster, Cameron Murray, Kotoni Staggs, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, James Tedesco (c), Jake Trbojevic, Isaah Yeo.

No Dylan Edwards again is probably a kick in the teeth for him, I think they said ‘not enough versatility’. So basically he wont get a look in until Tedesco gives it away.

Other then that, yeah no real issues with the team.

Picking Val’s a bit yuck, but he’ll serve his one game ban in the first test so no reason why he cant play the rest of the series.

 

[Rob]

No Nicho is good imo.
He looks like he needs a good rest away from footy.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Just a heads up I’ve created a bit of a “hub” thread for the International football this year, it has scheduling and the teams will be posted as they come in. I’ll pop in results when they happen as well.

Just in case people wanted to know what was on and when.

Official - International Football

Well another NRL season is done and dusted its time for a bit of international football to finish the year. I know International football is not everyones cup of tea, but it’s something I do enjoy and I genuinely believe the quality of opposition for Australia gets better and better every year...

sharksforever.com

 

[andrew's_sharks]

No Dylan Edwards again is probably a kick in the teeth for him, I think they said ‘not enough versatility’. So basically he wont get a look in until Tedesco gives it away.

Other then that, yeah no real issues with the team.

Picking Val’s a bit yuck, but he’ll serve his one game ban in the first test so no reason why he cant play the rest of the series.

Given Val's rep experience and his ability to perform in big games, I personally would have picked him. His versatility is an added bonus

 

[benxpomeroy]

How does holmes, brandon smith and ponga keep playing with a wet lettuce leaf punishment while ben barba gets kicked to the curb and out of the league?

 

[Vichyssoise]

How does holmes, brandon smith and ponga keep playing with a wet lettuce leaf punishment while ben barba gets kicked to the curb and out of the league?

I don't know the whole story about Barba obviously besides the fact he was supposedly on his 2nd or 3rd strike (and let's not forget later allegations of domestic violence albeit irrelevant at the time), but the more I look at this, the more I think the then NRL administration tried to get back at us after the whole Fifita fiasco earlier that season.
I might be way off on this, but this is the only thing that makes sense to me given my limited knowledge on the matter.

*Edit* Carney didn't bring the game into disrepute any more than these guys, although getting rid of him might have been a blessing in disguise, because no Barba and no Maloney had he stayed.

 

[Wiz]

I don't the whole story about Barba obviously besides the fact he was supposedly on his 2nd or 3rd strike (and let's not forget later allegations of domestic violence albeit irrelevant at the time), but the more I look at this, the more I think the then NRL administration tried to get back at us after the whole Fifita fiasco earlier that season.
I might way off on this, but this is the only thing that makes sense to me given my limited knowledge on the matter.

NRL being Todd Greenturd definitely wanted to get back at us

We weren’t supposed to win that game

Todd did not look happy after the GF, seen him at the ground

 

[bort]

How does holmes, brandon smith and ponga keep playing with a wet lettuce leaf punishment while ben barba gets kicked to the curb and out of the league?

For one he tested positive to ASADA where they were all just seen with or 'suspect'

 

[Vichyssoise]

NRL being Todd Greenturd definitely wanted to get back at us

We weren’t supposed to win that game

Todd did not look happy after the GF, seen him at the ground

Well he definitely had something against us. Was it because he couldn't relocate us, because Fifita had reneged on a deal with the Dogs?

 

[Vichyssoise]

For one he tested positive to ASADA where they were all just seen with or 'suspect'

That's true. Certainly didn't help his cause.

 

[bort]

Just seen Thurston was inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame
(alongside 6 athletes from other sports Cahill, Brennan, Fearnley, Lassila, Peris & McLaren)

Do we think Gallen has a case?
Thurston played 323 NRL games, retiring after 2018
Gallen played 348, retiring after 2019

Thurston played 37 SOO games and 38 times for Australia
Gallen played 24 SOO and 32 times for Australia, however was an Origin captain far more (did Thurston captain any?), and Aus Vice Captain (don't remember Gal ever getting full gig?)

Thurston obviously had a much more successful Origin career and more top individual accolades - Thurston a 4 time Dally M winner, 3 time Golden Boot winner and was involved in two Premiership wins (including a Clive Churchill). He was however just co-captain for Cows win, not individual Captain as Gal was.

Gal falls short due to the top personal accolades Thurston got?
There is also the ASADA concerns angle which I think would make it very difficult for them to induct Gal

There are 26 League players inducted https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame/athlete-members/ (can search by sport)

Slater retired same year as JT, Smith 2 years later. Smith obviously a shoe in and should probably join Gasnier, Lewis and Raper in the more selected 'Legends' category.

 

[MrDravid]

Cleary out... Ponga, Edwards or some spud named Hynes to come in.

 

[Deleted member 2543]

Just seen Thurston was inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame
(alongside 6 athletes from other sports Cahill, Brennan, Fearnley, Lassila, Peris & McLaren)

Do we think Gallen has a case?
Thurston played 323 NRL games, retiring after 2018
Gallen played 348, retiring after 2019

Thurston played 37 SOO games and 38 times for Australia
Gallen played 24 SOO and 32 times for Australia, however was an Origin captain far more (did Thurston captain any?), and Aus Vice Captain (don't remember Gal ever getting full gig?)

Thurston obviously had a much more successful Origin career and more top individual accolades - Thurston a 4 time Dally M winner, 3 time Golden Boot winner and was involved in two Premiership wins (including a Clive Churchill). He was however just co-captain for Cows win, not individual Captain as Gal was.

Gal falls short due to the top personal accolades Thurston got?
There is also the ASADA concerns angle which I think would make it very difficult for them to induct Gal

There are 26 League players inducted https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame/athlete-members/ (can search by sport)

Slater retired same year as JT, Smith 2 years later. Smith obviously a shoe in and should probably join Gasnier, Lewis and Raper in the more selected 'Legends' category.

I think he has a case, especially if it is based on Aussie reps.

More importantly, searching by sport I believe it is a travesty that Cheetah from Aerobics Oz Style isn't in there.

 

[bort]

Cleary out... Ponga, Edwards or some spud named Hynes to come in.

Elevates DCE to starter and they kind of a need a half so if it's between them it'd presumably be Hynes.
They do also have Hunt although then they'd probably want a second hooker

 

[Deleted member 2543]

Elevates DCE to starter and they kind of a need a half so if it's between them it'd presumably be Hynes.
They do also have Hunt although then they'd probably want a second hooker

Yeah - replacing a halfback with a fullback seems doesn't seem like the best way to go.

Hynes seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[Deleted member 2543]

... and on queue.

Hynes, Edwards called in as Kangaroos update squad

Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes and Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards have been added to the Gallagher Kangaroos squad for the upcoming Pacific Championships.

www.nrl.com