Melbourne v Penrith.

[Johnny Brass]

The numbers don't lie and this Panthers team have made 4 grand finals in a row and if they win 3 on the bounce I'm no Rhodes scholar but 3 is better than 2 and they have to be put above any team that's gone back to back.
I was a Joe Montana fan but had to concede that Brady was better than him because he won more rings. Likewise as a Federer fan there came a point when the joker overtook him when he racked up more slams and titles.
The panthers mightn't be as sexy as some of the other great teams of the past but they are so dam efficient and backed with the best defence I've seen watching the game for over 50 years. No weaknesses and they work together with no slacking for the duration of a match in a way I've not witnessed.
The grand final should be a cracker as they were both clearly the best sides this year with a massive gap to the rest of the field.
Broncos are an exciting team and will have to chance their arm coming out of their own end by throwing the ball around and offloading which brings its own dangers as the panthers sweat on turnovers but that is the only way to beat them.
Let's hope Gee gets the gig so it's not ruined by Sutton or Klein.

[bondi paul]

With this seasons finals series brought to the public by the media saw the only “away” win by the Roosters.
Fellow Easts fans here have said the competition has been weak.
The media partnership with the NRL has 27 weeks to engineer results thru the regular season and then in the final 8 comp as evident of the roosters being shafted in both its games. The Warriors also victims of the axis of evil last night.
The mention of the salary cap making teams competitive is a complete smother for the seasons manufactured media draw which gives weight to a long season of engineered results.
The game I’ve thought has taken on a huge QLD perspective. It’s become all about the QLD dollar. The ch 9 broadcast last nite included dinosaur Queenslander Fatty Vautin to pander to the Qld audience so predictable. It’s apparent to me this years GF has been set up since the State of Origin series, owned by Ch 9 who also have the exclusive GF broadcast.
The Broncos I think may have played a minimum 4 away games outside of QLD.
It’s definitely not a national competition. If it was, other supporters could see teams and its stars play every 2 week at their home game if the so called competition was based on the old home and away format. Based on my observations it most likely the media partnership with the NRL prefer a Broncos GF win due to the Queenslander dollar which is more lucrative than the Riff’s but nevertheless it’s always a win win for the NRL media partnership.

[King Salvo]

With this seasons finals series brought to the public by the media saw the only “away” win by the Roosters.
Fellow Easts fans here have said the competition has been weak.
The media partnership with the NRL has 27 weeks to engineer results thru the regular season and then in the final 8 comp as evident of the roosters being shafted in both its games. The Warriors also victims of the axis of evil last night.
The mention of the salary cap making teams competitive is a complete smother for the seasons manufactured media draw which gives weight to a long season of engineered results.
The game I’ve thought has taken on a huge QLD perspective. It’s become all about the QLD dollar. The ch 9 broadcast last nite included dinosaur Queenslander Fatty Vautin to pander to the Qld audience so predictable. It’s apparent to me this years GF has been set up since the State of Origin series, owned by Ch 9 who also have the exclusive GF broadcast.
The Broncos I think may have played a minimum 4 away games outside of QLD.
It’s definitely not a national competition. If it was, other supporters could see teams and its stars play every 2 week at their home game if the so called competition was based on the old home and away format. Based on my observations it most likely the media partnership with the NRL prefer a Broncos GF win due to the Queenslander dollar which is more lucrative than the Riff’s but nevertheless it’s always a win win for the NRL media partnership.

When a 18th team is added they need to go to a 2 conference system as this will ensure the teams in either of the conferences will play the same teams the same number of times.

Whether or not that would lead to a proper home and away playing schedule would need to be determined, but it will eliminate this easy and hard draw scenario, as I mentioned above.

Obviously, with four QLD teams, they would want them to play each other twice, as they did this season, so they would more than likely be in the same conference.

See my previous post for an example of the make up of the 2 conferences.

[mattyh]

I don't care about stats. It's called the eye test. The comp has been historically weak the past couple of years. Stone cold fact.

Are you a Roosters fan or Penrith fan?

The 2018 Roosters GF performance is the best I've ever seen in a GF. And id back that effort against any other I've seen in my time.

We had a gun forward pack and maybe the best backline ever assembled.

But you can back Penrith if you like...

I just admire what the panthers have done the last few years . true greatness.

if you don't think I'm a roosters fan I suggest you go back and read every single one of my posts since 2016 and let me know what I have said to make you doubt who I support ....

[mattyh]

When a 18th team is added they need to go to a 2 conference system as this will ensure the teams in either of the conferences will play the same teams the same number of times.

Whether or not that would lead to a proper home and away playing schedule would need to be determined, but it will eliminate this easy and hard draw scenario, as I mentioned above.

Obviously, with four QLD teams, they would want them to play each other twice, as they did this season, so they would more than likely be in the same conference.

See my previous post for an example of the make up of the 2 conferences.

I for one would hate a conference system.

[Tommy Smith]

I have no doubt you're just as passionate a Roosters fan as I and never suggested otherwise.

Whilst I recognise the greatness of this Panthers team I think we also tend to get caught up in the moment.

If they roll Brisbane then fair play you can't argue against a 3-peat. Although interestingly when talking about great individual sides rarely does anyone boil it down to solely number of titles won, e.g. 94 Raiders and 98 Broncos.

I'm just suggesting that the 2018/2019 Roosters teams, man for man, is a match for this Penrith side. I think they only conceded an average of 1 try per game across 6 finals games; against far tougher opposition that Penrith have had to face.

But unfortunately time, and Roosters hatred, has already seen them forgotten in wider circles when I stand by the belief that it's the greatest assembling of talent in NRL history.

[mattyh]

I have no doubt you're just as passionate a Roosters fan as I and never suggested otherwise.

Whilst I recognise the greatness of this Panthers team I think we also tend to get caught up in the moment.

If they roll Brisbane then fair play you can't argue against a 3-peat. Although interestingly when talking about great individual sides rarely does anyone boil it down to solely number of titles won, e.g. 94 Raiders and 98 Broncos.

I'm just suggesting that the 2018/2019 Roosters teams, man for man, is a match for this Penrith side. I think they only conceded an average of 1 try per game across 6 finals games; against far tougher opposition that Penrith have had to face.

But unfortunately time, and Roosters hatred, has already seen them forgotten in wider circles when I stand by the belief that it's the greatest assembling of talent in NRL history.

as far as line ups go ...13 roosters, early 90s raiders, 92 93 broncos, 17 storm...and I always thought people overlooked 02 roosters. hell of a team roosters had 02 to 04 should have won another premiership.

[milanja]

as far as line ups go ...13 roosters, early 90s raiders, 92 93 broncos, 17 storm...and I always thought people overlooked 02 roosters. hell of a team roosters had 02 to 04 should have won another premiership.

Yep, to only win one out of the 4 grand finals we played in 5 years is a missed opportunity of greatness

[Bates]

Love or hate him, Cleary is the best 7 on the planet. He knows how to manage the game managers as did Cam Smith. It's an art form that give his team a small advantage. He has an eye for the captains challenge and rarely get's them wrong.