Elimination Final - Chooks v Sharks

[bondi paul]

Unfortunately we have Smith again refereeing and he is a pedantic penalty/6 again ref. Ruins the flow and doesn't seem to give us a decent run. The way the game evolves can be very much how he chooses to control it...from the fatigue to either side. With a decent share of possession, without mistakes we will win.

Yes Gragra - all our controversial /biased games have all been with Smith.

[Vasco]

Bloody hell, I don't ever remember Nutley playing for Easts! Had to look it up to confirm.

Probably not a bad thing.

[Vasco]

Unfortunately we have Smith again refereeing and he is a pedantic penalty/6 again ref. Ruins the flow and doesn't seem to give us a decent run. The way the game evolves can be very much how he chooses to control it...from the fatigue to either side. With a decent share of possession, without mistakes we will win.

Apart from the set restarts and penalties, did he also disallow a fair try in that game?

[Paddo Colt 61]

They'll be working on line speed in D to disrupt the Chooks' flashy quick passing and the bat ons out wide which have been a feature lately and getting better each week but I don't think that the big boys will able to sustain in ya face for 80. If we lose it will be down to errors. Maybe Robbo should get a hypnotist in?

They've had a leg up with Hynes. Ricketson missed a Grand Final back in the day over something equally debatable.

[HDTONE]

Lets hope the gimmies but everything into beating the Dogs last week so they're there for the taking this week

[A Country Member]

They'll be working on line speed in D to disrupt the Chooks' flashy quick passing and the bat ons out wide which have been a feature lately and getting better each week but I don't think that the big boys will able to sustain in ya face for 80. If we lose it will be down to errors. Maybe Robbo should get a hypnotist in?

They've had a leg up with Hynes. Ricketson missed a Grand Final back in the day over something equally debatable.

Expect to win. Done. Done. Done.

[bondi.boy]

Sharks home game.
Sharks home crowd.
Big Sharks team.
Sharks playing style there suits officialdom's reffing style exactly.
Roosters favourite to win?
Not in my mind, I have the Sharks odds-on to win...given what's happened there in the past.

We can win, against my odds, if...we play our very best footy...ie: no mistakes ( Dogs held Sharks last week, until Dogs started making mistakes and Sharks pounced.)
100% completions, no mistakes, no dumb short drop-outs, effective tackles.
Sharks are a level above Souths.
IMO a win will be very difficult to achieve, but I hope we can do it.

[Bates]

I like the energy Benny brings to the team. He's playing ok for his age.

[Vasco]

Sharks big bench, hopefully we swap Steep and Foketi.

Nah, Steep is ahead of Foketi at the moment. His defence has some sting about it.

[caz]

steep's done well the last couple of games. foketi is capable of creating more but steep's been very solid. i'd be happy with either but steep's been in the 17 the last couple of weeks and hard to see him lose his spot. not sure if foketi was injured or 'dropped'.

[player 1]

They'll be working on line speed in D to disrupt the Chooks' flashy quick passing and the bat ons out wide which have been a feature lately and getting better each week but I don't think that the big boys will able to sustain in ya face for 80. If we lose it will be down to errors. Maybe Robbo should get a hypnotist in?

They've had a leg up with Hynes. Ricketson missed a Grand Final back in the day over something equally debatable.

Ooh, I don't know about that. As I remember it Ricko king hit someone flush in the head and I was amazed he wasn't sent off - even in those days. Unless I'm confusing it with another incident.

[player 1]

Point is of course, has the NRL EVER done this before? Intervene to over rule the match review committee?

The tackle appeared to me to be non-malicious (and I don't know the ins and outs of the hip drop rule), and I would have been completely fine with them challenging it at a hearing and having it overturned. And Hynes is not a dirty player.

But the way it was handled by the NRL is on the nose. Down right stinking in fact.

Also this concept of bringing the victim's injury severity into it - Nat Butcher still hasn't played for months - why wasn't his assailant banned for months too?

[player 1]

This was the incident Ricko was suspended for, missing the 2004 GF. Liked how he was protecting Freddy, but yeah not really comparable to Hynes' tackle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnzG45vShh0

Headline at the time stated "Sydney Roosters lock Luke Ricketson calls for an overhaul of the judiciary after being found guilty of striking and banned from playing in the grand final".

LOL - that clout would have got him 12 weeks these days.

[Vasco]

Point is of course, has the NRL EVER done this before? Intervene to over rule the match review committee?

The tackle appeared to me to be non-malicious (and I don't know the ins and outs of the hip drop rule), and I would have been completely fine with them challenging it at a hearing and having it overturned. And Hynes is not a dirty player.

But the way it was handled by the NRL is on the nose. Down right stinking in fact.

Also this concept of bringing the victim's injury severity into it - Nat Butcher still hasn't played for months - why wasn't his assailant banned for months too?

No they haven't. What a surprise.

[BTRD]

If the mighty Roosters hold their nerve and tackle like mad men possessed - they will get the chocolates.

Restart after restart after restart is an embarrassment to the game - dump and run touch footy.

Go hard Chooks.