Looking at the finalists thus far..

[Strider]

He did say last pre season defence was all the focus also. If I was him I wouldn't use an excuse already, so I have a different, fresh excuse card if needed next season haha 😂 Now he has used his get it of jail free cards.

 

[Tigerbuck63]

What amuses me is when other coaches give it to there teams at half time E.g. Adam O'Brien today that the media and commentators talk it up and don't say a negative thing...... But When Madge does it the media lose it and say he is working them to hard and lost control of the players... Our time will come and cannot wait as Madge is in the process of making this team great..

O'Brien looks a complete lunatic. He hardly demonstrates the calmness under pressure and clear thinking that he wants from his players. His comments at the press conference were incoherent.

I thought the Pearce praise for him at the post-match press conference was tokenistic and fake. I expect him to be the next coach sacked if he doesn't have a Plan B in man-management.

Well he took them into the finals in his 1st year as coach since 2003 so i think he is fairly safe for now.
They were under dogs coming into the game and it showed, they build there game around Ponga and he had another shocker. Competitive team but just made up the numbers.

Makes you wonder how we were beaten easily twice, we have a,lot to work on if that's the case.

 

[Tigerbuck63]

What amuses me is when other coaches give it to there teams at half time E.g. Adam O'Brien today that the media and commentators talk it up and don't say a negative thing...... But When Madge does it the media lose it and say he is working them to hard and lost control of the players... Our time will come and cannot wait as Madge is in the process of making this team great..

O'Brien looks a complete lunatic. He hardly demonstrates the calmness under pressure and clear thinking that he wants from his players. His comments at the press conference were incoherent.

I thought the Pearce praise for him at the post-match press conference was tokenistic and fake. I expect him to be the next coach sacked if he doesn't have a Plan B in man-management.


Well he took them into the finals in his 1st year as coach since 2003 so i think he is fairly safe for now.
They were under dogs coming into the game and it showed, they build there game around Ponga and he had another shocker. Competitive team but just made up the numbers.

Makes you wonder how we were beaten easily twice, we have a,lot to work on if that's the case.

Opps make that 2013....

 

[Tigerbuck63]

I am taking some positives out of the finals considering who we played recently. I do agree that we are not a Top 8 team.

Parramatta and Souths we pressed them all the way and now they play against each other, so if we had a more competitive roster we would make the 2nd week of the finals.

Storm we were smashed and it shows how far off the pace we are there within the Top 4.

Yes we need to rebuild a team but the talk of making the 8 is pointless unless you aim to make the Top 4 if you want to win a premiership.

Agree however we do need to have some final's experience as well to complement making the 4, so that means we are still a few years away yet....

 

[pawsandclaws1]

with Madge saying what he said to Roach about how he needs Benji gone to implement his defensive systems and strategies properly as well as Webster moving on, tells me that we'll be having a massive pre-season based around defence. I have zero concerns about our attack and believe that's up to standard, but if we can drastically improve our defence I don't think the 8 is especially out of reach.

That's all good but we still have Joey Leilua and Nofoaluma on the right. If Talau can replace Leilua we may just be there but no chance if Leilua remains.

 

[dazza65]

What amuses me is when other coaches give it to there teams at half time E.g. Adam O'Brien today that the media and commentators talk it up and don't say a negative thing...... But When Madge does it the media lose it and say he is working them to hard and lost control of the players... Our time will come and cannot wait as Madge is in the process of making this team great..

O'Brien looks a complete lunatic. He hardly demonstrates the calmness under pressure and clear thinking that he wants from his players. His comments at the press conference were incoherent.

I thought the Pearce praise for him at the post-match press conference was tokenistic and fake. I expect him to be the next coach sacked if he doesn't have a Plan B in man-management.

We’ll see what Isaac has to say about that. He manipulated him into that role.
It won’t matter if Isaac is punted, he has set his company up in a way he will keep pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

 

[happy_tiger]

I hate to say this but Penrith are really starting to look the goods ...no injuries ...every other club looks to be struggling big time

 

[tiger_one]

I hate to say this but Penrith are really starting to look the goods ...no injuries ...every other club looks to be struggling big time

Tik Tok?
More Tick Tacky.
Sometimes things are just not fair.

 

[happy_tiger]

I hate to say this but Penrith are really starting to look the goods ...no injuries ...every other club looks to be struggling big time


Tik Tok?
More Tick Tacky.
Sometimes things are just not fair.

Knowing our luck Tamou does an Elford and stays at Penrith aftre winning

 

[hobbo1]

I hate to say this but Penrith are really starting to look the goods ...no injuries ...every other club looks to be struggling big time


Tik Tok?
More Tick Tacky.
Sometimes things are just not fair.

Knowing our luck Tamou does an Elford and stays at Penrith aftre winning

That would be great
Then we could go after Hetherington

 

[happy_tiger]

I hate to say this but Penrith are really starting to look the goods ...no injuries ...every other club looks to be struggling big time


Tik Tok?
More Tick Tacky.
Sometimes things are just not fair.

Knowing our luck Tamou does an Elford and stays at Penrith aftre winning

That would be great
Then we could go after Hetherington

Jason is almost as old as I am .....good player then Plodding badly now

 

[hobbo1]

I hate to say this but Penrith are really starting to look the goods ...no injuries ...every other club looks to be struggling big time


Tik Tok?
More Tick Tacky.
Sometimes things are just not fair.

Knowing our luck Tamou does an Elford and stays at Penrith aftre winning

That would be great
Then we could go after Hetherington

Jason is almost as old as I am .....good player then Plodding badly now

Jack Hetherington

 

[Speed2burn]

Is finishing 8th or 7th really much of an achievement these days anyway? If we finished 8th or 7th we probably get rolled just like Knights do yesterday anyway

Rather make it, and have an actual shot of going deep into finals footy than limp in

Unless you’re on a run aka Parra 2009 or Cows 2017 more than likely you’re just cannon fodder. For example not sure what confidence knights can take out of making it then just getting blown off the park

 

[Magpieger]

I can't help but think we are light years away from being able to compete, at that level...Not saying we'll never be, but I am not sure we have enough juniors coming thru (say like Cronulla or the Broncos) showing signs of great potential, as future players.
I know you can argue that the finals are a different game, and they are, but I can't see how, had we made the 8, we would have done anything more than make up the number.

Grim...

So what is the difference to teams such as Cronulla who made the 8 and and were immediately easily eliminated?

Probably the draw.

I can’t believe they had not beaten a top 8 team all season and yet somehow made the finals!

We could've been in the same position if we won the games we were expected to win.
That plus a less cruel draw I suppose...

 

[Speed2burn]

I can't help but think we are light years away from being able to compete, at that level...Not saying we'll never be, but I am not sure we have enough juniors coming thru (say like Cronulla or the Broncos) showing signs of great potential, as future players.
I know you can argue that the finals are a different game, and they are, but I can't see how, had we made the 8, we would have done anything more than make up the number.

Grim...

So what is the difference to teams such as Cronulla who made the 8 and and were immediately easily eliminated?

Probably the draw.

I can’t believe they had not beaten a top 8 team all season and yet somehow made the finals!

We could've been in the same position if we won the games we were expected to win.
That plus a less cruel draw I suppose...

We had a couple of should have won games but we also had a couple games we got lucky in aswell. The dragons game and Manly one come to mind

Still, I’m sure every team can relate to that anyway

 

[Tim Sheens]

Is finishing 8th or 7th really much of an achievement these days anyway? If we finished 8th or 7th we probably get rolled just like Knights do yesterday anyway

Rather make it, and have an actual shot of going deep into finals footy than limp in

Unless you’re on a run aka Parra 2009 or Cows 2017 more than likely you’re just cannon fodder. For example not sure what confidence knights can take out of making it then just getting blown off the park

Conversely, Newcastle looked okay for the initial period after I tuned in just after half-time. They were within range and had they'd provided one stronger set in defence or taken their chances then, the knights would have been a big show in the current game of momentum, where one mistake, lapse or referee's decision can change a game and it did.

 

[Speed2burn]

Is finishing 8th or 7th really much of an achievement these days anyway? If we finished 8th or 7th we probably get rolled just like Knights do yesterday anyway

Rather make it, and have an actual shot of going deep into finals footy than limp in

Unless you’re on a run aka Parra 2009 or Cows 2017 more than likely you’re just cannon fodder. For example not sure what confidence knights can take out of making it then just getting blown off the park

Conversely, Newcastle looked okay for the initial period after I tuned in just after half-time. They were within range and had they'd provided one stronger set in defence or taken their chances then, the knights would have been a big show in the current game of momentum, where one mistake, lapse or referee's decision can change a game and it did.

Good point.

But the lack of desire in a finals game is pretty concerning with the talent they have. Up at 14-0 then letting in 46 unanswered points is no excuse, even if a referee shifted momentum in the 2nd half. Just imagine if souffs didn’t have butter fingers in the first 15.

 

[Telltails]

I think its apparent that the game is vastly different this year. We got all hot and bothered about the stat
having consistently 26 points scored against us but looking at the games this weekend even the best teams are letting 20 plus points in and needing to score in advance of 30 to win. You have to be able to convert opportunities into points and we are able to do that - but if you make too many errors and can't maintain possession you are going to get beat.

 

[Tiger5150]

I can't help but think we are light years away from being able to compete, at that level...Not saying we'll never be, but I am not sure we have enough juniors coming thru (say like Cronulla or the Broncos) showing signs of great potential, as future players.
I know you can argue that the finals are a different game, and they are, but I can't see how, had we made the 8, we would have done anything more than make up the number.

Grim...

We got within 7 of the Minor Premiers, within 4 of the eels, within 2 of beating Souffs, within 8 of raiders, and we easily beat the Sharks.

We have a lot improvement to go but not light years away. Like other years, the only thing that has kept us out of the 8 is losses to teams below us.

 

[Magpie1969]

Storm vs Penrith Grand Final with Storm to win.