The game this year

[old_man_tiger]

Already seems quicker. I like bagging off season changes normally, but the bunker is good. A lot of teams with major changes though, so who knows what it will look like in a month. I'm hoping we pants the Warriors and beagles early in the season before their combos form.

On a side note, I hope we have some set plays as good as that Bulldogs first try. Subtle, skilful and at speed. I think it will take that type of attack to break down the better defences this year. I hope our young fellas don't just crab around from side to side.

 

[stryker]

Rest easy.

 

[Sabre]

I'd like to see the scrum shot clock reduced.
There's still a lot of standing around doing nothing.

 

[2041]

I'd like to see the scrum shot clock reduced.
There's still a lot of standing around doing nothing.

Fair play mate, some of the players were dying out there this weekend. It's great that they're trying to make opportunities for skill players, but equally I think little by little is the way to go. Personally I'd still like there to be room for impact players and not just end up with 26 triathletes running round.

 

[happy_tiger]

I have noticed the amount of rookies who have stood up in the games I've seen

Lets put the penalty taking on a 30 second clock as well

 

[supercoach]

Early days, remember in 2005 when Sheens introduced a lighting game with great success, the following year a few of the powerful clubs who had rosters that simply did not suit the speed game influenced the NRL to slow the ruck speed down be allowing the wrestle to go on for ages.

I will be very interested to see what speed the game is played at in two months, the reduced interchange must help but I am very cynical and suspicious when it comes to the NRL power brokers

 

[Fade_To_Black]

Not much has changed in the standard of refereeing unfortunately this season. The Reffing in this melb vs dragons game is abysmal-rails run for the storm I guess the NRL are just looking after their best interests in AFL-dominated territory. Its a joke.

 

[innsaneink]

Good to see refs still determine games with incorrect calls…

 

[old_man_tiger]

Up until tonight I thought the reffing was good. Back to normal programming I guess.

 

[Tigermama]

Absolutely forgot there was a game on tonight :astonished:

 

[hobbo]

Up until tonight I thought the reffing was good. Back to normal programming I guess.

Scam Smith started crying ….

 

[Fade_To_Black]

Its a disgrace. Its the greatest game in the world when there isn't so much influence from the blokes in charge. If I was in Mary McGregors shoes I would have blown 10 grand in the first 20 seconds of the press conference. The Dragons got done over tonight.

 

[Geo]

Have a guess who we'll cop next weekend…

I agree FTB...Dragons were done no favours...yet it was Cammy was at his moaning best though...

Widdop seems a little to quiet for a Captain...perhaps Byron is onto something..

 

[Fade_To_Black]

But Robbie was always pretty in-your-face for the refs as our captain and it did us no favours Geo. I honestly think it comes down to who you play for in regards to what you can get away with and the effectiveness of being a whinging moll to the refs.
The NRL has a vested interest in certain teams thriving in their competition so it doesn't surprise that its the case of the haves and the have nots.

 

[Byron_Bay_Fan]

But Robbie was always pretty in-your-face for the refs as our captain and it did us no favours Geo. I honestly think it comes down to who you play for in regards to what you can get away with and the effectiveness of being a whinging moll to the refs.
The NRL has a vested interest in certain teams thriving in their competition so it doesn't surprise that its the case of the haves and the have nots.

I think the stats were done decades ago that the top teams get a better go from the ref but I doubt that would be mentioned by ARL or NRL to the refs. It would be the pressure and prestige from the big name players and the roar from the big team big crowds that tilts the decisions on close calls. But so far we are only questioning one call (on Moses dive) and that call was not clear cut wrong plus the Warriors don't have the prestige of the big teams.

 

[Fade_To_Black]

I have no idea what your argument is BBF.
IMO we got dudded on the Moses play-the-ball dive and also on the Naiqama disallowed try.
We seem to get less help from the refs in our home games than a hell of a lot of other clubs. Melbourne last night as a case in point- they got gifted the win by some atrociously biased hometown refereeing. Wish we got a leg-up like that more often, it gives you another 2 or 3 wins per season.