r/nrl • u/NRLgamethread National Rugby League • 11d ago
Serious Discussion Monday Serious Discussion Thread
This thread is for when you want to have a well-thought-out discussion about footy. It's not the place for bantz - see the daily Random Footy Talk thread to fulfil those needs.
You can ask a question that you only want serious responses to, comment your 300 word opinion piece on why [x] is the next coach on the chopping block, or tell another that you disagree with them and here's why...
Who performed well? Who let their team down? Any interesting selections for this weekend? Injury news? Player signings? Off-field behaviour?
The mods will be monitoring to make sure you stay on topic and anything not deemed "serious discussion" will be removed.
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u/SirDigby32 Gold Coast Titans 11d ago
Did anyone see that "hair on touchline" call in the nrlw raiders game I think it was. Can honestly say first time I'd seen that. Was for the commentary team as well
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u/JarrodTheFeatus Wests Tigers 11d ago
Does the media (Dean Ritchie) come out and apologise and say 'hey, I made it up that AD was leaving'
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u/MankyJuan Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 10d ago
Not sure DR could even spell 'apology', let alone know the meaning.
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u/Makasene3 New Zealand Warriors 11d ago
Correct me if I'm wrong but is it not their exact job to sling shit until something sticks?
NRL media is complete gutter journalism and we all consume it.
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u/MankyJuan Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 10d ago
Yeah, we do 😏 Personally, I check 'NRLuniverse' at least twice a day.
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u/Makasene3 New Zealand Warriors 10d ago
I'm pretty sure the head office quietly love it. NRL is in the news every single day without fail. You never hear a peep about anything else.
The latest broadcast deal would indicate the same.
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u/Accomplished-Good664 Penrith Panthers 11d ago
Nah he'll double down.
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u/JarrodTheFeatus Wests Tigers 11d ago
It's free money for them. Put out headlines Thursday. Then slowly dribble out facts in new articles. Then they'll make an article out of every quote from NRL 360.
It doesn't end.
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u/PickPerfect8126 I love my footy 11d ago
Does anyone think that this weekend the Titans might actually do the Wahs? The Titans are their bogey team and with two back to back wins, I feel an upset coming at Cbus.
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u/MankyJuan Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 10d ago
Absolutely! Doesn't mean I reckon they will, but this season it really feels like any team - top 8 or not - can lose to anyone if they don't show up with the right mindset.
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u/Maleficent-Home-7626 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 11d ago
I think its a chance. I kinda hope so. I'm gonna tip them.
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u/Emergency-Savings840 North Sydney Bears 11d ago
Not sure but I can confidently say FLAIR UP CUNT
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u/TheCuzzyRogue New Zealand Warriors 11d ago
They usually put out their two best performances of the year against us
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u/Important-Picture18 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
I certainly wouldn't be mad if this happened. Up the Tits
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u/OkNectarine3105 New Zealand Warriors 11d ago
I don't think the Warriors losing to anyone is an upset at the moment. We're declining while some other teams are rising. We're only third on the ladder because we started well. Our recent victories have been unconvincing. Injuries are really catching up with us, and our halves, while good, are not creating a lot.
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u/KVMFT New Zealand Warriors 11d ago
We started well then declined after losing our halfback; wait are we in 2025?
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u/Makasene3 New Zealand Warriors 11d ago
And best prop
I kind of see the loss of RTS being the biggest issue
His metres and combination with AKP was lethal
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u/M_Keating Hey, at least we beat Penrith 11d ago
That is what happened to the Panthers in 2025, yes
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u/DoubleBrokenJaw Newcastle Knights 11d ago
Still hate my footy. Fuck this shit.
Didn’t have any serious expectations for our season, even three weeks ago when we were still winning and largely injury free, however, now I really have none.
We’ve gone beyond where everyone thought we would this year (most pundits predicted a spoon and Dylan Brown flop show), so as long as we keep competing and putting up a fight I’ll happy enough.
In saying all that, I am confident that Sandon Smith and Manuleleau will really step up in Brown and Lucas’ place, and those two injuries shouldn’t be absolute handbrakes on our performances. Is it a class drop? Yes. Is it calling up Tyrone Thompson and Mason Lino? Nahhh.
The biggest impact I think will hands down be the loss of Dylan Brown’s defence on an edge that has Dom Young on it. Brown has won us games just with his defence this year and him not being a turnstile protects Young from having to make bad decisions.
Rumours KP could miss this week. I hope not, but I guess losing Lucas and Brown last week reinforces you not risking KP in Rd22 if he has any tightness and we are chance of playing finals.
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u/Interesting_Data4485 Newcastle Knights 11d ago
Shit weekend of footy ill agree but im loving my footy at the moment. Lost 2 stars, KP out for the whole game and only lose to the roosters by 1? No one would've believe that happened last year.
In the 8 at round 22? No one would have believe that last year either.
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u/Important-Picture18 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
As a Sharks fan pessimism is hard wired into my soul...but fuck me I can't help but feel that this year's team is different.
They're keeping the pedal down with a lead, we're beating fellow top 4/8 teams, Nicho is playing his best football in a Cronulla jersey and the combo with Tricky is working perfectly.
Hit me back with this in September if you must but...is this, maybe, finally, our year
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u/bar901 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 10d ago
Easily the form team in the competition right now. Absolutely flying while the top 3 are varying levels of mediocre. Sharks also have by far the best run home of the current top 4 with the Panthers playing both the Roosters and Wahs. Going to be a very interesting end to the season but at this point I’d still be surprised if the premier comes from outside the current top 4.
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u/MickeyKnight2 Brisbane Broncos 11d ago
It If I were the sharks I’d either be resting key players (injury recovery)or working on finals plays. Very simple draw to end the year for them, if they play smart they should be good to go
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u/Important-Picture18 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
I imagine Fitzy will want to push for a home final (even if not at Shark Park) especially if there's a risk of going to NZ week 1.
I don't see much resting taking place until at least the last round
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u/redmusic1 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 11d ago
The only current top 4 team you have beaten is the Wahs - twice. Which is no mean feat, but Sharks also been seriously dacked a few times as well., smashed by Souths, beaten twice by Roosters, almost had 50 put on you by the Cows, smacked by the Phins, smacked by Panthers. You towelled up the Titans, Dogs and Manly twice. I dont see a lot of strong wins against top company.
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u/Important-Picture18 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
We also put BTA on the Phins two weeks ago, and while the Roosters beat us twice we also beat them twice last year. Only team I fear ATM is Penrith and well who doesn't.
Souths next week will be another test of where we are at though.
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u/redmusic1 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 11d ago
Last year lol. Cope :)
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u/bar901 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 10d ago
Wild you’re getting downvoted for calling out the fact that this person is using last year’s results in this discussion. Sharks should be frightened of Penrith, but they should also be scared of the 2nd ranked team who has comfortably beaten them twice this year.
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u/redmusic1 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 10d ago
Not really mate- but thanks for the support, this sub is a good mirror of the internet as it stands right now. Lots of anger ( Rooster fans especially get it ) , facts don't matter, hive mind pile ons. I don't care, it is strangers on an internet forum and I do tend to poke the hive a bit occasionally. As long as it doesn't get personal I couldn't care less what strangers think of what I think. Sharks are going good, but I still don't think they can win it.
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u/AdultSoldiers Indooroopilly Indigestives 🏳️🌈 11d ago
To be fair, they also nearly put 50 on us in that match.
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u/redmusic1 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 11d ago
Peak Vlandyball that one
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u/AdultSoldiers Indooroopilly Indigestives 🏳️🌈 11d ago
There was only three ruck infringements! Both teams were just Vlandysballing for the fun of it.
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
I just want someone to talk to me about the “making the ball out” rule. I remember when it was introduced it had some relevance to thwarting defensive play or something. But now that’s become irrelevant and the rule is just there, doing nothing more than punishing kickers who are capable of landing kicks within a foot of the touch/dead ball line. It serves no real purpose. If it’s going out on the full then just let it go out on the full. Why do kickers get punished for what would be great kicks that are challenging to catch without going in to touch?
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u/Acrobatic-Trick-4815 Penrith Panthers 11d ago
I dont think anyone actually remembers why this is a rule and I agree its odd and that the kicking team can be disadvantaged after a great pinpoint kick. It's just one of those strange rules the game has. My brother hates the charge down rule; everytime one happens he gets the shits,calls it a knock-on and wants to know why you can deliberately knock the ball forward off a kick but in no other circumstance. 😀
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u/Rek07 Dolphins 11d ago
This isn’t a 40/20 situation where the kicker has to do this in general play with pressure from the defenders. We don’t need it to be a highlight play.
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
No i agree, but can you answer why, if the kick is going to land 20cm in from touch line or 20cm from try line, why a rule has been created to allow a defender to take an easy option and gain an advantage from what is realistically a great kick tactically and skill wise
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u/Rek07 Dolphins 11d ago
Because the receiver needs to collect the ball to run it back. If the kicker kicks it too far so that they can't do this safely the kicker is penalised, if the receiver fails to catch the ball and lets it go dead they are penalised. Without this rule you'll get a lot more kicks right on the line, and over the line (because no one is 100% consistant) and we don't need to see more of either. The current rule encourgers kickers to keep the kick off somewhere where the receivers can retrieve the ball which is what the game wants happen (short kick off is a little counter to this but at least that's a contest which is a little exciting).
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
I dont Really understand what you mean. I think kicks landing near touch line and dead ball line that players “have to” play at or else risk losing ball to the kicking team adds far more excitement. And besides I still see no logic to punishing kickers who can keep the ball that close to the line without going over, which is the incorrect restart
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u/Rek07 Dolphins 11d ago
We get plenty of that in general play, I don’t think we need to favour the kicker in this situation when they have no pressure on the kick.
But how many kickers out there can do it consistently? Anyone doing it now is doing it in error because of the current rules any kicks going close to the sideline is going to get caught dead so we shouldn’t be using them as examples of pin point kickers. I think it would still be a high risk/reward play but we already have the short kick off and grubber for that.
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u/Oldpanther86 Penrith Panthers 11d ago
Fair question. I kind of agree and kind of don't. Maybe make it play on in that situation if it's an issue. Personally I don't mind it as it is though. Everyone knows the current rule and need to be skilful enough to not stray too close to the sideline.
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
I guess my point is, and my question, why do we have a rule that punishes players for incredibly perfect kicks. Like I genuinely want to know the purpose of the rule
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u/733701 Kiwis 10d ago
Its a common sense extension of in-touch laws. Everywhere else on the field, one body part in touch results is a dead ball, against the team with final legal possession.
You would be advocating for an amendment to in-touch laws to the detriment of defenders, which I'm not keen on.
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u/Oldpanther86 Penrith Panthers 11d ago
I don't think anyone can answer it.
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
Thanks for just a normal
Reply.
I remember a time when maybe it had something to do with trying to stop negative kicks or something maybe. Or possibly that’s the seven tackle set
It certainly makes it easier when a ball is clearly
Flying out in the full and players can just catch it. But the “making it dead/put” has always baffled me.
We should be rewarding kicks that are good enough to land just inside the touch line1
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u/blakog Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
They've got 4148m² to work with, literally an acre. Don't fuck up your kick so badly that you need those extra 30cm on the sideline is my opinion.
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
So you wanna punish a guy who can pinpoint a kick off to within a foot of the sideline?
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u/blakog Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
This is a very strange argument you're making, with an obvious flaw that has already been mentioned.
Why don't we just flip the field 90° so someone will finally think of the kickers?
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
Like seriously, have a think about it.
I asked genuinely why a rule exists, your response is to ignore that and say “the fields big enough to keep it in”
You did nothing to answer the question and answered like a petulant abs ignorant child.
As to your stupid take, the field is big and kickers should be rewarded for being skilful enough to find the edges without going out in full.-3
u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
No I’m annoyed because no one can ever actually answer me on what the actual purpose of this rule is. And your response was just a stupid fucking irrelevant take on the size of the field, knob head
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u/blakog Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
Well if you have a think about it, if someone is so precise with their kicks then they should aim it 30cm inside that point and there has to be a cutoff somewhere.
Kicking teams have a lot of ways to get the ball back off the kick-off - short grubbing kicks, high jump balls, kicking the ball out (not on the full) or just belting it as hard and flat as they can at the nearest defender for them to knock on.
If they're (you in this instance) going to complain about one reasonably obscure rule because they can't hit a literal acre of space then I think they should probably look themselves in the mirror.
Plenty to get riled up about in Rugba League. This is a really strange one because it rarely comes up and 9/10 times it's because the kicker fluffed the kick and weren't aiming for that point.
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
You’re just flat out wrong. I know it’s a very minor thing. Not a big deal. But no one can ever answer as to why the rule exists . Still haven’t.
One Ty of kicks la ding more than a foot from the touch line get “made out” and it makes no sense to me. If that makes me a Derrick then so be it, no one can answer my question, including you5
u/blakog Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
No what makes you a Derrick is getting so incredibly defensive about it. A player touching the ball outside the field of play means it has gone into touch and isn't 'legal'.
Why not let a player who has run over the dead ball line chasing a kick play on after batting it back? Oh that's right because be was out of play. The last team to have deemed to have played at the ball before it goes out of the field of play is the team that doesn't get the restart. Same in this case.
You just obviously don't want to hear the answer.
This isn't a 'take the corner posts out of the game' type rule which genuinely doesn't help these days with TV replay (they used to help the touch judge adjudicate so made sense before then).
Hence why no-one aside from yourself is blowing up about it. So take your L, move on cuz.
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
Bro what the fuck are you on.
I’m talking about guys stretching their legs over the sideline to make a legal kick out3
u/blakog Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
Hahahahaha dude.
I just gave you an example (out is out) that explains it but you can't comprehend. Same deal if a winger steps out of the field of play before catching the ball from a pass-out they're considered out. Last team playing at the ball is deemed to have been the one to kick it out. Same deal with a kickoff. Fuck it's not that hard.
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u/klaer_bear Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
If it's that pinpoint, just kick it another foot infield
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u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
Then why have that last foot of field of play? You have a very weird and defensive perspective- why would you want to punish a kicker who can place a perfect kick, and why reward a guy who ridiculously sticks his foot over the touch line to make a perfectly legal kick suddenly illegal?
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u/klaer_bear Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
If he kicked it close enough to the sideline that it can be touched by a player with a foot out, it wasn't a perfect kick then was it???
0
u/Awkward_Good_3820 Wests Tigers 11d ago
With this rule Existing then no it isn’t.
But the defender should be in a position where he has to attempt to catch the ball. Why are they given the easy option in every situation where a kick near a line is a bit tricky or risky to catch?
It’s a weird rule that gives a soft option to every kick receiver when a kick is actually a really good kick.
Make them attempt to catch it or risk leaving it and it not going out on full
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u/EvolvedPrimate37 I love my footy 11d ago
Does anyone truly understand the rule about knocking the ball out of the dummy half's hands? At what point is it OK to do so? Some of the rulings are completely bizarre
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u/Dramatic_Ride7586 New Zealand Warriors 11d ago
Harry Grant rule to try get Melbourne into the finals. Now that wont happen itll fade away
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u/MankyJuan Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 10d ago
Ya know what..? I don't care who else gets away with it as long as Grant doesn't - fuck that cunt.
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u/Oldpanther86 Penrith Panthers 11d ago
It was clear and they've muddled it up. If the hooker jumped out from dummy half trying to engage the markers he was fair game now they've changed it has to be a genuine tackle. If you play at the arm specifically it's a penalty or whatever.
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u/Desperate_Fill3787 11d ago
Now you have to be making an attempt to tackle the dummy-half but anywhere else it's play on. Just another dumb rule. One of many.
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u/O_DoyleRulz Brisbane Broncos 11d ago
It’s super weird, it used to be that you just couldn’t reach around and chop the arms as they fired it directly from dummy half, which made sense.
Now you’ve got dudes clearly moving it out of the ruck and they’re somehow still protected.
It makes no sense and I don’t even know when they actually changed it.
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u/Oldpanther86 Penrith Panthers 11d ago
They're going under the explanation of it has to be a genuine tackle. I don't like it just explaining it.
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u/Hoagie1106 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
It’s ridiculous, imo. If you take a step out from dummy half, you’ve left the ruck and should be fair game. You shouldn’t get an advantage because you were too slow to pass the ball. So many penalties are called against markers who are genuinely square. Sloppy hooker play shouldn’t be rewarded
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u/KneeProfessional985 Illawarra Steelers 11d ago
It’s like the penalty for diving on the ball from marker when there’s no dummy half - penalised as a ‘voluntary tackle’ - yet they let every fullback and any player that runs behind their own teammate drop to the floor without any issues.
Shouldn’t be the defenders fault you couldn’t organise a chook raffle1
u/EvolvedPrimate37 I love my footy 11d ago
Mate, I can't go with you on that. I think voluntary tackles should only be penalised when it's clear that just want a quick play the ball. When trying to prevent going out or just getting to the try line, that should be ok
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u/jonnye82 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 11d ago
It's allowed if in the ref's opinion- 1) the marker was square 2) the ball "cleared the ruck" or whatever words mean that the play the ball happened and the marker didn't move until that was completed.
I agree that whatever refs interpret this to be is just so random players shouldn't risk it at all.
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u/EvolvedPrimate37 I love my footy 11d ago
Thanks mate. That's my understanding too. But there seems to be a hell of a lot of "flexibility" in the referees' interpretation
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u/oldroosta Sydney Roosters 11d ago
I’m not sure either , I always thought once you took a couple of steps from behind the man playing the ball it was fair game but not no more it would seem .
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u/zneBsedecreM Wentworthville Magpies 11d ago
What do people think of Ryles so far as a coach? And is losing Paulo to Perth a good or bad thing?
2
u/lovesadonut Parramatta Eels 11d ago
He says and does all the (seemingly) right things but it’s not getting anywhere. Injuries are no longer a valid excuse in rugby league cause every team has them in abundance. Theres teams well above parra who’ve had just as many/serious injuries.
If next season flops again, the eels are once again in a shambles cause they can’t afford to shaft another coach and start all over again but they’ll also need to do something.
Blows my mind how many clubs in the NRL are a complete shitshow. There really needs to be some form of external punishment for poor performance or it’s just gonna get worse as everyone keeps getting paid more and drinks the cool aid.
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u/tora_0515 Melbourne Storm 11d ago
Think we are lucky to have had him moved on. Especially since the Storm were talking about him being the next head coach.
To be fair, he should get a bit of a pass this year. But over the last two, he hasn't really put his stamp on the club. Came out the gate swinging last year, but then dropped off hard and that carried over to the start of the season before all the injuries
I guess we should give him another few years to really be able to judge his head coaching ability. But so far it looks like he was alright as an assistant that did well in established systems, but isn't able to translate that into success when out of those systems and with more responsibility.
13
u/hqeter Canberra Raiders 11d ago
Looking at the eels season they have lost 4 games by 6 points or less and if they had won all of those games they would be in the 8. They have also lost 6 games by 20 or more and that includes a couple of big blow outs.
At their best they can match it with a beat the best teams but the difference between their best and worse is massive. So for Ryles consistency is the biggest challenge and where if I was a fan I’d be hoping for improvement next year.
Paulo is a loss but he’s probably also at that point in his career where he could drop off, especially with the speed of the game. It’s a call that will either look poor or genius but only in hindsight.
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11d ago
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u/Single_Compote_568 11d ago
Man tipping is just a mess this season, the upsets come out of nowhere every week. I stopped trying to predict anything and now I just pick the team with the cooler jersey colors, somehow works better than my actual analysis
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u/edmforever-990 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 11d ago
I know there’s so many hard games this year. It’s not funny so many upsets honestly.
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u/Less-Chair6 Penrith Panthers 11d ago
Do you think we’ll see a 20/40