NRL NRL 2024 - Round 3

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Tipping!

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/pickem/picks/2024-nrl-board-tipping.129/?week_id=375

Thursday 21st March
Penrith vs Brisbane (BlueBet Stadium - 20:00)

Friday 22nd March
New Zealand vs Canberra (Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch - 18:00)
Sydney Roosters vs South Sydney (Allianz Stadium - 20:00)

Saturday 23rd March
Canterbury-Bankstown vs Gold Coast (Belmore Sports Ground - 15:00)
St.George-Illawarra vs North Queensland (Netstrata Jubilee Stadium - 17:30)
Wests Tigers vs Cronulla-Sutherland (Leichhardt Oval - 19:35)

Sunday 24th March
Parramattavs vs Manly-Warringah (CommBank Stadium - 16:05)
Newcastle vs Melbourne (McDonald Jones Stadium - 18:15)

Bye:
Dolphins

 

[Jatz]

I’m not disputing those facts. I’m disputing the methods those clubs use to try and haul themselves out of the position they are in.

Those numbers mean nothing unless they’re aligned with who the clubs have signed and tried to sign.

Look at the Dogs’ spending spree in recent seasons.

As I’ve said they’ve just opened the cheque book and thrown a heap of money at players that, while talented, aren’t going to win them anything without a decent set of halves or at least one genuinely good playmaker.

Suddenly a really good one comes on the market after years of rumblings of discontent and all they can afford to sign is Drew Hutchison, a reliable but unremarkable utility from the Roosters while Luke Brooks goes to Manly.

An organised club with their finger on the pulse, even allowing for the Phil Gould factor, should have been saying ‘ok we have these guys from Penrith here, we have Crichton coming, we need some icing on the cake because Kyle Flanagan won’t cut it. Let’s sound out Luke Brooks because he sure as hell isn’t happy at the Tigers.’

What's the alternative? Their junior system isn't good enough (although getting better). Penrith have only been successful because of their junior system success.

Clubs are either developing players (Penrith) or they're buying players (Easts). If you're clubs like the Tigers/Titans/Dragons etc then you're not really a chance at doing either.

Luke Brooks is not at all who Canterbury should've been throwing money at. Brooks has been ordinary in a terrible team over a decade. Why do you think he'd go any better at the Dogs?

 

[PhatBoy]

The positions they are weak in the open market is bear!

The players coming through will fill the voids soon enough.

Why not put them in there now?

why not put a rookie half in right now so in two years he’s good to go?

 

[PhatBoy]

What's the alternative? Their junior system isn't good enough (although getting better). Penrith have only been successful because of their junior system success.

Clubs are either developing players (Penrith) or they're buying players (Easts). If you're clubs like the Tigers/Titans/Dragons etc then you're not really a chance at doing either.

Luke Brooks is not at all who Canterbury should've been throwing money at. Brooks has been ordinary in a terrible team over a decade. Why do you think he'd go any better at the Dogs?

Brooks hasn’t been ordinary. Nor has he been exceptional but basically any of the limited decent showings the tigers HAVE had, have been based almost exclusively around him. I don’t like him or the tigers but he’s been a whipping boy for a club who’s entire modus operandi has been built on buck passing for 18 seasons.

As for us, Our playmakers - Sam Walker - were recruited at 16 and his only previous affiliation was with the Broncos so ‘poor them.’ Luke Keary who was dumped by the Bunnies, and Sandon Smith who was a Roosters academy player as a junior through the central coast system.

Joey Manu was signed from NZ when he was still just playing high school footy and played SG Ball with us two years before cracking first grade.

I don’t mind saying we use money to get talent. We also use one of the best development and junior recruitment pathways to do it too. Penrith has it now as well - and people think that it’s only across their catchment in western Sydney: it’s not. They’ve adopted western division and been scouting the country areas for at least the last decade since I was covering league out in this area around 2010. Guys like Matt Parish etc and Gus making sure they could access the talent and forge ties with the clubs in Group 10 and 11 etc. it was a great move, immediately got guys like Charlie Staines and Isaiah Yeo into the mix.

 

[Jatz]

Brooks hasn’t been ordinary. Nor has he been exceptional but basically any of the limited decent showings the tigers HAVE had, have been based almost exclusively around him. I don’t like him or the tigers but he’s been a whipping boy for a club who’s entire modus operandi has been built on buck passing for 18 seasons.

As for us, Our playmakers - Sam Walker - were recruited at 16 and his only previous affiliation was with the Broncos so ‘poor them.’ Luke Keary who was dumped by the Bunnies, and Sandon Smith who was a Roosters academy player as a junior through the central coast system.

Joey Manu was signed from NZ when he was still just playing high school footy and played SG Ball with us two years before cracking first grade.

I don’t mind saying we use money to get talent. We also use one of the best development and junior recruitment pathways to do it too. Penrith has it now as well - and people think that it’s only across their catchment in western Sydney: it’s not. They’ve adopted western division and been scouting the country areas for at least the last decade since I was covering league out in this area around 2010. Guys like Matt Parish etc and Gus making sure they could access the talent and forge ties with the clubs in Group 10 and 11 etc. it was a great move, immediately got guys like Charlie Staines and Isaiah Yeo into the mix.

He's not once done anything to prove he'd perform well at another big Sydney club that's struggled for the last decade. It would've made absolutely no sense to put Brooks into that team. He's able to look ok in the Manly system because he's not had to be the main man. They've got DCE/Turbo for that. At the Dogs, he'd have been pairing with Burton and Taafe. It just flat out would've sucked.

Please don't tell me you're trying to compare your junior development system with Penrith's. It's not even slightly close. The Roosters have developed 'some' players, it's pretty well known you're a buying club though.

None of this tells me how you expect these other clubs (Tigers, Dragons, Titans etc) to be able to turn it around.

 

[PhatBoy]

He's not once done anything to prove he'd perform well at another big Sydney club that's struggled for the last decade. It would've made absolutely no sense to put Brooks into that team. He's able to look ok in the Manly system because he's not had to be the main man. They've got DCE/Turbo for that. At the Dogs, he'd have been pairing with Burton and Taafe. It just flat out would've sucked.

Please don't tell me you're trying to compare your junior development system with Penrith's. It's not even slightly close. The Roosters have developed 'some' players, it's pretty well known you're a buying club though.

None of this tells me how you expect these other clubs (Tigers, Dragons, Titans etc) to be able to turn it around.

He’s done plenty to suggest that with anyone worth a pinch of salt around him, he would be a more than adequate player.

Can you name me literally ANY decent combination of forwards he’s worked behind? Any? Aaron Woods and James Tamou who arrived there at 33, and Klemmer who is long past his best, are the peak. And that’s saying something. Seriously, here’s the list of Tigers players.

Check out just who he has been alongside: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wests_Tigers_players

Tell me, honestly, how you would expect ANY half, to turn those players, with the rate of turnover they have and the lack of stability as a club, into a winning outfit.

Yet it’s his fault.

 

[Jatz]

He’s done plenty to suggest that with anyone worth a pinch of salt around him, he would be a more than adequate player.

Can you name me literally ANY decent combination of forwards he’s worked behind? Any? Aaron Woods and James Tamou who arrived there at 33, and Klemmer who is long past his best, are the peak. And that’s saying something. Seriously, here’s the list of Tigers players.

Check out just who he has been alongside: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wests_Tigers_players

Tell me, honestly, how you would expect ANY half, to turn those players, with the rate of turnover they have and the lack of stability as a club, into a winning outfit.

Yet it’s his fault.

You are actually proving how bad your suggestion is.

The Dogs pack is woeful. Why would Brooks go any better in this side when it's just about identical to the teams he's failed in for the last decade?

Brooks to the Dogs would have been absolutely terrible.

 

[LebaneseForces]

Why not put them in there now?

why not put a rookie half in right now so in two years he’s good to go?

Putting in 17-18 year old can potentially kill there career.

Our biggest problem isn't a half back... It's our props!

 

[PhatBoy]

You are actually proving how bad your suggestion is.

The Dogs pack is woeful. Why would Brooks go any better in this side when it's just about identical to the teams he's failed in for the last decade?

Brooks to the Dogs would have been absolutely terrible.

Put Burton to lock - you don’t need two running halves - put Kikau next to him and you are starting to build something in your pack. Crichton IS a very good footballer in the right surroundings.

I stand by it. Teams look for immediate quick fixes and they look for it in all the wrong places and a side like the Tigers are doing it AGAIN by throwing squillion dollars at Luia who isn’t going to do anything for them.

 

[Jatz]

Put Burton to lock - you don’t need two running halves - put Kikau next to him and you are starting to build something in your pack. Crichton IS a very good footballer in the right surroundings.

I stand by it. Teams look for immediate quick fixes and they look for it in all the wrong places and a side like the Tigers are doing it AGAIN by throwing squillion dollars at Luia who isn’t going to do anything for them.

Burton is a centre, he's not a lock. Trying to get him to master yet another position is pointless. That would also leave them even smaller in the forwards.

So your answer is what? You don't want them trying to buy there way out, yet they don't have the junior pathways set up. Even if they could (which they can't), it would take the best part of half a decade before they saw any fruit come from it. Penrith are incredibly fortunate they've been able to pick up western Sydney but then also, western NSW.

It's not your fault because there actually is no answer. So when one of the games premier 5/8's come on the market, of course they should go for him. I agree it won't work but it's better than just sitting on their hands and hoping they pull a diamond in the rough somewhere.

 

[Jatz]

Putting in 17-18 year old can potentially kill there career.

Our biggest problem isn't a half back... It's our props!

I could list 5-10 halves that Newcastle ruined the career of by throwing them to the wolves too early. Brock Lamb immediately springs to mind.

 

[3207]

They call themsleves the pride of the league. When they are anything but.

Poor Latrell and Souffs are always the victims in there own eyes. There going down in a sinking ship and there too dumb realise the toxic problem is staring them right in the face. By pandering to everything he does.

Who would have thought Sam Burgess of all people was right 6 months ago about the double standards and accountability going on in the place.

Roosters to win by 20+ and send Demetriou coaching career closer to grave.

Never, ever forget 1909.

 

[Andronicus]

Put Burton to lock - you don’t need two running halves - put Kikau next to him and you are starting to build something in your pack. Crichton IS a very good footballer in the right surroundings.

I stand by it. Teams look for immediate quick fixes and they look for it in all the wrong places and a side like the Tigers are doing it AGAIN by throwing squillion dollars at Luia who isn’t going to do anything for them.

What's your real name? Surely with all of your expert opinions you push everywhere you must be not only the greatest cricket coach of all time, but also the best rugby league and AFL coach to ever walk this earth.

 

[PhatBoy]

What's your real name? Surely with all of your expert opinions you push everywhere you must be not only the greatest cricket coach of all time, but also the best rugby league and AFL coach to ever walk this earth.

No but I was a good and paid writer on the subjects.

Literally everyone on here thinks they’re right when they post an opinion. That’s why it’s an opinion based forum. That you don’t seem to be able to deal with the fact that mine in particular contrast with yours to the point where you have a personal issue with it is your problem not mine.

But the simple fact is if people didn’t think they were right about what they post, they wouldn’t post it would they.

I can think what I think just as the guys I’m responding to can think what they think and all the back and forth has been decent. The only person that seems to have their dick in a twist over it is you so deal with it.

 

[PhatBoy]

Apologies to all SuperCoach and Fantasy players for Payne Haas’ injury.

I could put the Terminator into intensive care if I started him in my 13.

 

[Jatz]

Huge out that, 4-6 weeks.

Don't really give Brisvegas much of a chance now. No Reynolds, no Haas. No Brisbane for mine.

 

[Slysh]

Huge out that, 4-6 weeks.

Don't really give Brisvegas much of a chance now. No Reynolds, no Haas. No Brisbane for mine.

Certainly makes it harder for them but we are down JFH and have looked very up and down over the first two weeks.

 

[Jatz]

Certainly makes it harder for them but we are down JFH and have looked very up and down over the first two weeks.

The defending was surprisingly poor last time out. The attack looked much better though.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Penalty for a head clash.. I've seen it all now..

 

[3207]

Why do commentators continually call Billy Walters, “young”?

He’s *ing 30!

 

[Slysh]

Tago is a freak of nature!

Worth every cent of that contract extension!

 

[Around the Wicket]

Tago is a freak of nature!

Worth every cent of that contract extension!

Penrith have two of the best centres in the game.

 

[Slysh]

Penrith have two of the best centres in the game.

He will be when he learns to pass, he is so dominant but playing wing outside of him would be infuriating.

Very hungry player.

 

[Jatz]

He will be when he learns to pass, he is so dominant but playing wing outside of him would be infuriating.

Very hungry player.

Turuva has 3 tries in 3 games. Seems to be able to pass it reasonably well.

There was one instance last night he should've thrown it but that happens.

 

[Jatz]

Penalty for a head clash.. I've seen it all now..

Finucane got rubbed out for 3 weeks in 2022 for causing a head clash with Stephen Crichton, ironically at the same ground.

Wouldn't be surprised to see May get weeks.

Vossy was right though - if it's a penalty for foul play, it should've been a sin bin at the very least. If it's not a sin bin, it's not even a penalty.

 

[Slysh]

Turuva has 3 tries in 3 games. Seems to be able to pass it reasonably well.

There was one instance last night he should've thrown it but that happens.

It happens regularly, was another one last week where he ended up scoring but it was not the high percentage play.

He is still very young so it is certainly something he has a lot of time to work on, but it can be glaring once you start watching for it.