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Post by hoskotafe3 on Sept 26, 2020 19:25:56 GMT
Parra jumped to third with an umconvincing win over the Tigers. Canberra won, but it was all for naught. In a round where a top 4 team wasn't beaten 60-8 it would have been difficult for Penrith to have been much more convincing than their 42-0 rout of the Bulldogs. Luckily for the Dogs the Broncos had already sealed the wooden spoon. Nothing of consquence today Warriors playing Manly, while Melbourne (who are guranteed second) host the Dragons.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 2, 2020 8:51:46 GMT
Biggest game of the season so far in the NRL tonight. Winner should be firm premiership fabourites. Penrith are the bookies fabourites but, as far as I'm concerned anything that isn't a Roosters win will be a surprise. I'll always back experience at the business end. If Penrith win, they may be every bit as good as their ladder position says.
Brisbane host Richmond in the AFL and the Tigers go in rightly as favourites. Port remain Richmond's biggest threat after locking up a home prelim with a solid win over Geelong last night.
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Post by weststigersbob on Oct 2, 2020 12:03:47 GMT
Penrith defeat the Roosters 29-28 in a absolute belter of a final. Nathan Cleary scored a hat trick, Panthers led by 28-10 after 50 minutes, Roosters ground their way back into the game, but MOTM Cleary slotted a 1 pointer as cool as a cucumber to ice the game with 2 minutes left, although the Roosters still weren’t done with a last minute score to bring the deficit back to 1.
In the AFL - Brisbane up by 15 points well into the final quarter and look like giving the Tigers another “Richmond” to put into the locker.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 2, 2020 18:20:10 GMT
That's a stunning win for the Lions. I really did not see that coming. They'd lost 15 in a row to Richmond over 11 years and were destroyed by them just 2 short months ago. I only saw the first quarter. Curse these 7:50 starts!
The League game I saw through 10-10. The Roosters loss could be very costly as they'll likely end up playing Canberra in the semi final, which wasn't going to be a good match up for whoever lost the first Qualifying final.
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Post by weststigersbob on Oct 3, 2020 1:28:01 GMT
It likely means the winner of Melbourne v Parramatta plays the winner of Roosters v Canberra in the prelim final. For all the really good matchups in the GF, the NRL would really want Parramatta to defeat Melbourne.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 3, 2020 6:35:12 GMT
I can't see Parra doing that. They've been mediocre at best for the last 6-8 weeks.
And watching the Brisbane v Richmomd game, it was similar to the Port loss. Completely ridiculous (corectly officiated) 100m penalty really killed them at a time when Brisbane were just ahead after scoring two goals against the play. I'm starting to think they lack the discipline to stand up to game pressure against the best clubs this year. Which is a strange thng to say about a team whose won 2 out of 3 Grand Finals.
And if I was worried that Riewoldt was done, I'm more worried now. Was a complete non entity last night even with 2 goals. Lynch's hamstring can't heal quick enough for Tigers fans. Jack just can't be the main forward any more.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 3, 2020 9:02:14 GMT
Saints blow most of a 26 point lead but hold on by 3 points to win a classic eliminator over the Ridiculously General Geographical Direction Bulldogs.
Canberra looked in danger of a banana peel for much of the first half, but lead 22-14 10 minutes into the second half. Sharkies far from out of it.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 3, 2020 12:35:09 GMT
Unfortunately Parramatta couldn't keep up with Melbourne in the second half and went down. Good game for 55 minutes though.
And Collingwood got another great finals win on the road. Mason Cox was the early pace setter while Brodie Mihocek won it late. I don't know what it is about the Albany Port Hedland Eagles and Collingwood that produces great finals regardless of ladder position, but that's 3 decided by less than a kick and at least 3 others that were belters.
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Post by weststigersbob on Oct 3, 2020 16:00:54 GMT
That Mihocek has an absolute ripper left peg. One of those goals was absolute top shelf.
So Geelong v Collingwood, winner to play Brisbane; and Saints v Richmond, winner to play Port.
I’d be putting a bit of cash on the Lions at home to make the GF TBH. As good as the Pies were, The Cats will probably be too strong next week but won’t beat the Lions with a rest. Richmond would still fancy their chances I reckon, Saints then Port are two sides lacking a lot of genuine finals experience, unlike the Tigers.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 3, 2020 21:13:00 GMT
Geelong will be favourites but we're a sneaky chance there. Have a good record over the Cats the last 4 or 5 years. We'll be knackered. Mihocek's goal to give us the lead in the last quarter was freakish. Amazing when a player gets hot what confidence allows them to do. Importantly he got under McGovern's skin and the big lug starting giving away free kicks, including one ridiculous one where he threw Mihocek into another West Coast player.
For Richmond, I have them third in line. They should beat the Saints comfortably next week, but Port beat them at home earlier in the year in a game where both teams played well. And they need to work on their discipline. Four 50m penalties, including a 100m isn't finals winning football and it's similar to the football they played in that loss to Port.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 9, 2020 8:51:55 GMT
Tips tonight: Tigers in the AFL and Roosters in the NRL. No surprise if Canberra wins. Given the quality of the ins for Richmond and outs for St Kilda, I doubt it will even be close and would be absolutely stunned if there's an upset.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 9, 2020 9:48:52 GMT
Well, the NRL has the makings of a thriller with Canberra jumping out to a 16-0 lead but the Roosters scoring late to make it a far from secure 16-6 lead at half time. The AFL has predictably been a snoozefest. St Kilda's missing Ryder at the hit outs and conceding clearances that their undermanned defence is allowing to lead to easy goals. Boring stuff.
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Post by weststigersbob on Oct 9, 2020 9:55:11 GMT
Just about to post here myself. I think the flicking between will stop for the 2nd halves. Canberra v Roosters looks like it will go down to the wire. Saints v Tigers looks like a bit of a cruise for the lads from Punt Rd, up 55-24 at halftime (and kicking 9 goals 1 too)
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Post by weststigersbob on Oct 9, 2020 11:04:19 GMT
Raiders hold on for a 22-18 win. Roosters threw everything at the Green Machine in that second half, but a mixture or great defence and a slice of luck got them a prelim against the Storm in Brisbane next week.
In the AFL, Richmond are up by 5 goals midway through the 4th, 78-48. Not even Richmond is losing that one.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 9, 2020 11:09:34 GMT
Raiders win a super game. Rather unfairly Tedesco proved the villain, making a mistake that led to what proved to be the winning Canberra try and then knocking on to spend their last chance. Roosters fans will blow up about the non-penalty try to Morris late but, to be fair, I thought his foot had already slid over the touch line before the contact came.
Richmond have ticked a box more than anything tonight. A comfortable win against an undermanned opponent, but not a powerhouse performance. I was expecting a statement and a huge win. Instead yeah, just ticked a box.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 10, 2020 9:03:40 GMT
Collingwood playing like a bag of shit. All over before quarter time. I'm tapping out and watching the Souths/ Eels game.
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Post by weststigersbob on Oct 10, 2020 10:57:06 GMT
Souths outscore the Eels 38-24 in a very see saw type of game. The turning point was at 20-18 and Mitchell Moses has a simple kick to tie up the game, he hit the post and Souths went up the other end and scored and never looked like losing after that.
Collingwood have had a shocker against the Cats in the AFL.
Preliminary Finals next week : NRL : Melbourne v Canberra Penrith v South Sydney
AFL: Port Adelaide v Richmond Brisbane v Geelong
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 15, 2020 20:06:52 GMT
So the nation stops at 7:50 tonight with both prelims starting and both should be crackers.
The key event of the week for the Tigers was Lynch being cleared to play. I don't think they were any hope with Riewoldt as their #1 forward option. Having said that there are no excuses for Port. At home, well rested in front of a big home crowd. If not now then when? For the Tigers we'll give them a mulligan for a Lynch-less loss to Brisbane in Week One. Had a sweat free tune up against an undermanned St Kilda last week and they know how to win Finals. They'll be on from the start, will Port be?
Melbourne and Canberra have had a lot of close games lately. Both are hardened finals campaigners. Will Canberra's defence be the difference? No idea! That's why I'm looking forward to this game so much.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 17, 2020 19:54:22 GMT
So we get the inevitable NRL Grand Final of Penrith vs Melbourne. Storm looking very good while Penrith have had two unconvincing wins. To be fair though, I think the Roosters and Souths were travelling a bit better than Parra or Canberra. So I still expect a good game.
In the AFL we got the Grand Final no one wanted, but it may just be a very good game with Richmond vs Geelong. Richmond trying to win a third premiership in 4 years while the storylines for Geelong are trying to send their, and arguably the AFL'S, greatest ever player Gary Ablett Jr out with a premiership and helping Patrick Dangerfield, one of the modern greats, win his first. One of the more unfortunate things about AFL is it isn't a sport for fairytales. Richmond will win.
It will be very disappointing if such an unoredictable season ends with premiers as predictable as Melbourne and Richmond but I think that's where we're headed.
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Post by hoskotafe3 on Oct 17, 2020 20:15:41 GMT
Some irrelevant stats. This is the 9th season the NRL has used it's current finals format, and the third time 1 has played 2 in the Grand Final. (2012 and 2018). The last time the Minor Premiers won the NRL Grand Final was the Roosters in 2018. They also won in 2013, making them the only team to win the JJ Giltinan Shield and the Summons-Provan Trophy in the same season under the current finals system. NRL also used this system from 1995-1996, so Manly joins the list if you count those years.
This is the 21st season of the current AFL Finals format. This is only the second time neither of the top 2 seeds have qualified (3 vs 6 last year) and the first time both qualifying final winners lost their prelims. This is the first time 3 v 4 has happened. Geelong are only the 3rd 4 seed to qualify for the Grand Final. The previous two: Collingwood in 2002 and Sydney in 2006 suffered narrow defeats. Geelong are the only 4 seed to qualify for a Grand Final after losing their qualifying final. The last 4 seed to win the premiership was Adelaide in 1997 under the previous top 8 system, they did so by going 4-0.
Grand finals berths by seeding NRL: 1 seed: 6 (8 if you count 1995 and 96) 2 seed: 5 3 seed: 3 4 seed: 2 6 seed: (1 if you count 1995) 7 seed: 1 (2 if you count 1996) 8 seed: 1
AFL 1 seed: 14 2 seed: 12 3 seed: 11 4 seed: 3 6 seed: 1 7 seed: 1
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