Grand Final 2023 - arrogant P's v flashy B's

[The Who]

Great to see karma is alive and well, how the Broncos have lost their last 2 Grand Finals is absolutely beautiful

Loved seeing the pain on Corey Parker’s face post match as Ennis is sitting beside him wearing a big smile

Walsh only interested in being a showpony in attack, abysmal in defence and the first try to Kenny he is standing 5m into the ingoal with his hands on his hips as Kenny picks the ball up

Do you realise that coming into this weekend Queensland had a team in:
The AFL grand final
The NRL grand final
The Cup RL grand final
The Women's RL grand final . . .
. . . and lost them all?
Shame.
Yeah, na.

 

[wombatgc]

It did, In 1997, when Darren Albert score with 7 seconds to go. I was there. Absolutely gutted it took me 2 weeks to get over it.

Only two weeks!? I still get nauseous if anyone just refers to the year 1997!

 

[Jay Eagle]

Great game.. and Cleary stood up when it mattered.. why didn't his dad buy a house in Manly rather than out west and have his son grow up playing out there....haha

@BOZO.. i was hoping for the Broncs with their speed kills attack and they looked the goods, but Nathan and the Penrith men showed you need more than just speed.

He did. First off at Collaroy. Now he’s back living at Newport (I believe) and he sold the Penrith palace to Nathan.

Yeah but he lived in Penrith throughout Nathan's junior footy years

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Meanwhile here's a classic storyline to imagine for next year ... Seibold takes Manly to face the Broncos in the GF! (it's Ok, season is finished its time for daydreams)

And that’s a pretty big one.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Great game.. and Cleary stood up when it mattered.. why didn't his dad buy a house in Manly rather than out west and have his son grow up playing out there....haha

@BOZO.. i was hoping for the Broncs with their speed kills attack and they looked the goods, but Nathan and the Penrith men showed you need more than just speed.

Yeah but he lived in Penrith throughout Nathan's junior footy years

The Warriors sacked Ivan while Nathan was entering his teenage years, lot of Warriors fans have what ifs over that one

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Do you realise that coming into this weekend Queensland had a team in:
The AFL grand final
The NRL grand final
The Cup RL grand final
The Women's RL grand final . . .
. . . and lost them all?
Shame.
Yeah, na.

Lol at least they can still yarn about Origin …

Watched my first ever game of women’s footy yesterday, actually ended up going for the Titans, the Knights players weren’t endearing individuals

 

[bob dylan]

And that’s a pretty big one.

with Schuster winning the Dally M.

 

[LeonardCohen]

Impossible to say that. Different generation. Different professionalism. Completly different game.
If any of those sides from back in the day played in this generation with the rules and protections of today's game it would be game on.
I would also say that Penrith do not have worthy challengers in this run. No magnificent storm or top of their game rooters.
Take nothing away from them they are magnificent and history will call them the greatest for now but they have had it pretty easy.
Lost to Storm, beat rabbits and Parramatta before beating young green Broncs. None of these sides had the Melbourne or rooters or old broncs quality.

I know what you are getting it, but that strong Roosters and Storm you speak of, ARE Penrith now…someone has to be the best and the hardest team to beat. Those great Storm and Roosters sides used to be where Penrith are now.

The Chooks beat Canberra in a GF and I would suggest that the Broncos roster last night, was far superior to what the Raiders trotted out in 2019.

It’s really just a changing of the guard and to suggest that Penrith have had it easy…Manly are lucky to win three club games on the trot in the last 8 seasons, let alone 3 Grand Finals. It’s incredible.

 

[LeonardCohen]

I wouldn’t call Cleary’s performance ‘clutch’ last night…maybe the 40/20 but I think Clutch is doing something out of the ordinary under extreme pressure. What he actually did was stick to a system and just play his natural game. The Leota and Crichton tries were just running shape and taking the right option. The solo try was opportunistic in that he had no options outside him so cut back inside and the Broncos fell asleep.

It was a great final 15 minutes and full credit to the guy for not panicking and straying from what works, but the narrative is being blown up a bit to read like he scored three of the greatest individual tries in the history of the game.

 

[BOZO]

@BOZO.. i was hoping for the Broncs with their speed kills attack and they looked the goods, but Nathan and the Penrith men showed you need more than just speed.

The need of speed for winning grand finals perspective ....

I never saw the Grand final as my Manly team was not competing
But I have seen the Pacey Panthers in their Prime for the last 4 seasons play and blow teams away

The Panthers made 4 Straight Grand finals and won three Straight grand finals
and could not have done that with the Need for Speed that is required in big games to blow the opposition away and win

 

[LeonardCohen]

The need of speed for winning grand finals perspective ....

I never saw the Grand final as my Manly team was not competing
But I have seen the Pacey Panthers in their Prime for the last 4 seasons play and blow teams away

The Panthers made 4 Straight Grand finals and won three Straight grand finals
and could not have done that with the Need for Speed that is required in big games to blow the opposition away and win
View attachment 25214

It’s interesting that the telecast mentioned the speed of the Panthers middles as a big reason for their brilliant defence. We often think of speed in terms of outside backs finishing off great attacking plays but it’s also crucial to have speed in the forwards and not just with the ball. If your middles can move quickly and are mobile laterally, you can cover so much of the opposition threat and stop your edges being exposed.

 

[ABTK]

I wouldn’t call Cleary’s performance ‘clutch’ last night…maybe the 40/20 but I think Clutch is doing something out of the ordinary under extreme pressure. What he actually did was stick to a system and just play his natural game. The Leota and Crichton tries were just running shape and taking the right option. The solo try was opportunistic in that he had no options outside him so cut back inside and the Broncos fell asleep.

It was a great final 15 minutes and full credit to the guy for not panicking and straying from what works, but the narrative is being blown up a bit to read like he scored three of the greatest individual tries in the history of the game.

And don't mention the missed tackles leading to donkey tries... That'll spoil the love-a-thon a little bit..!

 

[bob dylan]

For the record some thing that that were learned or reinforced last night.

1 The short kickoff/dropout will burn you more times than not.

2 The 6 agains for ruck infringements are a none-sense in our game.

3 That loss will burn the Broncos, they will want it bad next season.

 

[frank stokes]

I know what you are getting it, but that strong Roosters and Storm you speak of, ARE Penrith now…someone has to be the best and the hardest team to beat. Those great Storm and Roosters sides used to be where Penrith are now.

The Chooks beat Canberra in a GF and I would suggest that the Broncos roster last night, was far superior to what the Raiders trotted out in 2019.

It’s really just a changing of the guard and to suggest that Penrith have had it easy…Manly are lucky to win three club games on the trot in the last 8 seasons, let alone 3 Grand Finals. It’s incredible.

I will take that “non-clutch” performance anytime…

show-and-go fending off capewell then draws fb and puts Leota over…

1 min later a 30-20 on the 3rd tackle to completely turn the momentum and put all the pressure on the donkeys…

5 min later plants his foot over the sideline to catch Reynolds drop-out…

1 min later is involved in the play to give Crichton a shot (try was Crichton’s tho - how does he score with 3 guys there? He is a freak)…

and tops it off with 3 left foot steps to score untouched with 2 min to go…

PLUS he nails all 3 goals, one of which was from about 3m in from the sideline…

Not “clutch”? Sure, whatever…

the bloke admitted he played like dogsh*t in the 20min after halftime but I have never seen a guy single handedly win a game like the “non-clutch” Cleary did last night… the riff were out on their feet and absolutely f*cked…

yes, Leota, JF-H and Crichton all stood up and contributed massively in that last 20min to get the riff back into the game but Cleary gave them the belief and pulled out the massive game-changing plays that were needed…

deserves every single plaudit for that game cause he was absolutely f*cking amazing…

 

[LeonardCohen]

I will take that “non-clutch” performance anytime…

Well that was kinda the point I was making. I think the way his game has been reported is misleading and 'non-clutch' is the point. What's been missed is the temperament he showed to stay in the 'system' and play percentages, which is what makes him the unbelievable player he is. Instead of trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat with 'hail Mary' football, he assessed the clock, didn't panic, and just played his natural game; the rest is history. That's the true brilliance of his performance.

 

[eaglebuzz]

For the record some thing that that were learned or reinforced last night.

1 The short kickoff/dropout will burn you more times than not.

2 The 6 agains for ruck infringements are a none-sense in our game.

3 That loss will burn the Broncos, they will want it bad next season.

My favourite thing about last night's game was that the ref put the whistle in his pocket. The lack of 6 agains and penalties was very refreshing.

 

[sheridanstand78]

I think the 20 minutes after half time got Cleary really going as he was responsible for the odd missed tackle.

What he did from the 62nd minute was astonishing. Set up 2 tries, scored the winner, kicked a 40/20 and nailed three conversions. He grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and won it with his calmness and will.

Brisbane had it won, ran the panthers ragged, exposed their right edge defence. They will be kicking themselves for the drop out fiasco as the 8 points gifted was in the end the difference.

One of the better games I saw, clearly the best two teams of this year and shows you how much of a gap they are to us and where we need to develop traits like resilience, toughness, hanging in there, taking your chances.

What I love about Nathan Cleary is he has such a cool head, knows when to slow the game down to give his team a breather and does all the 101s so well.

Penrith overcome adversity with ease. I thought they were dead and buried and yet they found a way. They lose players to rival clubs yet continue to play a brand of football that is all about percentage play and wears teams down.

 

[We eat the Oysters.....]

Wondering why was Zac Hoskings dropped for the Semis and GF? He played good footy most of the year.
If he is not happy and I've heard that's the case.
We could use a reliable mobile back rower. Bring him home....

 

[LeonardCohen]

I think the 20 minutes after half time got Cleary really going as he was responsible for the odd missed tackle.

What he did from the 62nd minute was astonishing. Set up 2 tries, scored the winner, kicked a 40/20 and nailed three conversions. He grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and won it with his calmness and will.

Brisbane had it won, ran the panthers ragged, exposed their right edge defence. They will be kicking themselves for the drop out fiasco as the 8 points gifted was in the end the difference.

One of the better games I saw, clearly the best two teams of this year and shows you how much of a gap they are to us and where we need to develop traits like resilience, toughness, hanging in there, taking your chances.

What I love about Nathan Cleary is he has such a cool head, knows when to slow the game down to give his team a breather and does all the 101s so well.

Penrith overcome adversity with ease. I thought they were dead and buried and yet they found a way. They lose players to rival clubs yet continue to play a brand of football that is all about percentage play and wears teams down.

Yeah it’s a bit scary moving forward as an opposition supporter because they’ve done everything from in front over the last 3-4 years and now we are seeing that even when they’re well behind on the biggest stage, they’ve got what it takes to claw it back.

 

[40 nil]

Wondering why was Zac Hoskings dropped for the Semis and GF? He played good footy most of the year.

I don't know if Hoskings was injured for the last few games, but I think Garner is considered a better backup centre, esp. with concerns about Tago's fitness. However, Hoskings did fill in at centre a few times earlier in the season & played well.