League vs Union

[Zaz]

Another Manly fan!

[Chris the Human]

Ouch. Both Manly and Newcastle felt the after-effects of playing the only competitive game in the opening round. In both games it was clear that neither side was at 100%, and in our case we were without our two best defensive players in Buderus and Simpson. Brisbane and Saints both seemed far more enthusiastic than their opposition.

As for the scoreline, I'll take the loss and put it down to a combination of a red hot Brisbane side, a lacklustre effort, a few missing players, and a game last week in which both sides gave it their all. They'd be hard pressed to find a better grand final than the performance Manly and Newcastle put on last Friday.

And, just to keep the feud going, I'd rather go out 50-6 after winning the opening game than go out 28-0 after losing the opening game. ;-)

[Zaz]

I wouldn't

Anyway, I think that could just be another arguement against the McIntyre system. Manly vs. Newcastle was a killer game, yet both teams go against opposition that had an easier game and get knocked out as a result of it. Oh well, I guess that's what you get for being entertaining

[Chris the Human]

The McIntyre System is hopelessly flawed. Take a look at the AFL system and you'll see a far better layout for finals football.

The Ladder

1. Melbourne

2. Canterbury

3. Brisbane

4. Newcastle

5. Manly

6. St George/Illawarra

7. Canberra

8. Parramatta

AFL System

Week One

1st vs. 4th - Melbourne vs. Newcastle @ Olympic Park

5th vs. 8th - Manly vs. Parramatta @ Brookvale Oval (Parra Out)

6th vs. 7th - St George/Illawarra vs. Canberra @ Aussie Stadium (Canberra Out)

2nd vs. 3rd - Canterbury vs. Brisbane @ Telstra Stadium

Week Two

Newcastle Knights vs. Manly Sea Eagles @ EnergyAustralia Stadium (Manly out)

Brisbane Broncos vs. St George/Illawarra Dragons @ Suncorp Stadium (Saints out)

Week Three

Melbourne Storm vs. Brisbane Broncos @ Olympic Park

Canterbury Bulldogs vs. Newcastle Knights @ Telstra Stadium

The real bonus is the use of home/away finals all the way through to the big one, which would get rid of scenarios like tonight's 22,000 to see Brisbane play Newcastle in Sydney. It also gives 1st and 2nd the same 'bye' they now do, whilst rewarding first round winners.

[TheTruth]

Here's how my final system would work:

Week 1

(1) Melbounre vs. (8) Parramatta - Olympic Park

(2) Bulldogs vs. (7) Canberra

(3) Broncos vs. (6) Dragons

(4) Knights vs. (5) Manly

(Melbourne, Bulldogs, Dragons & Knights Win)

Two Lowest Ranked Losers (Parramatta & Canberra) – Eliminated

Week 2

(1) Melbourne vs. (6) Manly - Olympic Park

(2) Bulldogs vs. (5) Broncos - Telstra Stadium

(3) Knights vs. (4) Dragons - Energy Australia Stadium

(Melbourne, Bulldogs & Dragons Win)

Highest Ranked Winner (Melbourne) – Progresses Through To Grand Final

Lowest Ranked Loser (Manly) – Eliminated

Week 3

(1) Bulldogs vs. (4) Knights - Telstra Stadium

(2) Dragons vs. (3) Broncos - WIN Stadium

(Bulldogs & Dragons Win)

Winners (Bulldogs & Dragons) – Progresses Through To Preliminary Final

Losers (Knights & Broncos) – Eliminated

Preliminary Final

Bulldogs vs. Dragons - Aussie Stadium

Winner (Bulldogs) – Progresses Through To Grand Final

Loser (Dragons) – Eliminated

Grand Final

Melbourne vs. Bulldogs - Telstra Stadium

[Zaz]

Two weeks off is too long, methinks.

[Chris the Human]

Why not something like this?

Ladder

1. Melbourne

2. Canterbury

3. Brisbane

4. Newcastle

5. Manly

6. St George/Illawarra

7. Canberra

8. Parramatta

Week One

1 (Melbourne) & 2 (Canterbury) have a bye

3 (Brisbane) vs. 4 (Newcastle) @ Suncorp Stadium

5 (Manly) vs. 6 (St George/Illawarra) @ Brookvale Oval (Loser eliminated)

7 (Canberra) vs. 8 (Parramatta) @ Bruce Stadium (Loser eliminated)

Brisbane, Manly, and Parramatta win. Canberra eliminated

Week Two

1 (Melbourne) vs. 2 (Canterbury) @ Olympic Park - Winner to Grand Final

Winner Game A (Brisbane) vs. Winner Game B (Manly) @ Suncorp -

Loser Game A (Newcastle) vs. Winner Game B (Parramatta) @ EnergyAustralia - Loser eliminated

Canterbury win and progress to the Grand Final. Brisbane defeat Manly. Newcastle win to eliminated Parramatta.

Week Three

Loser Game A (Melbourne) vs. Loser Game B (Manly) @ Olympic Park

Winner Game B (Brisbane) vs. Winner Game C (Newcastle) @ Suncorp Stadium

Manly defeat Melbourne and Brisbane defeat Newcastle, eliminating both.

Week Four

Winner A (Manly) vs. Winner B (Brisbane) @ Aussie Stadium

Haha, I was just fooling around with it. There's an extra week (which the NRL would love), but 1st/2nd only need to play one game in four weeks to make the grand final. It doesn't really work. I was just bored.

[Guest Anti-Hero]

... or we can always have sack races on consecutive weekends until the premiers are crowned

It's kinda disappointing to see Newcastle and Manly go out the way they did, considering they've been two of the most exciting teams in the comp. Still, it'll be interesting to see if Brisbane and St George carry that momentum into this week's games. For some perverse reason, I want to see St George win this year. I know I've said previously I didn't want them to, but after the amount of shit that my Tigers fan mates have been copping from my Dragons fan mates, I want the entertaining shit-hacking to continue. It's awesome.

[draggx]

meh itll be brisbane and dragons in the grand final.. and brisbane will beat the dragons like we did in 92 and 93..

[Zaz]

Dragons vs. Bulldogs, IMO.

[Chris the Human]

I want either Melbourne or Saints to win. Don't like Brisbane, and the Bulldogs are worse than the Nazis.

[draggx]

Well broncs are in.. im actually hoping storm get in so its a non nsw grand final thatll learn em

[Zaz]

That was the most enjoyable 2nd half I've seen in some time.

[Chris the Human]

An interesting Grand Final proposition this year - the first interstate Grand Final in the NRL's near one hundred year history. I can't say I'm disappointed with the prospect, though. Whilst I disliked Brisbane quite a bit back in the late nineties - their six year drought has softened my opinion of them considerably. Melbourne have always been a pet side of mine, due largely to the fact that I've got a soft spot for expansion sides.

Who's your tip? I'm thinking Melbourne might get the job done to complete a fairy-tale year for them. Another premiership win could see their crowds improve again in 2007.

[Zaz]

An NRL assisted fairy-tale at that

[Guest Anti-Hero]

An NRL assisted fairy-tale at that

[Chris the Human]

What do you mean?

[Zaz]

They get away with heaps in the play-the-ball area. They stick about 5 men in every tackle and the ref gives them a good amount of time for all of them to get up.

[Guest Anti-Hero]

Ah, okay. Since nobody except draggx gives a crap about the Grand Final, I suggest the ZOO Magazine Grand Final Drinking Game (it's in this week's issue with Nikki Webster on the front). One dangerous suggestion is to shot/skoal every time Ray Warren or Phil Gould say something stupid (warning: you may be blind before kick-off). Also, shot/skoal everytime they cross to Vossy or Matty Johns for a sideline comment that could easily have been said in the commentary box.

EDIT: And I totally forgive Nikki Webster for "Strawberry Kisses". Goddamn.

Edited September 26, 2006 by Anti-Hero

[Chris the Human]

It's a pity I had to relocate back to the country, as grand final weekend is traditionally a huge pisser for me. This time around it'll just be me and another mate watching it and cheering for Newcastle and Newton in the Jersey Flegg/Premier League finals