NRL NRL 2024 - Grand Final Melbourne vs Penrith

[Jatz]

It also becomes a huge issue for the clubs as the EBA has the no contact clause.

If you play finals, plus a full campaign of internationals then add in the (i think 10 week) no contact. These guys arent due to come back to training until mid-late Feb. Round 1 is March 1st.

Yep, which is why Newcastle were so giddy to put out a statement saying Kalyn wasn't going to play.

It's just a shitshow at the moment.

 

[Jatz]

Is he likely back by round 1? Or could there be a whole new halves pairing in Vegas?

Would expect so but it really depends on exactly what the damage is.

 

[moto748]

Cleary's a terrific player, but you guys are talking as if he's head and shoulders above every other half in the comp. Is that really so? And as for internationals, we might as well forget all about them, as no-one in Australia cares a damn.

 

[phantom13]

Cleary's a terrific player, but you guys are talking as if he's head and shoulders above every other half in the comp. Is that really so? And as for internationals, we might as well forget all about them, as no-one in Australia cares a damn.

I think so. Reputationally his CV at 26 is pretty close to the best of any other half all time and watching his influence on games no other player comes close.

 

[Jatz]

Cleary's a terrific player, but you guys are talking as if he's head and shoulders above every other half in the comp. Is that really so? And as for internationals, we might as well forget all about them, as no-one in Australia cares a damn.

Well and truly.

If you were starting a team from scratch, Cleary would be first picked.

 

[damicky]

Well and truly.

If you were starting a team from scratch, Cleary would be first picked.

I am pretty happy with Hughesy as my Half Back

 

[Jatz]

I am pretty happy with Hughesy as my Half Back

I don't disagree. Every other club would be.

No other half has led his team to 3 premierships in a row, 5 grand finals in a row. What he did in last year's grand final is unmatched by anyone in the current league.

I'm a huge Joey fan but Cleary could well be ahead of him by the time he retires.

 

[Iceman!]

Cleary's a terrific player, but you guys are talking as if he's head and shoulders above every other half in the comp. Is that really so? And as for internationals, we might as well forget all about them, as no-one in Australia cares a damn.

He is very clearly the best player in the comp. It’s not just the stats it’s the moments. Even if we ignore the GF last year just Look at last week. Sharks had all the momentum and had the field position. Cleary kicks early gets the 40/20 and follows it up by putting Alamoti over the line.

The countless clutch conversions and field goals. 2 Clive Churchills and was one of the best still in the other GF win.

Out injured and playing with a bum shoulder this year, comes back for the first final and clearly man of the match, followed it up by being clearly man of the match last week as well.

Lots of great players on the game but Cleary is well and truly ahead of them all at the moment.

 

[Andronicus]

I am pretty happy with Hughesy as my Half Back

He's out of there so fast if Cleary is an option.

 

[phantom13]

Hughes just won the Dally M and had an all time season.

I’m pretty sure anyone without bias would still pick Cleary over him without thinking. That feels like a pretty good test of his brilliance.

 

[eddiesmith]

Any ideas what the record of Dally M medalists in grand finals is? Looking over recent ones and only Thurston seemed obvious as winning both in same season.

 

[Andronicus]

Any ideas what the record of Dally M medalists in grand finals is? Looking over recent ones and only Thurston seemed obvious as winning both in same season.

Tedesco 2019, Smith 2017 and Orford in the mid 2000s.

 

[phantom13]

Looking at the Dally M honors board today seems CRAZY Cleary and Lockyer haven’t won one (I’m sure there’s plenty of others but those two leapt out of me)

 

[Jatz]

Looking at the Dally M honors board today seems CRAZY Cleary and Lockyer haven’t won one (I’m sure there’s plenty of others but those two leapt out of me)

Ivan Cleary has been Dally M coach of the year twice - neither of which occurred in a year he won the premiership.

 

[PhatBoy]

Cleary's a terrific player, but you guys are talking as if he's head and shoulders above every other half in the comp. Is that really so? And as for internationals, we might as well forget all about them, as no-one in Australia cares a damn.

Yes, it is

There are other players - Hughes at the moment, Ponga for a stretch here and there, Tedesco for a couple of years, Munster goes on a tear every now and then, who may rival him for a time.

For 5 years he has maintained a level that warrants being called the best, or in the argument as the best current player in the game. I would argue that if it weren’t for his ‘out of the play’ position, Payne Haas would be the only other player in the argument.

Cleary as I discussed with a mate the other night has:

- the organising game of Cooper Cronk who is probably the best organising half I have ever seen. That was his great strength as a playmaker.

- the skills of Andrew Johns as a kicker and a passer

- the the brilliance of Johnathon Thurston, that ability to do something just completely out of the box.

- he defends very well for a half.

He doesnt QUITE have the defensive power that Joey had - Joey defended as strongly as a lock, but it isn’t a weakness for him at all either. He has every tool to be the best player we’ve probably seen.

He is really that good.

 

[nobbyiscool]

Yes, it is

There are other players - Hughes at the moment, Ponga for a stretch here and there, Tedesco for a couple of years, Munster goes on a tear every now and then, who may rival him for a time.

For 5 years he has maintained a level that warrants being called the best, or in the argument as the best current player in the game. I would argue that if it weren’t for his ‘out of the play’ position, Payne Haas would be the only other player in the argument.

Cleary as I discussed with a mate the other night has:

- the organising game of Cooper Cronk who is probably the best organising half I have ever seen. That was his great strength as a playmaker.

- the skills of Andrew Johns as a kicker and a passer

- the the brilliance of Johnathon Thurston, that ability to do something just completely out of the box.

- he defends very well for a half.

He does QUITE have the defensive power that Joey had - Joey defended as strongly as a lock, but it isn’t a weakness for him at all either. He has every tool to be the best player we’ve probably seen.

He is really that good.

I agree with everything you say except the bolded part. And I think that's why he doesn't get the credit or the admiration that he absolutely deserves after the last 5 years. He's doesn't do a lot of overly brilliant or flashy things - he doesn't have to most of the time.

The reason they're so good is they play relatively simple footy extraordinarily well. It goes to the conversation earlier in the week, and whether that relatively simple philosophy is a criticism - to me, seeing rugby league 101 played at a consistently other-worldly level is enormously exciting to me. Especially over such a long period in a salary cap era, when dynasties like this shouldn't be able to happen.

In a rubbish team, who knows, maybe Cleary would do more flashy things. But he's such a better player for the fact that he rarely has to.

 

[PhatBoy]

I agree with everything you say except the bolded part. And I think that's why he doesn't get the credit or the admiration that he absolutely deserves after the last 5 years. He's doesn't do a lot of overly brilliant or flashy things - he doesn't have to most of the time.

The reason they're so good is they play relatively simple footy extraordinarily well. It goes to the conversation earlier in the week, and whether that relatively simple philosophy is a criticism - to me, seeing rugby league 101 played at a consistently other-worldly level is enormously exciting to me. Especially over such a long period in a salary cap era, when dynasties like this shouldn't be able to happen.

In a rubbish team, who knows, maybe Cleary would do more flashy things. But he's such a better player for the fact that he rarely has to.

Look that’s fair enough I just think that some of the things I’ve seen over the last 18 months in particular - the grand final had some of those moments - have just seen him making more of those line breaks and out of the blue plays and even that heads up kick he pulled off to To’o the other night: obviously he can kick we know that but normally we associate that sort of kick with Cleary being in a set position knowing he has a player unmarked out wide. This time around he went to the left, there was no space, the play broke down, an offload comes to him, he breaks a tackle, looks up ‘oh look there’s a player unmarked 40 metres away I’ll just kick it over their winger’s head’

It was just awesome

 

[eddiesmith]

Looking at the Dally M honors board today seems CRAZY Cleary and Lockyer haven’t won one (I’m sure there’s plenty of others but those two leapt out of me)

Whilst a lot of good players have won it, much like the Brownlow there is plenty of good players who had one standout season, whereas elite players who are just consistently good year after year, don’t. Plus obviously injuries in recent years wouldn’t have helped his cause.

Plus on the premiership point, it’s an award it seems is better suited to an outstanding season in a good team, not a great one.

Ivan Cleary has been Dally M coach of the year twice - neither of which occurred in a year he won the premiership.

Coach of the year is always an interesting one, Donkeys coach gets it in NRLW for not leading his team to a fourth title?

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

Would probably prefer Storm, Panthers have had enough success.

Just want a good game though.

 

[Jatz]

Getting closer to the game and my wife thinks she might be seeing the signs of early labour…

This was always going to happen

I will say, think the Penrith fans have been spoiled a bit recently. Haven’t felt the same buzz around town as I have in previous years. Even the fans seem to be getting accustomed to just winning.

 

[ESKIE]

Getting closer to the game and my wife thinks she might be seeing the signs of early labour…

This was always going to happen

I will say, think the Penrith fans have been spoiled a bit recently. Haven’t felt the same buzz around town as I have in previous years. Even the fans seem to be getting accustomed to just winning.

Best wishes Jatz

 

[Ed_Gein]

Turns out I'm going to the game.

The game must be struggling to shift tickets.

My old man just rang me an hour ago and said he'd shout me a ticket if I wanted to go, so I said "Sure." he went and bought 5 tickets.

Go Storm!

 

[NSWCROW]

2nd banger NRLW GF in a row

 

[nobbyiscool]

2nd banger NRLW GF in a row

That second half was wild, glad I stuck with it.

 

[Aucklander]

Turns out I'm going to the game.

The game must be struggling to shift tickets.

My old man just rang me an hour ago and said he'd shout me a ticket if I wanted to go, so I said "Sure." he went and bought 5 tickets.

Go Storm!

One of life's great WTAF.

Could only catch the last 5 of the first half and all the 2nd half of the NRLW game and what a great finish, thankfully.