NRL Grand Final.

[Jughead]

6 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

35 minutes of perfection from Penrith,great to watch.

BUT…BUT…The play the balls! 

Totally agree, a near perfect half here. 

[Sports Prophet]

With footy this good, I really wish we there were 50 minute halves

[Sports Prophet]

2 minutes ago, Jughead said:

BUT…BUT…The play the balls! 

Totakly agree, a near perfect half here. 

The only thing they got wrong was missing out on two more tries!

[EastLondonMike]

Despite the best efforts of the commentary to talk up the possibility of 2nd half Parra come back, this one feels done and dusted.

 

Obvs things can change very quickly with a sin bin or HIA, but Penrith just look too good.

[Dunbar]

After all that pressure it was two poor defensive plays in the end that led to two of the tries.

For the Crichton try, Lane decided to make contact with Cleary after he passed the ball and so couldn't continue the shift in defence and left the gap for the drop off play.

For the Sorensen score, Gutherson was stood short side on tackle 5 and then actually went up in defence.  No full back in play on tackle 5 in a Grand Final is very poor.

For all that, it is the pace that the Panthers play and the structure that Cleary, Yeo and Koroisau give them that makes all the difference. 

[Jughead]

Saints would get beaten comfortably by these but it would be a pleasure to watch this Panthers side on our shores. 

[Sports Prophet]

1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

After all that pressure it was two poor defensive plays in the end that led to two of the tries.

For the Crichton try, Lane decided to make contact with Cleary after he passed the ball and so couldn't continue the shift in defence and left the gap for the drop off play.

For the Sorensen score, Gutherson was stood short side on tackle 5 and then actually went up in defence.  No full back in play on tackle 5 in a Grand Final is very poor.

For all that, it is the pace that the Panthers play and the structure that Cleary, Yeo and Koroisau give them that makes all the difference. 

I noticed in the previous goal line defensive set that Gutho was gassed trying to stretch himself across the pitch from a play the ball in the defensive left corner.

[Sports Prophet]

1 minute ago, Jughead said:

Saints would get beaten comfortably by these but it would be a pleasure to watch this Panthers side on our shores. 

Looks like the second best NRL team are getting beaten comfortably too!

[Sports Prophet]

To think there is another thread on this forum suggesting anyone but Cleary will be the Kangaroos number 7

[dkw]

Panthers have completely shut down Para'ssecond phase stuff, killed any chance of an offload and that's where a lot of tries have came from for them this season.

[Archie Gordon]

I haven't understood Parra's kicking game. They need to find the ground with their kicks. 

[Sports Prophet]

A word from one of the coaches after half time of a GF is the next level for sports coverage as far as I’m concerned. 

Don’t think I’ve seen that on these shores before.

[Sports Prophet]

Let’s hope there was a big wind behind the Panthers that first half

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

56 minutes ago, Live after death said:

Well the melody of ours us ok, lyrics not so much

I'm sorry but the melody is terrible too 

No offence, it's just constructive feedback for you and your nation 

Couple of weeks to change it before WC

 

[dkw]

That's been a penalty all season, that's a disgrace. 

[andyscoot]

1 minute ago, dkw said:

That's been a penalty all season, that's a disgrace. 

Commentators saying the same thing

[Sports Prophet]

I am at a loss to understand the officials that have the benefit of replays and various angles sometimes

[StandOffHalf]

Moses played for it, but that doesn't mean they should change the protocol. Wrong call IMO, and to compound Parra's misery the final pass looked forward from the left centre.

Game over!

[dkw]

Ha ha, this is getting ridiculous now, these bunker decisions are farcical. 

[EastLondonMike]

Jesus christ. Two good ones from the bunker.

[Sports Prophet]

2 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

I am at a loss to understand the officials that have the benefit of replays and various angles sometimes

And now that “knock back” from Cleary. Terrible officiating

[Sports Prophet]

1 minute ago, EastLondonMike said:

Jesus christ. Two good ones from the bunker.

The worst part of it is that this guy was meant to be the second best ref in the NRL. What a buffoon.

[StandOffHalf]

Clearly pulled forward by Cleary.

Farcical indeed. Scrap the bunker for stupid things like that. Let the ref rule on it as he sees it.

[dkw]

So apparently the ref in the bunker is a Penrith referees life member....that's going down well on twitter ha ha...

[Live after death]

I wanted Penrith to win, but Parra have been a bit hard done to here, spoiled it as as a potential contest in second half.