NRL Round Discussion NRL Round 20, 2025 Discussion

[MurrayTD]

The whistle was the MOM for the Tigers.
multiple play the ball penalties against the Titans, yet no real officiating against knock ons.. reinforces how dodgy the NRL is… Tigers at home must win..tick

Scares me as we are definitely not a darling Sydney club..

Feel for Des, bet he wishes he was back in the Sydney set…,though in all fairness he sounds quite dim when being interviewed

 

[Bay39er]

Great win Tigers!

Hopefully that wrecks the Titans next Friday

Not sure it will as the game is on Saturday

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Did anyone see Des go nuts in the dressing room and pull players out of the shower after their game? It's kind of poor for the playing group to hit the showers straight away after the game without getting the debrief from the coach. But kinda funny.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

View: https://youtu.be/-3iJM7xAq1s?si=kS_8wkjJZ1jtKsX

Something about the mass booing and the NRL song being slowly layered over the top of it makes this the funniest post game I've seen in a while.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

View: https://youtu.be/-3iJM7xAq1s?si=kS_8wkjJZ1jtKsX

Something about the mass booing and the NRL song being slowly layered over the top of it makes this the funniest post game I've seen in a while.

Storm players trying to police the game and getting pinged will forever be funny

 

[Kav1]

Cows have never looked the same since we broke their 4 game winning streak at Magic Round. They looked unbelievable on attack at that pt. Hard to say exactly wtf happened since then and how much of it is TP's fault. TP's decision to tinker with his halves and get rid of Clifford probably contributed. But a lot of their woes seems to stem from the fact that they've had to debut a lot of young kids, especially in the backline, who quite frankly aren't ready for first grade.It'll probably pay off for them in the future, just not this year.

So I'd say Payten still probably has another run next year unlike AOB who is probably gone regardless of what happens on Sunday.

Adam might just have saved his bacon with his team's performance against the Wahs.

 

[Kav1]

I'd switch Melbourne and Canberra around. Given the softness of their remaining draw, I'd still say Canberra are odds on to finish minor premiers given the softness of their draw. That would mean that finishing 3rd (4th) would send us to Melbourne (Canberra) in week 1. So our rd 23 game against the dogs could be the deciding game in determining our week 1 destination.

Personally, I'd rather play Canberra. We went very close to beating them not too long ago. Melbourne at their peak would put a cricket score on any of the remaining 7 teams in the finals.

Manly's win has upset your prediction that Melbourne will finish top 2 (and possibly miss the top4). They play the Broncos home and away and similarly the Roosters while play Bulldogs at home. They were not convincing against the Sea Eagles (with a 95m intercept and a couple of Coates specials) but a multitude of errors caused the usual bellyache disappearing act and fits of apoplexy. How does the guy sleep at night?

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Manly's win as upset your prediction that Melbourne will finish top 2 (and possibly miss the top4). They play the Broncos home and away and the Roosters and Bulldogs at home. They were not convincing against the Sea Eagles (with a 95m intercept and a couple of Coates specials) but a multitude of errors caused the usual bellyache disappearing act and fits of apoplexy. How does the guy sleep at night?

I don't mind admitting that I am recalibrating this haha. I still think Melbourne are a country mile ahead of everyone else at their best. But you are right that the problem is that they are seldom at their best this year. It's only really been their game against us (of course), the tigers rout and a few other home games where they have played anywhere near their peak.

Maybe there is an element of them "playing down" to their opposition. I think they took Manly lightly on Saturday. I think they'll be right up for those big games you mention. If they are at their best, they'll put a cricket score on the Broncs, Roosters and Dogs and finish 2nd behind Canberra. But if they are off, I can see them being upset in a few of those games. That would open the possibility that we overtake them.

The NRL pundits keep assuming that we would be the ones to drop out if either Penrith/Broncs force their way into the 4. But I think it's more likely that it happens at the expense of the dogs who have a much tougher draw than us. They have basically played the entire bottom 4 twice already and still have to play Manly, Roosters, Penrith, Melbourne, us and Sharks. Conversely we are largely playing the bottom4. to finish the year.

 

[Kav1]

I don't mind admitting that I am recalibrating this haha. I still think Melbourne are a country mile ahead of everyone else at their best. But you are right that the problem is that they are seldom at their best this year. It's only really been their game against us (of course), the tigers rout and a few other home games where they have played anywhere near their peak.

Maybe there is an element of them "playing down" to their opposition. I think they took Manly lightly on Saturday. I think they'll be right up for those big games you mention. If they are at their best, they'll put a cricket score on the Broncs, Roosters and Dogs and finish 2nd behind Canberra. But if they are off, I can see them being upset in a few of those games. That would open the possibility that we overtake them.

The NRL pundits keep assuming that we would be the ones to drop out if either Penrith/Broncs force their way into the 4. But I think it's more likely that it happens at the expense of the dogs who have a much tougher draw than us. They have basically played the entire bottom 4 twice already and still have to play Manly, Roosters, Penrith, Melbourne, us and Sharks. Conversely we are largely playing the bottom4. to finish the year.

But if we play like we did against the Knights, we will be beaten by the Dogs, Dragons and Manly. I hope we inject some speed against the Titans and the Dolphins (maybe bring up a couple from the cup side)

 

[Kav1]

Jaz with three winning sit downs.

Mah man.

Boom.

Farq Manly are gonna be hard for us to get past. This is the win they needed to turn their season around.

Jazz played 65 minutes or so and was everywhere in defence. The coach was fulsome in his praise. I think that game against Manly will determine whether we stay in the top4

 

[Kav1]

Titans still dangerous in attack even with a bunch of injuries.

Hopefully big Tino is out, we have to try to beat them twice, that will be VERY hard.

To be last on the ladder, they must have some defensive issues we can exploit.

 

[Falcon]

Adam might just have saved his bacon with his team's performance against the Wahs.

They should have been playing Jackson Hastings all season.

 

[MurrayTD]

They should have been playing Jackson Hastings all season.

I don't see it sorry Falcon, he is a dickhead and seems to motivate the opposition to win with his grub antics...can absolutely see why he is left out as he is just a giant Knob!

 

[sydneywarrior92]

But if we play like we did against the Knights, we will be beaten by the Dogs, Dragons and Manly. I hope we inject some speed against the Titans and the Dolphins (maybe bring up a couple from the cup side)

And if Canberra and Dogs play like they did on the weekend, Knights and Manly will beat them respectively this week. We weren't the only top side to take the foot off the pedal this week. It happens, especially in a long tough comp like this. Can't extrapolate this weeks performance to the next, as we have seen time and time again this year.

Webby won't be tinkering majorly with the side this close to the finals other than those forced by injury. I suspect . Nor should we. That is what basket case clubs do when they have to throw hail mary's at the end of the year. Also, the speed thing has been done to death. We've lacked speed for a number of years now and it didn't stop us from making the top 4 in 2023 and hasn't stopped us or the dogs from being in pole position for another top 4 position this year.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Adam might just have saved his bacon with his team's performance against the Wahs.

I sincerely doubt that. If the reporting is to be believed, only a top 8 finish would have saved his position. After last night, the best they can do is 32 points if they go undefeated from here which they won't because they have an unbelievably tough run home. I suspect if they lose to Canberra next week and are officially eliminated mathematically, developments will start happening. I wouldn't be surprised if Blake Green gets given the caretaker reins if the reporting is to be believed.