Melbourne and the "wrestle"
Since we knocked over the Sharks in Round 23, the "Melbourne win games by wrestling and slowing the ruck down" stories out of the Sydney media, have been in overdrive.
It will be of no surprise that I think the entire thing is a crock of shit, driven by coaches just wanting to give themselves a leg-up when they next play us.
The pathetic Sydney media and therefore the low IQ swallowers of their propaganda, are more than happy to eat it up as it suits an agenda.
I am sure the reality of the situation - like stats on exactly how slow the ruck actually is in each game - will be of no concern to those pushing their own barrow, likely dismissed for some ridiculous reason or much more likely, conveniently ignored.
This whole sorry saga just further highlights the vicious, ingenuous, selfish nature of RL - particularly from the blue state.
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By ROY MASTERS
NRL coaches Wayne Bennett, Trent Robinson and Shane Flanagan would have you believe the Storm slow down the ruck to a speed equivalent to the mating dance of the Malaysian red-eyed sloth.
There's recorded slow as in the melting of the ice caps, there is imperceptible slow as in the fading of the Mona Lisa and then there is whining slow, as in the time taken to play-the-ball in matches against the Storm.
Not surprisingly, these three coaches lost games to Melbourne when their teams were running fourth (Sharks), second (Broncos) and first (Roosters) over the past five weeks. Yet, in blaming the Storm wrestle for their defeats, they are damned by their own game statistics.
The most obvious evidence of wrestling is slow play-the-balls, as measured by Prozone.
The Roosters-Storm match produced the lowest number of slow play-the-balls of the four games played in the first weekend of NRL finals.
Only 1 per cent of the rucks in the Alliance Stadium match were classified as slow, with only three tackles taking longer than three seconds, the speed deemed average for a play-the-ball in the NRL for years.
This is half the percentage of the Broncos-Cowboys match, the gold standard of how the game should be played, according to Brisbane's Bennett.
The Sharks versus Rabbitohs match produced even more slow play-the-balls, with 8 per cent of the Cronulla rucks deemed slow.
In the 11-10 victory by Canterbury over St George Illawarra, 4 per cent of the rucks were registered as slow.
So the match maligned by the Roosters' Robinson as one where the Storm "worked over" his minor premiership-winning team, saw his players produce the same number of slow play-the-balls as the Storm, 1 per cent each, in the 143 times the Roosters had the ball and the 141 times Melbourne had it.
Bennett joined the Robinson chorus straight after his victory over the Cowboys, declaring both clubs have never been fans of the wrestle at the ruck.
But the Cowboys' play-the-ball statistics, with only 1 per cent deemed slow, are the same as the Roosters and Storm.
In fact, the Cowboys may not have been as committed to the "spirit of the game" as the wily politician Bennett promotes, with 3 per cent of the Broncos rucks deemed slow.
Either Bennett's ageing forwards are a bit slower than the Roosters, Storm and Cowboys at getting off the ground, or the Cowboys were holding them down.
The Broncos-Cowboys match was described as "State of Origin fast", with the total number of play-the-balls cited to support this claim.
The Broncos had 150 play-the-balls and the Cowboys 163, which is a total of 20 more than the 283 in the Roosters-Storm match.
However, there were only four tries in the Suncorp Stadium match, compared to six in the Roosters v Storm game.
With the game clock ticking during the review of the extra two tries, plus the conversion attempts, the time eaten up would be equivalent to 20 tackles.
Bennett and Robinson are on the rules committee, which ambushed other NRL coaches with Christmas eve changes, designed to speed up the ruck.
Are they complaining the referees are now not enforcing the rules? If so, why haven't they been fined for criticising officials?
The referee who found no fault with the Storm's tackles in the Sharks match, despite Flanagan's criticism, was the same man who adjudicated Bennett's gold standard match against the Cowboys.
Has that referee changed his interpretation in a month? Or, are they saying the Prozone statisticians have trigger fingers on their stop watches?
Broncos great Darren Lockyer, who is also on the rules committee, has joined the chorus of Bennett's Boswells, with the Storm accused of producing boring football. Boring is five touch football-style tackles followed by a kick.
Bennett wants fast play-the-balls to allow his brilliant halves, Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford, to run against retreating defences.
Yet, according to Prozone, the Storm produced 25 fast, or sub-three-second play-the-balls in their match against the Roosters, compared to the Broncos 15. And the team that recorded the most number of fast play-the-balls, the Cowboys with 40, lost their match.
The trio of complaining coaches are preparing the ground should they meet the Storm, rather than encouraging their own players to get off the ground.
Maybe Storm coach Craig Bellamy has learnt from his old teammate, Bruce "Sloth" Gibbs, who did take time to climb off the turf but, like the Malaysian red-eyed variety, moved fast when called to action.
It will be of no surprise that I think the entire thing is a crock of shit, driven by coaches just wanting to give themselves a leg-up when they next play us.
The pathetic Sydney media and therefore the low IQ swallowers of their propaganda, are more than happy to eat it up as it suits an agenda.
I am sure the reality of the situation - like stats on exactly how slow the ruck actually is in each game - will be of no concern to those pushing their own barrow, likely dismissed for some ridiculous reason or much more likely, conveniently ignored.
This whole sorry saga just further highlights the vicious, ingenuous, selfish nature of RL - particularly from the blue state.
---
By ROY MASTERS
NRL coaches Wayne Bennett, Trent Robinson and Shane Flanagan would have you believe the Storm slow down the ruck to a speed equivalent to the mating dance of the Malaysian red-eyed sloth.
There's recorded slow as in the melting of the ice caps, there is imperceptible slow as in the fading of the Mona Lisa and then there is whining slow, as in the time taken to play-the-ball in matches against the Storm.
Not surprisingly, these three coaches lost games to Melbourne when their teams were running fourth (Sharks), second (Broncos) and first (Roosters) over the past five weeks. Yet, in blaming the Storm wrestle for their defeats, they are damned by their own game statistics.
The most obvious evidence of wrestling is slow play-the-balls, as measured by Prozone.
The Roosters-Storm match produced the lowest number of slow play-the-balls of the four games played in the first weekend of NRL finals.
Only 1 per cent of the rucks in the Alliance Stadium match were classified as slow, with only three tackles taking longer than three seconds, the speed deemed average for a play-the-ball in the NRL for years.
This is half the percentage of the Broncos-Cowboys match, the gold standard of how the game should be played, according to Brisbane's Bennett.
The Sharks versus Rabbitohs match produced even more slow play-the-balls, with 8 per cent of the Cronulla rucks deemed slow.
In the 11-10 victory by Canterbury over St George Illawarra, 4 per cent of the rucks were registered as slow.
So the match maligned by the Roosters' Robinson as one where the Storm "worked over" his minor premiership-winning team, saw his players produce the same number of slow play-the-balls as the Storm, 1 per cent each, in the 143 times the Roosters had the ball and the 141 times Melbourne had it.
Bennett joined the Robinson chorus straight after his victory over the Cowboys, declaring both clubs have never been fans of the wrestle at the ruck.
But the Cowboys' play-the-ball statistics, with only 1 per cent deemed slow, are the same as the Roosters and Storm.
In fact, the Cowboys may not have been as committed to the "spirit of the game" as the wily politician Bennett promotes, with 3 per cent of the Broncos rucks deemed slow.
Either Bennett's ageing forwards are a bit slower than the Roosters, Storm and Cowboys at getting off the ground, or the Cowboys were holding them down.
The Broncos-Cowboys match was described as "State of Origin fast", with the total number of play-the-balls cited to support this claim.
The Broncos had 150 play-the-balls and the Cowboys 163, which is a total of 20 more than the 283 in the Roosters-Storm match.
However, there were only four tries in the Suncorp Stadium match, compared to six in the Roosters v Storm game.
With the game clock ticking during the review of the extra two tries, plus the conversion attempts, the time eaten up would be equivalent to 20 tackles.
Bennett and Robinson are on the rules committee, which ambushed other NRL coaches with Christmas eve changes, designed to speed up the ruck.
Are they complaining the referees are now not enforcing the rules? If so, why haven't they been fined for criticising officials?
The referee who found no fault with the Storm's tackles in the Sharks match, despite Flanagan's criticism, was the same man who adjudicated Bennett's gold standard match against the Cowboys.
Has that referee changed his interpretation in a month? Or, are they saying the Prozone statisticians have trigger fingers on their stop watches?
Broncos great Darren Lockyer, who is also on the rules committee, has joined the chorus of Bennett's Boswells, with the Storm accused of producing boring football. Boring is five touch football-style tackles followed by a kick.
Bennett wants fast play-the-balls to allow his brilliant halves, Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford, to run against retreating defences.
Yet, according to Prozone, the Storm produced 25 fast, or sub-three-second play-the-balls in their match against the Roosters, compared to the Broncos 15. And the team that recorded the most number of fast play-the-balls, the Cowboys with 40, lost their match.
The trio of complaining coaches are preparing the ground should they meet the Storm, rather than encouraging their own players to get off the ground.
Maybe Storm coach Craig Bellamy has learnt from his old teammate, Bruce "Sloth" Gibbs, who did take time to climb off the turf but, like the Malaysian red-eyed variety, moved fast when called to action.
There a story written by ex Roosters player Anthony Minichiello that the NRL need to ban our style of play. I have read the story, but isn't funny have he wrote the story after we beat his beloved Roosters not before. Apparently the Roosters are meant to win the flag this year, oops I thought the team that won the game of the season did that. Sydney did not like it when we win.
Last night of NRL360, Pau Kent was paraphrasing Wayne Bennett, Bennett said something like the Broncos are playing the type of football every one wants to watch and we all need to get back to the style of play. Kent replied with what a load of rubbish, the Broncos are the playing the style of football that wins games for them, just like every team does including Storm. Hello, some sense at last.
Last night of NRL360, Pau Kent was paraphrasing Wayne Bennett, Bennett said something like the Broncos are playing the type of football every one wants to watch and we all need to get back to the style of play. Kent replied with what a load of rubbish, the Broncos are the playing the style of football that wins games for them, just like every team does including Storm. Hello, some sense at last.
Exactly. From that point on, the rhetoric and propaganda have been in overdrive.blazza18 wrote:Funny how we didn't hear a peep about our defensive style until we embarrassed the Sharks on Monday night football.
A small sample of the past few weeks... This doesn't include Flanagan's arrogant, hypocritical rant captured in numerous stories either.
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Roosters coach Trent Robinson says referees let Melbourne Storm get away with wrestle tactics
tactics.
September 11, 2015 11:35pm
CHRISTIAN NICOLUSSI
Melbourne Storm’s NRL finals push hit by the usual wrestling stoush.
August 20, 2015 5:09pm
Paul Crawley
Broncos can do NRL a favour by stopping Storm.
September 14, 2015 12:35pm
Robert Craddock
Luke Lewis says Storm's wrestling was "Off the charts".
18 August 2015
Junior league players are being encouraged to learn how to wrestle.
August 19, 2015 12:00am
Paul Kent
NRL should ban Storm's wrestle
September 15th 2015
Stuart Honeysett
Anthony Minichiello urges NRL to get a grip on wresting
Stuart Honeysett
Storm allowed to dictate wrestle: Robinson
By Chris Kennedy
Fri, Sep 11, 2015 - 11:34PM
Roosters see red over Storm wrestle
Steve Zemek
06:11 AEST Sat Sep 12 2015
Melbourne Storm show Cronulla Sharks how to wrestle, says Paul Gallen
August 17th 2015
By MICHAEL CARAYANNIS
Why Rugby League can't afford to have a Brisbane-Melbourne Grand Final.
September 15, 2015 11:32am
Dean Ritchie
NRL finals: referees boss defends Storm’s wrestling tactics
Stuart Honeysett
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 12:00AM
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson takes swipe at refs over Melbourne Storm's wrestling.
September 12th 2015
By ADAM PENGILLY
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wow. Paul kent said that?glennb wrote:There a story written by ex Roosters player Anthony Minichiello that the NRL need to ban our style of play. I have read the story, but isn't funny have he wrote the story after we beat his beloved Roosters not before. Apparently the Roosters are meant to win the flag this year, oops I thought the team that won the game of the season did that. Sydney did not like it when we win.
Last night of NRL360, Pau Kent was paraphrasing Wayne Bennett, Bennett said something like the Broncos are playing the type of football every one wants to watch and we all need to get back to the style of play. Kent replied with what a load of rubbish, the Broncos are the playing the style of football that wins games for them, just like every team does including Storm. Hello, some sense at last.
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and from the looks of it most of these journos are employed by News Ltd. No wonder I refuse to buy their papers any more.yourhero wrote:Exactly. From that point on, the rhetoric and propaganda have been in overdrive.blazza18 wrote:Funny how we didn't hear a peep about our defensive style until we embarrassed the Sharks on Monday night football.
A small sample of the past few weeks... This doesn't include Flanagan's arrogant, hypocritical rant captured in numerous stories either.
---
Roosters coach Trent Robinson says referees let Melbourne Storm get away with wrestle tactics
tactics.
September 11, 2015 11:35pm
CHRISTIAN NICOLUSSI
Melbourne Storm’s NRL finals push hit by the usual wrestling stoush.
August 20, 2015 5:09pm
Paul Crawley
Broncos can do NRL a favour by stopping Storm.
September 14, 2015 12:35pm
Robert Craddock
Luke Lewis says Storm's wrestling was "Off the charts".
18 August 2015
Junior league players are being encouraged to learn how to wrestle.
August 19, 2015 12:00am
Paul Kent
NRL should ban Storm's wrestle
September 15th 2015
Stuart Honeysett
Anthony Minichiello urges NRL to get a grip on wresting
Stuart Honeysett
Storm allowed to dictate wrestle: Robinson
By Chris Kennedy
Fri, Sep 11, 2015 - 11:34PM
Roosters see red over Storm wrestle
Steve Zemek
06:11 AEST Sat Sep 12 2015
Melbourne Storm show Cronulla Sharks how to wrestle, says Paul Gallen
August 17th 2015
By MICHAEL CARAYANNIS
Why Rugby League can't afford to have a Brisbane-Melbourne Grand Final.
September 15, 2015 11:32am
Dean Ritchie
NRL finals: referees boss defends Storm’s wrestling tactics
Stuart Honeysett
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 12:00AM
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson takes swipe at refs over Melbourne Storm's wrestling.
September 12th 2015
By ADAM PENGILLY
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Storm Spirit
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what a superb article from Roy Master.
If Storm management are doing their job correctly...they will be in meetings with Archer and Smith right now wanting to know why other coaches and players are allowed to bring the game into disrepute by slagging the referees and not being called out for it..
If Storm management are doing their job correctly...they will be in meetings with Archer and Smith right now wanting to know why other coaches and players are allowed to bring the game into disrepute by slagging the referees and not being called out for it..
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
James Hooper last night on Fox's back-page show branded the Storm as the "masters of manipulation". No James, you are your butt hurt Sydney media colleagues are the masters of manipulating. Manipulating the casual observer of rugby league into believing the Storm are employing illegal tactics..
I'm well over giving a toss what the Sydney media says about us, just makes it all the more sweeter when we win. The only thing i worry about is the refs start feeling pressure and listen to the bullshit which is obviously designed to nullify our biggest strength and call penalties that just aren't there. It's articles/statistics like Roy's that need to be brought to their attention to provide a bit of balance and truth.