NRC Semi Final - Melbourne Rising v Perth Spirit - Saturday 25 October at 3:30 pm

[brokendown]

the first 15 minutes were the key,Melbourne hammered the Spirit line for most of that period,for zilch return

 

[Train Without a Station]

Went to the game. Though to see rising lose.

Weeks, Reid, Hegarty, Fugistaller, Fainga'a and Harris all sat in the row behind us. Great bunch of lads.

Told Harris we were gutted to lose him up North, he'd been enormous this year and wished him all the best.

I think he asked me to stop spilling my beer on him.

 

[Ash]

Ddn't City get the bulk of the WTS as well? And the best of the club players? And guys like Kerevi and Kuridrani who weren't signed this year but will be next?

Yeah, City got the bulk of EPS / WTS, but as I said, injuries played a bigger part for Country than City. Rod Davies was another who would have been with Country. So while City always had the better roster, Country's got more affected by the large amount of injuries that affected the Reds squad by the end.

Quirk should have gone with City, but I suspect one of Quirk, Schatz or Browning would've been forced to Country.

The QRU policy was all players that had some relationship Country would go there, then they would balance the teams. As it turned out, there were so many players missing that they didn't really balance the teams, and City then got some of the best club players as well (like Kotze, Gunn, etc).

All this is moot in the end, because as you said City did end up comparatively stacked to Country, but it wasn't entirely by design.

I actually think that Queensland really should have had 3 teams - Country, North Brisbane and South Brisbane, but we would've likely have seen all three struggle like most of the NSW teams.

 

[Ash]

What's up with Reid, Fugli and Colby Fainga'a? Are all three injured?

edit: I remember now that Fugli got a long term injury near the end of the season.

 

[Ash]

Gotta add, HUGE commiserations to the Rising supporters.

Best team by a long way all season.

They had a few signs of fading out in the last few weeks, then unfortunately lost the few one that really counted.

The Rising have played some absolutely sparkling rugby, and I loved watching them play.

 

[Train Without a Station]

What's up with Reid, Fugli and Colby Fainga'a? Are all three injured?

edit: I remember now that Fugli got a long term injury near the end of the season.

Them and Hegarty all had shoulder ops

 

[lemoen]

I see it, I see it but I do not believe it.
I thought Melbourne would go to the finals. I haven't really been watching the NRC, but that one regular gent on the podcast was so enthusiastic about the team.
Weren't they the in form team. Feels just as sad as last year, WP was the form team in the Currie Cup, lost the final or semi final at home.

 

[qwerty51]

Yes they lost their 3 best players.

 

[Ash]

English wasn't the biggest loss. McMahon and Jones were huge, though. They were / are beyond head and shoulders above their replacements.

 

[Bairdy]

As McCalman and Hodgo are to the Spirit.

 

[qwerty51]

As McCalman and Hodgo are to the Spirit.

So we're counting Wallabies now? Because then the Rays and Rams have a big list.

 

[Highlander35]

The point was that this was one of the strongest Spirit line ups this season, up against one of the weakest Rising line ups. It's still not an excuse but it's a contributing factor. The others being of course, we were shit, and the Spirit were very good.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Rising scrum was dominant....Rising totally dominated first 20 minutes but got no points for their reward.

Rising had their chances....so all in all Spirit deserved to be in grand final. Rising played a superb season but could not perform in key semi final.

In many ways makes for better comp as was concerned Rising would just be too far out front and easily win the GF. Good to see other teams stepping up as good for the NRC as a comp....Rising would be one of the favourites to win next season.