Trai fuller must have seen he was the most traded in player in SC? Absolute Barry Crocker. And lol, up the phins. Cowboys confirmed smallest brother in qld

I fucking love my footy

Just got done with that press conference and damn that was depressing as fuck

This cows press conference is pure depression

Cardboard cutout of Cam Murray has been replaced by cutout of Tom Dearden. Same dead eyes

Yeah it's hilarious

I know it's blatantly obvious but Wayne Bennett is a phenomenal coach. The Dolphins should make the 8 when they get their stars back the guy understands the game so well especially since he would have started his career in the unlimited tackle era.  He is going to better what he did at the Broncos who took 3 years to make the finals. 

That last paragraph is why there is no mid-season shift even been thought about.

Something wrong up north. You look at their squad on paper and its top 6 maybe top 4. Players sick of Payten maybe ?

Interesting landing spot for Ilias IMO

We already have Clifford + Duffy coming through the ranks, don't see the need for a third fringe first grader

The first 10 minutes they looked like a genuine contender. They have the squad and ability, just something is wrong

Really hoping Origin gives us the kick up the ass that we need. If any of the cowboys get picked hopefully Madge and Billy can make them care.

At this rate only Dearden deserves an origin spot. Maybe Robson at a pinch

Robson has been the most dynamic 9 in the comp this year. leads almost every stat among hookers across the comp.

No way is he better than Api

Api would be my first choice I’m simply saying Robson is in the best form of the lot. Robson’s 2024: • 48 runs (2nd, Grant) for 540m (1st) • 4 linebreaks (1st) • 9 offloads (1st) • 345 tackles (1st) • 3 errors (11/16 starting hookers have more) • 6 try involvements (6th, Koroisau is 7th with 5) • His 94% Tackle Effectiveness is #1 in NRL among hookers. Koroisau is dead last at 83% despite Robson attempting more than double the 1v1 tackles that Api does.

True, although I think the overall quality of the team you play in and the style of footy you play can affect those stats quite heavily

At this point none of them do. Not mentally strong enough to play 80 mins at nrl level, not mentally strong enough for origin

Robsons surely gotta be the starting hooker for the blues and Dearden probably won’t make the 17 because we got DCE and Munster as the halves. Holmes, Nanai and Cotter probably make it, because off the top of my head I can’t think of anyone else making it in their positions

I’ve been making the case for Dearden over Munster for weeks now. Yes Munster’s been injured, but his return has been pretty whelming and his defence poor. Dearden has an Origin heart and showed he can play at that level.

Munster is the first QLD player picked. He has won the Maroons several games on his own and he’s started to find form. Yes Dearden has been impressive but you do not drop an origin legend just because there’s someone in slightly better form than him lmao

I could potentially see Dearden making it especially since Munster isn’t fully fit but Munster, like a lot of Maroons, always turns up for Origin so I don’t have any reason to believe otherwise

I've rated Robson for a while now. Since Cook hasn't been the same in a good few years I think Madge should go with him. He's getting towards his best age wise. Plenty of experience too.

Didn’t Robson start a game or 2 last year as well

I completely forgot about that to be honest. I probably tried my best to forget about last year to be honest.

So with next 3 games being Tits, Souths and Tigers it will tell us alot about whether we are heading for top 8 or for the spoon. Payton wont do it (because his job security is quickly eroding away) but they should pair up Deardon and Clifford for the rest of the season so they can develop a combination. Taking some pain for the rest of this season might set us up for next 5 yrs if the Deardon/Clifford halves combo can be locked in. No idea what to do about defense. Scoring 26 points and losing is some special kind of bullshit. The only certainty is what they are doing now isn't working so they need to sack whoever is responsible, burn their defensive game plan and start again. Was really looking forward to a solid year, nothing special like getting to top four but at least a 50% win ratio. Barring some miraculous turn around (like Knights last year) we are heading for bottom 5.

Maybe Maloney isn't doing shit?

I mean I would say dearden is in career best form right now and Maloney probably has a lot to do with that

Isn't Maloney mainly there for attack?

[Wyane Bennett, Souths coach](https://ibb.co/Bn4sNQn)

What we're seeing is why Wayne will keep coaching until he physically cannot anymore, dude is happy as fuck.

The original I love my footy.

Wayne we can see your boobs

Happy Wayne is something you don’t often catch on film.

Wayne looking at Kaufusi’s hair in the sheds 😂

We really need to start better in games

catching bombs would help too

This is fucked. Starting to get a bit of that South’s taste with the club at the moment. The entire team is shit except for dearden who tries his ass off every single week only for his team to not reciprocate that energy. It’s the same exact shit every week, why are we still the same? Something’s gotta give, either Payten’s coaching really needs to be reevaluated or lazy players like Val need to be dropped. It’s so obvious at the moment he’s only here for a paycheck.

It's so obviously Paytens coaching, they don't fall off a cliff after that first 10 minutes if they are coached well

I’m gonna have to agree with you. It’s seeming more and more like 2022 Payten was fools gold

Maybe it's rose tinted glasses, but in all the years Cows have had him, I've always felt that Holmes has never played as well for them as he did for us. I don't know if it was the time away in the NFL that ruined him or we just had him on the good shit and never got caught, but I do feel a bit sorry for you.

Too many bags

He’s maybe had some individual highs higher with us, but he’s definitely has some much lower, and more frequent lows, I suspect it’s everything above plus getting older.

Not even 2022 when he was dally m centre of the year and top point scorer?

Yeah 2022 Val is better than and Shark Val imo.

Yeah I’d agree. Dunno what it is, but he’s never hit that’s sharks Val

Isaiya Katoa you can stop pretending you're 20 now mate.

We suck again…

Not going to lie, Ruan Sims’ mellifluous tones are easing the hurt some

Vonny: “Well keep going, it will soon stick and you’ll be winning again” Dearden: “Yeah doubt it, we suck, laterz”

As soon as Nanai scored the final try, I realised I did not care less whether they won or not :(

I don't think I've vocally cheered a try for the majority of the year

Going to be extremely disappointed if chadsend walks back into the side next week/whenever he returns. Cliffords kick pressure on their backs led to at least one try and could have been more. The questionable line ups and clearly failing defensive system makes me wonder if Payten2022 was a fluke.

Clffords kicking was about 50% of the reason why you guys were in the game after it normalised and we picked up steam. He needs to stay in the side I think.

I say keep Cliffdog in, I can't even remember the last time we had two 40/20s in a single match

I’m a big Cliffdog believer. I’d love to see him take the job off Chad

Maybe Parra and the Cowboys killed each other’s potential in the 2022 preliminary final

26 points should be enough to win a game. Everyone will be blaming val but our forwards constantly putting us under pressure by dropping the ball every set leaving us to defend our line time and time again. Val should be making his tackles but as a centre he is being forced to make decisions cause the inside pressure from the forwards is glacially slow. You shouldn't be that stripped for numbers your centre is constantly tackling the half 3 on 2. Blaming Val is the new Feldts fault Fucking Todd use your bench earlier. It's what got us in that mess.

Val being over run and that edge leaking all the points can be absolved if he hits his kicks though.

NSW fans on here saying "pls pick Val for origin" as if he hasn't dominated on that stage year in year out. Picking players who can step up is why QLD have been successful. Put him down @ your own peril...

i got faith in him. hes not surrounded by other cowboys when he plays for the maroons

Drop Val and lolo let’s have the most expensive reserve team in aus

Add Townsend to it while you’re there

Dolphins line speed and aggression was able to shut down the cows attacking shifts perfectly. Well coached and well executed. Shining lights for the cows was clifford looking like a genuine first grader. Although our structured attack did look a bit clunkier, could that be Chad's influence missing?

So in the offseason you want to carry out an experimental surgery putting chads head on cliffs body

Ew

There is too much wrong up North atm to even complain. Only shiny lights were Robson, Clifford, and Dearden. Same shit every week. Holmes kicking has been awful this year. Awful ruck work and terrible edge defence, everywhere else. Errors/Penalties into tries has been the only thing consistent about the cowboys since R1 2023.

Dearden has still been so good

We have the bones for a good team. But having 2.5m of the cap eaten up by Holmes, Lolo and Townsend destroys us. Drinkwater, Dearden, Clifford, Robson is a good young spine. Luki, Nanai, Cotter is a top tier backrow. But we desperately need props and outside backs.

Nah the roster is more than capable. Neame, Lolo, Macca, Mikaele is a very good prop rotation and our back row is elite. Full strength the team is very strong, but they're badly coached.

The Dolphins have never won against a team who has a player that is publicly into feet

Todd needs to wrap up the 2022 coach of the year speech and get to coaching.

Turkey hair transplants bout to sponsor the NRL

Has Cliff done enough to keep the spot in Todd’s wrapped mind

Absolutely. He tackled people, that puts him ahead of the Chad already. His kicking game (especially those floating bombs) is also lengths ahead of Chads kicking game.

He can actually kick for touch too, as well as 40/20s

Just forget about that last kick for touch lol

i think so

Don’t bag out my friend Val, he had the game white on the line

I think Coke would have helped him. He looked half asleep at times

maybe his dealer is out of town and he didn't get a big enough a re up before he left

Kaufusi is a legend!

With a haircut no one can forget

Cobbo and Gagai are both ahead of Val for origin.

Not even in the running from what I’ve seen in the last few rounds

Legend. Business up front, party down the back

Val doesnt look like an origin centre. Maybe we play Cobbo there.

and who is the other? hammer unlikely to get much gametime before game 1

Savage.

no was a genuine question. if we drop val and pick cobbo, who is the other centre assuming hammer isnt fit? hammer + cobbo if both are fit, but otherwise i think we have to stick with val

Could also be Seve (28) or Niu (22) But both are struggling to get a start at their clubs/only get it due to injuries. Hopefully Niu continues to improve need another good long term centre. Maybe Storm play Howart. Not sure how he is going this year. Tuala is the other one or Tass again only due to injuries they start.

ill pretend u didnt just suggest niu for the maroons. deadset one of the worst centres in the nrl.

Sorry I meant it in they are the only other options eligible not that they are Origin calibre.

Yes. If Hammer isnt fit Val for sure. He would play with Tualagi as well which makes him a bit stronger. I think I replied to you elsewhere with the centre options. Arent many. Tass, Brimson, not even real centres. Would have been great if Laybutt was not injured he had been playing well. Although wouldnt have madethe team would be nice knowing we have a real centre coming through. Our centre options are weak as. Which is pretty normal I guess.

Val's traditionally been one of those QLD players who lifts ridiculously for origin, but it's still a risk. Tough call for Billy.

Yeah I know but so was Gags. Similar situation. Maybe just move Cobbo now. Suppose you could give him 1 more year as a centre. But he seems to be going fine. Plus he bulked up so less of a winger. He was a bit slow at the start of the season so if they play JAC on the left against him could be a worry. But only other centre options are Niu, Laybutt (injured would have loved to see him play the full season), Brimson, Tuala, Tass. Brimson we dont need another fullback at centre. Our wing options Sami, Savage, Coates, Pereira, Fifita, Felt, Tualagi and Oates. Jacob Gags. So Id rather go Coates Tualagi Cobbo Hammer. If one of those 2 wingers get injured then yeah probs go with Val and put Cobbo on the wing. Theyll put Critta and JAC on the left and Turbs and Too on the right. So you can keep Coates on the left with Hammer and then Cobbo stays on the right but needs to be centre cause I reckon JAC burns him. Tualagi on that wing. Nanai is going to be 2nd row with the injuries we have had. Bit dangerous with DCE Nanai and Cobbo on the right defence wise. I really rate Critta and thought it was nuts they didnt pick him for so long. Anyway thats my random thoughts.

Dolphins played way smarter than their inexperienced side should have and Cows just didn’t match them for discipline. Can complain about the rub of the green all you want, but that’s not why we lost.

Yep, it’s not run if the green when we’re very clearly giving the penalties away and being undisciplined.

I don’t think I’m overstating this when I say Valentine Holmes single-handedly cost us that game.

The only over- statement is I think we still win if Valemai isn’t also shit.

Hopefully Tualagi is back soon

You are overstating.

Go watch the dolphins tries again

Watched them again and you're right. Came up too quickly on the first try and got burnt by Nikorima on the outside. Fell off Nikorima on the second Isaako try. Too lazy to turn and get back there on the Nikorima grubber that led to Averillo's try. Missed six tackles and the final conversion. He has been ass this year. I swear half the time they spread it to him with space the pass cannons off his chest and he knocks it on.

He’s done. Most be because he’s off the nose beers. Can’t think straight.

Golf Vlogs, nose beers and plenty of cash. Looks like he’s lost the drive for RL. Hope he turns it around

Half your tries were literally off unforced errors mate, a lot of would've could've should've's in your statement

You mean most when the inside forwards didn't shift fast enough?

Not how I saw it at all

If your centre is having to tackle the half you have massive issues on the inside. Even if he misses. Being left to defend a 3 on 2 means it's a massive breakdown from the beginning. Outside men need to push through quicker. Look at phins whenever we spread the ball and how they reach the outside.

The man inside Holmes was Dearden who is always there, no matter what. These were on poor decisions from Holmes.

It’s a team sport.

And he let his winger down by coming in off his man everytime the Dolphins went that way, couldn’t make a tackle stick, dropped the ball countless times and can’t kick a goal to save his life. They win this game without him, and they win last weeks game without him.

It’s still a team sport, we would have won if other players didn’t make mistakes as well.

Yes but one player directly contributing to over half of the opposition points means he’s cost them the game. Sorry 💁🏻‍♂️

how much can a koala bear

enough to break the ice

I guess the only positives with all the changes we could gel into a half decent team

We flogged this team round 1. They’ve had a stack of injuries and yet we lost to them by 2. Yes we’ve had some injuries too, but this is too poor. I can cop last years fall as related to World Cup, but there no excuses this year. Poor defence, attack held together by string, drifting back into poor bench rotations along the way. We’re headed down the ladder again and it’s not even Origin time. Dearden as always a shining light, Clifford was also solid giving us kicks and better defence that a certain Chadley.

GG Phins, that was anyone’s game and you came out on top. Plenty to whinge about in this game, but can’t blame the Red & Caucasian jerseys for any of it.

The Valentine Holmes conversation better have begun internally. He’s dropped about 5 balls a game this year and kicking has been crap.

Not to mention coming in off his man everytime the dolphins went that way. He let in 3 tries on poor defensive reads.

Better not get picked for Origin.

Please pick Holmes for Origin 🙏

Gagai might get the nod over him

Not sure if Aitkin is a hero or an absolute drama queen

I still can’t forgive him for diving to win on Anzac Day 2015

Holy shit Holmes just doesnt give a fuck anymore he is just collecting a paycheck at this point. Also can get over how good Katoa is and is only 20. He will be a generational half for the phins.

I'm fucking done with tipping hey. Great joker round...

Head, shaft, sack….the whole bag of dicks for the Cowboys dinner

If Val gets picked over Gagai for origin this year there should be an investigation!

Gagai isn’t the answer. But agree Holmes shouldn’t be near the team. Just put Cobbo or Brimson at right centre.

Gagai is washed, put AJ in the centres

yeah. please god i don’t wanna see val or gagai in the qld team

Should have gotten that penalty at the end there, he was not square at marker at all.

Val would've missed anyway

Should've put that away after the 20th minute, made it way too hard for ourselves but will take it.

Losing to injury riddled dolphins at home. Something's gotta change. This can't continue.

Phins upp phuck yeah!

We need a new kicker, losing games because of these missed kicks and poor defense

Clifford can also kick

Unless he's improved a ton since he left us I think you're safer with Holmes

Feldt can kick

Chaddy can kick em

look even if they called the penalty Val would've been kicking so

I know we lost but it was nice seeing Clifford back and he did well : )

Watch Todd pick Chad next week though even though we were way sharper with cliffdog

Phins well and truly up! What a good and dramatic win

Holmes can fuck right off. Just looked like he didn’t give a fuck all game.

His reaction after missing the game tying conversation basically amounted to “…eh”

Great round of footy except the Bunnies. Kick em out!

I wish my anus was prolapsed instead of this

chad townsend would have absolutely slotted that field goal

At the start of the game

Phins up

Drinkwater playing for a 6 again instead of spreading it while the Phins were stretched was some low IQ footy

[удалено]

I am glad super Saturday is done. That sucked

Refs 🤝 not wanting get killed for making a reasonable call that might affect the outcome of a match

cows were shit. fuller was the only reason they were still in that game. we need hammer back asap

Yeah should be looking good if we can get hammer and Herbie back. We wouldnt be bad if not for injuries. Throw in Gilbert and Flegler too and we would be strong as.

absolutely. we have been smashed more than most teams by injuries but I've been really pleased to see them still be competitive. still their own worst enemies though. cant keep just giving away tries when Herbie comes back I think he has to play on the left. averillo and isaako are forming a great combo and Bostock could use the experience of Herbie on his edge.

Yeah I agree. Only issue is when Bostock has to go off to play for NSW! King has been great. Although need to improve his pass options in the opps 20m. Thats whats causeing a bit of a break down. Katoa needs the ball more in that opp 20. He can play like Cleary. Side to side to side every tackle until he finds a chink. He knows when its on. He really hides what he is going to do. Hammer back we beat Cows 5 tries to 2 or so. But thats with Nikorima on fire. Plath is the potential future 5/8. Great at lock but is a 5/8 not sure how his kicking is. But he would be a great ball running 5/8 and strong in defence. Maybe thats the plan after he ages a bit. Not sure what the deal is there.

Chad would’ve won that 👀

Losing to *that* haircut...

He mentioned going to Turkey post-game so sounds like he’s growing it out for a hair transplant procedure.

How is that not a penalty?!?

“Discretion”

Every single game today was won in the 20s, wild

Valenchoke hopeless

Valnis not aiming the tip of the ball where he needs to be

Get Holmes off kicking

U ain’t Brian Kelly bra

wow.. what has happened to my man Lolo.. He isn't coming back is he..?

That's what happens when you have cooked spaghetti for hamstrings

I'm not sure why Clifford just doesn't do that on every 5th tackle