It is the same time every single season that we see the media focus on a few issues in the game, and it comes around like clockwork.
The consistency of refereeing is always a hot topic. Even best USA casinos online could set the odds on what round we would see the media attacking refereeing standards and brining up the old phrase “What is a Grand Final is on the line and that call is made?”.
Another storyline we see being pushed are the “new” tactics the Melbourne Storm are supposedly employing to win games as we head into the finals series. When the best online casinos in nz set the line as to who will win the 2019 NRL Grand Final the Storm are always a team to beat. Now we see opposition teams and media pushing pressure on the Storm any chance they can in the hope that a refereeing crackdown might slow their dominance.
Other clubs look to take pressure off their own players and push that pressure elsewhere. We have seen that at the Broncos where Anthony Seibold has looked to take pressure of Darius Boyd and push it randomly on the Roosters Luke Keary.
Old heads like Wayne Bennett will look to cause controversy in an effort to keep his own players out of the spotlight. Its a tried and tested way to get a team focused.
Another option is the old siege mentality that some clubs like to use. The idea that everyone is against us, and we have to take on the world to win. The Melbourne Storm quietly good at using that tactic.
The Canberra Raiders and Rickey Stuart will be running with the line that “nobody believes in us” which is an interesting way to go and can actually undermine a club if it gets too much momentum.
So over the next few weeks when you see all of this happening in the media, keep in mind that it is all just going to plan.
