Match Discussion: Round 22 vs Cowboys @ Leichhardt Oval

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2016 - Round 22
Wests Tigers v North Queensland Cowboys
Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield (TICKETS)
Sunday 7 August 2016

Gates open 1:30pm / U20s 1:45pm / NRL 4pm

1. James Tedesco 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Tim Simona 4. Kevin Naiqama 5. Jordan Rankin 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Jack Littlejohn 8. Aaron Woods 9. Dene Halatau 10. Sauaso Sue 11. Josh Aloiai 12. Chris Lawrence 13. Elijah Taylor
Interchange: 14. Kyle Lovett 15. Ava Seumanufagai 16. Tim Grant 17. Joel Edwards 18. Michael Chee-Kam

1. Lachlan Coote 2. Javid Bowen 3. Justin O'Neill 4. Kane Linnett 5. Antonio Winterstein 6. Michael Morgan 7. Ray Thompson 8. Matthew Scott 9. Jake Granville 10. James Tamou 11. Gavin Cooper 12. Ethan Lowe 13. Jason Taumalolo
Interchange: 14. Rory Kostjasyn 15. John Asiata 16. Scott Bolton 17. Ben Hannant

Referees: Gerard Sutton, Alan Shortall
Sideline Officials: Jeff Younis, Ricky MacFarlane
Video Referees: Bernard Sutton, Matt Cecchin, Luke Patten

ISP NSW
Penrith v Wests Tigers @ Pepper Stadium, Sat 3pm

ISC QLD
Mackay v Tweed Heads @ BB Print Stadium, Sat 5pm
Pride v Townsville @ Barlow Park, Sun 3pm

Head to Head
Overall 31 - Wests Tigers 16 Cowboys 15
At Leichhardt Oval 6 - Wests Tigers 5, Cowboys 1
Last 5 - Wests Tigers 2, Cowboys 3​

 

[Tigerm]

Well, the easier games are over, now we will see what we've got.

 

[Tiger05]

This will be a tough one and Brooks out is going to make it harder. It is Sunday arvo at Leichhardt though and we are on a bit of a roll.

 

[madunit]

I fear Farah may be brought in, and if so, you would think it would be at halfback.

He's not a good halfback.

Better option would be Moses to 7, Lawrence at 6 (fixes up that defence issue on the right side immensely)

Please put a genuine 9 in this week. I don't give a shit who. Against this Cowboys pack and Granville, we need a genuine hooker, not backrowers who are forced to become makeshift rakes.

 

[Vic Mackey]

I actually think halatau has been pretty good at 9. He has thrown a lot of quality longer passes I didn't think he was capable of. The 15-20 mins of rankin at hooker are diabolical though, problem is it then pushes Lovett into center too.

The dragons and eels are too shit to make the most of it but you seriously think the Cowboys won't have noticed it and will target it. There's 2-3 simple tries in that period alone if they want.

Farah has to come in, then Lawrence to 6 and Dene to 12 which forces minimal disruption to the team.

 

[BrotherJim05]

I fear Farah may be brought in, and if so, you would think it would be at halfback.

He's not a good halfback.

Better option would be Moses to 7, Lawrence at 6 (fixes up that defence issue on the right side immensely)

Please put a genuine 9 in this week. I don't give a shit who. Against this Cowboys pack and Granville, we need a genuine hooker, not backrowers who are forced to become makeshift rakes.

I agree, give Farah a run at dummy half, none of this slotting into halves bs. My team:

1. Tedesco
2. Nofo
3. Naiqama
4. Simona
5. Rankin (would prefer JAC but not going to happen)
6. Moses
7. LittleJohn
8. Woods
9. Halutau
10. Sue
11. Lawrence
12. Aloai
13. Taylor

14. Grant
15. Ava
16. Farah
17. Lovett

 

[macnaz]

Super Rankin 7 and Jac to wing ?

 

[Clifferd]

Little John has been training with the side so obviously he slots in at 7. Massive shoes to fill

 

[Clifferd]

I agree, give Farah a run at dummy half, none of this slotting into halves bs. My team:

1. Tedesco
2. Nofo
3. Naiqama
4. Simona
5. Rankin (would prefer JAC but not going to happen)
6. Moses
7. LittleJohn
8. Woods
9. Halutau
10. Sue
11. Lawrence
12. Aloai
13. Taylor

14. Grant
15. Ava
16. Farah
17. Lovett

Swap Lovett for Felise and JAC for Rankin and that's a gun side

 

[madunit]

Littlejohn will go great. Kid is a natural organiser.

 

[magpie_man]

Bring in Littlejohn and Moses can play Robin Hood

 

[hutch]

Going into another NRL game without a hooker. Madness.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

5 wins v Cowboys from 6 at Leichhardt is pretty good and here was me thinking that it will be easy for the Cowboys. One of those funny quirks where a team no matter who is playing does pretty well against a particular opponent.

 

[Vic Mackey]

5 wins v Cowboys from 6 at Leichhardt is pretty good and here was me thinking that it will be easy for the Cowboys. One of those funny quirks where a team no matter who is playing does pretty well against a particular opponent.

We've got the Cowboys up there quiet a few times aswell. And before last years boreathon at campbelltown I can't remember the last time they beat us in Sydney.

* just checked and it was 2004. So they've beaten us once in the past 11 years in Sydney.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

Gonna be a massive test of our defence this weekend. If we can contain their massive pack for the first 20 I think we'll be able to put some points on once they start their interchange rotation. We'd need to be in front by at least a try when they all come back on for the last 15. Cooper out wide against our right hand side defence worries me

 

[Clifferd]

Gonna be a massive test of our defence this weekend. If we can contain their massive pack for the first 20 I think we'll be able to put some points on once they start their interchange rotation. We'd need to be in front by at least a try when they all come back on for the last 15. Cooper out wide against our right hand side defence worries me

Exactly, all it takes is a rep studded team to take advantage of our right side defense and they'll roll us. JT, Cooper and Taumolo will have a field day if they do their work in the video sessions

We were exposed greatly on that side with the Bulldogs Mezza twins, Williams and Kasiano

I reckon we can contain their forwards, not win the battle but atleast stop them from getting a roll on but yeah it's out wide I'm concerned about

 

[madunit]

Cowboys direct a lot of traffic at Fringe defenders. Centres and backrowers need to be on their toes. Thankfully for us Morgan usually attacks left side defences.

 

[Crazyperpman]

Cowboys direct a lot of traffic at Fringe defenders. Centres and backrowers need to be on their toes. Thankfully for us Morgan usually attacks left side defences.

Cowboys are a well coached side, I believe they will be coming at Naiqama & Nofoaluma who defend like they have just met each other before kick off.

On the plus side you can play the drinking game where you take a shot every time Kev rushes in and takes no one and get blind drunk by half time.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

Outstanding! One of, if not our best performance since 2011.

The energy level from the team was off the charts. Even our right side held up well. Nofo was following Kev up when he made his frequent forays out of the line. The only one Kev missed he came good with an ankle tap. Drinkwater did a mountain of defensive work. Rowdy was fantastic at harassing Thurston. The forwards were making years up the guts with ease. Just an all round great team effort.

The only negative was that our execution in good field position was off.

You can argue the cowboys were horrible, and they were. It was mostly because of our tough play forcing them into rushed and poor decisions.

If we can replicate that over the next few weeks we'll be playing semi final footy this year.

 

[Tiger05]

How good was that win. Woods, Nofo, Rankin, Moses were all unbelievable. The whole team was great.

We are a top 8 team easily.