Next 6 Games

[Surely]

We obviously had a good week preparing for the game (except “Felix”), I thought we looked as good as any team has looked.

Then inexplicably we were rotten in the 2nd half...as Frenz said, it’s mental toughness...they scored their try against the run of play & we fall apart with our cohesion & discipline.

In 2016, we held composure in any situation...but not since. Now we go to water.

Could also be fitness

I was disappointed but it's early and we were in both games up until the death.

 

[bad boy bubby]

Personally I'm not worried one bit.
Andrew Gray prepares the team for the whole season, not to be coming full bore out of the blocks.
The mental fatigue we saw in the second half was because they were physically fatigued.
We saw in the first half that when we are physically right that we were all over them.
Give it a few rounds yet, out of all the coaching staff, Gray is the one whom I trust the most.

 

[Defer to the coifed]

^^^^^^
Yep

 

[Card Shark]

Could also be fitness

I was disappointed but it's early and we were in both games up until the death.

Yep, it’s a long season & timing fitness & fatigue is the key.

 

[Card Shark]

Personally I'm not worried one bit.
Andrew Gray prepares the team for the whole season, not to be coming full bore out of the blocks.
The mental fatigue we saw in the second half was because they were physically fatigued.
We saw in the first half that when we are physically right that we were all over them.
Give it a few rounds yet, out of all the coaching staff, Gray is the one whom I trust the most.

Good call!

 

[Ads]

All well and good to be prepared to peak late but you've still got to win games early and our draw this year is brutal early on.

 

[bluefox68]

Yes, I agree Cardy.

The first half was great.

I think Flanno needs to let Gal be Gal...
Segeyaro needs more time on the field.
We need Lewis and Uele back.
We need to decide on a backline and stick to it.
Bench rotation needs to be better.

 

[Inferno]

Personally I'm not worried one bit.
Andrew Gray prepares the team for the whole season, not to be coming full bore out of the blocks.
The mental fatigue we saw in the second half was because they were physically fatigued.
We saw in the first half that when we are physically right that we were all over them.
Give it a few rounds yet, out of all the coaching staff, Gray is the one whom I trust the most.

If we were that gassed in the second half despite having all the running and momentum in the first half, the season will be gone before this side hits its straps.

 

[Card Shark]

All well and good to be prepared to peak late but you've still got to win games early and our draw this year is brutal early on.

I haven’t looked at the draw...does it get easier later on or do we play all the hard teams twice?

Playing the dragons twice early on is a distinct disadvantage ‘cause they are the April premiers.

 

[Ads]

I haven’t looked at the draw...does it get easier later on or do we play all the hard teams twice?

Playing the dragons twice early on is a distinct disadvantage ‘cause they are the April premiers.

Havent looked past the first 6. Being 0 and 6 doesn't leave much room for error though regardless.

 

[txta2]

It's a hard draw especially through origin if all the players are picked from last year

 

[M2D2]

"im not at all worried, we'll come good"
I dont know how many of you were like that last year, even right til just before we played the cowboys in September.

 

[Stake Removed]

"im not at all worried, we'll come good"
I dont know how many of you were like that last year, even right til just before we played the cowboys in September.

We better soon get move on Warriors and Tigers already are on 4 pts

 

[Frenzy.]

The Tigers are the new Sharks, circa 2015 & 2016

Winning ugly, conceding penalties up the ying yang, backing each other in defence, covering errors like their lives depended on it, staying in the contest for the full 70 minutes, playing the game along the tenet of KISS, niggling, pestering.

They had no logical reasons to win yesterday. One Quigs sin binned again, 19 penalties, refs on their case all game, ordinary attack.

Something about them early. Very committed to each other. Seem very committed to the plan, albeit simple.

One wonders can they keep it up.

 

[Card Shark]

The lowly ranked teams often start the season with a bang because they have something to prove.

I don’t think they will keep it up but you do have to admire their attitude & tenacity - we could learn something from them!

 

[2012....Sharks Year]

I haven’t looked at the draw...does it get easier later on or do we play all the hard teams twice?

Playing the dragons twice early on is a distinct disadvantage ‘cause they are the April premiers.

Apparently we play 6 out of last years' top 8 twice this year as opposed to the Rorters who only play two of those teams twice. Throw in the fact that we play the Goons twice (9th last year) and we have a cunnovadraw. Don't know that there is gonna be too many "easy" games at all this year when you consider the improvement of sides like the Tigers....Warriors and Knights etc.

 

[Card Shark]

That is a tough draw...how the f**k does that work!

The draw is ridiculous these days.

 

[wibble]

We would easily have been top 4 last year if the Eels didn't have the easiest draw imaginable. The discrepancy in draws for different teams is a blight on the game.

But we can't control that. With such a tough draw, we need to click much sooner than later. Really need 2 of the next 4 (most teams would be happy with 2 from those 4) and that looks tough the way we are going, and still only gives us a 2-4 start to the season.

 

[Frenzy.]

Its 5 actually. Cows play 5 of last years top 8 as well. So do the Roosters. Bulldogs too. Manly also have 5. Eels get 5 and so do the Warriors. Broncos get 5.

Titans play 6 of last years top 4 twice. So do the Knights.

The rest get 4 each. Storm, Tigers, Dragons, Warriors, Raiders & Panthers.

Its hard for every team and will be until they fix the draw to a proper home and away thing.

 

[Stake Removed]

Its 5 actually. Cows play 5 of last years top 8 as well. So do the Roosters. Bulldogs too. Manly also have 5. Eels get 5 and so do the Warriors. Broncos get 5.

Titans play 6 of last years top 4 twice. So do the Knights.

The rest get 4 each. Storm, Tigers, Dragons, Warriors, Raiders & Panthers.

Its hard for every team and will be until they fix the draw to a proper home and away thing.

I cant understand how the NRL makes the draw so complicated, to me this would be fairest way

Example after 2017
1. teams who finish 1-8 play each other twice as do those 9-16. means everyone has played 14 games to start
2. those who finished 1-8, play those 9-16 once, that another 8 games now at 22 games
3. Final 2 games are worked that all teams give list of 8 teams they want to play in order over 5 year running period, this basically ensures you get derby games twice, the premiers would get first cab off rank.

So basically it would have meant in 2018 basic draw

Storm, Roosters, Broncos, Eels, Sharks, Sea Eagles, Panthers, Cowboys play each other twice
Dragons, Raiders, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Warriors, Tigers, Titans, Knights play each other twice

For us example thats 24, and we would most probably have elected Dragons and Rabbitohs in our 5 year running period.

So basically finish in top 8, everyone treated same