R5 // Cowboys 28-2 Knights @ 1300SMILES // Mon 7.00pm

[Burns]

We were on top, looked like we turned up to play. Taking the two, and dropping the ball on the next two sets gives the game away.

Nothing I've seen so far looks like we can claw back from 14 points down.

 

[chinorocks]

First 8 minutes was great. After that was appalling. Seriously if Mullens not fit next week put Boyd at 6 and play Mamo. Dobson is hopeless.

 

[Zoidberg]

I guess at least we're only behind by 14. The way we played it could've been worse.

Hope the get a revving at half time and come out firing. We're not out of it yet, but we need to be the first try scorers next half

 

[perverse]

Our ball control isn't good enough, that's a big part of why we're losing too. Our execution looks pretty disjointed and dodgy.

 

[Yosh]

Sooo... We're getting hammered.. Working so can't watch the game...

Anyone playing okay?

 

[K-Man]

hope the 2 doesnt slow the momentum

LOL at even having hope. Show me an example it didn't happen in the last 3 years.

And then just for added humour we don't take the 2 when there are only 10 seconds left in the half. Hang on, if 2 points are SO critical (at the expense of momentum and field position and the psychological advantage of going ahead early with a try), how are they suddenly not worth it just because we are behind? Explain that to me Wayne. 2 points are 2 points, right? We need them badly, could have made it 16-4.

I'm done with our mentality. Zero killer instinct.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I reckon we got dis.

Cowboys will drop the bundle.

Final Score 22-16

 

[Dave_]

That call against Uate was a REAL dud. What was potentially a try for us turned into one for them. Seriously, wtf were they looking at?

 

[Rod]

One arsey try and another from a penalty that should have been a penalty to us the other way for Uate blatantly run off the ball. The Cows aren't going nearly as good as the commentators are raving out.

We've been pretty crap ourselves though. No ball control and some really disjointed attack.

 

[Burns]

Sooo... We're getting hammered.. Working so can't watch the game...

Anyone playing okay?

No ones stood out at all. Maybe Mason or Scott for our best so far.

 

[Whats Doing]

To be honest we are playing as well as we have in 3 out of our 4 previous games.

Scoreline doesn't surprise me

 

[Dave_]

Has Dane Gagai beaten the first defender at all this season? He doesn't seem as elusive as last year.

 

[chinorocks]

Scott 63m 16 tackles 4 offloads. Been our best by a mile.

 

[K-Man]

How can you blame this ineptness on a penalty decision? We're playing like shit all over the place. Nothing to do with that decision, we're dropping the ball, defending like busted and generally looking really disorganised for the most part.

Because it's what the decision does to both our mental state and the mental state of our opposition. We actually were winning the forward battle. The second we took the goal we started losing that battle.

I can recall a number of examples last season where opposition coaches and players actually said that our penalty goal was the turning point, that they knew then they had us mentally and would be able to get on top eventually.

And it happens ALL the time. We just don't give ourselves a chance to get off to a flyer and really put a team under pressure (especially one already feeling the pressure).

Look at what we did to the Sharks - we went ahead and just kept going ahead. It's our best chance with the way we play.

I just don't see any evidence whatsoever that taking early penalty goals benefits us unless it's horrible wet weather conditions.

 

[Dave_]

Make that genius

Who's this guy?

 

[K-Man]

Last week we didn't take the two. We went for the try and then out the Sharks to the sword. Yet tonight, like in Melbourne we took the two and then fall apart.

Exactly. I babble on and on about, but really what you've said is all that needs to be said. It's so dead obvious to me, I'm amazed anyone thinks otherwise.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Rochow needs to go into the middle. He is a momentum killer every time he touches the ball on the left

 

[perverse]

Because it's what the decision does to both our mental state and the mental state of our opposition. We actually were winning the forward battle. The second we took the goal we started losing that battle.

I can recall a number of examples last season where opposition coaches and players actually said that our penalty goal was the turning point, that they knew then they had us mentally and would be able to get on top eventually.

And it happens ALL the time. We just don't give ourselves a chance to get off to a flyer and really put a team under pressure (especially one already feeling the pressure).

Look at what we did to the Sharks - we went ahead and just kept going ahead. It's our best chance with the way we play.

I just don't see any evidence whatsoever that taking early penalty goals benefits us unless it's horrible wet weather conditions.

All fair points, but it's no excuse for dropping the ball left, right and centre. The idea is that 6 points or 2, you still get the ball back the same and you complete your sets and defend well. We're not completing our sets or defending well. Whether we score 6 points there or 2 isn't overly relevant for mine. You can't blame an event in the first 5 minutes for what we dished up for the proceeding 35. I mean, you can... but I don't really buy into it.

If we're really that fickle in the head that it makes that big a difference then we're not in any position to compete for a premiership, really.

 

[otori]

WTF are with some of these calls? What on earth happened when Gagai clearly got tackled then was told to play on? The Uate non penalty as well. Just terrible.

Also, our kicking game. :lol:

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Will we ever learn? Now it's looking like one of those games again where sh*t players have career best games against us and all this weird freakish sh*t goes right for the other team.

We have been famous for years for playing teams into form tonight will go down as a classic in that regard.