Match Discussion: Round 13 vs Wests Tigers @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[Spot On]

very true, there was a marked difference between the 2 halves with ball in hand and attacking kicks.

Pearce is definitely at a low point the poor bugger. Let's hope the win gives his confidence a boost.

Hope so.

Some of the runs he took were absolutely meaningless yesterday. If he does have a running game it will benefit us greatly but atm he seems clueless as to when it is the right time to run.

 

[Jono078]

So provided we make it to the finals and there are no more injuries, this should be our side for the race to our inevitable GF win:

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Starford To'a
3. Enaria Tuala
4. Bradman Best (fingers crossed)
5. Hymel Hunt
6. Blake Green
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. David Klemmer
9. Kurt Mann
10. Daniel Saifiti
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12. Aiden Guerra
13. Mitchell Barnett

14. Phoenix Crossland
15. Jacob Saifiti
16. Herman Ese'ese
17. Pasami Saulo

I think I like what I’ve seen from King over Saulo this year to be honest.

 

[Zoidberg]

1000000000%

It freed ponga from the burden of trying to create something every set, and let him get back to doing what he does best - run fast and break ankles

It makes a big difference for KP getting the ball out wide from 2 long passes instead of getting it after 1 pass then having to run 15-20metres to be where he wants to be.

 

[perverse]

It makes a big difference for KP getting the ball out wide from 2 long passes instead of getting it after 1 pass then having to run 15-20metres to be where he wants to be.

It's not just that. We stood with so much more depth, which gave Kalyn tonnes of time before the line. It was actually beautiful to watch.

 

[Alex28]

Pearce was no better though. Green drove the bus for him and the TEAM was infinitely better for it.

Beg to differ, as usual.

Sometimes even a 40 point win doesn’t take the blinkers off...

 

[Loose Cannon]

It's not just that. We stood with so much more depth, which gave Kalyn tonnes of time before the line. It was actually beautiful to watch.

This was all due to Blake Green, IMO. It’s the difference between having an experienced, natural pivot’s vision, and players who try as they may, are not suited for that role. Not just this year with Mann, Ponga at 6 last year was playing too flat and we also had no structure then.

 

[Spot On]

Beg to differ, as usual.

Sometimes even a 40 point win doesn’t take the blinkers off...

Plain for everyone to see mate, as usual.

He should improve with Green owning the side and responsibilty of running the show most of the time but improvement from where he is at right now should not be too difficult. The bar is as low as it can be.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Knight Vision]

Green's arrival spells the end of the Mann experiment, the idea that Pearce and the team only needs a 5/8 that runs the ball and little else.

 

[General Knight]

Green's arrival spells the end of the Mann experiment, the idea that Pearce and the team only needs a 5/8 that runs the ball and little else.

Mann's been awesome for us. Unfortunately we werent going to get very far with a strictly running only 5/8. Maybe 5 years ago you could get away with it but with todays game you need more than one option. Have a look at all the teams in the 8. Im pretty sure we were the only team with a 5/8 that couldnt pass or kick.

 

[Knight Vision]

Mann's been awesome for us. Unfortunately we werent going to get very far with a strictly running only 5/8. Maybe 5 years ago you could get away with it but with todays game you need more than one option. Have a look at all the teams in the 8. Im pretty sure we were the only team with a 5/8 that couldnt pass or kick.

indeed, same last season with Cody Walker being the worst kicker of the top 4 teams 5/8's, and even he has the ability to steer the team if needed.

It makes sense to have a second organizing and kicking half even from a contingency perspective. If the main guy gets taken out there has to be someone else out there to step in into the role and deliver a win.

 

[Rodney Rude]

“I don’t think the Knights can take too much out of that game, the Tigers were poor” - Robbie Farah on NRL teams

What a little b*tch

 

[Silent Knight]

“I don’t think the Knights can take too much out of that game, the Tigers were poor” - Robbie Farah on NRL teams

What a little b*tch

Farah has never liked us. But he's nothing more than an armchair critic now, easily ignored.

 

[Spot On]

The Tigers were puss no doubt but it was nice seeing a half take control and direct the side around. We have not had the for some time.

Hopefully we build on that, Pearce finds some type of role in the side and some form and we can crush the weaker teams and prove ourselves against better sides when it counts.

 

[perverse]

The difference Green made was that instead of winning 26-12 in a sloppy affair, we put them to the sword and never for a moment looked like giving them a sniff.

Farah is a merkin, but he isn't exactly wrong either. We didn't prove much last week. The Tigers were completely diabolical. Get excited when we've put another 3 or 4 wins together on the trot and give the Roosters a run for their money in 5 weeks. Until then, a big win is nice - but it's one game against extremely poor competition. I don't think a team has played worse against us this year than the Tigers did, and Farah would be an ignorant pundit if he didn't point that out first and foremost.