2022 Grand Final. Penrith v Parramatta

[Smug Panther]

Kenny on Souths try line picked up the ball from hooker and just stood there.

Really poor play.

He rips in and is a good 14 but he's not a good hooker

 

[Iamback]

Ok Ivan let's not f**k around, Api to play 80. Let's f**king go!

Yep we have the great man for 1 more game. No point wasting it

 

[Iamback]

Kenny on Souths try line picked up the ball from hooker and just stood there.

Really poor play.

That has been my issue with him. Gets to hooker then decides Api said he looks counts numbers, Then goes to the side where there is an overlap. The results are there for all to see

 

[Murraymob1]

H

Is there any word on Taylan May’s injury?

e is going to get to Wednesday to pass a fitness test.but judging by how cleary answered not looking likely

 

[Pomoz]

He will be shy about it now. It was a fail last night and Parra know it's coming.

A fail? Didn't we win? We definitely don't look as good in attack, but Kenny did his job. To me, we looked rusty after one game in a month. But the strategy took the sting out of their attack and they were at full throttle and fading by the time APi come on.

Every team starts fast against us, it's the "beat the Panthers" game plan. They start hyped up and full of adrenaline ready to take it to the Premiers. Inevitably the commentators say "there could be an upset here, they are going toe to toe with the Premiers". I wish I had a dollar every time somebody says that after the first 30 minutes.

Then the effect of running continuously into the black wall starts to have an impact and suddenly gaps appear and we are making breaks and bish, bosh, bash, we score. Then the Panther's "Olympic fitness" superpower kicks in. A level of fitness and conditioning that means forwards are still making hitups at full pelt in the 79th minute. A level of fitness that means the defence is driving you backwards until the moment the whistle blows "full time" and you get to sit down in the dressing room.

That is exactly what happened yesterday. We took time to get going in attack but we hit hard in defence with Kenny on. Even though we were clunky we had tries disallowed, one of which was a terrible decision (Staines try).
In hindsight, the Kenny/Api switch worked brilliantly because South's couldn't hold on once Api got on and they were already fatigued and had thrown their best punches and combinations.

Next week, I think we will be better for the run and should do the same again. The Eels will start fast and try to steamroll us. Leave Api on the sidelines sat in a massage chair in a smoking jacket, sipping energy drinks (keep your wife away from him though, he loves the ladies) while Kenny smashes them hard. Leave Api there to note where the weak points are and put him on when RCG starts assuming the "brace for a crash landing position" in between hit ups.

The Eels will be thrilled when he comes on. "Oh great, now we are absolutely buggered the best dummy half in the game has come on, yay".

 

[herbert henry1908]

A fail? Didn't we win? We definitely don't look as good in attack, but Kenny did his job. To me, we looked rusty after one game in a month. But the strategy took the sting out of their attack and they were at full throttle and fading by the time APi come on.

Every team starts fast against us, it's the "beat the Panthers" game plan. They start hyped up and full of adrenaline ready to take it to the Premiers. Inevitably the commentators say "there could be an upset here, they are going toe to toe with the Premiers". I wish I had a dollar every time somebody says that after the first 30 minutes.

Then the effect of running continuously into the black wall starts to have an impact and suddenly gaps appear and we are making breaks and bish, bosh, bash, we score. Then the Panther's "Olympic fitness" superpower kicks in. A level of fitness and conditioning that means forwards are still making hitups at full pelt in the 79th minute. A level of fitness that means the defence is driving you backwards until the moment the whistle blows "full time" and you get to sit down in the dressing room.

That is exactly what happened yesterday. We took time to get going in attack but we hit hard in defence with Kenny on. Even though we were clunky we had tries disallowed, one of which was a terrible decision (Staines try).
In hindsight, the Kenny/Api switch worked brilliantly because South's couldn't hold on once Api got on and they were already fatigued and had thrown their best punches and combinations.

Next week, I think we will be better for the run and should do the same again. The Eels will start fast and try to steamroll us. Leave Api on the sidelines sat in a massage chair in a smoking jacket, sipping energy drinks (keep your wife away from him though, he loves the ladies) while Kenny smashes them hard. Leave Api there to note where the weak points are and put him on when RCG starts assuming the "brace for a crash landing position" in between hit ups.

The Eels will be thrilled when he comes on. "Oh great, now we are absolutely buggered the best dummy half in the game has come on, yay".

Yes, the start of the game was a fail. You can’t purely analyse a game by the end result if you want to improve. Even if Kenny starts again this week, I’d bet my bottom dollar they’ll be coaching him strongly this week on how to better service the team in the opening 15-20 mins. He was dynamite in defence, though.

 

[Pomoz]

Yes, the start of the game was a fail. You can’t purely analyse a game by the end result if you want to improve. Even if Kenny starts again this week, I’d bet my bottom dollar they’ll be coaching him strongly this week on how to better service the team in the opening 15-20 mins. He was dynamite in defence, though.

I dunno herbert, the team was very rusty, it is hard to separate what is due to game practice and what is due to Kenny. Notwithstanding that Api is clearly better in attack, Kenny is usually OK in attack but to me the whole team looked off until they warmed up. Games are about flow and Kenny played a huge role in blunting their attack during the first 20 minutes. They gave it their best shot at the start and only had 12 points to show for it. They had nothing left by the time Api had warmed up and the team had started to settle in its groove.

In the first 20 minutes we lost the field position battle and I don't see how Api changes that. We were in no position to use his superior attack for most of that time and the whole team were just off the pace in attack.

 

[age.s]

I can see the thinking behind starting Kenny, but the idea that it contributes meaningfully to us winning is flawed. Our strengths are (in no particular order):

1. Superhuman set starts from our back 3/5
2. Fit, fresh, powerful middle (brought on by 1)
3. Superior kicking game, including god tier goalkicking
4. Crafty support creators (Yeo/Api) who know how to target weak points
5. Organised, committed goal line defense (aided by 2)
6. Enough class across the park to capitalise on opportunities

Realistically, having a marginally fresher Api coming on at 20 doesn't even factor, and it's more than arguable that having 33% more minutes with marginally less juice from the great man would provide a far greater benefit.

Its all well and good to try and shield him from a physical opening, but if Api creates a half break which Nath turns into an uncatchable bomb for Waqa, which turns into a repeat set, which turns into a try then the sting goes out of the game in a much more productive way. The idea that the best start we can have is just matching a team like Parra is weakness we don't need to show. We're Penrith, were more than capable of choking them out from minute 1.

 

[Munky]

I wonder who the eighteenth man will be.

Given the Parra pack is decent I imagine we go with a forward.

They'll also miss the reserve grade final.

 

[Captain Apollo]

 

[Kilkenny]

H

e is going to get to Wednesday to pass a fitness test.but judging by how cleary answered not looking likely

Just not worth the risk even if he does pass a fitness test.

 

[Iamback]

I wonder who the eighteenth man will be.

Given the Parra pack is decent I imagine we go with a forward.

They'll also miss the reserve grade final.

Give it to Eisenhuth. So he can get a GF winner ring

 

[Smug Panther]

Our bench hasn't cost us yet but it's still a worry. Hopefully we can make it through 1 more game

 

[Iamback]

Our bench hasn't cost us yet but it's still a worry. Hopefully we can make it through 1 more game

We are the best side 20 point win easily - More if Api starts

The starters and Sorensen get huge minutes which leaves the bench very few minutes

The weak gutted Dog person is 10 mins total across 2 games, Spencer under 20 mins

Just need to start Api for less Kenny minutes

 

[Munky]

Our bench hasn't cost us yet but it's still a worry. Hopefully we can make it through 1 more game

Martin or Kiks goes down early it'll be an uphill battle.

I don't think Salmon can hold his own with Dylbro, Lane and Maddison running plays at him for sixty plus minutes.

Otherwise we need to target Mahoney all night. Accurate wide passes really unsettle our defensive structure and Mahoney has a good wide pass in him.

Cam Murray was insanely good for fifty minutes on Saturday with his line engagement and passing. While the Eels have great off loaders in their pack, I don't think any have the wide passing game. We gassed Murray and need to do the same to Mahoney.

 

[Iamback]

Martin or Kiks goes down early it'll be an uphill battle.

I don't think Salmon can hold his own with Dylbro, Lane and Maddison running plays at him for sixty plus minutes.

Otherwise we need to target Mahoney all night. Accurate wide passes really unsettle our defensive structure and Mahoney has a good wide pass in him.

Cam Murray was insanely good for fifty minutes on Saturday with his line engagement and passing. While the Eels have great off loaders in their pack, I don't think any have the wide passing game. We gassed Murray and need to do the same to Mahoney.

Sorensen would come on to an edge if we needed it

Chris Smith was horrible in NSW Cup so zero chance he comes in

 

[mxlegend99]

We shouldn't really struggle with Eels. If we play at or near our best. A million things can go wrong that you can't plan for (ie. Cleary being sent off last time they beat us). So it's not a certainty. But assuming no injuries or send offs i think we can safely say we will be giving 100% there for 80 minutes.

Eels somehow won against Cowboys with their halfback being the worst on the field. If the blokes who carried him perform the same way and he has a blinder they're definitely a chance. They'll give their best for 80 but I think if something goes wrong they're more likely to put their heads down than we are.

I think we will win by 20. But Eels have beaten us twice. So im not 100% confident.

 

[Iamback]

We shouldn't really struggle with Eels. If we play at or near our best. A million things can go wrong that you can't plan for (ie. Cleary being sent off last time they beat us). So it's not a certainty. But assuming no injuries or send offs i think we can safely say we will be giving 100% there for 80 minutes.

Eels somehow won against Cowboys with their halfback being the worst on the field. If the blokes who carried him perform the same way and he has a blinder they're definitely a chance. They'll give their best for 80 but I think if something goes wrong they're more likely to put their heads down than we are.

I think we will win by 20. But Eels have beaten us twice. So im not 100% confident.

Hopefully the rain predicted comes

I have undercover seats but Parra are garbage in the wet

 

[soc123_au]

Give it to Eisenhuth. So he can get a GF winner ring

He has been a Trojan whenever called upon. It would be well deserved. Also SoS who would be less useful as 18th man unless it was Cleary taken out has earned a ring imo. He has been an awesome team first player.

 

[Iamback]

He has been a Trojan whenever called upon. It would be well deserved. Also SoS who would be less useful as 18th man unless it was Cleary taken out has earned a ring imo. He has been an awesome team first player.

He is 30, Was slammed by injuries as a young guy
Then had to put up with playing for the Tigers
Now puts in when called on but is no fuss the rest of the time.

Perfect option really to get a ring for sitting on his ring for 80 mins