I'll try and get the compliments out of the way first.
Brisbane were quite sensational in defence through most points in the match. There was a particular point in the first half in which NQ directed a great deal of attack down the left side, yet to find time and again Brisbane defenders turning out to make the save. It was brilliantly desperate, nullifying anything we could throw at them. This was the theme of the night, and I believe the difference between the two teams.
I'd also like to pay a compliment to Andrew McCullough and Sam Thaiday. As a previous strident critic of McCullough's play, I've come appreciate his improvement. He's taking much better options and directing his side with a fair degree of confidence. Thaiday is in everything. Fit, tough and tackles anything that moves. He'll make a great skipper for the drongos and was a point of difference between the two clubs tonight.
North Queensland quality of defense was simply good enough. Sides vying for the premiership don't allow the opposition to score whenever they get within cooee of the tryline. Some form of resistance must be shown. Whether it's a bad read from a centre or not enough desperation from the middle defenders, we are guilty of these crimes. Cheap points flow far too easily. If only they could realise just how capable this club could be if it put a little effort into defending it's own line. Opposition clubs would be under so much pressure from our attack if they felt they couldn't cross so easily. It's very easily to spifball on what could be.
Willie Tonga is a disgrace. He simply refuses to pass the ball to our winger and most potent attacking weapon. I was on the verge of a cerebral hemorrhage watching promising attacking raids down the left side continually be thwarted by his own selfish directive of taking on many defenders for little consequence. Other clubs would dream of having someone like KFFL on their left wing, yet we continue to deny him the ball. Only Tonga can be blamed. I firmly believe this is now costing us a great deal of points, and the build up of pressure against sides the quality of Brisbane.
As a positive from the loss, there was a promising amount of ball movement from the NQ side tonight, particularly given JT lack of match fitness. Of course little of that reached KFFL, as I've outlined. The spread of football most definitely troubled Brisbane, but it was the lack of a closing play that denied us any chance of getting into the footy game.
I lament the fifth tackle options tonight. It's easy to blame it on being JT's first game back, but pressure from Brisbane and the lack of a coherent gameplan were the main causes. Who exactly were we targeting? I ask myself this question game after game. Maybe in this instance it was supposed to be Yow Yeh but with his late withdrawal it threw plans into disarray.
It's terribly disappointing to lose in this fashion, especially considering the lashing I'll cop from my drongo mates. Actually, that really is the worst part. They are bloody shocking when they get that high and mighty vibe going.
