2024 Grand final Panthers vs Storm

[maple_69]

I haven't read all the comments here but I reckon Tago deserves a massive shout out after the pasting he's got here (from me included) during the season. Bellamy went after that edge big time and why wouldn't you given how frail its looked throughout the year. It absolutely stonewalled Melbourne. 37 tackles 1 missed for Tago and he ran strong. Incredible return to form. Alamoti, McLean, Tago, To'o is shaping as one of our best backlines full stop.

Also for a guy that had his least notable grand final, Leota's final pass on the Alamoti try was absolutely succulent.

Just astonishing how well Ivan got these guys playing in a game after their mostly average form all year. Tago, Sorenson, Kenny, Smith, Alamoti, Turuva, Martin all had season best games when it counted and most of those guys are considered lesser lights.

 

[isaiah]

I remember saying a couple of years ago why not 3 in a row? f**k it I'll say what some of us might be thinking; why not 5?

You are already halfway to 8 origins WR

 

[Whino]

How did channel nine have Cleary with 200 running metres but newspaper had 118?

Channel nine probably sourced NRL stats. The Newspaper probably Foxsports stats.
Both stats platforms (NRL & Foxsports) have differing interpretations of what constitutes a tackle, metres etc.

 

[betcats]

I haven't read all the comments here but I reckon Tago deserves a massive shout out after the pasting he's got here (from me included) during the season. Bellamy went after that edge big time and why wouldn't you given how frail its looked throughout the year. It absolutely stonewalled Melbourne. 37 tackles 1 missed for Tago and he ran strong. Incredible return to form. Alamoti, McLean, Tago, To'o is shaping as one of our best backlines full stop.

Also for a guy that had his least notable grand final, Leota's final pass on the Alamoti try was absolutely succulent.

Just astonishing how well Ivan got these guys playing in a game after their mostly average form all year. Tago, Sorenson, Kenny, Smith, Alamoti, Turuva, Martin all had season best games when it counted and most of those guys are considered lesser lights.

Yep think going in Melbourne saw Cleary with a busted should and Tago and the left side in general with the defensive issues and decided to go after them big time. Tago had 37 tackles Nath 31. Alamoti and Luai had 16 and 8 on the other side.,

 

[soc123_au]

You are already halfway to 8 origins WR

2 team comps dont count blud.

 

[Pomoz]

Yep think going in Melbourne saw Cleary with a busted should and Tago and the left side in general with the defensive issues and decided to go after them big time. Tago had 37 tackles Nath 31. Alamoti and Luai had 16 and 8 on the other side.,

Tago, generally speaking, is pretty good with first contact. His stats match most elite centres. His problem was rushing in and marking nobody, or the wrong person.

At times, Tago and his winger look like they had only just met and didn't trust each other. For the last six or so weeks, he has slowly improved until Sunday he was the Tago of old.

Turuva was the same. He slowly improved and stopped rushing in. I had sleepless nights before the finals thinking of speedsters like Coates, Johnson and Mulatalo carving him up. Didn't happen. He stayed put and trusted the system.

The other thing Tago improved was errors. It was almost like the alarm clock went off and he went "oh, it's the Finals, time to get serious".

 

[Pugzley]

 

[tripster]

Interesting to read that Leota won't be playing in the Pacific Championship due to a shoulder injury. Can't help but think he has been carrying one for a while (like Martin) which explains why he was down on form. His initial stint in the GF was also fair less than his usual 20 - 22 minutes.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

My “four on the floor” victory tribute song to friends and neighbours:

Better the smuggy you know
Better the smuggy you know

Say you won’t leave me Jerome
Well take you back again
No more excuses young fish
We’ve seen good players leave before
A hundred times or more…

Well forgive and forget
If you say you’ll never go
Because it’s true
What they say
it’s better the smuggy you know..




Sing when you’re winning!
Saints 2760.

 

[CCJohnC]

The win is costing me to have this year added to my Tattoo and now will start looking for 4 x 4GFwins (?) car stickers
to replace the 3 x 3repeats I have had on my car for the last year.

 

[Pomoz]

The win is costing me to have this year added to my Tattoo and now will start looking for 4 x 4GFwins (?) car stickers
to replace the 3 x 3repeats I have had on my car for the last year.

Life is tough at the top.....

 

[martielang]

Interesting to read that Leota won't be playing in the Pacific Championship due to a shoulder injury. Can't help but think he has been carrying one for a while (like Martin) which explains why he was down on form. His initial stint in the GF was also fair less than his usual 20 - 22 minutes.

I reckon his 2nd stint was an absolute Leota GF special though. With so many good performers it’s been overlooked. As has Fish’s tbh.

 

[age.s]

I reckon his 2nd stint was an absolute Leota GF special though. With so many good performers it’s been overlooked. As has Fish’s tbh.

100%. It was also a longer second stint, while JFH played a longer initial stint. I'm guessing the change was to ensure one of them was on the field for a larger portion of the match. Another small, but really intelligent change but Ivan.

 

[age.s]

Just on Tago, he would have been in my list of guys who had 9.5 games (Yeo, Martin, Kenny, Alamoti etc) if it wasn't for that dumb facial penalty. He was pretty much perfect outside of that.

 

[soc123_au]

Just on Tago, he would have been in my list of guys who had 9.5 games (Yeo, Martin, Kenny, Alamoti etc) if it wasn't for that dumb facial penalty. He was pretty much perfect outside of that.

Yeah, the facial was dumb. I can sort of forgive it as Klein was pretty loose calling shit in the ruck so I guess he figured facials were on the menu.

He was great apart from that, defence on point and some nice strong carries. Makes you wonder wtf was going on in the regular season.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Yeah, the facial was dumb. I can sort of forgive it as Klein was pretty loose calling shit in the ruck so I guess he figured facials were on the menu.

He was great apart from that, defence on point and some nice strong carries. Makes you wonder wtf was going on in the regular season.

Without Luai we can't have players like Tago, Martin and Leota plodding along all year. Especially if Nath gets hurt

 

[WestyLife]

100%. It was also a longer second stint, while JFH played a longer initial stint. I'm guessing the change was to ensure one of them was on the field for a larger portion of the match. Another small, but really intelligent change but Ivan.

Yeah without NAS their bench was weaker so no chance they can match long periods of fish/Leota

 

[WestyLife]

Yeah, the facial was dumb. I can sort of forgive it as Klein was pretty loose calling shit in the ruck so I guess he figured facials were on the menu.

He was great apart from that, defence on point and some nice strong carries. Makes you wonder wtf was going on in the regular season.

Probably another Ivan master plan.

 

[Exsilium]

Tago, generally speaking, is pretty good with first contact. His stats match most elite centres. His problem was rushing in and marking nobody, or the wrong person.

At times, Tago and his winger look like they had only just met and didn't trust each other. For the last six or so weeks, he has slowly improved until Sunday he was the Tago of old.

Turuva was the same. He slowly improved and stopped rushing in. I had sleepless nights before the finals thinking of speedsters like Coates, Johnson and Mulatalo carving him up. Didn't happen. He stayed put and trusted the system.

The other thing Tago improved was errors. It was almost like the alarm clock went off and he went "oh, it's the Finals, time to get serious".

The centre dictates the defensive line speed out wide. They often have to make a choice as the ball hits the first receiver. If they get it wrong, it leaves the winger in no-mans land. Tago lacked timing and it showed. Up and In defence works well in the NRL. It allows your backrower to reduce time on the ball knowing your centre is backing it up. My old coach used to say that the backrow, centre and winger are all tethered together. When one pulls, the others are too.

Tago lacked timing and it threw that whole side out. Similarly with Taruva being caught 10m in from touch and having to jam. It's all timing and we lacked that for a good period this year.

 

[MugaB]

Yeah without NAS their bench was weaker so no chance they can match long periods of fish/Leota

NAS would've given us more field position, from dumb penalties, and probably let in more points, Bellamy was probably glad it panned out that way