3-2-1 v Roosters

[sup42]

If I could give SK 3 points he'd be four on the trot this week.

Have we had a kiwi sporting coach turn a side from the worst to finest in an off-season like this ?

I cannot wait till we play the Dragons.

Seeing Paasi smash Napa and monster the next runner one on one in the 78th minute just proves he can't have been right till this weekend

Kearney has assembled the perfect balance with his pack...using Lisone and Tevanga to run the opposition off their feet is genius.

We have two giants on the Wing and they make useful meters.

RTS makes massive meters.

Hiku is the revelation with the Meters, similar to Tevanga he runs angles out of Dummy half that see fast play the balls.

Tohu uses the right edge to sweep down field on tackle four.

Bunty has been our best.

Our momentum goes up several gears when Bunty hits into three players and drives them backwards.

Pulu one edge Tohu the other...the enemy can't make microsecond mistakes when reading the hole runners.

If the Refs keep up the big 10mtrs and the holding down penalties....well you saw what happened when we had fair officiating last night.

The balance of our pack might only be matched by STmerge for suitability under the new enforcement.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

As much as I didnt like how Kearney did things last year, I never forgot how he said the process was 3 years.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

We don't have the names of last year but collectively we're a far more varied and therefore balanced team across the park.

Some of the early things we've done reminds me a little of the 2003 Panthers.

Wouldn't mind replicating that season.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

As much as I didnt like how Kearney did things last year, I never forgot how he said the process was 3 years.

I was thinking about this earlier today when watching the replay. The commentators mentioned how last year we basically played percentage football but were sweating on opposition mistakes to generate scoring opportunities. In light of whats happening so far this season that could be seen as being phase one in a process- improving discipline and completions in order to earn the right to play creative football, which is what we are now seeing from them. Plus of course he's had a season to influence the playing roster and an off season to get the fitness and strength improvements we needed. I also think they may have instilled a bit of siege mentality in the team, in the sense of "nobody rates us, lets prove them all wrong". This has been most evident in the fact that our two best performances this year were the two games where nobody was really tipping us.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Yep, it's only fair after being such a hard marker on how poorly Kearney was going that we acknowledge he is coaching the house down this year. All the stuff I see on social media etc is Corvo but that fails to acknowledge the amazingly good systems and game plan we have in place.

3- Green
2- Harris
1- Luke

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I thought yesterdays performance was quite Storm-like in its efficiency, the way every player obviously knew their job and did it. And we know where Kearney leanrned his trade.

 

[MKEB...]

3. Green
2. Blair
1. Lino

HM's =All, Even Gelling in his minimal time added some energy. I agree with whoever remarked about him being a Wairangi like player. Put a bit more bulk on him, and I can see a Vinnie Anderson player.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

3 Green
2 Lino
1 Luke

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Yep, it's only fair after being such a hard marker on how poorly Kearney was going that we acknowledge he is coaching the house down this year. All the stuff I see on social media etc is Corvo but that fails to acknowledge the amazingly good systems and game plan we have in place.

3- Green
2- Harris
1- Luke

Yip

Lets not forget about Brian SMith as well

 

[Rich102]

Yes. Smith's input is an unknown factor and may have been an influence in attracting players.

 

[ozenzud]

Everyone is giving Green, Lino and Luke the points which is fair enough. Lino played some first grade last year but looked average. Whats the difference? Simple, last year, the forwards were mud. We have gone from having a shite pack to one of the most effective in the comp. Pulu and Harris are outstanding as is Passi and Blair. They are giving Luke and the halves a platform to play from.

I've gone from reluctantly accepting that the season was starting and it was going to be a long year to not being able to wait for the weekend. I dunno whether there is a top 4 finish as its a 26 week comp, but 4 weeks in, its more positive than I can remember. The only season I had a lot of confidence each week was 2002.

 

[vvvrulz]

3. Green - Starting to think he's our most critical buy in 7 years, SJ must be thanking his stars we finally have an organised and talented half partnering him.
2. Lino - What a great effort to slot in like that.
1. Harris - Just a beast.

The entire team stood up, not a single point of failure and that's why we demolished them.

Ken & Kata Watch: Ken threw in some monster metres and remained safe otherwise. Kata is looking back to that form we saw in 2016, great signs if these two are coming along.

 

[Blair]

3. Green - Starting to think he's our most critical buy in 7 years...

On Saturday I noticed Green's kicks - both in the air and along the ground - almost always had either an awkward or, at least, challenging last bounce for the defender to gather. It put the Chooks under pressure every time.

They talk about 'luck' and the 'bounce of the ball', etc but there's skill in doing that too, no?

 

[Meth]

Congratulations Blake Green

Green 73
Lino 45
Harris 14

Blair 7
Tevaga 5
Luke 4
RTS 4
Afoa 1
Paasi 1
Hiku 1

26 voted

 

[Meth]

1 - everyone else

so, nobody else

 

[sup42]

Yip

Lets not forget about Brian SMith as well

Someone else I read pointed out that one of Kearneys biggest strengths is knowing his limits.

He has always surrounded himself with people that are better than him at specific roles...something David Kidwell might have benefited from had accepted Kearneys offer to assist him at the Kiwis.

I still admire Kearney for getting Bennett to help him with NZ.

Equally one of the Roosters posters mentioned that the game smelled of Brian Smith,

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Dalley M points.
3 Blake Green
2 Mason Lino
1 Tohu Harris (6)

 

[ozbash]

We don't have the names of last year but collectively we're a far more varied and therefore balanced team across the park.

Green steering us around instead of Foran..

 

[JJ]

Green steering us around instead of Foran..

But is he direct?

 

[sup42]

But is he direct?

Green is when someone drops the ball.....