Atleast you can all judge the team on its actual 'first grade level' performance now, been killing me listening to normally level headed forum goers ready to neck themselves and the club, with the 'we will be 0/9' after the Charity Shield.
o Momentum: I get the feeling that with this new faster game and tiring sides, that once you get on top, the momentum is hard to stop.. and that run of penalties in the 1st half let us get the fightback we needed.
o 2nd rowers: Frizzell & Creagh were running hard and strong again, good signs, not sure whats going on with Thompson, I mentioned this previously but he doesnt seem to be hitting like a forward, sort of soft, might just be out of form, I still think playing him at centre is worth considering, neither Beale or Farrell did anything wrong, but I still wish they had more power.
o Goalkicking: Dont know where Widdop got his green goalkicking boots from but good on him (I thought Witt would kick), Widdops confidence will be sky high after that.. it would have been a pretty tight game without his kicking %.
o Widdop at 5/8: it was nice that he read the defence before making the play.. he pulled back a few passes which I know Soward would have thrown, and ran himself, really handy stuff.
o Kyle: Hadnt trained in the halves, so I thought he did well enough.. I mean we had momentum.. he has a long way to go still to warrant selection over anyone else though, which is why again I wish he would be allowed to start for the cutters and actually get quality game-time.
o Quinlan: love this kid, u just know he will be there backing up.. 2nd phase nightmare for the opposition, I got to be honest I reckon he is as dangerous as Dugan (in a completely different way), I just wish we could find a way to fit both into the squad, I dont want to lose our x-factor for our other x-factor if that makes sense?
Overall: I mean it was a fun game to watch, I mean there are plenty of issues to address (they almost blew us away within 15 minutes), but its Round 1, most teams look rubbish to be honest.. lets see how we backup after this weekend, the Warriors are sort of similar to Tigers, lots of strike power but low % play.. though Brookes was quite exposed today, we smashed him into submission, Johnson wont be taken out of play next week.
