Could we have played worse and won?

[Anonymous]

I think not.

Our 1st half was stellar but our 2nd reminded me of season 2000.

Marty and Choc were fantastic as usual but most of the others were average. Jarred Lawrence was also good in bits but otherwise........

The fact that Simpkins was wearing red and white boxers didn't help much either!

Hopefully we'll pick it up for next week.

 

[I Bleed Green]

Probably not, but the thing is that we won, that's all that matters.

I have to say I thought McLinden was very ordinary apart from that brilliant try. His kicking game was disgraceful, I don't think there's any other way to put it.

Woolford led the team well, and I think it's no coincidence that when he was off the field the team capitulated.

We can only improve from here.

 

[Anonymous]

Point taken on Marty.

ATTN:MATT ELLIOT

NRL TEAMS NEED AN IN PLAY KICKER. THE CANBERRA RAIDERS (YOUR CLUB) HAVE SUCH A PLAYER, IN THE FORM OF TERRY CAMPESE. PLEASE, PLEASE, , PLEASE PUT HIM IN 1ST GRADE NEXT WEEK.

KIND REGARDS,

A CONCERNED FAN

What do you reckon?

 

[ball boy]

all i can say is we were bloody lucky.. great 1st half but what happend in the second. The dummy half pasing was pore none wanted to run and to many mistakes. Mclinden was pretty poor in my opinion except for that try. But at least we came away with the win but still alot to work on.

 

[I Bleed Green]

Maybe, but Campo is only a good long kicker, Marty does have the better short kicking game, it's just that today he was totally off line. I can't even count on one hand how many kicks out on the full there was.......

Another observation - where was Cross in the 2nd half? He killed it in the first half, yet when we needed some big go forward in the 2nd half he was on the bench. Very disappointing.

 

[Edwahu]

After a few rounds our handling and discipline will improve, Macca will have some support from Drew and Campo and we will start to carve teams. The second quarter of the game was awesome.

Defense was very good and physically we were as good as expected.

 

[azza]

I wouldn't be worrying too much. 2nd half was poor but that just comes down to attitude, they took their foot off the pedal and all these things such as lack of organisation, poor last tackle options, poor ball handling all come down to lack of concentration. When they were switched on in the 1st half they played very well. Of course if they had lost I'd be tearing into them as well.

They can't afford to play like this against the Panthers next week however. We need to go the full 80, especially considering what a crappy home record we have had recently. Won't be easy either, considering we hardly have any time to back up and the Panthers have a full 7 days.

 

[greeneyed]

All the Raiders have to do is play like they did in the first half. I thought the forwards were terrific, Woolford had one of his best games in a long time, Davico, O'Hara and Cross performed very well in the first half .......

McLinden like the rest of the team had a great first half... remember he made the break for one of the first half tries... and then he DID score the winning try, despite all the bad grubber options, the dropped ball and the kicking out on the full in the second half... In any event, the whole team was playing bad in the first 30 minutes of the second half.

I thought the absolute highlight of the game was Barrett dropping the ball over the line though....

 

[BradtheRipper]

marty was very sloppy almost dusty as in the last 6 months matty has had him at 5/8. No f**king organising at all. Woolford's was ordinary and is all that kept us from self destructing completely. Was it humid, Monas, mogg and even choc seemed a bit sluggish. Poor robbo, made a good hit but couldn't hang onto the try saving tackle. lawrence to hooker was disasterous in organisation. can't germ play 80mins anymore. sure it's better for the team to interchange drew and woolford but when we have no choice. How come rubes is playing 80 mins now? Even when were in the shit our defense and still grind us out of anything. Tyran had a great game, or maybe that was because everyone else was average. i can't believe matty opted for experience and tiredness in davico, than interchange a fresh cross back in. We had a free interchange from the first half as well. Davico fatique led to a few errors from himself. throw in some concussion as well. Still no attacking links between 5/8 and backs. need campese. sorry to keep goin' on!

Stay Green!

 

[Anonymous]

Barret dropping the ball was priceless. There wasn't a green jersey in cooey and the look on his face (I think NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sums it up well) was worth watching

 

[greeneyed]

They did say on TV that it WAS very humid....

Let's keep things in perspective. The team played very very well in the first half. Woolford carved them up from dummy half. All the forwards played well, and got a fantastic roll on. Macca and Schifcofske made some beautiful line breaks.

There was complete disorganisation in the first 30 minutes of the second half in attack, but nevertheless, the defence held on, despite a massive flow of possession to St George. And the team still ground out the win.

And we weren't any chance to win remember.... according to the bookies. And St George is supposed to be a world beating team according to all the Sydney experts....

 

[woodgers]

Didn't play that well but got the win and that's all that matters. I was concerned about the poor conpletion rate in the 2nd half. We really are a side that can defend our selves out of trouble and the defence was pretty strong throughout.

few points of mine.

I agree where was Cross in the 2nd half?
Bulgarelli. Probably the best player on the park. Defended brilliantly, took 3 defenders to bring him down each time and took the heat off the forwards when needed
Hodgson. The best go forward man when the going got tough.
Robbo. Safe. Also took the heat off the forwards and helped Clinton.
Macca. Great try. Pretty ordinary besides that
Woolford. Had a go when it got tough and guided us out of trouble.
Mogg. His reading of the attack is superb and defused a quite a few things

Mainly the big point was the players that are underated really had a crack today and that will be pleasing for matty. Barrett doesn't drop that ball, we lose. Take the positives from the 1st half and move on to the Panthers.

 

[greeneyed]

Shame both lower grades lost......

 

[greeneyed]

I though Bulgarelli was very solid in a game when the three quarter line mostly didn't get much of a run.....

 

[greeneyed]

Mogg was pretty good in defence too.

 

[I Bleed Green]

Yeah I thought Mogg and Boogs were outstanding.

I heard Matty on 2GB saying yesterday that if fit, Graham would've played this week. I think with Mogg and Boogs all but assuring themselves of starting spots with great performances, who does he leave out? I doubt it would be Joel, even though he had a very quite game. Robbo? I thought he was solid and tried hard.

Thank God I'm not Matty.

 

[Anonymous]

Statues trademark over the last couple of seasons has been to make a good 10 metre run-then spill the pill. It's concerning and needs to be sorted out ASAP.

 

[azza]

Graham shouldn't be back in firsts till he learns how to get more involved in the game and toughen up in defence.

 

[greeneyed]

I have been not picking Bulgarelli in "my" starting team for weeks in the lead up to the season, but I have to say, he was the best of the centres/wingers today. So Robbo is probably the one that loses out... unfortunately for him.

 

[Anonymous]

I reckon Bulgarelli will be the one left out for Phil.

We really need Phil, he gives us sooooooo much extra strike power.