Valheru
Coach
- Messages
- 18,088
Argh well that was frustrating on a number of levels
Starting with what happened in the game, they just looked flat from the very beginning and ultimately got what they deserved. Despite being flat they still got them selves to a 14-4 lead and were doing things quite comfortably until the horror show that was the sin bin for the cowboys. Why on Earth they went for 2 there I'll never know. They were decent odds to score on the ensuing set IMO which likely ends the game as a contest. Instead they take the two and don't see that end of the field for the entire 10 minutes period and concede a very soft try as well. From there we barely had the ball in any decent field position.
Defensively, we have an issue, despite defending well for periods, we just keep letting in these soft tries. You can't rely on the attack to fire every week, especially with 6 players missing (5 to origin plus Watson) so the defence needs to be better. It isn't bad by any means but that is 10 games in a row we have conceded 18 or more, it needs to tighten up. We also need to start winning the close games, despite a 7-6 record we have the best point differential because our 6 losses are by a combined 33 points. We have been in 7 single digit games for only one win against Newcastle and they nearly bottled that one too. The only game they have grinded for a win is the first one against Brisbane.
Comments on some individuals. Manu was surprisingly poor, it was very unlike him at FB and his double movement play was a complete brain explosion. Dom Young needs to stop taking on defenders with 20cm of space on the sideline, it is ok to make your 20-30m and come in field for a tackle. Jennings just doesn't really have it nay more, it is easy to point at Walker on the two cowboys tries in the 2nd half but Jennings was very passive on both those plays. I don't know how Billy Smith is progressing but hopefully he is available for when we are without origin players again. I'm quite disappointed in Keary and Brandon Smith, this is the type of game where those two need to step up and it just dint happen. I don't know what is going on with Nat Butcher this season but he is absolutely sleep walking through the games, not running with any punch and tackling ineffectively. I thought the rest of the forwards were decent enough.
3 Pauga - One of the few that played with energy. Felt sorry for him with the penalty because he wasn't actually offside
2 Whyte - Really coming along well
1 Rads - Thought he tried hard all game
Obviously the most disappointing aspect of this is we go to 4th with a win and a bye n hand, instead we are in 8th. On a positive every other result went in our favour and the comp is extremely tight so top 4 is still within reach.
I don't want to get to stuck in the moment so I think it is worth mentioning that the circumstances around this game in hindsight were far from ideal. I don't think not having Keary there all week helped and ultimately Teddy getting plucked on the day of the game probably cost us the game. Internally, there was probably a lot of motivation around sticking it to Madge for dropping Teddy and when he went that air may have got deflated.
But anyways, we just need to move on a put it down to one of those days. We have the bye which is clearly much needed and also gives the origin boys 10 days rest as well. 4 of the teams above us play each other but unfortunately raiders and dolphins both have their 2nd bye so will be a while before we see what our bye in hand means.
At the end of the day, we need to shake this off and put in a strong performance against Parra in two weeks time and go from there.
Starting with what happened in the game, they just looked flat from the very beginning and ultimately got what they deserved. Despite being flat they still got them selves to a 14-4 lead and were doing things quite comfortably until the horror show that was the sin bin for the cowboys. Why on Earth they went for 2 there I'll never know. They were decent odds to score on the ensuing set IMO which likely ends the game as a contest. Instead they take the two and don't see that end of the field for the entire 10 minutes period and concede a very soft try as well. From there we barely had the ball in any decent field position.
Defensively, we have an issue, despite defending well for periods, we just keep letting in these soft tries. You can't rely on the attack to fire every week, especially with 6 players missing (5 to origin plus Watson) so the defence needs to be better. It isn't bad by any means but that is 10 games in a row we have conceded 18 or more, it needs to tighten up. We also need to start winning the close games, despite a 7-6 record we have the best point differential because our 6 losses are by a combined 33 points. We have been in 7 single digit games for only one win against Newcastle and they nearly bottled that one too. The only game they have grinded for a win is the first one against Brisbane.
Comments on some individuals. Manu was surprisingly poor, it was very unlike him at FB and his double movement play was a complete brain explosion. Dom Young needs to stop taking on defenders with 20cm of space on the sideline, it is ok to make your 20-30m and come in field for a tackle. Jennings just doesn't really have it nay more, it is easy to point at Walker on the two cowboys tries in the 2nd half but Jennings was very passive on both those plays. I don't know how Billy Smith is progressing but hopefully he is available for when we are without origin players again. I'm quite disappointed in Keary and Brandon Smith, this is the type of game where those two need to step up and it just dint happen. I don't know what is going on with Nat Butcher this season but he is absolutely sleep walking through the games, not running with any punch and tackling ineffectively. I thought the rest of the forwards were decent enough.
3 Pauga - One of the few that played with energy. Felt sorry for him with the penalty because he wasn't actually offside
2 Whyte - Really coming along well
1 Rads - Thought he tried hard all game
Obviously the most disappointing aspect of this is we go to 4th with a win and a bye n hand, instead we are in 8th. On a positive every other result went in our favour and the comp is extremely tight so top 4 is still within reach.
I don't want to get to stuck in the moment so I think it is worth mentioning that the circumstances around this game in hindsight were far from ideal. I don't think not having Keary there all week helped and ultimately Teddy getting plucked on the day of the game probably cost us the game. Internally, there was probably a lot of motivation around sticking it to Madge for dropping Teddy and when he went that air may have got deflated.
But anyways, we just need to move on a put it down to one of those days. We have the bye which is clearly much needed and also gives the origin boys 10 days rest as well. 4 of the teams above us play each other but unfortunately raiders and dolphins both have their 2nd bye so will be a while before we see what our bye in hand means.
At the end of the day, we need to shake this off and put in a strong performance against Parra in two weeks time and go from there.
