Fight fire with FIre

[Dutchy]

Palavi adds nothing.

 

[JJ]

3 more metres for Rapira, 6 more for Mateo and Matagi (in 35 minutes) and we gave SIX forwards over 100m for the game. The forwards were superior to their opposition yesterday and we still f**ked it up.

.

That's pretty telling.

Mateo is taking a lot of heat, but he's doing ok without the brilliant offloads - but also without the mistakes...

I'd give him more minutes, Matulino can't be the only creative player on the field.

After watching a bit, again I think Townsend isn't as bad as people are making out - at the end of the day the people running off him aren't exactly threatening... he laid on a few good balls for the captain...

 

[captainwarrior]

When are Tommy and Locke back??

Kimmorley said on Super Saturday yesterday that TL is back next week, not that he is the most reliable of sources, but I hope he's right.

 

[vvvrulz]

After watching a bit, again I think Townsend isn't as bad as people are making out - at the end of the day the people running off him aren't exactly threatening... he laid on a few good balls for the captain...

He blew a try opportunity against the Eels when grubbering almost unmarked, and put up a really bad bomb yesterday.

Annoying mistakes that stand out but he isn't the main problem, you're right in that he's trying things and nobody is really working with him.

 

[jaseg]

Should be but won't be. That's the problem, the other players know he's playing shit but know he won't get called on it because of his "name" or "pay packet" and the shit attitude starts from there

Really? Other way around for me; shit attitude from others = no chance of displacing him. I think he might be dropped if Laumape came back ready to go and actually showed a bit of hunger (or just some decent form, or is that too much to ask against reserve graders?) in the opening rounds of reserve grade. Unfortunately there is little to no pressure on him - but Ropati & Hurrell might end up being the duo to force him out (lol). Honestly though, Nielsen is not the biggest problem. Or even really a significant one.

Our back row has not been good (I'm looking at Bukuya here, also lazyMateo), Friend had some sloppy/slow distribution from dummy half in the Eels game and our halves are way out of anything resembling form or rhythm. Add to that a few silly missed failures to convert chances into points (Johnson under the posts and Fusitua overrunning the ball in the Dragons game) and you've got a recipe for.... well, this.

 

[Iafeta]

I disagree with this thought that the forwards didn't aim up or whatever, I thought they more than matched St Georges forward pack if not won the battle (and a very quick look at the stats seems to back that up) but for too much of the first half we got caught not moving the ball for whole sets at a time outside of the middle 1/3

Metres are one thing. Lillyman has had good metres both games. But he deadset jack knifes the hand break when getting to the line. Mateo had way less metres but his footwork at the line generated one or two quick rucks. That's when you want your halves to be able to read numbers. If the markers are split its a good time to get to first receiver at the line and try and beat them with footwork. If not get the back line nice and flat, understand where they haven't covered to, hit that channel with players running off the ball when the defence rushes to cover up. At the moment Johnson and Townsend aren't getting that. They're playing against set defensive lines.

 

[Iafeta]

Nielsen won't be dropped

Of course. Therein lies the problem. He's a dud. Bropati showed more in one game than he has shown in half a season.

 

[ozbash]

Wouldn't mind seeing Mateo doing the offload thing again, havnt seen much of it this year,,, though, I guess in saying that, he needs some support to offload too !

 

[playdaball]

Maybe Tommy to 9 when he comes back? Tompkins to 6 and Locke to 1 ... or am I just dreaming??

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I thought we had great go forward and quik play the balls but it was our handling that lets us down, that can be fixed. No panic stations at all, we will fire very soon. Don't know where everyone gets that theres an infighting problem from. Plenty of the players went over and hi 5ed Tompkins or gave him a rub on the head. I like everyone else have high expectations this year but im not going on a witch hunt after 2 losses in the opening 2 rounds.

Mateo looked good Rapira and Muts were beast and Mannering and friend were everywhere as usual. I think we are missing a quality 13 that tackles all day and can slot into dummy half when needed plus run a number of decoy plays. Palavi doesn't do that and im wondering why he is even in the team if he is only going play the first 20 and the last 20. He must have the lowest minutes out of all the 13s in the nrl.
Matagi is offering nothing, no impact doesn't look hungry I just cant put my finger on it, maybe a spell in reserves to get that right

Im certainly not panicking and I can see us losing to the Cowboys and Dogs in the next 2 rounds, but we will be right

What ever is happening WE DO NOT NEED TO REPLACE THE COACH!!!!!!!!

 

[ozbash]

Im certainly not panicking and I can see us losing to the Cowboys and Dogs in the next 2 rounds, but we will be right

love your optimism mate. I thought we were in the cart after the first 2 rounds last year, but I think this year with a full player roster (ok, no TL or Locke) we are showing worse signs.

 

[Mike0070]

Guttenbeil made a good point on 40/20 tonight when he said that if a team can't get up for the first game of the season and then be out enthused on their first home game of the season then there must be something massively wrong with the players attitude.

 

[hitro]

Maybe Tommy to 9 when he comes back? Tompkins to 6 and Locke to 1 ... or am I just dreaming??

I too want this to happen.
Hope it's not dreaming.

 

[MaxPower]

What ever is happening WE DO NOT NEED TO REPLACE THE COACH!!!!!!!!

Matt Elliott win take you nowhere, but you need to replace the management first.

 

[Meth]

Wouldn't mind seeing Mateo doing the offload thing again, havnt seen much of it this year,,, though, I guess in saying that, he needs some support to offload too !

Yeah, he seems to have been playing a boring, safe brand of footy. Matulino is a thousand times more likely to pop an offload than Mateo at the moment.

 

[JoeD]

My 2 cents:

Attack is woeful at the moment. I know most here love Friend but to me he is slow and not at all threatening. This has a flow on effect to the rest of the backline. Not only that but like the rest of the team he looks like he isn't as fit as previous seasons? I've noticed him (and others) blowing quite hard during play stoppages. The quicker game effecting the Warriors more than other clubs?

Mateo - would love to see him wind up sometimes and just run hard at the line. He's a big unit, with some pace and footwork but more often than not he is operating in slow motion.

Neilson - mud, get rid of him. Would rather see Simon there than him. Tuimoala Lolohea has impressed in the few times I've seen him maybe he could be in line for a centre spot?

 

[Scott]

My 2 cents:

Attack is woeful at the moment. I know most here love Friend but to me he is slow and not at all threatening. This has a flow on effect to the rest of the backline. Not only that but like the rest of the team he looks like he isn't as fit as previous seasons? I've noticed him (and others) blowing quite hard during play stoppages. The quicker game effecting the Warriors more than other clubs?

Mateo - would love to see him wind up sometimes and just run hard at the line. He's a big unit, with some pace and footwork but more often than not he is operating in slow motion.

Neilson - mud, get rid of him. Would rather see Simon there than him. Tuimoala Lolohea has impressed in the few times I've seen him maybe he could be in line for a centre spot?

There is no doubt the game itself is much faster this season. I think it is vital that there are a few dummy half runners out there. For this reason, i'd play Tommy in 9 and Locke at 14 (when both are fit) and really play up tempo. On Tui Lolohea, I think he needs to play. We need speed & flair, not boring stucture!