Finals - Round 1

[Shaun Hewitt]

Yeah ref had a shocker.

But that said even if he didnt with performances like Bennys and Ta'ais we were gonna lose it. Worst performances by the pair of them.

Coupled with the loss of Mara (which i think is alot more significant than we think), and not continuning the momentum from the first 15 or so, it was a recipe for disaster.

We could scrape into next round but you can't write the Raiders or the Roosters off. And while Manly are fielding a very inexperienced side, it'd be stupid to count them out completley, they are facing the chokers afterall.

Will be a nervous night tonight!

 

[Scott]

Yeah ref had a shocker.

But that said even if he didnt with performances like Bennys and Ta'ais we were gonna lose it. Worst performances by the pair of them.

Coupled with the loss of Mara (which i think is alot more significant than we think), and not continuning the momentum from the first 15 or so, it was a recipe for disaster.

We could scrape into next round but you can't write the Raiders or the Roosters off. And while Manly are fielding a very inexperienced side, it'd be stupid to count them out completley, they are facing the chokers afterall.

Will be a nervous night tonight!

I'm just going to enjoy the games tonight and not get too worried about them. On paper they are top quality affairs. Part of me (not all of me) would like to see the Roosters and Raiders win tbh.
We had our chance last night and blew it. If we get another chance then we need to seize it!

 

[Iafeta]

Ta'ai and Matulino in particularly looked nervous. They seemed over awed by the occasion. I reckon that's Ben's worst game in 12-18 months at least. The errors he was making offensively and defensively were so uncharacteristic. I'd say he has probably the best tackling technique at the club, but some of his misses were crucial and soft. He also makes a point of running north to south, but a couple of times he crabbed across field when it required a nice direct run. Ukuma seemed a little off the pace. It was like he was walking down Rodeo Drive, looking for a jersey grab. In terms of additional characteristic errors, I can't recall many if any dropped balls on kick returns this year. Tonight we had two basic ones. Both were costly. Both were from players you don't really expect that of. Kevin Locke is a very inconsistent footballer at the moment, he had a fairly poor game.

The penalty against Sam Rapira, which was undoubtedly wrong, was crucial. They got on a roll from that. Big call in the context of that game. Instead of receiving the ball just on your side of halfway, they get another set 25-30m out. It was a guess from Gavin Badger, and a really bad one at that.

I thought we had them when Rapira and Packer were on. Go forward was over whelming them. We had all momentum (the key word in the NRL at the moment, which is why poor refereeing is so critical to crucial games), then when they went off we lost that momentum through the ruck, coupled with some dodgy decisions. Packer, Rapira, Maloney all had good games. The rest ... well a few of them had their worst games in first grade in a long long time. Pity it had to come last night.

 

[ozreece77]

Yeah ref had a shocker.

need to fix this up.
the ref had their normal appalling game.

if the ref was fair to both sides, didnt make dubious calls, and didnt miss the obvious, then you would be able to say he had a shocker.

 

[ozreece77]

Ta'ai and Matulino in particularly looked nervous. They seemed over awed by the occasion. I reckon that's Ben's worst game in 12-18 months at least. The errors he was making offensively and defensively were so uncharacteristic. I'd say he has probably the best tackling technique at the club, but some of his misses were crucial and soft. He also makes a point of running north to south, but a couple of times he crabbed across field when it required a nice direct run. Ukuma seemed a little off the pace. It was like he was walking down Rodeo Drive, looking for a jersey grab. In terms of additional characteristic errors, I can't recall many if any dropped balls on kick returns this year. Tonight we had two basic ones. Both were costly. Both were from players you don't really expect that of. Kevin Locke is a very inconsistent footballer at the moment, he had a fairly poor game.

The penalty against Sam Rapira, which was undoubtedly wrong, was crucial. They got on a roll from that. Big call in the context of that game. Instead of receiving the ball just on your side of halfway, they get another set 25-30m out. It was a guess from Gavin Badger, and a really bad one at that.

I thought we had them when Rapira and Packer were on. Go forward was over whelming them. We had all momentum (the key word in the NRL at the moment, which is why poor refereeing is so critical to crucial games), then when they went off we lost that momentum through the ruck, coupled with some dodgy decisions. Packer, Rapira, Maloney all had good games. The rest ... well a few of them had their worst games in first grade in a long long time. Pity it had to come last night.

yeh, i pretty much concur with this. most of the damage was self inflicted. totally different from the game against Paramatta when they were very controlled.
Even though Rapira was penalised dubiously, it was a dumb play. We had them at tackle 3 or 4, they were going to put in a territory kick and that was all, we would have got the ball back and be able to apply more pressure. Sione Lousi did the same thing in the second half, which was not required. I think another turning point was Lewis Brown not showing urgency in getting a batback from Vatuvei, which Zillman dived on when we had been hammering their line. Zillman had a blinder but should never had made some of the breaks he made.
Locke gets shown up defensively again and again and again. Try's to tackle around the bootlaces and gets nothing but air most times. Its a real worry as good sides will notice this and take advantage of it.
There was also a lot of dropped ball in the second half that stopped momentum. A few dud decisons but thats to be expected nowadays.

 

[Martli]

The first 15 minutes of each half belonged to the Warriors, but the Titans kept it together far better under pressure. This Titans side seem to be good at that, it happened last week too.

Quoted for truth. I feel the warriors went out all guns blazing, the Titans simply weathered it and waited for an opportunity to counterattack and when that opportunity arose they took it with both hands and beat the living sh*t out of us.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Quoted for truth. I feel the warriors went out all guns blazing, the Titans simply weathered it and waited for an opportunity to counterattack and when that opportunity arose they took it with both hands and beat the living sh*t out of us.

Yeah but....in the entire first half, the opportunity never arose apart from off the back of incorrect penalties.

The Titans never even looked like making a break. Apart from off the back of rubbish penalties they didn't even look like getting field position.

It's all very well to be good losers, and to point out our poor goal line defence (which was disappointing), but seriously, the Titans wouldn't have even looked like scoring points without being whistled merrily up the field first. I know sh*t happens, but that sh*t often defines the game.

 

[Dr Crane]

ta'ai has been mia the last few weeks.

 

[JAG]

I didn't see the 1st half, thankfully. Listened to it in the car on my way home. The commentators said a number of the calls were dodgy but the amount of times they used the phrases "he's knocked it on" and "he's lost the ball" about Warriors players really had my alarm bells ringing. Need a huge step up from that performance if we get another crack at it next week.

 

[shinobi]

Too many excuses here Warriors got outgunned.

 

[Skinner]

To be honest JAG, there was very poor ball protection from both teams in the first half. I actually thought the first half was really crap. The second half was much better footy.

 

[Meth]

While I agree that several of the referee's decisions were crucial and incorrect, I also have a massive problem with the impatient style of play that we tried- we either looked completely bereft of ideas or we were trying to pull of superhero plays (e.g the chargedown, Rapira's 1-on-1 strip). While I criticized Ta'ai, Locke and Matulino, let's not forget finals football brings with it pressure and a demand to play a smarter, more patient brand of football. It was always going to be a big ask to get over the Titans mentally.

Hopefully we have another chance next week and we are wiser for the lesson from this week

 

[Auckland4ever]

I also have a massive problem with the impatient style of play that we tried-

I agree with you, but I think this is a symptom of the Titans consistent ability to contain us up the middle, which our whole gameplan revolves around. We've been used to mounting pressure on other sides through being able to play high percentage football on the back of quick play the balls and darts out of dummy half for long stretches. The Titans are our 'bogey' side because they have us covered tactically, they're strong in the areas that we're strong, but on top of that they're better able to use angles to confuse defenses in the opposition 20. We're much more predictable. There is'nt all that much between us, they just seem to have more of an ability to construct tries through set plays.

 

[Marty]

We were robbed...they got all the 50 50 calls and we didn;t get any from memory...if those 2 -3 penalties in the first half that were in reality not penalties not been called they would not have been able to score those 4 tries in quick succession...if the shoe had been on the other foot and we had got those 2-3 penalties we would have scored a couple of tries our selves. Would have been a completely different game.

 

[Micistm]

Scenarios:
Dragons, Panthers & Tigers win we play Tigers. (Manly, Raiders out)
Dragons, Panthers & Roosters win we play Roosters. (Manly, Raiders out)
Dragons, Raiders & Tigers win we play Tigers. (Manly, Roosters out)
Dragons, Raiders & Roosters win we are GONE. (with Manly)
Manly, Panthers & Tigers win we play Manly (Raiders, Rosters out)
Manly, Panthers & Roosters win we are GONE (with Tigers)
Manly, Raiders & Tigers win we are GONE (with Roosters)
Manly, Raiders & Roosers win we are GONE (with Tigers)

(please correct me if I'm wrong, its late)

Couldn't correct you even if I knew it was wrong, this sh*t does my head in, like checking my lotto tickets. I just zap 'em and it says if i won or not.
I'll keep an eye on tonights games and hope the 'faves' win I guess. Keeps it simple

 

[Philip_Smith007]

I think another turning point was Lewis Brown not showing urgency in getting a batback from Vatuvei, which Zillman dived on when we had been hammering their line.

I will give Brown the benifit of the doubt that he was looking to see if the ref had called another 6 to go, as if Brown dived on the ball it was 6th tackle. But he wont be looking again I am sure he will just kill the play.

Anyone remember Maloneys tackle on Gordon in the first 10mins!

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Bloody Roosters.
Not the result we needed. Now have to hope for a Panthers Dragons win!
Would of like to played Tigers as they looked busted in the end.
But we will be playing Roosters if we are there!
How did they stuff up the 80min scrum????????????

 

[AuckMel]

I really felt sorry for the Tigers and that last scrum. It's a re-set every other day of the year.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

I really felt sorry for the Tigers and that last scrum. It's a re-set every other day of the year.

True, but normally only if other team boots it out of scrum?
Not looking good, Raiders all over Panthers early into second half.
Bet Benji wishes he wasnt in that punch up that cost Ellis now!

 

[Dr Crane]

i would be inclined to suggest we're gone.