Four from Eleven, Griffin is a dead man walking.

[mxlegend99]

Its more that we are playing horrible football with zero attacking structure than the results.

Yep. We were supposed to be premiership favorites and so far have only managed to beat two teams who were 15th and 16th last week.

Yet we will be 2 from 7 after this week. Not sure why people are always optimistic we will suddenly turn it around and go on a winning run. Anything is possible. But based on the season so far the odds are against that happening.

We will see where we sit after the Sharks game... but what if we lose by 1 or 2 points?

Will we be saying we COULD be sitting on 5 from 7 if this happened and that happened and so on? Or do we admit that the season is starting to get away from us?

 

[Scotty003]

Not sure what the huge debate is over. It's like everyone expects us to win every game.

All but 1 game, we've competed.

Is TMM better then Moylan at 5/8? Not sure. Is Moylan the best option at fullback? Absolutely. Therefore, both stay where they are. Easy decision as we lose nothing.

Does Griffin inspire the team? Who cares. It's up to the team, and particularly the leaders to inspire themselves.
While Bellamy and co might appear more passionate because it's theatrical I'm pretty certain the players would get more fire, energy and inspiration from their on-field generals, case in point the Storm - Smith, Cronk, Slater etc.
Same goes for Sharks - do you think Flanagan gets anyone excited? Come on. Gal, Lewis, Maloney are the ones getting their teams up.

So if you want to look for inspiration, look at the leaders of the team.

It's understated how much we miss Mansour right now as he was always able to get us on the front foot starting a set, get us a quick play the ball/ penalty when we needed it which allowed our forward to punch holes through the middle. He's not there and we have to not rely on one player to do that however believe he's a missing link in our team (even more than cartright.)

It's not panic stations yet.

 

[mxlegend99]

Not sure what the huge debate is over. It's like everyone expects us to win every game.

All but 1 game, we've competed.

I expect a team who are equal premiership favorites to win atleast 70% of their games.

Not to be sitting on a 30% win rate after a quarter of games have been played. Knights have competed in all but 1 game aswell.

I guess it depends on what you think is acceptable from the team. I think anything less then top 4 would be an underachievement in the regular season and anything less than week 3 of finals would be a failure of a season.

If you think being a fringe top 8 side is acceptable. Then I guess winning 30% of ypur games and being competitive in most is ok.

Use whatever excuses you want. We arent anywhere near as good as we were expected to be. We arent anywhere near being a premiership threat. Its not impossible for that to change. But a lot needs to improve and it needs to happen very soon.

 

[betcats]

Not sure what the huge debate is over. It's like everyone expects us to win every game.

All but 1 game, we've competed.

Is TMM better then Moylan at 5/8? Not sure. Is Moylan the best option at fullback? Absolutely. Therefore, both stay where they are. Easy decision as we lose nothing.

Does Griffin inspire the team? Who cares. It's up to the team, and particularly the leaders to inspire themselves.
While Bellamy and co might appear more passionate because it's theatrical I'm pretty certain the players would get more fire, energy and inspiration from their on-field generals, case in point the Storm - Smith, Cronk, Slater etc.
Same goes for Sharks - do you think Flanagan gets anyone excited? Come on. Gal, Lewis, Maloney are the ones getting their teams up.

So if you want to look for inspiration, look at the leaders of the team.

It's understated how much we miss Mansour right now as he was always able to get us on the front foot starting a set, get us a quick play the ball/ penalty when we needed it which allowed our forward to punch holes through the middle. He's not there and we have to not rely on one player to do that however believe he's a missing link in our team (even more than cartright.)

It's not panic stations yet.

Bellamy is still the first guy in the gym down there everyday. He has created the storm culture than anyone else. I don't like him but you cant take that away from him.

 

[Scotty003]

I expect a team who are equal premiership favorites to win atleast 70% of their games.

Not to be sitting on a 30% win rate after a quarter of games have been played. Knights have competed in all but 1 game aswell.

I guess it depends on what you think is acceptable from the team. I think anything less then top 4 would be an underachievement in the regular season and anything less than week 3 of finals would be a failure of a season.

If you think being a fringe top 8 side is acceptable. Then I guess winning 30% of ypur games and being competitive in most is ok.

Use whatever excuses you want. We arent anywhere near as good as we were expected to be. We arent anywhere near being a premiership threat. Its not impossible for that to change. But a lot needs to improve and it needs to happen very soon.

But in all honesty, who set that expectation of equal premiership favorites? I don't think the players would have gone into the season with that mentality, and I know (from the supporters I speak with) certainly thought it was a bit over the top. Some journos and media personalities put us there based on form last year and a roster that could be there come finals time. Read into that as you want.

I don't think it's acceptable to have a 30% win rate however I'm not desperately trying to throw all hope away. The topic is "do we panic", and from what I'm seeing amougnst a lot of posts is that Griffin is to blame because he appears not to care, or Moylan v TMM.

I expect the players to turn up every week, play their guts out and hopefully win more games than not. It hasn't gone our way so far (mostly due to our own fault) however I'm not panicing just yet.
The reality is we are not mature enough as a team to be consistent like the storm, bronocs, roosters etc. This will come over time. Isolating players (Tamou, Merrin, Moylan, Peachey) like others in this forum and suggesting they are rubbish or need to be replaced does not provide another 2 points.

We need to stick with the game plan, just execute better.

If we don't make mistakes, we won't learn anything. If we don't learn, we won't be a premiership threat.

 

[Scotty003]

Bellamy is still the first guy in the gym down there everyday. He has created the storm culture than anyone else. I don't like him but you cant take that away from him.

Certainly not. I think he's one of the better coaches around.

The point I was trying to make was more that inspiration comes from within the group. The coach can add some value but believe the players get more out of their on-field leaders firing them up.

 

[franklin2323]

Its more that we are playing horrible football with zero attacking structure than the results.

That is the biggest load of bullshit.

If Peachey passes to Blake v Roosters we win. If Leota and TMM hold the ball instead of dropping it we lead 18-16. Would of been 24 if Peachey passed to Blake just before 1/2 time.

then you throw in the injured guys. Bad attitude of a few like Moylan we are far from as bad as the table shows

 

[ACTPanthers]

The whole "if this happened we would've won that game, and if this had happened we wouldn't have lost another game" thing is getting old to be honest - The fact is, those things did happen and we are where we belong on the table - A lot of hypothetical results, but you can't win a premiership on should haves and should not haves.

 

[herbert henry1908]

The whole "if this happened we would've won that game, and if this had happened we wouldn't have lost another game" thing is getting old to be honest - The fact is, those things did happen and we are where we belong on the table - A lot of hypothetical results, but you can't win a premiership on should haves and should not haves.

Yep, absolutely.

I'm sick of the excuses.

Take the Roosters game where some people blame the forward pass, in that game we took two penalty goals in the second half instead of going for the try. Now we're supposed to be an attacking team & we choose the safe option, only have ourselves to blame.

 

[betcats]

The whole "if this happened we would've won that game, and if this had happened we wouldn't have lost another game" thing is getting old to be honest - The fact is, those things did happen and we are where we belong on the table - A lot of hypothetical results, but you can't win a premiership on should haves and should not haves.

Exactly. You win or you lose, you get exactly f**k all for getting close.

We are well below where we should be, yes we have plenty of time to make up for it but the fact is we look no better than last season, worse even. Our squad got better and deeper plus numerous young guys who should all be improving and yet the team is in a worse spot than the same time last year.

 

[betcats]

That is the biggest load of bullshit.

If Peachey passes to Blake v Roosters we win. If Leota and TMM hold the ball instead of dropping it we lead 18-16. Would of been 24 if Peachey passed to Blake just before 1/2 time.

then you throw in the injured guys. Bad attitude of a few like Moylan we are far from as bad as the table shows

And if the tigers didn't bomb 5 sitters against us we might be 1 win and five losses. They scored first and almost scored second a couple of times. Almost scored first in the second half again. I bet I could go though the roosters game and find half a dozen "what if" moments for them that would of put them further ahead.

 

[ACTPanthers]

And if the tigers didn't bomb 5 sitters against us we might be 1 win and five losses. They scored first and almost scored second a couple of times. Almost scored first in the second half again. I bet I could go though the roosters game and find half a dozen "what if" moments for them that would of put them further ahead.

This. Every game has moments that could go either way - The better teams adapt and overcome to get a win - We just seem to lack the discipline at the moment to get into that mindset

 

[umina panther]

That is the biggest load of bullshit.

If Peachey passes to Blake v Roosters we win. If Leota and TMM hold the ball instead of dropping it we lead 18-16. Would of been 24 if Peachey passed to Blake just before 1/2 time.

then you throw in the injured guys. Bad attitude of a few like Moylan we are far from as bad as the table shows

The plan without Moylan is to just bomb the ball as high as we can and hope for the best, Matt Elliott would be proud. Can't see what was worked on over the off season

 

[Fangs]

The whole "if this happened we would've won that game, and if this had happened we wouldn't have lost another game" thing is getting old to be honest - The fact is, those things did happen and we are where we belong on the table - A lot of hypothetical results, but you can't win a premiership on should haves and should not haves.

I agree.

But I would still use that as evidence to suggest that there is no need to panic, just yet.

Better teams than us have won comps with worse starts (Most recently I remember the Cowboys in 2015 losing their first 3 in a row). I just think its way too early to be making a call on our season.

However, if we keep this up until mid-year...then yes, I'll panic like f**k.

 

[betcats]

I agree.

But I would still use that as evidence to suggest that there is no need to panic, just yet.

Better teams than us have won comps with worse starts (Most recently I remember the Cowboys in 2015 losing their first 3 in a row). I just think its way too early to be making a call on our season.

However, if we keep this up until mid-year...then yes, I'll panic like f**k.

I think this is generally what people are saying, we don't need to panic yet but if we don't start winning soon then something has to give. You shouldn't have a squad like ours and not be improving, if we haven't seen any improvement by origin I will be happy to see hook go.

 

[franklin2323]

And if the tigers didn't bomb 5 sitters against us we might be 1 win and five losses. They scored first and almost scored second a couple of times. Almost scored first in the second half again. I bet I could go though the roosters game and find half a dozen "what if" moments for them that would of put them further ahead.

the season is full of what if moments. My point the makings are there to make a run. I know I said the aim should be 5/5 come round 10. See where we are come that time

 

[franklin2323]

The plan without Moylan is to just bomb the ball as high as we can and hope for the best, Matt Elliott would be proud. Can't see what was worked on over the off season

How about the short balls to forwards running off the halves? that seems to be a new play

 

[franklin2323]

I agree.

But I would still use that as evidence to suggest that there is no need to panic, just yet.

Better teams than us have won comps with worse starts (Most recently I remember the Cowboys in 2015 losing their first 3 in a row). I just think its way too early to be making a call on our season.

However, if we keep this up until mid-year...then yes, I'll panic like f**k.

We could easily win our next 4 given who we are getting back and the key outs to Parra and Broncos. 6-4 is a good start to the season in anyone's book. We only need to be playing our best come finals time. Until then we will keep building

 

[betcats]

How about the short balls to forwards running off the halves? that seems to be a new play

That's just basic rugby league.

 

[franklin2323]

That's just basic rugby league.

it is but the total opposite then what Penrith do. It is a move we need to use more