General Discussion Thread

[TheFrog]

But we havent been tested.

Last game we played a team that had beaten the Broncos and Manly in its previous two games. Both top 8 sides from last year. That wasn't a test? In Townsville we were expected to get hosed by a pack considered the benchmark but we breezed past them. That wasn't a test either? We also overcame the Rabbitohs who have since accounted for the Roosters and took the unbeaten Dragons to the wire. That wasn't a test either? We've lost Cleary, Mansour, DWZ, Blake and a host of others but still haven't been tested in 3 games against highly successful teams from last season?

So when does this test come, just so I'll know? Tigers round 11? Dragons the following week? Warriors in round 17 will really be a test, depending who we lose to Origin. What if we breeze past them, there won't be too many tests left? Storm in the last round maybe? Or maybe it isn't a test at all unless we fail it?

 

[franklin2323]

Last game we played a team that had beaten the Broncos and Manly in its previous two games. Both top 8 sides from last year. That wasn't a test? In Townsville we were expected to get hosed by a pack considered the benchmark but we breezed past them. That wasn't a test either? We also overcame the Rabbitohs who have since accounted for the Roosters and took the unbeaten Dragons to the wire. That wasn't a test either?

So when does this test come, just so I'll know? Tigers round 11? Dragons the following week? What if we breeze past them, there won't be too many tests left? Storm in the last round maybe?

Problem is if either of those go on a losing run the test then changes... It is the stupid thing with that sort of thinking

 

[MrBlack]

Souths are running 6th. NQ have only had their spine back 2 weeks... people forget it is only round 7

Also - if the Titans win last week against us, they are level with us in 4th place.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Problem is if either of those go on a losing run the test then changes... It is the stupid thing with that sort of thinking

Exactly.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Also - if the Titans win last week against us, they are level with us in 4th place.

Yep, but we won, so now they are considered “Shit”.

 

[tripster]

One thing I do have concerns about is our ability to build pressure by getting repeat sets. Against the top sides we are going to need to be much more patient in attack and be able to get repeat sets if we don't come up with points when we are on their goal line.

The need to get repeat sets has been altered this season by the referees incessantly blowing penalties against the defending team on their own goal line. As such, if the attacking team has had say one or two sets and hasn't scored, rather than going for a repeat set the tactic is now to take a penalty goal.

I expect what is going to happen - in the poorly administered system of refereeing in the NRL - is that the refereeing approach will ease off gradually throughout the season (either as a result of teams improving their discipline on the goal line or the referees becoming less strict) or even worse, the refereeing approach will change completely without warning in the finals, and the referees will no longer blow those sort of penalties in finals matches.

Once that happens we are going to need to be able to secure repeat sets. That is something the Tigers, Warriors and Dragons have been going fantastically well so far this season with grubbers into the in-goal. We have done it rarely.

 

[Westernised Panther]

I have mentioned once or twice now a theory I have about the physicality of our side and the affect it is having on opposition teams - with that affect meaning that whomever we play is still somewhat affected (leaving them at less than their best) the following week, increasing the chance that they lose their next game.

I don’t place a great deal of weight on it this early in the season, but it is true that, other than Souths, every team we have beaten has then lost the following week.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the Titans. We left them bruised and battered with a bunch of injuries - I’ll be tipping them to lose to the out of form Cowboys.

The spirit of Nigel Plum and Adam Docker lives on in terms of a new breed of "Bash Brothers" that are emerging out here.

RCG and JFH especially. And throw in Kikau, Merrin, Yeo, Leota and a rejuvenated Aussie Jim......DAMN!!

That's the scary part. We are manhandling the opposition's pack, and with plenty left in the tank. The win against the Cowboys was proof that we can match, if not better, any pack in the comp.

 

[Westernised Panther]

Yep, but we won, so now they are considered “Shit”.

Which means that the Storm, Roosters and Broncos must also be "shit" as they're on the same competition points.....

 

[Luke Bowden]

Which means that the Storm, Roosters and Broncos must also be "shit" as they're on the same competition points.....

Sounds like it.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Also - if the Titans win last week against us, they are level with us in 4th place.

Strangely though, if we lost, that would have been an example of Hook not being able to beat a top 4 side.

 

[superpanther]

Yep, but we won, so now they are considered “Shit”.

that's the issue all teams below us are shit

 

[franklin2323]

Also - if the Titans win last week against us, they are level with us in 4th place.

Like Souths. They have only lost to the top 3 teams

 

[Luke Bowden]

Like Souths. They have only lost to the top 3 teams

Oh Souths are shit, we beat Souths, so they must be shit.

 

[tripster]

The spirit of Nigel Plum and Adam Docker lives on in terms of a new breed of "Bash Brothers" that are emerging out here.

RCG and JFH especially. And throw in Kikau, Merrin, Yeo, Leota and a rejuvenated Aussie Jim......DAMN!!

That's the scary part. We are manhandling the opposition's pack, and with plenty left in the tank. The win against the Cowboys was proof that we can match, if not better, any pack in the comp.

100%. JFH has been absolutely belting people. He hits incredibly hard. The roaming lock forward role he has been given suits him perfectly for this. I recall in the past two seasons he is also the one who was responsible for accidentally busting both Wallace and Cleary's elbows as a result of how hard he hits. I think he is also the one who cracked Nathan Peats's rib on the weekend as well.

Kikau also hits incredibly hard - but perhaps without even really intending to. It seems that in particular when opposition centres and second rowers run at Kikau, they just get stopped dead in their tracks - like running into a wall of concrete - due to Kikau's massive frame.

Kikau also smashed Ash Taylor out of the game without, I think, even meaning to hurt him more than just putting on a good tackle. It was just that when Taylor fell to the ground after being tackled, Kikau's weight went down on top of him and that meant Taylor's head hit the ground with 125kgs of force on top of it.

 

[BxTom]

I hope we don't lead the comp, then we'll never beat a team above us - we would really be a shit team then!



Tom

 

[MrBlack]

Which means that the Storm, Roosters and Broncos must also be "shit" as they're on the same competition points.....

They are not shit teams, but they are all going shit at the moment.

50% win record going into the rep season does not play well for these 3 teams.

Storm play Broncos this weekend and the loser (if we win) will be a 6 points behind us on the ladder.

 

[MrBlack]

100%. JFH has been absolutely belting people. He hits incredibly hard. The roaming lock forward role he has been given suits him perfectly for this. I recall in the past two seasons he is also the one who was responsible for accidentally busting both Wallace and Cleary's elbows as a result of how hard he hits. I think he is also the one who cracked Nathan Peats's rib on the weekend as well.

Kikau also hits incredibly hard - but perhaps without even really intending to. It seems that in particular when opposition centres and second rowers run at Kikau, they just get stopped dead in their tracks - like running into a wall of concrete - due to Kikau's massive frame.

Kikau also smashed Ash Taylor out of the game without, I think, even meaning to hurt him more than just putting on a good tackle. It was just that when Taylor fell to the ground after being tackled, Kikau's weight went down on top of him and that meant Taylor's head hit the ground with 125kgs of force on top of it.

Kikau we knew would come good this year after his efforts in the World Cup.

JFH - My vote for most improved player this year so far.

 

[David brown]

The ladder is kinda Irrelevant pre origin...

 

[franklin2323]

I hope we don't lead the comp, then we'll never beat a team above us - we would really be a shit team then!



Tom

This is what happens now we are good. Can't bash hook so start on our 'soft' draw'

 

[franklin2323]

The ladder is kinda Irrelevant pre origin...

I give it too Round 10. Cows for example have had only 2 games with their full spine.