Can anyone else smell that? Its the sweet scent of a premiership. F*** me we're that close to having a premiership team its not funny. Deadset, that pack of forwards we have are a pack of brutes, the best pack in the business (particularly if you add Sione Faumuina into the backrow, and drop Guttenbeil out of the team altogether for Tevita Latu's imminent return - coincidentally, with the Chooks trying to use City/Country as a game of Finch's suspension, does the test count for Latu?)
That Penrith pack, they're big and strong and have internationals left right and centre, but Price, Wiki, Paleaaesina, Koopu, Te Mata, Villasanti made them look like a bunch of Terry-towelling pussy cats.
But, wrong options at the wrong times are costing us. That last attacking raid from us, Stacey bombed a try pure and simple, if he passes 2 paces ahead of where he does instead of going into a tackle situation its a try in the corner.
Positives:
* Prop rotation: Price, Wiki, Villasanti, Paleaaesina - best in the business
* Manu Vatuvei: Clearly a superstar in the making, world class prospect
* Toddy "The Turtle" Byrne: Complementing the pack by backing up off breaks
* J'Ro: Couple of good decisive plays, half a split second timing wise off putting Lance Hohaia under the black dot
* Hey Presto: Forcing him into probably his worst game in two years, Toddy the Turtle fend off on him and Manu's intercept grants Presto two more on the try assist list
* Players running to the line for Stacey: Had some good options
* Good D: The Warriors are 4th in the overall defensive stats this year, 1st in missed tackles and 2nd in tackle efficiency.
* Improvement in discipline: Tops
Negatives:
* Goal kicking: The two Stacey missed he was entitled to get, thats the ball game
* Couldn't contain Wesser: He's a machine
* Lack of composure: That kick from Toopi near the end was quite a stupid play really, Stacey into the in goal either a try or a repeat set, sweet as
* Nathan Fien's injury: NASTY! We desperately need him back, his spark outside Jones was probably the difference between a commanding win and a soft loss
* Not finishing them off: We should have won, that simple. Better completion rate, less missed tackles, more line breaks, just didn't finish off the plays when it counted
Looking at the coaching, Kevo has added a huge aspect to the game given he's the Defensive Co-Ordinator, Ivan Cleary and Tony Kemp have got the team mainly going well forward, now we just need to get our 20 metre plays working better. If we can take advantage of the position Price, Wiki and co are putting us in, we can turn 3 and 4 into 10-7 or something like that in no time flat. I'm convinced, this is the best pack we've ever had, lets take advantage of it.
