Just thought you should know...

[legend]

Souths have scored two more points than us so far this season and still have a bye up their sleeve.

If ever there was a damning stat against the coach, that is it!

 

[aussies1st]

Most of that can come down to those games Smith missed. Our attack is pathetic without him no direction at halfback, no backup 5/8 stepping up.

 

[legend]

Even with Smith there we managed to score 0 points against Melbourne. No firepower out wide and a one dimensional game plan means we will not go close to making the top eight and deservedly so.

 

[Boing Boing]

That comment is a bit silly, Legend. No matter how badly we performed on Saturday night, we are still 2 points off 3rd plce. Our season is far, far from over, with 18 points still up for grabs. We will make the 8 comfortably, in my opinion. Whether we are one dimensional or not, whether we are a 1 man team or not, we have Jason Smith and we will get into the finals. He had one bad game. I doubt he will make it a habit. It really is a bit early for doomsdaying.

 

[legend]

I'm being realistic champ. We have the Eels twice, Broncos away, Cowboys away, Warriors away and the Tigers, Souths and Manly at home. I'm not confident of winning any away game and of the home games, I think Parra and Wests will be hard to beat.

We may well get the required points to finish in the top eight but our for and against is the worst of all teams in the hunt for the finals. Even Penrith and the Warriors are far better off than us in terms of for and against.

As good as Jason Smith is, we don't have the strike power out wide to finish the job.

BTW, there are only 16 points up for grabs, not 18.

 

[Boing Boing]

Who says we will lose all of those hard matches? We beat the Goosters earlier this year didn't we? And the Dogs? Didn't we beat the Cowboys? We are 8 and 8 and on our day can beat anyone in this comp. A few people had a bad game in Melbourne but that can turn around. It really is too premature to say we're out of the finals. Competition points are more important than F/A and we dont need many of those to get in.

 

[legend]

We got hammered by the Dogs a month ago. We may not lose but nothing I've seen in the past month has me brimming with confidence. Against Penrith and North Qld, we only just fell over the line in games we should have won comfortably.

I definitely think for and against will be a factor this year with 9 teams within 3 points of one another. We need to pray Newcastle and Souths can continue to play spoiler for the remainder of the season.

 

[aussies1st]

PD will be a huge factor with the teams so evenly placed. Raiders would need to lift quite a bit to have any hope of winning the title, plus learn how to win big games and beat bogey teams. We cant win a comp if we cant beat our bogey teams.

 

[Boing Boing]

I do see your point about teh difference. The point I was trying to make is that we have only lost 2 games with Smith at the helm and I wouldn't say we "Fell" over the line against the Cowboys, that was pure class. Our defence was top notch on Saturday and though I'm not confident either, I definitely think we can do it. We spread the ball wide on many occasions in Melbourne, it was the greasy conditions that were more to the detriment of our attack than anything else. When ever we were in their 20, we were trying things, so anybody that says our attack was one dimensional is probably letting their blind hatred for the coach overpower them.

 

[ausraider]

I don't think we were totally out played by Storm.It was lack of possession in the opposition red zone that got us undone.That defence was just brilliant.Storm only scored when we were down a man.I don't think we should be too dissappointed and Smithy won't have another shocker this year, well lets hope.

 

[aussies1st]

Well everyone has a shocker sometime, but he has been a lot more consitent then mcliden was last year.

 

[Timbo]

Yet with Marty in the halves we were a constant top 8 team.

In hindsight, Marty's jack in the box style play probably would have complimented Smithy brilliantly. With him at 7, Smith at 6, and Linc coming off the bench, I think we'd have been far more dangerous.

 

[Raider Azz]

I'm totally with ben here. We still have a decent chance of making the 8 as long as Smith is still there. The season is not lost by any means.

 

[aussies1st]

Totally agree there with mcliden not having to worry about the kicking side of things he would be a lot more confident player to take the ball up to the line and produce some of his magic.

 

[Raider_69]

i think its worth noting that Souths are f**king sh*t and they have scored more points then us.... how embarrassing

 

[twistedbydesign]

Marty was twice the halfback Linc is, I think that has been shown up quite clearly in Smith's absence. It's hard to be too critical of Withers, half is not his favourite position and he does turn up and have a rip every week, however it's time to give someone else a go in the number 7.

Our attack is dismal and we are the most boring team in the comp. I'd love to see us make the finals, but either way I just hope we get to see some good tries and some entertaining football in the last few games- it's been a while.

 

[Boing Boing]

It's hard for us to play the attacking style of footy everybody loves to see with guys like Mogg, Tape and Howell in the outside backs. Once you see guys like Super Phil filtering back into the side, the attacking play will also return.


People seem to forget that we are minus quite a few first choice players at the moment.

 

[Raider_69]

Bring on Ale, Milne, Super Phil and Chalky... with Smith and Carney in the halves'

then we will have ABSOLUTELY no excuses not to play an attacking style

 

[aussies1st]

that would be awesome another 2 weeks before we get back phil and chalk but who elliot reaplces them with is another question. Hopefully carney starts this week and has a blinder

 

[woodgers]

It's hard for us to play the attacking style of footy everybody loves to see with guys like Mogg, Tape and Howell in the outside backs. Once you see guys like Super Phil filtering back into the side, the attacking play will also return.


People seem to forget that we are minus quite a few first choice players at the moment.

It's the coach you are sticking up for that keeps picking these guys week in, week out. Even with Super Phil and Chalky there earlier in the season we couldn't get them the ball and when we do we aren't hole running or getting outside teams.

Watching the Raiders trying to score tries is very similar to watching a midget trying to club a lion to death.