Last one of the year. I really enjoy the opportunity to reflect/collect my thoughts about the matches. Big thanks again to Froggy for running this.
Edwards 5 - Positioned and returned the ball well for the most part. A few errors though and was a bit of a handbrake the few times he chimed into backline moves. Typified our anxiety.
Mansour 6 - Just a typical Sauce game at this point. Great, tough meters, willing attitude, a few poor errors and bobbed up for a try. His no try would have been a nice finish if the decision had gone our way.
May 4 - Not a center. Not enough lateral movement defensively. Decisions sketchy. Not much power in his running game. Vision and passing are his strengths and they've shone best when he's chiming in across the park, not locked onto an edge. Not his fault, but a poor contributor last night.
Crichton 6 - Took his try well and made some good runs. I think like a few of the kids he's been running on fumes for a while now. Easy to forget this is still his first year of FG. He's held up well considering. Still a year or two off Origin for mine.
To'o 7 - Took his try well and an outstanding bit of defensive work prior to Olam's try. Ran well when he got the ball. Not much more he could have done.
Luai 6 - Some great moments, but overall pretty quiet. Pass to Mansour for his try was brilliant. Poor kick for a 7 tackle set in the final minutes probably his worst moment.
Cleary 5 - Too many rocks among a few diamonds. The intercept pass was just awful, both in execution and context. It's one thing to throw that pass with a minute left on the clock but at 10-0 after an opening 30 minutes without luck it was absolutely unforgivable. His attacking kicks were also pretty poor but that seemed to be an overall change of strategy over the past few months. Among that, he scored what would have been a career defining try in another context. Imagine him planting the ball down on the bell if we went into halftime only 16 down.
Tamou 6 - Did what he could with limited minutes. He will need to be adequately replaced in the off season. A major loss.
Koroisau 6 - One poor error, but overall threatening and elusive while tackling everything that went near him. Has had more impact at other points in the season though.
Fisher-Harris 7 - Some good runs and tackled his heart out. When our middle wasn't being pushed back by penalties and errors we were well on top. Did everything he could.
Kikau 4 - A night to forget. Too many errors, many of them absolutely bone headed. Still looked dangerous in space but we needed more from our marquee player on the biggest stage.
Martin 5 - Quiet. Like most of the of our right side looked out of sync in defense. I agree with whoever said he's looking a bit zapped at the end of the year. Reminds me of how JFH used to fall off a few years ago.
Yeo 7 - Controversial, but his work for To'o's try was very nice. Continued his knack for exploiting half-gaps in the defense. Tackled his guts out too.
Naden 6 - It's all been said. We can't know if he would have changed the result, but he (and the broader team) looked threatening when he came on. Did all that could have been asked of him. I hope he gets a shot with us next year as there's a lot to like about him, particularly that he didn't spit the dummy despite getting what most would consider a rough go.
Capewell 5 - Poorly used. Hope to see more of him next year as his footwork and power are evident.
Leota 4 - A vintage performance from Moses, and not in a good way. I love the big guy, but those were the kind of hands he was meant to have left in 2017.
Tetevano 5 - Quiet. Didn't offer the same kind of punch he usually does. That's probably due to the way the game went, but have to score what's in front of me.
