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Man of the Match and Dud of the Match

screeny

Bench
Messages
3,984
Back to the subject:

MOTM: Paul Rauhihi in my opinion, by a long shot. Others had more hit ups and metres but Rauhihi's effectiveness and timing was stupendous. Wiki was also great.

Dud: I'd have to say Fitzgibbon (what did he do?) or Buderus, who was made to look ordinary by the very, very exciting Faiumu, whose step was great to watch!

Someone made a very good point about Bennett: the bench was poorly balanced in that it had to accomodate a 3/4 injury by sticking Waterhouse into the centres. Lockyer should have dropped to 1, Mini to wing and Gower to 5/8.
 

NZ Magpie

Juniors
Messages
154
Did Darren Lockyer play? What number was he?

Australia missed more tackles and lost more possession in that "game" last night than they had for the past 47 years.

They were absolute crap.

Bring in Skando, Farrar, Benny Galea and Prince.
 

AliN

Live Update Team
Messages
3,676
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who was your M.O.M?

David Kidwell, followed by Webby and Wiki/Rauhihi

Who was your D.O.M?

Darren Lockyer
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,306
I thought the Bronco players were our best last night, Wayne Bennet im not so sure about anymore...

And just on the Lockyer Vs. Johns thing.

I thought Lockyer had one of his best defencive games at 5/8th last night.

And there were a few times in the first half where Johns was getting run around like a dog which caused him to miss a few tackles.
 

Iafeta

Referee
Messages
24,357
Big Pete said:
Yeah I have a feeling though that none of our players really decided to turn up tonight. Not to make excuses for Australia.

I'd much prefer O'Meley then Ryan though.

Mark O'Meley was man handled in defence and attack by Puletua, Guttenbeil, Paleaaesina and Phillip Leuluai last night.
 

Kiwi

First Grade
Messages
9,471
aqua_duck said:
mate I'm just sick and tired of retarts like kiwi bringing everything back to Johns Vs Lockyer. I never for a moment said Johns played great but some idiot has to bring up the topic of johns V Lockyer because he wasn't satisfied with origin 2 and 3 this year.

Sick and tired of me turning things into Johns v Lockyer. I defend Lockyer sure, but this is one of the first times I've started the debate. And I only did so because you and others chose to highlight Lockyer's defense and how poor it was, he was hiding ect yet your hero defended alot worse and not a word.
 

Red Bear

Referee
Messages
20,882
Just an observation, it looked like Johns was actually going in to try n make tackle etc last night while lovkyer wasnt, which is why you could say Lockyer was hiding.
 

Kiwi

First Grade
Messages
9,471
GoTheBears said:
Just an observation, it looked like Johns was actually going in to try n make tackle etc last night while lovkyer wasnt, which is why you could say Lockyer was hiding.

Again...LOCKYER MADE MORE TACKLES THAN JOHNS

So hiding is making more tackles? If thats the case Petero wasn't even on the field he made 31.
 

drake

First Grade
Messages
5,433
Big Pete said:
3 Broncos...that's a mob alright.

Petero was our best forward and Tate was our best back. While Lockyer had to play second fiddle and played solid.

What do you suggest? He makes a team full of Cowboys, Eels, Dragons and Tigers? Yeah that'd surely work.
1. Hodgson
2. Grothe Jnr
3. Gasnier
4. Cooper
5. Sing
6. Barrett (c)
7. Thurston (or Prince)
8. Skandalis
9. Farah
10. Ryles
11. Hindmarsh
12. O'Donnell
13. Norton
14. Marsh
15. Widders
16. Creagh
17. Stringer

Not exactly a sh*t side IMO.

Ommitted were players injured or retired.
NB Hindmarsh and the doctors all reckon he was good to play.
 

Mr Saab

Referee
Messages
27,762
ParraDude_Jay said:
Fair enough, keep Lockyer, you're more than welcome to keep him. I'm much happier having a five-eighth who can tackle and doesn't suck at my club.

and John Morris was sooooooo great vs the cowboys wasnt he.
 
Messages
4,051
Kiwi said:
Again...LOCKYER MADE MORE TACKLES THAN JOHNS

So hiding is making more tackles? If thats the case Petero wasn't even on the field he made 31.

just because he was hiding doesn;t mean he can't be found.
 

bluesbreaker

Bench
Messages
4,195
best for Australia: Tate, Civo, Johns

Worst for Australia: Waterhouse, daylight, Lockyer, Kennedy, King, Ryan.

Johns let in one try that was Waterhouses fault for rushing out of the defensive line, maybe you guys should like watch the game in future? Lockyer did nothing as usual.
 

panthersballboy

Juniors
Messages
988
Don't know what the debate is about as both Lockyer and Johns were pretty poor on saturday night. The 'dream team' halves combo just didn't click that well.

Mom: Toopi and Webb were great and carved us up in the first 20 mins.

Dom: BK, had an absolute shocker.
 

Snoop

Coach
Messages
11,718
DOM:

Buderas - Gower and the two Kiwi hookers showed how a test hooker should play.
 

Misty Bee

First Grade
Messages
7,082
Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why oh why does everything have to be a Johns v Lockyer thread?????????????????????

Has it occurred to ANYBODY that our forwards were as solid as a souffle, as dynamic as agranny blowing out the candles on her 100th birthday cake, and as damaging as Simon Crean speech in parliament?

Johns and Lokyer - potentially the best scrumbase parnership since Sterling and Kenny conquered the world in '82 - came together for the first time this week, both relishing the opportunity to play together. I though, in reality, behind a pack that would have been frightened by a kindergarten with too much red cordial, both did well. Notice how sharp Australia was when the Kiwis tired for the last 10m of the first half? Notice the speed in which both went about their work? Notice the speed in how Gasnier got the ball, so that even though it was 3 on 1, the 3 didn't have time to settle?

Darren Lockyer is a very good player. He is the victim of the Rugby league world's constanbt desire to make all-time-greats out of every generation of footballers. Lockyer has borne the brunt of his talents - at fullback he was too good to just be a fullback - he had, and thrived on - being a roving 5/8. That he was a link in a chain that included the likes of Langer, Waters, Renouf, Sailor and Tequiri is forgotten. Now, Lockyer at club level is given crap to work with -only Brent Tate and the sofa on his neck can approach the class of the former Broncos. yet Bennet and Queenslanders forget that. Lockyer is a superstar - the Courier Mail says so, and despite the poor bloke carrying his club, state and country - very admirably for 3 years, his talent doesn't earn his pedestal. The pedestal is crushing him. He should be what Anthony Minichiello is - the wonderfully gifted fullback who we expect no more from.

Everyone expects him to be a mixture of Wally Lewis (without the whinging), Clive Churchill and Johnny Raper. And captain to boot. Lockyer is a quiet bloke, who is uncomfortable in the press. In that regard, he is asked to fill the very capable boots of Brad Fittler as test captain - therefore the NRL/ARL's player spokesman. He does all this willingly, even though it all adds to the burden, and he is probably uncomfortable with it.

As a shy bloke with so much expetation,it's worth remembering that he is probably Australia's most exposed sportsman - playing on front of crowds between 10 000 -100 000 in every game, to an audience of over a million on TV. Wouldn't Ricky Ponting or the simpering boredom machine George Gregan love that!

Johns, on the other hand, IS the all time great, who can do almost anything behind the one thing all halfbacks need - dominant forwards. Injury has taken the limelight off Joey - he should be up around Wally's stats for tests and test captaincies. Lockyer has worn the burden - mainly because he is a Queenslander. and, to his credit, he has NEVER shirked his national duty.

Andrew Johns will be the next immortal. Why do Queenslanders feel the constant need to pit Lockyer against him? Does Lockyer measure his life against Andrew Johns? Is everything Johns does - like committing to Warrington over a tri series game that NO ONE in the Australian camp took seriously?

I have just read 2 pages of Lockyer v Johns, over who missed the most tackles? HELLO!!!!!!!!!!! We are talking about halves and 5/8's. If defence was such a major part of their game, then lets have threads comparing them to teh great halves and 5/8's of the past: Trevor Gillmeister, Terry Randall, Ray Price, Bunny Reilly, Steve Folkes etc.

Lockyer and Johns combined for 10 minutes to bail out the sinking ship, cause by the forwards pulling themselves instead of manning the bilge pump! Australia carved back 22 points. Actually, read 5 tries - 4 due to the halves. New Zealand's defence was sh*t - those remarking at Civoniceva's stepping run forget that he faced about 1 defender every square mile - and made 15 metres. It was like watching a cow competing in the Golden Slipper!

For 10 minutes, when the tired, old, match unfit side that represented Australia actually sparked due to Craig Gower, and for that one set of six by Buderis that followed Gower's example, Australia piled on points as quickly and easily as they did v the USA in their previous test. Thanks to Lockyer and Johns.

Lockyer had a poor game. Let's remember the magnificent contribution he has made to Australia, ABOVE AND BEYOND what one could reasonably expect from him. Lets forgive him.

Andrew Johns had a poor game. Lets forgive the obviously shagged out-from-globe-trotting Joey for a sub par performance. Lets celebrate that he obviously cherished that green and gold jumper enough to race back from the UK for it - in a game when neither coach, selecors, orthe selected really took seriously. And those Lockery defenders who want to crucify Johns for possibly missing the game because of the Pommy GF, sharpen your barbs and fire 'em off at Ali Lauiti'iti and Lesie Vainikolo, who did exactly that.

Johns and Lockeyr are BOTH champions, despite playing for a coach with dementure, a selectors commitee that can still remember 27 pubs at Hill End, and a forward pack that wold be mostered by the rush to the scones at a CWA fete.
 
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