Match Discussion: Round 1 vs Melbourne @ CommBank Stadium

[Tigers1986]

A few of those ref decisions go our way and the result possibly changes. Maumolo tackled in the air but not called a penalty, then Storm go down and Hughes sets up their try. Laurie has his leg pulled and they rule knock-on, but Storm got a penalty for the exact same offence minutes earlier. Ref says Jet took out Coates for an escort, but Storm bloke doesn't take out Laurie fielding the grubber from that mullet-haired git Papenhuyzen. Let's not forget the flog who stays on the field for that cannonball tackle on Leilua - they say they want to crack down on the dog act and rid it from the game, but he gets on report and probably $500 fine (like Collins on Hastings). It'll take someone like Turbo or Ponga having their leg broken for action to be taken on it.

We need a reliable goal kicker. It was abysmal, even if from the sideline. That's 6 points left out there.

Second half we dropped a ton of ball and lost our way in the middle. Fix that up and we can be on a good wicket. Tuilangi is a beast.

 

[Wizardman]

At the start of the week, I said that I'd settle for a 12 or under point loss. Considering the events that transpired in that game, Im not happy with the result. This will be one of those "what if" games for us.

Positives:
*Our pack was the big positive to come out of tonight. In the first 40, I thought we shaded the Storm in the forward battle. As the game wore on, they were not as effective....but I felt they did enough to win the game if other parts of our team fell into place. I feel there is a lot of improvement in them too.
*We competed very well for about 60 minutes against one of the two mentally toughest teams in the comp. Our defence (apart from goal line def) was very good for 60 minutes....much better than last year. We win that game against most teams in the comp.
*Our two wingers were great. Maumalo looks a great kick-to bomb target while Nofo played with good pep and enthusiasm tonight.

Negatives:
*Goal line defence. Holy f**k, it was bad! It was as bad as any point last year. No resilience and no real idea from the side on how to defend from that position. It looked frail every set in our 20m line. If that does not improve from tonight, we WILL get the spoon.

*Our spine: Considering the fairly decent platform that the pack gave them, I thought the spine were very disappointing. While Roberts / Gildart are not world beaters at the moment, I feel they are good enough to take advantage of good play if their halves do a job.
Laurie: Probably the quietest game he has had for us. Threw a gem of a pass for the Nofo try....but pretty much f**k all else. Never trailed around his forwards, didn't chime in attack for the majority of the match. Im a tad weary about this bloke and where things are going regarding him and the Tigers. One to watch.
Hastings: Very early days but geez he looks SLOW! Im at a wait and see position in regards to the bloke. Very hard (but not impossible) for a half to succeed in today's footy without some sort of pace.
Brooks: Rules are made for this bloke....just not a really bright or particularly skilled half. Average.
Simpkin: His service is not the quickest or slickest.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

I thoughts the Tigers players put in tonight but they are missing that touch of class that Melbourne had in Hughes and Paps. I have defended Brooks a lot on these forums, saying he tries hard and would do better in a better system, but today was the first time I have looked at him and been truly disappointed; still tried hard but with a structure put around him to succeed he couldn’t deliver the spark needed.

And Madge’s game plan and selections are straight out of the early 2010s playbook. Got to get the Peach on their from the start and playing at the advantage line, not 4 metres behind it. The Tigers don’t seem to be ‘at’ the opposition like most of the other teams are….

 

[WA Tiger]

Leilua did a Hollywood. One of our halves being shit is bad enough but both of them! - we’re in trouble.The jet and Nofo can have a deadly combo but not if Leila’s doesnt distribute until the 60th minute. Was that a “Stroll” from Peachy running behind the goal line toward the left corner where the storm scored one of their late try’s. I’m happy with Gildart & The forwards played tough as hell.

 

[Magpies Forever]

I thought a big issue was our use of the interchange bench- a few here have commented our forwards were tired after abut 60 minutes of solid effort. The interchange is supposed to alleviate that. Maquire's use of the bench was questioned last year and it seems so far this year to be open to a 'what the hell?'.

Refereeing remains the big issue with WT not really getting the rub and all we can do is play to the whistle and just keep at it. The other team, when they are the better, more prominent team, will often get the momentum changing penalty, when equal offences against use are not pinged. Better teams with greater talent pool can just play on and will usually tough it out and more often than not, win. WT not possible.

Not sure what the answer is. I'd like to see WT take the more blatant cases to the NRL hierarchy and if we are dismissed to the NSW Courts. Its a professional sport, if the refereeing is not consistent and despite technology eg the bunker being available and still not correcting blatant mistakes where is the sporting change in that? If the NRL refuses to act, take it out of their hands and go to court. Put in injunction on play until decision made- then the NRL and the refs will take notice. Put in a damages claim. Its a professional sport with clubs, payers and coaches futures hanging on a level playing field. Same with the cannonball, threaten to take the player involved to court for injury suffered and financial compensation for club and player if our player is injured. Take it out of the hands of the NRL- thats twice now in 3 games we have had inconsequential penalty given to opposition players putting in that dog act.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Simpkin is no Liddle. 24 tackles and 2 runs according to Foxsports. Liddle gives the team double that plus his pace and support play.

Hastings is slow? That’s a problem if you play left/right field and just want speed. If the team wants smarts well he has it over Brooks.

Seyfarth is the player who should have had more minutes.

 

[Tiger05]

*Our spine: Considering the fairly decent platform that the pack gave them, I thought the spine were very disappointing. While Roberts / Gildart are not world beaters at the moment, I feel they are good enough to take advantage of good play if their halves do a job.
Laurie: Probably the quietest game he has had for us. Threw a gem of a pass for the Nofo try....but pretty much f**k all else. Never trailed around his forwards, didn't chime in attack for the majority of the match. Im a tad weary about this bloke and where things are going regarding him and the Tigers. One to watch.
Hastings: Very early days but geez he looks SLOW! Im at a wait and see position in regards to the bloke. Very hard (but not impossible) for a half to succeed in today's footy without some sort of pace.
Brooks: Rules are made for this bloke....just not a really bright or particularly skilled half. Average.
Simpkin: His service is not the quickest or slickest.

Our spine were ordinary. Brooks was easily the best of them and maybe our best player but I don't think Brooks can be your best player if you want to be a quality team. He just doesn't have that ability to step up ala Hughes or Paps.

Hastings needs to do a lot more.

 

[Magpies Forever]

Our spine were ordinary. Brooks was easily the best of them and maybe our best player but I don't think Brooks can be your best player if you want to be a quality team. He just doesn't have that ability to step up ala Hughes or Paps.

Hastings needs to do a lot more.

I'd swap them around, just to try it.

 

[Speedy Gonzales]

Probably the most vulnerable Melbourne have been and we still found a way to lose

Never change Tigs

 

[Tiger05]

I'd swap them around, just to try it.

It shouldn't make any difference but I'd also do it as a hail mary play.

 

[Tiger05]

Probably the most vulnerable Melbourne have been and we still found a way to lose

Never change Tigs

I was more disappointed with that loss than plenty of other losses. We were in it. We just needed to execute better but we didn't.

 

[Ned Kelly]

A lot of good points have been made here. Yeah our defense looked better etc etc.

Still looks like ground hog day to me. Tigers play a team full of confidence who drop off their intensity and skills because they feel like they won't have to try that hard to beat us. We look good while this is happening. Then our opposition realizes they do need to put some effort in. They play better and we look like crap.

When we start to feel pressure it looks like everyone is hoping someone will tell them what they need to do.

 

[Vic Mackey]

I think the games been well summarized by everyone above. Thats why I much prefer this site to the other.

AS a club we cant accept these 'brave losses' or whatever is being said anymore. We lead a team by 10 who had a 2 man bench for 60 minutes, losing is inexcusable.

Of course the new rules screwed us. Our mid field defence was very good, the Storm only ever got down our end due to penalties not themselves. Some of those penalties in the last 20 mins were very questionable however I cant blame the refs when our online defence gave up so easily. I was at the game so couldnt see clearly but surely Maulmalo was tackled mid air for his dissallowed try? Why wasnt that picked up by the bunker?

At the end of the day the Storms 7 won it for them, with all the ball and field possession we had in the first half we should have gone into halftime 12 up. Brooks kicking game was good but his general play was terrible, the play continually stopped with him.

Our attack is much better, a lot of early shifts and plenty of width however its very slow, I would expect this to pick up as the year goes on. AS others have said Hastings looks good but is probably the slowest half in the game, Im starting to think the initial plan of him at 13 is the right one.

He doesnt get a lot of wraps but I thought Joffa was out best forward followed by Musgrove. The use of the bench was puzzling, had only used 3 interchanges at the 60th minute mark. Im not sure what the point of playing Garner for 10 mins was.

Whilst there were some good signs I cant be encouraged by that performance when we surrendered so easily. The next 3 games are games we should be a good chance to win so why do I get the feeling we're going to be 1-3 before we go into a hard run of 3 top 4 sides in 4 weeks?

 

[WA Tiger]

I remember there was definately a case where some kind of defence was allowed when someone is in the process of scoring a try thst would otherwise be a penalty. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t tackling a player when they’re in the air but maybe that’s in the same category. Danger wise though you wouldn’t think so?

 

[Vic Mackey]

I remember there was definately some kind of defence that is allowed when someone is in the process of scoring thst would otherwise be a penalty. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t tackling a player high but maybe that’s in the same category. Danger wise though you wouldn’t think so?

You used to be allowed to tackle a player mid air if they were in the process of scoring but they got rid of that about 2 years ago. It was no try however from watching on the big screen it clearly looked like Coates took him before he’d hit the ground. The Storm scored off the next set to make it 14 all

 

[Tiger05]

He doesnt get a lot of wraps but I thought Joffa was out best forward followed by Musgrove. The use of the bench was puzzling, had only used 3 interchanges at the 60th minute mark. Im not sure what the point of playing Garner for 10 mins was.

Joe O and Musgrove were good. We didn't seem to get any benefit from the Storm being down 2 players and it was a coaching stuff-up.

 

[benched tiger]

Melbournes class got them home, the ref certainly didn’t do us any favours, in the second half we became one out in attack and disorganised for a long period when we needed direction from our halves. We certainly have plenty to work on, but on a positive, there was plenty of effort put in last night.

 

[WA Tiger]

You used to be allowed to tackle a player mid air if they were in the process of scoring but they got rid of that about 2 years ago. It was no try however from watching on the big screen it clearly looked like Coates took him before he’d hit the ground. The Storm scored off the next set to make it 14 all

Definately. And no one raised an eyebrow.. Where were our 5 captains. Maybe 5 isn’t enough and I thought the commentators were experts. Vossy?

 

[simmo1]

Think some of you are being a bit kind. Any half decent team beats Melbourne comfortably last night.

Brooks had a good highlight reel, but game management is still nonexistent. With Melbourne two men down and 12 points up, he needs to close that one out. He wasn't helped by Peachey running sideways throwing hospital balls. This guy kills structure and momentum by being incapable of taking the sensible option. His team mates often have no idea what he is doing.

Gildart's defence is not NRL standard. Two very poor reads for tries and waving at the ref instead of diving on the ball for the final try.

I thought the forwards were great. I hope Tuilagi is not going to Manly. He looks the goods.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

everyone has summed it up and hut the nail on the head. We need to match the effort and expansiveness of the play from the first half for the whole game if we want any success. They went right into their shell in the second half in attack, especially when the storm started coming for them.

Memo to madge. When the opposition is down to 15 men and you have 17 men, you rotate the bench and ask the players on the field to go even faster. You don't hold back and also play with 15 men until the last 15 minutes. FFS, its basic maths, not quantum physics.

Good to see we finally have a winger to kick to in attack. Ken will score plenty this year