Match Discussion: Round 13 vs Manly @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[Woody90]

Looking for positives, we played terribly and still won. I know Manly had a lot out and we got lucky with a couple of decisions but we still probably would have lost that last year.

First game with a new spine too, hopefully can get the combinations a bit better over the Bye.

Best was great. Ponga got smashed a lot too and he got back up.

Other than that, pretty dour.

 

[aqua_duck]

How did we manage to have a forward on the bench that only got 14 minutes when we had a backrower miss 20 minutes of the game?

Our bench usage this match was absolutely shameful. It wasn't the only shameful thing... but god...

Just this match?

 

[Yosh]

We did get the 2 points but did we deserve it? Manly were terrible. Would have one try if we didn't throw those intercepts.

We still need a proper hooker. We still need a goal kicker. We still need to use our bench effectively. We still need game management.

I'm happy to see the 2 points on board but our performance was depressing once again.

 

[slotmachine]

Best was great

Butchering try after try is great?

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Crossland struggles a lot. Down on his haunches. No good out there at all like that.
I reckon Mann will be back soon.

 

[slotmachine]

Crossland struggles a lot. Down on his haunches. No good out there at all like that.
I reckon Mann will be back soon.

Crossland might be slightly more tolerable if he was being asked to play 40 minutes a game instead of the coach trying to kill him

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Crossland might be slightly more tolerable if he was being asked to play 40 minutes a game instead of the coach trying to kill him

Agree. O'Brien acknowledged that he can't do 80 but left him out there.
Crossland's double shuffles out of dummy half annoyed me.

 

[mozza91]

Ugly win but got the result in the end.

Scoreline was a bit deceptive. Scored 6 tries to 3 (goalkicking is a massive issue for us) handed them 2 tries on a platter and should have scored a few more.

Thought both the Safs had their best games of the season, Thompson and Fitz were strong and all the outside backs were excellent.

A shitload of improvement is needed but there was some good contributions out there today.

 

[Woody90]

Butchering try after try is great?

I admit I didn’t get to see all of the game. He looked strong that parts I saw.

 

[mozza91]

I admit I didn’t get to see all of the game. He looked strong that parts I saw.

He played really well. Slots is just devastated because we won.

 

[perverse]

I thought Best was really threatening and yeah, should have scored a couple more tries. The least of our worries out there, but I do get with so much other garbage going on that the held-ups feel worse. There was one of those he definitely should have got down (the first one where he didn't get low). The others were as much good desperation from Manly as anything else.

 

[slotmachine]

Thought both the Safs had their best games of the season,

Jacob definitely, game changed when he came on.

Dan was ordinary.

 

[Zoidberg]

Dumb is still killing us.
Defence held up as it should’ve against that Manly side missing so many players, but dumb decisions handed them 2 tries on a platter.
Until we minimise the dumb and learn to kick goals, we will lose more than we win.

 

[Jono078]

I actually will not be surprised if Miller gets 0 minutes.

Which probably proves he was there as security for a Ponga HIA.

 

[Old dog]

A win is a win BUT use of bench was terrible, I didn’t expect Miller to get a run unless an injury occurred or we were 20+ in front with 10 to go BUT what were we doing with playing long minutes with our pack, surely making changes 20-30 minutes in giving Dan, Thompson and Elliott a break with JSaf, Hetherington and Croker a run and bring the others on second half, fresh and ready to finish them off.
The non use of Miller shows a lack of respect for a player, picked but not used and the rest of the team suffered and feel for Crosslands who more than anyone needed a break 10 mins either side of half time, Coach error.

 

[Yosh]

Thompson was a ray of shining light once again. Not a world beater but we are getting great value from him. Gets paid 300k a year but playing like a 600k. We need more value like him from our salary cap.

 

[General Knight]

Didnt get to watch the game but How did KP go being back at fullback?

 

[perverse]

Didnt get to watch the game but How did KP go being back at fullback?

Arguably best on field. Everything he touched was dangerous. We don't win without him.

Also soldiered through a lot of very rough treatment, including 2 or 3 head knocks.

 

[Yosh]

The problem with KP is that he operates at light speed while the rest of the team operates at 30km/h. Our passes out of dummy half are at 2km/h...

I am not going to say another bad word about Crossland anymore because the lad is busting his butt off out there every week. His defense in the middle is excellent and since AOB refuses to sub the poor lad off, he is probably close to fainting every game. Dummy half work is atrocious but it's not his fault suddenly he has be the nest Danny Buderus.

 

[aqua_duck]

Butchering try after try is great?

To be fair though he did well to make a half break and get to the line, there was a set line

The problem with KP is that he operates at light speed while the rest of the team operates at 30km/h. Our passes out of dummy half are at 2km/h...

I am not going to say another bad word about Crossland anymore because the lad is busting his butt off out there every week. His defense in the middle is excellent and since AOB refuses to sub the poor lad off, he is probably close to fainting every game. Dummy half work is atrocious but it's not his fault suddenly he has be the nest Danny Buderus.

agreed, you could tell Crossland was spent in the second half and didn’t help he had Taniela Paseka running at him most of the second half. The dummy half work is definitely not there, few times the forwards had to check their runs because the service is just a split second off. I just don’t really know what attributes Crossland brings to the position besides trying hard, his service and distribution just isn’t there and I don’t think it ever will and he hasn’t got the speed off the mark to be a running threat.