Match Discussion: Round 15 vs Sharks @ Southern Cross Group Stadium

[Vic Mackey]

Did they pass need to be thrown ? Should it have been thrown ? That was a terrible option. He was good apart from that but that was a critical play that was dumb at the wrong time.

Those plays lose games. If he held the ball we win the game.

I'd let him off for that but I'd tell him that at that time you don't throw that pass.

It was a terrible option but in fairness I reckoned we still find a way to lose the game

 

[macnaz]

Apparently Matty E is Gallens cousin. Any confirmation?

Yep 100%

 

[Vozzy]

Problem is depth we have to pick same 17 next week bar tedasco and woods. I hope no one from under 20s ever plays for our first team. Cleary needs a full off season.

Hard loss to swallow. Had the game. Dumb pass. But overall still shit defense second half. They were making meters easy down both edges. This needs major fixing next year. Plus game management.

The sharks are the blue print for us to mould our team around. 2014 they won 5 games and the spoon. 2015 big culture change plenty of rejects from other clubs went one game from gf. 2016 won gf. They won tonight cos they have learnt how to win games without best players. Where we blow games. They were doing the same only 3 years ago.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Problem is depth we have to pick same 17 next week bar tedasco and woods. I hope no one from under 20s ever plays for our first team. Cleary needs a full off season.

Hard loss to swallow. Had the game. Dumb pass. But overall still shit defense second half. They were making meters easy down both edges. This needs major fixing next year. Plus game management.

The sharks are the blue print for us to mould our team around. 2014 they won 5 games and the spoon. 2015 big culture change plenty of rejects from other clubs went one game from gf. 2016 won gf. They won tonight cos they have learnt how to win games without best players. Where we blow games. They were doing the same only 3 years ago.

Agree, it can be turned around quickly.

The good thing is we won't have any Origin players over the next few years and hopefully can pick up some cheap points over these rounds

 

[glockers]

I thought our young talent in Liddle and Marsters looked good. Our edge defence was mainly good - don't know if Kevvy at fullback was the reason....

Eisenhuth had a good debut. Worth having in our middle rotation.

Taylor was great and I thought Lolohea was better being next to Brooks. I saw signs they can work as a combo.

Sue did alot of tough work but late in the game killed us...

 

[madunit]

I'm actually not too disappointed with that. You look at that Sharks pack and it is still shit tonnes better than ours tonight and we held our own against them for the 80. (Prior, Hino, Lewis, Gallen, Bukuya, Paulo)

Brooks had a decent kicking game. He looks a bit tentative still but thats expected for a young guy returning from an injury.

I'm starting to see a bad occurrence with Lolohea. He short kicks a lot when no one else is expecting it and it just turns the ball over in good field position, and with our players not defensively set.

He needs to rein those in because I can just see a good fullback swallowing one of those and blasting straight through our defensive line to score.

Kev was reliable and at fullback, was not a defensive liability, which was a huge help.

 

[leaguelegend21]

Whoever up there is having a go at Cleary is moronic. We literally have a team full of reserve graders and are still reasonably competitive each week. We have rebuilt magnificently for next year and it is all looking promising.

Kevin played well at fullback with a nice pass for MWZs try. Brooks was very average and his short kicking game was abysmal. Lolohea looked likely but was not overly impressive. Our forward pack stood up but our lack of class 1 through 17 was not enough to get us home.

 

[leaguelegend21]

At this point I think we can only carry one of Masters or Chee Kam and so far Masters has been way better. Carrying Liddle is a waste of a bench spot so hopefully in the off season Ivan can pick which hooker he prefers.

 

[simmo05]

I was not disappointed with the effort. Kev had a decent game at fb. Brooks will take some time, seeing as he is without moses now for the first time in years. The young blokes really had a crack at it too.
As for cleary, you can only piss with the dick you have. This is taylors team, cleary can only be judged after 2019 season in my opinion.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

We literally have a team full of reserve graders

Reading down the page and knew that I was going to mention the reserve graders and then read what you wrote ll21 and agree with you.

For the past few weeks many have stated that we have a large number of reserve graders in the team, Cleary included 2 more yesterday FFS, so for me, yep we lost, as a supporter it's upsetting but it is what it is and the team will come good IMO and learn from these games, even this yea. If they don't learn, they get an F and can f**k off.

Brooks needs to spend more time with the 'life coach' or perhaps his problem is that he is already spending too much time with him.Is he shy? timid? lacking in ability? not sure of his own role? or simply just another reserve grade 1/2 ? Wasn't is said by Moses that JT told him that the team was his? Brooks needs to be told the team is his, otherwise, another F perhaps.

 

[leaguelegend21]

Cleary is already doing a great job playing with a NSW Cup team against seasoned first graders. Last night we had ONE player who definitely walk into other first grade teams and he is a winger. Maybe ET but even then two at most. We simply do not have the cattle next year and for that blame notorious moron Jason Taylor and not Ivan. JT literally set this club back five years. In 2014 we had a great roster of backs and forwards and here we stand with a team full of guys that should be playing footy for a sausage sambo.

This year is our time to blood youngsters and see how they go - we have nothing to lose.

 

[Shredder]

Im with you LL21

Cleary is working with reserve graders and last night we almost got up against the premiers. Yeah they had a few out - but I was more impressed about how we played without our two.

We were more expansive and our defence was better than usual.

We still drop off when the subs come on - but given out run on forwards were largely depth players, our bench was horrible.

Cleary is doing good job with what he has.

Eisenmuth had an outstanding debut. Masters is better every game.
I disagree with the comments on Brookes, I thought he went OK after a few weeks off. He will be better next week.
Lolo played OK considering it was (I think) his first hit out with Brookes.
And Lolo is goal kicking OK to.

 

[Vozzy]

I have been a critic of Kevin Naquima for a year or so but he is proving me wrong I think he has been the most improved player under Cleary. Last few weeks our left edge has been good defensively but last night it was shit again cos he went to fullback. He was our best last night. Caught all his bombs made about 3 try saving tackles and was a handful with the ball.

Where as Nofolouma who I love has been really poor for mine last month or so. I can't tell you what our backline will be like next year. I don't think Lolahea can be guaranteed a fullback spot if Naquima keeps playing well. And noufaluma I don't feel is safe at the moment but hopefully he has a good off season cos I love him with ball in hand. Nofolouma plays like a forward to me when he makes breaks it's up through the ruck. I always wonder if wing is his best position cos he is a poor reader of defense but is a good tackler when someone runs straight at him. He could play a role like Tyrone peachy.

 

[Tiger05]

I should add how good was Naiqama. He gets way too much hate. His defence may be a little suspect but it's not that bad. It just looked bad beacuse everyone wanted to blame Kev rather than Moses and Nofo.

Letting Moses go and picking up Lolo already seems like a good decision.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Vozzy & Tiger05 - yep he is doing some good stuff now and I would be more than happy to see him stay.

Good or bad, winning or losing games all means experience and that's what he has now. He might keep it up, get a new contract and make the newbies fight it out for 'his position' in the off season.

 

[Tiger Ted]

Reading down the page and knew that I was going to mention the reserve graders and then read what you wrote ll21 and agree with you.

For the past few weeks many have stated that we have a large number of reserve graders in the team, Cleary included 2 more yesterday FFS, so for me, yep we lost, as a supporter it's upsetting but it is what it is and the team will come good IMO and learn from these games, even this yea. If they don't learn, they get an F and can f**k off.

Brooks needs to spend more time with the 'life coach' or perhaps his problem is that he is already spending too much time with him.Is he shy? timid? lacking in ability? not sure of his own role? or simply just another reserve grade 1/2 ? Wasn't is said by Moses that JT told him that the team was his? Brooks needs to be told the team is his, otherwise, another F perhaps.

I'm extremely confident we will finally b a competitive team which may challenge for the title @ some stage under IC's tutelage. It was very pleasing watching the promising efforts from Eisenhuth & Marsters both of whom must b in the 17 for the remainder of the season.

The only thing I'm not confident about is whether IC can squeeze anything out of the lemon that is Brooks.This dopey prick is now in his 4th yr of NRL & he still hasn't shown the aptitude to game manage that's commensurate with an NRL playmaker.I can't recall ever seeing a halfback who consistently plays as dumb as he looks !

 

[benched tiger]

I was at the game so couldn't really tell but did Lovett miss the tackle on !ewis to make the long break at the end?

That's a yes,his poor reads in defence contributed to both late Shark tries.

 

[Crazyperpman]

The only thing I'm not confident about is whether IC can squeeze anything out of the lemon that is Brooks.This dopey prick is now in his 4th yr of NRL & he still hasn't shown the aptitude to game manage that's commensurate with an NRL playmaker.I can't recall ever seeing a halfback who consistently plays as dumb as he looks !

I understand the frustration, but in all honesty, I was at the game last night and just watched the replay and the kid busted a nut. The amount of times he was chasing down Sharks players after breaks and clearing up kicks showed the effort and intent. I think Brooks has been behind a beaten pack for most of his time and also stuck next to halves partners Anasta and Moses.

Brooks needs some sort of mentoring, which I feel he has lacked, he has no feel for the game or as you mention, no game management skills, his short kicking game is also diabolical at times, A year or two with Benji would have done him a world of good. One of the key things missing in the Tigers is a player that can take control of a game a close it out. Hopefully Reynolds can help next year. But we also have to be mindful that the time for Brooks to come good is running out and we dont want to be flogging a dead horse, but for now I am willing to wait it out and give him a fair go.

I am ok with Lolohea so far, he does overuse the short kick, but I would put this down to not knowing Tigers structures yet (If we have any). He obviously is carrying a few kegs and once he loses this he will gain a couple of yards of pace and not get so tired quickly, helping his decision making. Defense will be where he is tested.

The one thing I did notice last night was there was zero talk, Sharks had Lewis, Heigno, Gallen & Co all calling each other into the line, geeing up the younger guys and this was what got them home. Tigers have absolutely no leadership on the field and are a bunch of individuals doing their best and when the team is full of flogs you are going to struggle.

 

[madunit]

That lack of talk comes down to fielding a lot of rookies and having a quiet bloke like Taylor as captain.

 

[Tiger05]

That lack of talk comes down to fielding a lot of rookies and having a quiet bloke like Taylor as captain.

I don't believe this at all. ET is a quality person and I don't think he is the problem. I think we just are a crud team at the moment but that will change. Our stars are dickheads. Brooks has a lot to learn. If he doesn't learn quickly we will have to move him on but I hope that doesn't happen.