Match Discussion: Round 2 vs Warriors @ Central Coast Stadium

[Zoidberg]

6-0 warriors
When you add in penalties it was 10-6.

Ok thanks. Felt like it too.

 

[Tony Morris]

If Bailey Hodgson is half the player he's meant to be I wouldn't re-sign hoy.

He, Watson, Crossland and Mann are all off contract

Hodgson's a different gravy. Shame about his knee preseason. Said all day long in my opinion there's plans for Hodgson to FB come 2022/2023. Whether that's to move KP to the halves similar to what Raiders did with Wighton or covering their backs if he leaves us early as some have suggested?

 

[slotmachine]

They gave him a 3 year top 30 deal so someone rates him.

Hoy is small and not very skillful. That combo does not an NRL player make, even if your dad is best mates with the 8th.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

That felt like a game we'd have lost in the past. Satisfying victory.

Speaking of Bailey Hodgson, does anyone have a time frame on his expected return?

 

[Tony Morris]

That felt like a game we'd have lost in the past. Satisfying victory.

Speaking of Bailey Hodgson, does anyone have a time frame on his expected return?

Heard another 4/5 weeks till he's back full training, also read they could push him earlier but was wanting to make sure he was 100% and wasn't in any rush to get him back on the field. Kids only 18 so plenty of time

 

[Yosh]

I think we all saw why Hunt has to be on the wing instead of Tuala. He was safe under the high ball, strong returns and made the right decision time and time again on defense. I hope we resign him because he is mister consistent for us.

Crossland was offside or went too early all game. I think 5 of the set restarts were due to him. Hopefully he learns because without those, I doubt the Warriors score today. Starford also had a bad game defensively I thought but wasn't a glaring issue.

We won due to Barney's goal kicking. Surely he gets to keep taking them even if Ponga returns? Had a low trajectory compared to others but they curve like a boomerang and are dead on target. He is also a breath of fresh air out there on the left, I can't see how Ftizy gets back into the team. Perhaps for Jones to keep that bench warm.

Pearce had a really nice grubber and lovely spiral torpedo today. Wanna see 10 of each every game please. Also, if he let Crossland kick every third of forth kick, the defenders wouldn't pressure him so quickly all the time as they are in two minds. Why didn't he let Crossland kick?

Watson with a great wrap around play to put Best though. I hope we see more of where that came from.

Really pleased with the solid win tonight. Let's stay top of the league for the whole season!!

 

[Jono078]

Not sure if anyone noticed but Crossland did get hooked (or subbed to be a little nicer) in the 73rd minute and it was Watson who went to 5/8th and eventually put Best into that hole which eventually led to our winning try.

Connor may be 5/8th next week if Mann is still no good.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

We won due to Barney's goal kicking. Surely he gets to keep taking them even if Ponga returns? Had a low trajectory compared to others but they curve like a boomerang and are dead on target.

AOB said in the press conference that Barnett doesn't want to give up the goal kicking when Ponga gets back

 

[Zoidberg]

Not sure if anyone noticed but Crossland did get hooked (or subbed to be a little nicer) in the 73rd minute and it was Watson who went to 5/8th and eventually put Best into that hole which eventually led to our winning try.

Connor may be 5/8th next week if Mann is still no good.

I did notice Watson in Crossland’s position to set up the last try. I really hope Mann is good to go because having Watson be able to roam is probably more dangerous and with less pressure on him. I like him in the 13, even though he has started off the bench so far.

 

[Old dog]

Think Crosslands off sides were more a case of enthusiasm than bad play, 73mins first full game in first grade isn’t bad, probably dead tired. I’m not ready to dump him yet but 5/8 is a serious problem with no standout for future years and from what little I’ve seen Cliffords arrival might not solve to much

 

[slotmachine]

ponga is the standout 5/8 option, but not just yet.

 

[Tony Morris]

Ponga to 5/8 2022 Hodgson FB

 

[slotmachine]

might be a year early with pearce still around. but thats my take.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Credit: NRL instagram

 

[Burwood]

Pearce played much better than the back of last season, but it is still very worrying with some of his game management. 2 minutes to go and Newcastle are attacking their line- everyone knows that the team should be looking for a repeat set, and instead Pearce is tackled on the 5th. Same thing at the back of the first half when he drills the ball over the sideline from 20m out.

And I’m not sure about the coaching tactic of consistently putting up bombs from halfway. How many of them were actually contested? Hopefully it was just a tactic to negate having their wingers run the ball back and it isn’t the same each and every week.

 

[Jono078]

Pearce played much better than the back of last season, but it is still very worrying with some of his game management. 2 minutes to go and Newcastle are attacking their line- everyone knows that the team should be looking for a repeat set, and instead Pearce is tackled on the 5th. Same thing at the back of the first half when he drills the ball over the sideline from 20m out.

And I’m not sure about the coaching tactic of consistently putting up bombs from halfway. How many of them were actually contested? Hopefully it was just a tactic to negate having their wingers run the ball back and it isn’t the same each and every week.

It is the same each and every week and has been for the past couple of years. Just have to accept it's a Pearce thing.

 

[Yosh]

I don't mind the bombs but I wish we were contesting them. The ones we did we almost got a result each time. Or at least make it a torpedo.

Pearce I think kicked it early once on the forth and kicked it into the corner behind the winger and fullback. Why don't we do that more often??

 

[Frederick]

Pearce played much better than the back of last season, but it is still very worrying with some of his game management. 2 minutes to go and Newcastle are attacking their line- everyone knows that the team should be looking for a repeat set, and instead Pearce is tackled on the 5th. Same thing at the back of the first half when he drills the ball over the sideline from 20m out.

And I’m not sure about the coaching tactic of consistently putting up bombs from halfway. How many of them were actually contested? Hopefully it was just a tactic to negate having their wingers run the ball back and it isn’t the same each and every week.

I have no issue getting tackled on the last with 2 minutes to go. Means they're forced to take it 99 metres for the win. If Pearce went for a repeat set, chances are it goes dead and the warriors get 7 tackles from their 20. It was a smart move tbh

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I have no issue getting tackled on the last with 2 minutes to go. Means they're forced to take it 99 metres for the win. If Pearce went for a repeat set, chances are it goes dead and the warriors get 7 tackles from their 20. It was a smart move tbh

Spot on mate. Running it into the corner on the last is wet weather footy 101

 

[Burwood]

Spot on mate. Running it into the corner on the last is wet weather footy 101

If Pearce or Brailey ran to the corner I’d understand. But Pearce was tackled about 3m to the right of the posts, then Brailey directly in front of them. It wasn’t a set play, it was Pearce doing his usual ploy of running the ball on the 5th and the team not having another competent playmaker to put a polished end to the set.

I honestly can’t think of another half, let alone one with 299 NRL games experience, who gets tackled on the 5th as often as he does.