Early season "experts" tipping us top 4, certainly top 8.
Ain't it great now being one of the mathematical mob.
The main difference tonight was their kicking game compared to ours. Whenever they got near our line, they may not have been able to break the line to score, but there end of set attack kicks were leagues better than ours. As was their long kicking game and medium as well for that matter.
Pearce really is not doing the fundamental things right that a team needs from their half to put a good end to sets whether that be finishing on our 40 or their 20. 4 forced drop outs to 1! When we do get down their end and have a chance to build some pressure, our end of set option is invariably poor. Watching Parra attack our line I was comfortable our D would hold them out, but when the last arrived I was nervous everytime due to their potent kicking.
Ponga - Outstanding talent but if he wants to command 1.5mil a year he needs to be the complete player which he isn't there yet. His kicking options when he gets the ball on the last, are generally poor, and he has the occasional rush of blood early in the tackle count and puts a kick through, generally just handing the ball back to the opposition when we had a whole set at them. Tonights game really needed a flash of Ponga brilliance to get the Knights the win but when receiving kicks with open field to run at, he canters along looking for someone 30m away to give the ball to.
We conceded 8 penalties to their 4 so got done again, hard to secure field position and get on the front foot when your consistently giving the opposition free sets. Another 8 errors for the match on top of that and our completions at 80% vs 89 for them and thats the ball game.
The energy was there tonight, the execution wasn't. Pearce and Ponga for mine are the two most responsible for our fortunes, so shoulder most of the blame.