Match Discussion: Round 3 vs Dolphins @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton

[Jono078]

Really need a guy like Marzhew in to take some pressure off the forwards.

You'd almost have him on the bench just for some impact runs in the middle at very least.

Doing ourselves a disservice by not playing Marzhew.

 

[Allstar Knights]

You'd almost have him on the bench just for some impact runs in the middle at very least.

Doing ourselves a disservice by not playing Marzhew.

Yeah, definitely.

Even his ability to fight in every tackle and earn a penalty he's probably one of the best at. Things like that take lots of pressure off the forwards getting in good attacking positions. Forwards don't have to work as hard coming out of your own end all the time.

 

[Yosh]

Probably a totally different team runs out on match day. Probably also get blown off the park. Excited to see Gamble at least sledge someone. Fitzy has been the last two weeks, hopefully he scores again. Just fingers crossed we get no more injuries.

 

[Knight Tales]

Hard to see a victory. You can’t win with a bench like that surely.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Croker would be the only bench player I’d expect to play big minutes. AOB will be asking for another big yardage game from the back 5.

 

[Apey]

Dolphins -4.5 @ 1.90 sounds like they havent seen our line-up.

 

[mozza91]

Dolphins -4.5 @ 1.90 sounds like they havent seen our line-up.

They probably saw the Dolphins lineup.

 

[K-Man]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say we win this one. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but these seem to be the types of games we do better in than when we are actually expected to perform well or when the opposition is the one massively impacted by injury, suspension, rep duty, etc.

The final 17 will probably look very different to the one named, but oddly enough for all the chaos the starting 13 does not look that bad overall. The backline isn't a makeshift one at least, and I expect the 1-5 will all be instructed to really step up in the metre eating to keep the starting forwards fresher to play longer minutes than usual. The young forwards won't get all that much game time.

Both teams have lost their starting hooker so that somewhat evens itself out, and Crossland did actually play quite well. Most importantly he defended well. I don't mind the Gamble/Hastings combo, it lacks the class of Ponga but you could immediately see the influence of a Gamble type player when he came on, and he does at least ask some questions. Miller got better as the game went on.

Do I think we will suddenly become an attacking force or play super intelligent football? No. But it's a home game, the defensive desperation from last week can't be questioned, and as well as the Dolphins have done so far I don't see them as an attacking juggernaut. They got a bit lucky, and statistically the Raiders dominated them.

Knights by 2 points in a low-scoring, dour affair with both sides playing the percentages and defending well. Gamble the Player of the Match. Thompson and Croker to showcase their ball-playing for some important touches.

OR we might just get absolutely hammered with our bench later described as the worst in NRL history.

 

[Yosh]

Hastings with a drop goal to win it maybe? That'll be gold.

 

[Apey]

They probably saw the Dolphins lineup.

Only missing one player from their team that is 2 - 0. An important player, sure. But they seem like a better team than us when we're at full strength. They won't attack like the Tigers.

Dolphins by 12. Would love to be wrong though.

 

[mozza91]

They’ll fall back down to earth with a thud soon. Probably not against us because of the players out but soon.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Our left edge will be watching their ribs with Kaufusi stalking them all game, waiting for an opening

 

[SamSepi0l]

Our left edge will be watching their ribs with Kaufusi stalking them all game, waiting for an opening

Kinda glad KP isn't playing now.

 

[Jono078]

Kinda glad KP isn't playing now.

Poor Tyson Gamble. He won't be so chirpy after meeting Felise.

 

[aqua_duck]

Put Best in the fwds

The irony is he’d get more attacking opportunities in the forwards because we seem to use our outside backs are metre eating battering rams and use our forwards to take one out hit ups in the red zone

 

[PhilGould]

 

[Frederick]

Dane can barely string 5 coherent words together. Surely there's better options as captain?

 

[Knight Tales]

Really looking forward to watching Leo go again this week. That promise he showed early on looks likely to be fulfilled. He is a middle. We better be ready for the inevitable interest in him. His value is going ^^^^^

 

[Yosh]

Used to hate Gagai but since he has come back, I've really grown to like him again. Hopefully he can lead the team to a win as captain!

 

[PhilGould]

Watching the press conference he actually says Hastings will be the one handling the coin toss & captain's challenge so Gagai is either co-captain or just ceremoniously leading the team out onto the field for his milestone game.