Match Discussion: Round 3 vs Gold Coast @ Cbus Super Stadium, Robina / Yugambeh

[Woody90]

Ponga tried his ass off on two periods of the match.....the first 20 minutes of the match and the last ten (when it was wasted anyway). After that 20 mins, he really did drift away, which is a concern. He did have company though.

I agreed with his comments in the presser. He made a few really crucial errors in attack early on by trying to go for the kill play rather than being patient. To me it really set the tone for how the whole team tried to play the game and I think he knew that and went into his shell.

I’m not concerned about Ponga in the slightest though. He has these games occasionally but bounces back. Just more annoyed than concerned.

 

[Wizardman]

I agreed with his comments in the presser. He made a few really crucial errors in attack early on by trying to go for the kill play rather than being patient. To me it really set the tone for how the whole team tried to play the game and I think he knew that and went into his shell.

I’m not concerned about Ponga in the slightest though. He has these games occasionally but bounces back. Just more annoyed than concerned.

Tonight always had that element of danger game in it. Bounce back factor for the Titans, a few out for your guys in challenging conditions. Knights will be a shitload better.

 

[Allstar Knights]

Watched Pryce in NSW Cup last few weeks and he’s been playing more of an organising role. He has a much bigger boot than Cogger. Worth a shot going Pryce if Gamble isn’t back IMO.

 

[perverse]

Watched Pryce in NSW Cup last few weeks and he’s been playing more of an organising role. He has a much bigger boot than Cogger. Worth a shot going Pryce if Gamble isn’t back IMO.

Literally anyone whose name doesn't rhyme with Slack Flogger

 

[Knight Tales]

Now the media know why we spent 13 million and rolled the dice for ten years on a player who is a hell of lot more talented than Jack Cogger. Now that is hardly a yardstick to go by but our options at present are either duds or not natural 7s. Still confident that Dylan B will click into gear at some point this season and all the conversation around him will go cold for a bit.

Cogger should be done here. Never got the memo that a halfback has to control the game. That when you are going too sidewards and away from what worked for the two weeks previous, then you need to take the reigns and bring it back to that.

 

[Zoidberg]

I agreed with his comments in the presser. He made a few really crucial errors in attack early on by trying to go for the kill play rather than being patient. To me it really set the tone for how the whole team tried to play the game

That goes with how we actually tried to challenge attacking kicks early on which we rarely do. Trying to get an early try instead of letting the Titans get the ball and tackling them deep in their half. It didn’t really cost us too much but you could see it wasn’t the way we usually play.
Mindset was, let’s get the win done and dusted then we can have a bye week off. We aren’t good enough to play anyone without the right attitude going into the game.

 

[SamSepi0l]

Just got back from the ground. From the ground a few things:
1. We didn't seem to respect the Titans and assumed we'd just show up, pull off all our plays and win.
2. We didn't have a plan B. The Titans made a point of shooting out of the line for our one outs and we never ran with a support player for a tap on. We just got them killed time and time again.
3. Cant seemed super underwhelming.
4. We desperately need 3 middles and Brown can't get here quick enough.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I really really hope he don’t move Crossland to halfback. His future is clearly at 9 (or 14 if Arthur develops and kills it) and moving him to 7 for a year just makes him miss out on another year of development at 9. He shouldn’t suffer just because Cogger isn’t up to it. Gamble offers more at half than Crossland anyway IMO.

I see your point but when is Gamble back? That's a lot of Cogger until then

 

[Woody90]

I see your point but when is Gamble back? That's a lot of Cogger until then

They said initially 4-6 weeks, so he’d be close after the bye.

 

[macavity]

Just got back from the ground. From the ground a few things:
1. We didn't seem to respect the Titans and assumed we'd just show up, pull off all our plays and win.
2. We didn't have a plan B. The Titans made a point of shooting out of the line for our one outs and we never ran with a support player for a tap on. We just got them killed time and time again.
3. Cant seemed super underwhelming.
4. We desperately need 3 middles and Brown can't get here quick enough.

Cant had a dig, he is just too small. And if you are gunna be small on an edge, you have to be an athletic freak like a Nikoria. He isn't. His ceiling is probably to bounce in and out of firsts for a few years and then have a decorated 10 year career in the ESL. Less talented pasty Sione.

Agree on the middles. Jones, again, is too small.

Although I thought Crokes was probably our best last night, had a massive dig and was running with purpose.

The attitude from the spine in particular just stunk. We didn't respect the Titans, which is laughable given we had most of our pack out and hadn't beaten anyone yet. We won't disrespect the Dogs, but we also don't have the talent to be anything less than perfect and run with them.

 

[Woody90]

Watched Pryce in NSW Cup last few weeks and he’s been playing more of an organising role. He has a much bigger boot than Cogger. Worth a shot going Pryce if Gamble isn’t back IMO.

To he honest as much as I hate Cogger, if we’re planning on bringing Gamble in when he’s back (I suspect this might be AOB’s plan) I wouldn’t be bringing Pryce or Hastings or Crossland or whoever in just for a couple of games. If it looks like Gamble is going to be out for an extended period I’d definitely bring either Hastings or Pryce in, but it’s a hell of a lot of disruption to the side to go from Cogger to another half to Gamble in just a few weeks, especially when we have a rookie 6 and rookie backrowers.

Given we won the first two games, and Ponga was equally terrible last night (I don’t think Crossland or Brailey were good either), I say AOB will give him another game as he’s not going to want to bring more of a media storm onto the team when they’ve already been copping it. If he stinks it up again Gamble should be very close by then and less disruptive to the team as Gamble also trained at 7 in the pre-season.

Basically I wouldn’t be throwing away everything we worked with over the off season after 1 game. The whole spine showed up with the wrong attitude.

 

[Seage]

Cant had a dig, he is just too small. And if you are gunna be small on an edge, you have to be an athletic freak like a Nikoria. He isn't. His ceiling is probably to bounce in and out of firsts for a few years and then have a decorated 10 year career in the ESL. Less talented pasty Sione.

Agree on the middles. Jones, again, is too small.

Although I thought Crokes was probably our best last night, had a massive dig and was running with purpose.

The attitude from the spine in particular just stunk. We didn't respect the Titans, which is laughable given we had most of our pack out and hadn't beaten anyone yet. We won't disrespect the Dogs, but we also don't have the talent to be anything less than perfect and run with them.

This. All of it.
Good thing we give contract extensions to blokes like Thomas Cant before a game is played because "he trains hard". Really got to lock down bog standard undersized forwards that no other club is interested in.

 

[Woody90]

Tonight always had that element of danger game in it. Bounce back factor for the Titans, a few out for your guys in challenging conditions. Knights will be a shitload better.

Yeah, as shit as it was I’m trying to put it into perspective. I hadn’t expected to win this one anyway given we never do up there and the outs in the pack. Given we seem to be trying to overhaul our attack, making a lot of errors is going to come with that.

I think sometimes when you win consecutive games to start the year it gives you a false sense of your ability. This side aren’t used to winning games early on and the spine obviously got way ahead of themselves thinking they could just put on some easy tries and get to the bye without working for it. I think we’ll be better for it and they’ll learn a lot from it but still really disappointing.

 

[Old dog]

Last nights game was bad, real bad and beaten by a side that got beaten by our next opponent and no likely returns of missing players with a week off to think about it

 

[Yosh]

The McEwen lad looks a goer. Only 19 as well right? Seems a good mix of size, athletic ability and had a real dig. I'd put him ahead of Cant already.

 

[Woody90]

The McEwen lad looks a goer. Only 19 as well right? Seems a good mix of size, athletic ability and had a real dig. I'd put him ahead of Cant already.

Yeah, he needs to bulk up a bit and work on his defence…but he’s was also left defending next to Cogger who left the poor kid on his own so not his fault.

 

[slotmachine]

McEwen won't be ahead of Cant until he can tackle, he was falling off them from the minute he got on the field.

 

[Yosh]

Yeah, he needs to bulk up a bit and work on his defence…but he’s was also left defending next to Cogger who left the poor kid on his own so not his fault.

Cogger basically went to tackle air on that play. McEwen was just on for his debut as well. I'm almost thinking he would be as effective as KPP soon!

 

[ryan.a87]

Maybe they see something in this kid and that’s why they are in no rush to resign kpp

 

[Old dog]

KPP if resigned will have to be reduced amount.
Still likely to have Frizell 2026 with Lucas in 2nd row so if McEwen and ESL can be backup making KPP signing less likely