Match Discussion: Round 5 vs Parramatta @ CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal

[WA Tiger]

I hope Maka is better on the wing than centre. He’s a non event at centre in my book. At least he won’t be shooting off to the wallabies next year and will maybe stick around for a while as he hopefully improves out of sight. I expected a lot more impact..he seems to be trying to fend his way through every tackle

 

[glockers]

I hope Maka is better on the wing than centre. He’s a non event at centre in my book. At least he won’t be shooting off to the wallabies next year and will maybe stick around for a while as he hopefully improves out of sight. I expected a lot. more impact..he seems to be trying to fend his way through every tackle

I feel like he is finding is way and not really doing anything wrong. Wing won't be as tough for him.

That said, a stint in NSW Cup is probably beneficial later this year once May is available.

 

[bluntD]

Exactly, been saying it from day dot. He may be wearing 7 on his back but he's playing a combination of a couple of roles, ½, ⅝, link and sometimes one or two in from the wing. He could a ball playing lock off the bench.
It is a decision that will make or break Benji, team selections that is.
I don't think there's too much wrong his coaching especially being inexperienced but it will be his selection of the right players at the right time and the use of his bench throughout the season that I'll judge him on.
Emotion aside, loyalty aside, the team should be the one that trains hard and gels during training and in the game.
Players like To'a might have to wait a few more weeks. Reserve grade won today but noone really stood out as an NRL certainty.
Afoa wasn't all that spectacular and Hunt is getting better in the NRL.
Latu Fainu looks like our future permanent 14 for me. He can rest Api and can play either half or ⅝.
Andrews played well today and looks the goods for the future.

Hey mate, I only saw about 30 mins of the 2nd half but I thought Herbert played pretty well from what I watched.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

I think Madden has to stay in the team, next week I’d be running Madden at half, Luai 5/8, Douehi at left centre, makasini on the wing, Lualilii out.

Is Luai back next week? I thought he was out for 4 weeks?

 

[Speedy Gonzales]

What a horrible game. How did we win that.. I guess we will take the 2nd spot ..not encouraging

I felt the longer the game flowed the better we got, too many stoppages in the 2nd half killed most of our momentum (and the sin bin). Probably bombed about 2 certain tries aswell

Man I can’t wait until May comes back, severely lacking in the centre department

 

[benched tiger]

When Hunt and Sione come on our forward impact increases quite noticeably.

 

[Speedy Gonzales]

Has a mistake in him but Turuva always plays his guts out.

Taylan May is a merkin of a bloke but he's your Xfactor backline player

May would make an instant difference to our side, and plus it would put Mak back on the wing where I think he belongs for the rest of the year

 

[Pezz70]

Is Luai back next week? I thought he was out for 4 weeks?

He was on Tele today saying next week, but Benji hinted in the press conference that this was not the case

 

[Pezz70]

When Hunt and Sione come on our forward impact increases quite noticeably.

Hunt is playing better than I’ve seen him play before, if we could get some more minutes out of him with the same
Intensity it would be fantastic

 

[Vic Mackey]

I felt the way we won was a bit deflating. Yes Walker was miles offside but Jock still should have nailed that field goal, the bloke on his left got closer then Walker did.

After Tavanas try we dominated the field position and should have put Eels away. Their scramble was good but our attack in the 20 is still very poor. Funnily enough the week to try crash plays would have been today, we just kept going side to side, luckily for us we have guys like KPP and Tavana who can create out of nothing.

The Luke sin bin totally changed the game, we were cruising until that. Our left edge struggles in D as it is and Moses is too smart, we were lucky we only copped two tries in that 10 mins.

We've really been missing Skelton and Turuvas runs out of our end. Luke isnt a first grade winger for mine and Tavana is a weapon in attack but doesnt get those sets going. Next week I think we see Toa and Skelton back in the 2 and 4 with Tito on the wing.

Early in the season you just gotta keep banking the wins and we are. Well done guys, big game next week.

 

[innsaneink]

Hunt is playing better than I’ve seen him play before, if we could get some more minutes out of him with the same
Intensity it would be fantastic

He really has made an impact evry game this year when he comes on around 25 mins in.
The weight he's lost in the offseason and extra fitness really paying dividends

 

[innsaneink]

I felt the way we won was a bit deflating. Yes Walker was miles offside but Jock still should have nailed that field goal, the bloke on his left got closer then Walker did.

After Tavanas try we dominated the field position and should have put Eels away. Their scramble was good but our attack in the 20 is still very poor. Funnily enough the week to try crash plays would have been today, we just kept going side to side, luckily for us we have guys like KPP and Tavana who can create out of nothing.

The Luke sin bin totally changed the game, we were cruising until that. Our left edge struggles in D as it is and Moses is too smart, we were lucky we only copped two tries in that 10 mins.

We've really been missing Skelton and Turuvas runs out of our end. Luke isnt a first grade winger for mine and Tavana is a weapon in attack but doesnt get those sets going. Next week I think we see Toa and Skelton back in the 2 and 4 with Tito on the wing.

Early in the season you just gotta keep banking the wins and we are. Well done guys, big game next week.

Yeah we really made it a lot more difficult for ourselves than it needed to be

So much ball at 18-10 and we couldnt extend that lead...then the binning then its 18-18

Should really never have gotten to GP but gotta say the never say die attitude, the fight and hunger we are showing is really fkn awesome

 

[glockers]

I saw some say we should win games in the next lot....

Never say that until we really have proven an ability to win. I can't remember us winning three games in a row in years. We need to prove consistency for more than two games. That's a season long effort, and it could easy collapse. Three in a row would be a great start.

Next week is huge because it would be three in a row, plus it's worth double points in a way because Knights are tied with us in the ladder.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Yeah we really made it a lot more difficult for ourselves than it needed to be

So much ball at 18-10 and we couldnt extend that lead...then the binning then its 18-18

Should really never have gotten to GP but gotta say the never say die attitude, the fight and hunger we are showing is really fkn awesome

YEah i think if we go over to make it 24-10 we end up winning by 30-40. LIke I said credit to the eels but our finishing was terrible.

We certainly seem fit this year, I wouldnt be suprised if we're the second fittest team behind Penrith. That brings belief and sometimes thats all a team needs.

 

[simmo05]

I felt the way we won was a bit deflating. Yes Walker was miles offside but Jock still should have nailed that field goal, the bloke on his left got closer then Walker did.

After Tavanas try we dominated the field position and should have put Eels away. Their scramble was good but our attack in the 20 is still very poor. Funnily enough the week to try crash plays would have been today, we just kept going side to side, luckily for us we have guys like KPP and Tavana who can create out of nothing.

The Luke sin bin totally changed the game, we were cruising until that. Our left edge struggles in D as it is and Moses is too smart, we were lucky we only copped two tries in that 10 mins.

We've really been missing Skelton and Turuvas runs out of our end. Luke isnt a first grade winger for mine and Tavana is a weapon in attack but doesnt get those sets going. Next week I think we see Toa and Skelton back in the 2 and 4 with Tito on the wing.

Early in the season you just gotta keep banking the wins and we are. Well done guys, big game next week.

Take what we can i suppose. We lose that game for the last 10 years! Terrible reffereing, but we have been shafted so many times i couldnt care less when we get some back!

Kpp is a f**king stud, could be one of our best signings!

 

[simmo05]

Yeah we really made it a lot more difficult for ourselves than it needed to be

So much ball at 18-10 and we couldnt extend that lead...then the binning then its 18-18

Should really never have gotten to GP but gotta say the never say die attitude, the fight and hunger we are showing is really fkn awesome

The same shite attack in the opposition 20 we have had for at least 6 years now? So bad at it, hopefully fainu/luai combo will sort it out

 

[innsaneink]

I saw some say we should win games in the next lot....

Never say that until we really have proven an ability to win. I can't remember us winning three games in a row in years. We need to prove consistency for more than two games. That's a season long effort, and it could easy collapse. Three in a row would be a great start.

Next week is huge because it would be three in a row, plus it's worth double points in a way because Knights are tied with us in the ladder.

The ladders deceptive due to the byes, the Knights are going better imo they have 4 wins we have 3 +bye

But yeah, a lot are excited and getting a bit ahead of themselves, media too...I guess this will continue while we win after being losers for so long....one loss tho and it'll be business as usual

 

[Marshall_magic]

Hunt is playing better than I’ve seen him play before, if we could get some more minutes out of him with the same
Intensity it would be fantastic

The changes to the interchange rules have benefited him. You can play two out and put props on the bench, along with an edge forward, then have a back, hooker and half all there if needed and use whichever player is required. Also helps him that 11 out of the starting 13 can produce an 80 minute performance.

 

[AKA Das Hassler]

It's not as if the Eels didn't go out there with a nullifying gameplan of their own. They were up for it!. That push and shove at the sin bin incident was a mitch generated ( wally lewis SOO style) attempt to rattle us and throw us off our game...the "mitch" eels have always downhill skied on packed crowd bogan juice....our guys stayed composed and strong which is proof that we're a grown up side now. Benj and his guys have done an outstanding job with the roster balance and ( lo and behold) the coaching!
Ease up you hard taskmasters and for now at least enjoy the view from up here.

 

[Fordy20]

Have you noticed Fordy that all the winning teams so far are just playing quick tempo footy.
The speed in which the attacking team is playing is attributed to the amount of 6 agains and offloads are more prevalent.
Sir Alex just might get the man of the match tomorrow

Yeah, some people might not like it, but I'll take quick tempo footy over wrestlemania any day of the week. I've really liked what I've seen from Sir Alex this year too.

He is a good player but not a halfback. Luai and Madden should be the halves with AD off the bench.

Agreed. AD is good enough to fill in if someone goes down during a match, but there are better options than him for every starting position. I'd also get Latu playing halfback in NSW Cup too so he can be next man up if Madden gets injured.

Wow, heart thumping stuff, good performance, not great but plenty of ticker shown.

Some stuff to work on but feels good, go the Tigers!!

Glad I didn't have my Apple watch on. It would have been bitching and moaning about my high heart rate during a non-exercise period. Really hapot we came away with the two points.

We've really been missing Skelton and Turuvas runs out of our end. Luke isnt a first grade winger for mine and Tavana is a weapon in attack but doesnt get those sets going. Next week I think we see Toa and Skelton back in the 2 and 4 with Tito on the wing.

I hope that's the backline we see, but I doubt Benji will want to make changes to a winning team.