Match Discussion: Round 6 vs Wests Tigers @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[perverse]

Call me a weirdo but I like this team better than the one named last week. I mean if we hold the ball who knows right. Interested to see how Tyrone goes. He looked too slow and cumbersome for me in the pre-season, but we'll see.

I do think Crossland at 7 will improve things. Not because I think he's good there, but Cogger has been so incredibly gifted at getting caught with the ball everywhere on the field that I think he's been a big part of the rot setting in. Literally all he's had to do is get the ball along the backline, and he hasn't even been able to do that effectively. I'm not even demanding he straightens the attack at this point, just give the ball to someone else. He hasn't even managed that - way, way too often. A lot of frustration and bad execution has come off the back of that. It's just completely killed any rhythm we could have built at any point. At the very least, having Phoenix there should calm the rest of them down a bit with the ball.

Pay attention to Kalyns attitude on the field this week now that he doesn't have to deal with Jack. If it improves, we'll probably have our answer about where he's been the past couple of games, too.

It's heartbreaking that Gamble has picked up what is clearly a long term injury in the pre-season too. As usual, very little info out of the club on when we can expect him back... but god he would help a lot right now. He was so clearly and obviously our 7 in the pre-season.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

 

[Yosh]

Would have been good to see us line up with both twins. Would have been funny but that boats gone!

 

[Zoidberg]

Anyone hoping for a change and for us to have some attacking plays this week might be disappointed. Coach will be drilling for a high completion safety first footy with this many changes to the team.
Possibly another scoreline like round 1 vs Tigers.

 

[mozza91]

Anyone hoping for a change and for us to have some attacking plays this week might be disappointed. Coach will be drilling for a high completion safety first footy with this many changes to the team.
Possibly another scoreline like round 1 vs Tigers.

We haven’t been able to hold onto the ball yet this season so it’d be a start.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I hope we will win it because you have too many souls out, but last time I checked, you remained favourites.

Of your crew playing, here are my fave players:

1. Sharpe
2. Ponga
3. Marzhew
4. Leo

It’s pretty much our season ( and maybe Benji) gone if we fail to win this one as we have our 9th placed team ready, almost all of our used pantherage available and JL desperately needs his break out game.

We are pretty nervous.

Otherwise, with your injury crisis, you have every reason not to take it.

It should be a great game.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Anyone hoping for a change and for us to have some attacking plays this week might be disappointed. Coach will be drilling for a high completion safety first footy with this many changes to the team.
Possibly another scoreline like round 1 vs Tigers.

I won't care what the scoreline is if we win

 

[Zoidberg]

We haven’t been able to hold onto the ball yet this season so it’d be a start.

Yeah, I’m not bagging playing that way this week at all.

 

[Woody90]

Call me a weirdo but I like this team better than the one named last week. I mean if we hold the ball who knows right. Interested to see how Tyrone goes. He looked too slow and cumbersome for me in the pre-season, but we'll see.

I do think Crossland at 7 will improve things. Not because I think he's good there, but Cogger has been so incredibly gifted at getting caught with the ball everywhere on the field that I think he's been a big part of the rot setting in. Literally all he's had to do is get the ball along the backline, and he hasn't even been able to do that effectively. I'm not even demanding he straightens the attack at this point, just give the ball to someone else. He hasn't even managed that - way, way too often. A lot of frustration and bad execution has come off the back of that. It's just completely killed any rhythm we could have built at any point. At the very least, having Phoenix there should calm the rest of them down a bit with the ball.

Pay attention to Kalyns attitude on the field this week now that he doesn't have to deal with Jack. If it improves, we'll probably have our answer about where he's been the past couple of games, too.

It's heartbreaking that Gamble has picked up what is clearly a long term injury in the pre-season too. As usual, very little info out of the club on when we can expect him back... but god he would help a lot right now. He was so clearly and obviously our 7 in the pre-season.

Although I still much prefer him over Cogger, main issue with Crossland is neither he or Sharpe are playmakers, they’re both runners. We must be hoping KP is going to play mostly 7 from the back otherwise I can’t see how it works. At the same time though Cogger wasn’t working regardless so I’m fine with it. Such a shame Gamble’s injured as this would have been his chance to get back in the side and stay there.

 

[Woody90]

I hope we will win it because you have too many souls out, but last time I checked, you remained favourites.

Of your crew playing, here are my fave players:

1. Sharpe
2. Ponga
3. Marzhew
4. Leo

It’s pretty much our season ( and maybe Benji) gone if we fail to win this one as we have our 9th placed team ready, almost all of our used pantherage available and JL desperately needs his break out game.

We are pretty nervous.

Otherwise, with your injury crisis, you have every reason not to take it.

It should be a great game.

Yeah I was so shocked to see we were favourites. I loaded up on the Tigers straight away. I reckon it will swing by game day.

If we manage to hold the ball I give us a small chance but even then it’s unlikely. The young blokes filling in the pack will have to have another all timer, but I worry they might be a bit beaten up after how many minutes they had to play on Sunday.

Even before all the injuries I reckon you blokes would be too strong. We struggled to win in R1 when Api and Bula were out. We just seem incapable of holding the ball.

 

[perverse]

Although I still much prefer him over Cogger, main issue with Crossland is neither he or Sharpe are playmakers, they’re both runners. We must be hoping KP is going to play mostly 7 from the back otherwise I can’t see how it works. At the same time though Cogger wasn’t working regardless so I’m fine with it. Such a shame Gamble’s injured as this would have been his chance to get back in the side and stay there.

I think Phoenix will move the ball much more freely than Cogger has the past 2 matches, I guess is my point. I also back Brailey above Phoenix as a ball distributer. So to my mind, when I look at both positions, they've been strengthened by virtue of Cogger being a true doorstop for all ball movement and Phoenix being more of an effort player than a skills player. At least in moving the ball to the people who need it. I just can't see how it could possibly be worse than on Sunday. That was truly dire and frustrating.

 

[perverse]

Anyone hoping for a change and for us to have some attacking plays this week might be disappointed. Coach will be drilling for a high completion safety first footy with this many changes to the team.
Possibly another scoreline like round 1 vs Tigers.

I'll honestly take this if we can hold onto the ball. That is fine. We clearly need to build into our football again.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Phoenix at 7 is a clear upgrade on Cogger, which is really saying something. At least Phoenix was playing at half when we went on our little run at the end of last season and snuck into the finals so there’s a bit of recent form to go off. At least he’s able to get the ball to the guys who really need it (KP and Sharpe)

I actually think we still have them covered in the backs despite Schiller being out but it’s the mismatch in the forwards that really worries me, especially the look of our bench.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

This is a repost from our forum sage @Vic Mackey.




Im more optimistic, the experience and that JL is long overdue for a marquee game.

But vic coughs and our forum usually gets a cold!

 

[Yosh]

Why is there a 13+ option? We can't score more than 10 points a game...

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

After the team announcements, including the return of our captain, our best winger and our player of the year last season….the market was so impressed….

….it moved a whole 5 cents in our favour.

What could you buy instead?!

 

[slotmachine]

At least Phoenix was playing at half when we went on our little run at the end of last season

Was 5/8 in the role sharpe is currently filling, cogger/gamble were the halfback

 

[Woody90]

Re Crossland being the halfback when we went on a run, I think it was more related to us just coming into the time of the year we play our best football, rather than anything Crossland (or Cogger) did individually.

Saying that though he’s still an upgrade. Can’t afford for Ponga to disappear this week again though. Both Crossland and Sharpe are running halves only, and I worry if Kalyn goes missing again Crossland is going to try and play above his ability and that’s when he gets really stupid. If Ponga was pissed off with Cogger like I’ve seen some people suggesting there’s no excuse now.

 

[ryan.a87]

People complaining about having 2 running halves this weekend are in for some bad news for the next 10 years when Brown arrives

 

[slotmachine]

People complaining about having 2 running halves this weekend are in for some bad news for the next 10 years when Brown arrives

Going to be an interesting preview, with the caveat that Brown is 10 times the half Crossland will ever be