Match Discussion: Round 8 vs Warriors @ Mt Smart Stadium

[alexwilliams_66692007]

13+ wins 2 weeks in a row..

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Great win boys!!!

 

[Seage]

Our defensive contact was really strong all day.

 

[Zoidberg]

Very good performance and what we’ve expected to see this year.
Enthusiasm all around in defence and attack. Making those 1% plays.
So happy to see the boys playing like this, win or lose.

 

[PhilGould]

Good stuff, solid across the board. Should handle the Dogs easily next week if we're fair dinkum.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Good stuff, solid across the board. Should handle the Dogs easily next week if we're fair dinkum.

Should have Ramien back for that game too !

 

[Seage]

Good stuff, solid across the board. Should handle the Dogs easily next week if we're fair dinkum.

Cue infuriating 24 point loss.

 

[Zoidberg]

Cue infuriating 24 point loss.

Don’t be that guy (although it’s in all our heads)
Gotta be positive.

 

[NK Arsenal]

Positives - line speed, Pearce having a pearler of a game, Watson and Levi’s speed out of dummy half, completion rate

Negatives - late penalties, Barnett is not an 80 minute player

 

[Zoidberg]

When it got to 18-18 the Warriors had the crowd behind them and were coming for the win. Good to see us keep our composure and get back in charge.

 

[Joel-22]

I've said this before, but i'll say it again; Hunt has been such a surprise packet. He is defensively solid and exceptionally strong both in attack and defence. To think people were pissed when we signed him and released Dennis...

I'd still like to see us prioritise a solid 5/8.

 

[aqua_duck]

Positives - line speed, Pearce having a pearler of a game, Watson and Levi’s speed out of dummy half, completion rate

Negatives - late penalties, Barnett is not an 80 minute player

Hit the nail on the head, and unfortunately carrying 3 middle forwards on the bench doesn't allow us to spell Barnett.

 

[Joel-22]

Hit the nail on the head, and unfortunately carrying 3 middle forwards on the bench doesn't allow us to spell Barnett.

How do you change that?
I think it's out of Herman or Gavet as King has outperformed them both imo. Herman is softer defensively than Gavet but a much more dynamic runner of the ball.
Once Ramien is fit

14.Mann
15.King
16.Herman
17.Sione

 

[Frederick]

Best and most complete game I've seen us play for a long time.

Perfect with the ball in the first half, 91% completion rate in the end.

Perfect game plan to minimise the impact of RTS

Pearce has gone to another level the last couple of weeks

 

[Yosh]

This has been Watson's best game this season.

I'm hating all of Pearce's touch finders. It's like there's no confidence in our energy or fitness to apply the heat.

I thought this was the most professional game I have seen from us in a long long long time. We took RTS out of the game. Their best and most dangerous player. We looked so good today. Unbelievable from us today.

 

[Jono078]

Anyone else concerned Ponga may miss next week for his trip? I don't know how the NRL rule on trips but I believe he is on report?

 

[Frederick]

Right side D is still the biggest problem, but the teams ability to scramble *mostly* makes up for it

 

[Swarzey]

That should be our baseline performance, 100%. Everything was just solid; attack was well structured, defence was overall better bar the right edge although I feel that boiled down to the reshuffling than anything else. Discipline needs to improve; felt hard done by a few times but others were pretty blatant.

Pearce's form has been incredible as well. He really does transform this team in attack when he's at his best.

 

[Yosh]

We were perfect. Maybe 2% minus for those late penalties but we did it all.

Pearce played an amazing halfback's game. Levi and Watson playing hooker is like having two Damien Cooks with unlimited energy causing mayhem for the whole 80 minutes. Ponga is god.

I was really impressed with our forwards today. We dominated the Warriors pack in every way. Shut down their offloads, drove them back, slowed down their ruck immensely. Been really impressed with Josh King lately. Making good metres and getting quick play the balls. Gavet is much better off the bench and Ese'ese needs to be our impact guy off the bench.

Probably my favorite game from the past few years. We looked like a professional NRL side today. I'm happy to have Mann on the bench coming on as 6 to give Watson a go at 9 during the game. Team is gelling nicely and I can't see us missing out on the 8.

 

[PhilGould]

Anyone else concerned Ponga may miss next week for his trip? I don't know how the NRL rule on trips but I believe he is on report?

I'm pretty sure the new rule is just an automatic fine for tripping, no suspension.

Edit: Grade 1 is a $1500 fine, grade 2 or 3 can result in suspension. Can't remember the last time we've seen a grade 2+ trip and I doubt Ponga's will be ruled one either.