Match Discussion: Round 9 vs Warriors @ Mt Smart Stadium

[Das Hassler]

Benji needs his Mr fixit challenges and that should be from coming off the bench when Reynolds is right...leastways i hope that's how it pans out. Something to keep in mind...every side is bringing their A game to play us every week now. .they know it wont ever be a gimme so it's going to be tough week in week out now no matter who we play...thats a good thing to forge a tough winning mindset for this side longterm .

 

[The Charlatan]

The last two games we have let in 9 tries while scoring 6,which makes me think that opposing teams attacks have started to gel,plus they are aware of our defence structures.
While we are not the greatest attacking team we really need to limit handling errors and control the ball better to tire the opposition for when they have a chance to attack,which was something we did well in the early rounds.

We're gifting more ball to the opposition with shit ball security and poor options. We were uncharacteristically (at least for this year,) error riddled against Parra.

The fact we played as shithouse as we did last week and still only lost by two points suggests that if we were more measured in attack in kicking for repeat sets, kicking for corners and making Parra play well out of their own half we would have won.

As Vic said, three of our best defenders are out, and we lose sting in attack as well without Packer. I'm expecting normal services to resume somewhat against the Warriors with ET and Twal back. Our bigger concern is Godinet and Liddle being dominated heavily in middle. Would much prefer MM at hooker to start the game as while not creative he is a starchy defender.

 

[super_coach]

The way I see it, we lack class. There is plenty of grit, but even though we have good depth, we just lack some real class, players that win you games that we just blew. We have a lot of plodders playing out of their skin but at the end of the day they lack that little class needed. We probably only need two players to make our team into a real outfit.

Anyway you cant knock them for effort

 

[The Charlatan]

The way I see it, we lack class. There is plenty of grit, but even though we have good depth, we just lack some real class, players that win you games that we just blew. We have a lot of plodders playing out of their skin but at the end of the day they lack that little class needed. We probably only need two players to make our team into a real outfit.

Anyway you cant knock them for effort

Class wasn't required last week, sensible high percentage play was.

 

[Tiger Ted]

Class wasn't required last week, sensible high percentage play was.

Apart from Thompson the rest of our spine was shithouse.We needed either Brooks or Benji to manage things better & we would’ve got the invaluable 2 premiership pts.The 2 pts were there for the taking coz parra r deadset less than ordinary.

As for Godinet how the FK he continues to b picked as our starting 9 beggars belief.He is the most inept dummy half in the NRL.Additionally it was a major blunder to go into the game with an injured Liddle on the bench.

I still can’t believe that Brooks can produce a stupendous kicking game at brookvale which seems like an aberration & back it up with 2 sub-par kicking games.Brooks still has much work to do to prove to Cleary that he will b worth persisting with beyond ‘19.

If IC’s intention is to remain with us beyond the expiration of his contract in ‘20 then I’ve no doubt his son will b our halfback.

 

[The Charlatan]

Interesting that Lichaa has been dropped, he has shown that he is a decent player when he's allowed to play his game (the last few games of last season where he said he would play his way as he was playing for his future.) If Ivan is obsessed with carrying a second hooker I'd be having a look at Lichaa as our second hooker.

 

[Clifferd]

I think after having Godinet for several weeks I appreciate Macca a lot more now. Sure his passes aren’t crisp but he hits like a truck in defence

Should have a dummy half rotation of him and Liddle.

 

[super_coach]

Apart from Thompson the rest of our spine was shithouse.We needed either Brooks or Benji to manage things better & we would’ve got the invaluable 2 premiership pts.The 2 pts were there for the taking coz parra r deadset less than ordinary.

As for Godinet how the FK he continues to b picked as our starting 9 beggars belief.He is the most inept dummy half in the NRL.Additionally it was a major blunder to go into the game with an injured Liddle on the bench.

I still can’t believe that Brooks can produce a stupendous kicking game at brookvale which seems like an aberration & back it up with 2 sub-par kicking games.Brooks still has much work to do to prove to Cleary that he will b worth persisting with beyond ‘19.

If IC’s intention is to remain with us beyond the expiration of his contract in ‘20 then I’ve no doubt his son will b our halfback.

When you miss 50 odd tackles your almost certainly going to get beaten and we missed these tackles right across the field. Although Benji came up with a couple of brain dead plays, the blame for the defeat lays with our poor defence

 

[Tiger Ted]

When you miss 50 odd tackles your almost certainly going to get beaten and we missed these tackles right across the field. Although Benji came up with a couple of brain dead plays, the blame for the defeat lays with our poor defence

Repeatedly turning the ball over prevented us from getting into any rhythm & in fairness to our halves this didn’t help their cause.Additionally a few dodgy 5th tackle penalties compounded our inability to get any decent field position.

Had the tables been turned & we had the field position parra experienced I’d have expected us to win by at least 20 pts.

Let’s hope we get back in the winners circle tomorrow in Auckland.

 

[Crazyperpman]

Interesting that Lichaa has been dropped, he has shown that he is a decent player when he's allowed to play his game (the last few games of last season where he said he would play his way as he was playing for his future.) If Ivan is obsessed with carrying a second hooker I'd be having a look at Lichaa as our second hooker.

It wont be long before the Bulldogs fire sale starts with only 800k to spend for next year and 12 players to be retained. Lichaa is on decent coin and I would think they are prepared to go with a downgrade at hooker to save money. He wont be at the club for long. Wonder how the Dogs fans are feeling about paying overs for Captain Courageous now?

Lichaa is a good hooker when allowed to run and I agree for the right price he would be a good buy for us.

 

[Clifferd]

1. Corey Thompson
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Esan Marsters
4. Kevin Naiqama
5. Mahe Fonua
6. Benji Marshall (capt.)
7. Luke Brooks
8. Matt Eisenhuth
9. Pita Godinet
10. Ben Matulino
11. Chris Lawrence
12. Robbie Rochow
13. Elijah Taylor

Interchange:
14. Alex Twal
15. Josh Aloiai
16. Michael Chee Kam
17. Sauaso Sue

Reserves:
18. Tim Grant
20. Malakai Watene-Zelezniak

Coach: Ivan Cleary

Obviously gone in with a strong defensive mentality

Godinet worries me, and I’d have grant in for Sue

 

[Tiger05]

That bench is awesome but Godinet is probably going to struggle a lot over 80 minutes. I think Godinet has actually been really really good for us considering I thought he would be lucky to play a game. I think he was better than Liddle last week. Still Godinet to me is not a first grade option at hooker. It's such a critical position and we need Liddle firing in that role and ideally a good back-up option as well.

Our forwards really need to lift their games. I think Grant deserves a run considering how good he was last week.

On paper we still look like an average side but we've been playing well above that level. I really hope we get a win this week.

 

[Clifferd]

It’d be our strongest forward line up minus Packer

I’m assuming Taylor will fill in at dummy half at some stages

 

[Tiger05]

It’d be our strongest forward line up minus Packer

I’m assuming Taylor will fill in at dummy half at some stages

I hope it works.

 

[The Charlatan]

1. Corey Thompson
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Esan Marsters
4. Kevin Naiqama
5. Mahe Fonua
6. Benji Marshall (capt.)
7. Luke Brooks
8. Matt Eisenhuth
9. Pita Godinet
10. Ben Matulino
11. Chris Lawrence
12. Robbie Rochow
13. Elijah Taylor

Interchange:
14. Alex Twal
15. Josh Aloiai
16. Michael Chee Kam
17. Sauaso Sue

Reserves:
18. Tim Grant
20. Malakai Watene-Zelezniak

Coach: Ivan Cleary

Obviously gone in with a strong defensive mentality

Godinet worries me, and I’d have grant in for Sue

If he wanted stronf defence he should have picked Macca instead of Godawful. He gets dominated rather easily and is not much better than Macca in attack.

 

[Vic Mackey]

It’d be our strongest forward line up minus Packer

I’m assuming Taylor will fill in at dummy half at some stages

ET was at Dummyhalf in some of the training pics. Wouldn’t surprise me if he starts there and Godinet off the bench.

I can’t see us winning this, we’re in a bit of a lull and warriors will be pumped after last week. I’ll be at a Bucks party so hopefully some good boobs and rack distract me from the score updates.

No matter the result if we don’t get injuries it will be a relief. Packer, Grub and Liddle should be back next week which will make us full strength for the cowboys at Leichhardt.

 

[Clifferd]

ET was at Dummyhalf in some of the training pics. Wouldn’t surprise me if he starts there and Godinet off the bench.

I can’t see us winning this, we’re in a bit of a lull and warriors will be pumped after last week. I’ll be at a Bucks party so hopefully some good boobs and rack distract me from the score updates.

No matter the result if we don’t get injuries it will be a relief. Packer, Grub and Liddle should be back next week which will make us full strength for the cowboys at Leichhardt.

I dunno, I felt the same in the roosters and Melbourne games so anything can happen

Hahah boobs and rack, who needs footy

 

[Clifferd]

Also I read somewhere this game will be featuring 20 kiwis between the two teams. Wow

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

Also I read somewhere this game will be featuring 20 kiwis between the two teams. Wow

That's got to be close to a record?

 

[Tiger05]

Lichaa is a good hooker when allowed to run and I agree for the right price he would be a good buy for us.

He has been terrible for the dogs. Way too inconsistent for mine. It's definitely though a position we need to sure up.

We need a hooker, ideally an outside back or two and I'd like another forward especially one who is a top line forward. I think Thompson is great for us because he covers fullback or winger and I bet he could cover in the centres as well.

I think we may be better off just going for younger players rather than established stars.