Penrith v Souths semi final

[The Realist]

and has no footwork, and he wasn't to be found backing up a single break either.

Yes I have noticed that about him. He doesn't have a step in him like many elite outside back do. Staines doesn't seem to have one either which means the best we can hope from him is to be a budget version of JAC.

Anyway else also think the Ivan has been crazy not to utilise Tago more? Imagine him moving into the back row at the back end of a game instead of Kenny - who is honestly a complete plodder as a forward. King Katoa is more useful so long as he doesn't make silly errors.

 

[The Realist]

Souths were better tonight End of. We were a bit off got beaten in the middle. I thought we looked flat, What disappionts me on this forum is unless we produce 9 or 10 out of 10 out of 10 performances every week the negativity of some people is terrible. I am confident we can beat the Eels or Knights next week.

It isn't about next week. It is about the week after. We got bashed this game and we already looked tired. We have to aim up against the Eels or Knights who are also physical teams.

Meanwhile Storm had a training run this round and get the next week off.

Anyone with a brain who is honest with themselves know that our season is basically done. I went from being semi-confident to 'hope and pray'.

 

[age.s]

Yep clear no support

We never seem to have support for breaks like that. It's partly a lack of speed, but mostly a lack of players with good instincts in those situations.

 

[unKwn]

Souths were better tonight End of. We were a bit off got beaten in the middle. I thought we looked flat, What disappionts me on this forum is unless we produce 9 or 10 out of 10 out of 10 performances every week the negativity of some people is terrible. I am confident we can beat the Eels or Knights next week.

The problem isn’t next week, actually on second thought it is - with the way we played tonight I’ll be shocked to see us win next week. The bigger problem tho is the prelim. How in the f**k do we beat Storm, I really really don’t see it happening. And if by some f**king miracle we do, we’ll be gassed for the grand final.

 

[herbert henry1908]

As an aside, this is why I hate this finals system. You play all year and make it to second on the ladder, your reward is playing the third placed team, and then if you lose you might have to play the fifth placed team the next week. The reward for a whole regular season is pathetic. Not to mention it makes it harder for a 1v2 GF.

 

[hindy111]

For all you know next week could be a training run for you guys.

Storm will be fresh. They will be hard to beat. But they are still beatable.

One game at a time. If Eels get over the Knights it will be a fun game. I'm guessing you'd be more worried about the Eels then Knights.

 

[hindy111]

As an aside, this is why I hate this finals system. You play all year and make it to second on the ladder, your reward is playing the third placed team, and then if you lose you might have to play the fifth placed team the next week. The reward for a whole regular season is pathetic. Not to mention it makes it harder for a 1v2 GF.

6th or 7th. I like the system. Bottom 4 are sudden death. Top 4 compete for the right of a week off. And also get a 2nd bite at cherry

 

[unKwn]

As an aside, this is why I hate this finals system. You play all year and make it to second on the ladder, your reward is playing the third placed team, and then if you lose you might have to play the fifth placed team the next week. The reward for a whole regular season is pathetic. Not to mention it makes it harder for a 1v2 GF.

Old system was way more flawed

 

[herbert henry1908]

6th or 7th. I like the system. Bottom 4 are sudden death. Top 4 compete for the right of a week off. And also get a 2nd bite at cherry

Old system was way more flawed

This system is simpler to follow, no doubt. But the reward for coming first or second is pathetic. I mean its 24 rounds of slog & toil, you need to reward the best teams.

My preference above all would be to return to a top five. I know that’s highly unlikely, though.

 

[Munky]

Old system was way more flawed

The dogs throwing a game to eliminate the dragons in 04 comes to mind.

 

[age.s]

As an aside, this is why I hate this finals system. You play all year and make it to second on the ladder, your reward is playing the third placed team, and then if you lose you might have to play the fifth placed team the next week. The reward for a whole regular season is pathetic. Not to mention it makes it harder for a 1v2 GF.

The McIntrye system gave a much better incentive for finishing top two.

Incidentally, one we pissed away in 2010.

 

[unKwn]

This system is simpler to follow, no doubt. But the reward for coming first or second is pathetic. I mean its 24 rounds of slog & toil, you need to reward the best teams.

My preference above all would be to return to a top five. I know that’s highly unlikely, though.

This season the reward for 1st and 2nd was no different to 3rd and 4th, but in a normal season without interruptions and relocations 1st and 2nd get a home final week 1. I’d say that’s a pretty good advantage.

 

[age.s]

This season the reward for 1st and 2nd was no different to 3rd and 4th, but in a normal season without interruptions and relocations 1st and 2nd get a home final week 1. I’d say that’s a pretty good advantage.

It's 3rd and 4th that get really screwed in this finals system. You face 1st/2nd away from home, likely lose in a bruiser then face elimination against a team who overcame a much weaker opponent. At least in McIntyre the week 1 match was easier for teams in these scenarios.

 

[maple_69]

Oddly flat performance from our pack. Souths to their credit were much more willing and didn’t crack. Fish has come back in very flat form and I can’t remember anyone but Yeo and Kikau bending the line. Our last pass or that split second decision just seems off while Melbourne ice every half chance. Oh well rather get it out week one. Another week to find our best.

 

[GongPanther]

Imagine if you'd talked Staines and Burton up all year. Talked Crichton up at fullback. Talked down Momo and Edwards. Like you'd just disappear wouldn't you? You'd just slink the f**k away into nothing so no-one would ever have to read your shit dribble again.

Edwards comes back we'll be ok, Leota is pretty necessary too.

We were missing the damaging runs from Leota. Why Ivan put Eisenhuth in his starting place was another puzzling thought.

We have a week to turn this around, and a day longer than next week's opponents. So far, that is the only positive I can draw from this loss.

 

[GongPanther]

If Ivan picks Staines next week he's f**ken lost the plot

He is playing silly buggers like he did when he named May in last year's GF. If we don't win the GF, Cleary deserves to get the sack. But they obviously won't being he and his son are a package deal.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

All the Lets always be positive Panthers Fans;

Fish is the best prop in the game. LOL he wasn't even the 3rd or 4th on the field tonight. He is good - even great but he is not the best and he has been ordinary at the back end of this year.

Cleary is the best player in the game. Yeah LOL f**king went missing tonight. He still has problems with decision making and lack of creativity. He has no Plan B when things are going wrong - just like his old man as a coach. He still is the best halfback and probably 2nd best player in the league but people are talking him up as if he an Immortal certainty.

Gapewell - ordinary - just ordinary. The less I can say about him the better. Glad we didn't get in a bidding war for him.

TPJ - what a lazy merkin.

Burton - fantastic player but still has a bit of derpiness in his decision making.

Luai - ordinary since Origin. Had some good touches but well below his 2020 form.

Ivan Cleary the Super coach myth should be dead and buried. We cannot break down a committed defence to save our lives. Yeah we can comfortably beat shit teams - even good teams. But not Elite teams who are switched on.

No Plan B by the Cleary's - we just looked lost and worse - we looked stupid out there. How many times did we throw the ball away in the Bunnies 20 on the 2nd or 3rd tackle? So so dumb.

Yeah I haven't mentioned Staines yet - he had a forgettable night but I still think this is on IVAN. His chopping and changing of combinations close to and during the finals has been terrible!

We really missed Leota and Sorenson tonight. Eisenplod is not a Top 17 player in any decent team.

Finally - LOL at the Edwards fans. Critta played better than Edwards generally does. The only good thing about Edwards being back in would have been that we'd have Staines out.

I am unashamedly one of those always be positive fans. I like the way we play and love that we are involved in the pointy end of the season. Others may have different expectations than me; that is fine.

I don’t think any of the Penrith players played particularly poorly tonight. Definitely it wasn’t the best effort from many of them and they could have got more involved, scored more SuperCoach points etc, but I don’t anyone had a shocker.

However, from 1 to 17 we were out-enthused by South. That is not just on the players, but also the coaching staff. They also had a better game plan.

But I still stand by the fact that I still think this squad can win the comp. Lift the intensity, execute better and even the bounce of the ball going our way on a few occasions, and we can win this comp. I am not one of those on here saying we will win the comp, but if we play our best game against Parra/Newcastle, Melbourne and then Souths/Manlly then I am confident we have a great chance. The Melbourne game in there is the most daunting, and that was always what we thought would be the case anyway and it just comes a week earlier now.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Is it just me or did we always look to go wide when we hadn't hit it up the middle first.

Yes; we seemed very impatient.

 

[Frankus]

No the absolute f**king worst was Staines. He was f**king dreadful. Absolutely f**king hopeless. Next worse might have been Burton or Crichton, hard to say. Huth gets a pass because he's a journeyman only there because everyone else is injured or played 5 games.

What game were you watching? Everyone knows Staines is good for an opposition try each game.

Burton played well. 1 bad read and you hang him out it dry?
Luai was f**king invisible all game. He did a Cody “origami” Walker and folded under pressure.

it’s really simple why we lost - we played a completely different game to how we usually play, focused on bombs to a rookie fullback who after the first drop was nearly impeccable, and then we were pedestrian in attack for the most part.
Our game plan involved bombs and throwing the ball the Kikau or To’o.
South’s game plan was - tackle hard, run hard and stick to our guns of what has worked all year.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Stick to what works and had worked all season. We went away from that.

This is so true.