R22 | Sharks 14-18 Knights @ Remondis | Sat 7.30pm

[Yosh]

I think teams kick to Uate because McManus dominates the highball. Uate has improved dramatically and over time I think they'll end up kicking randomly again. Leulia has some great carries in him also. Great pick up by WB!

 

[The Showstopper]

I think the Dane and Aku show is slowly awakening at just the right time. If it does who knows how far we will go. We are atcually getting players back at the right time rather than the usual season killing shite we have put up with for years. I hope Cuthbo's injury isn't too severe. Our most undervalued player IMO. He is good for us. Real good. We all thought we had bought a dud but he does his job better than most bench forwards going around.

 

[Big Tim]

I think teams kick to Uate because McManus dominates the highball. Uate has improved dramatically and over time I think they'll end up kicking randomly again. Leulia has some great carries in him also. Great pick up by WB!

I am not talking attacking kicks.

When was the last time JMac had a kick return? I know he was out the other week, but it seems like a long time ago. Come to think of it, the Donkeys barely kicked to Kev the other night.

 

[Zoidberg]

Because Aku is known to have dropped sitters with no pressure. He's definitely improved in the last half of this season but oppositions are still hoping for that one dropped ball.
If he keeps up his good form and hard returns they might start going back to Jimmy.

 

[Yosh]

I am not talking attacking kicks.

When was the last time JMac had a kick return? I know he was out the other week, but it seems like a long time ago. Come to think of it, the Donkeys barely kicked to Kev the other night.

I was talking about both lol!

 

[Jono078]

Yeah not sure why teams are going towards Uate's side more lately.

Maybe they fear BJ taking the 2nd hit up? Once Uate starts making those clean linebreaks again they'll start going the other way.

 

[Big Tim]

Yeah not sure why teams are going towards Uate's side more lately.

Maybe they fear BJ taking the 2nd hit up? Once Uate starts making those clean linebreaks again they'll start going the other way.

I think thats exactly what it is.

JMac spins to his stomach, gets a fast PTB and Joey always beats at least one retreating defender.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Jimmy actually dives to the ground on contact, often between players, and gets the QPTB. Its bloody outstanding how consistently he manages it no matter how many defenders get to him.

 

[voltron]

our defense was outstanding
they had 190 runs for 1480m
but we had 131 runs for 1258m
they had 60 more runs but only 200 more metres.

totally agree with Joker's Wild on Jimmy's play the balls.
Uate tries to run through them and then gets pushed back so often.
doesnt happen much to jimmy
last year we even started to use him to set up our 5th tackle kicks

 

[Nuffy]

I didn't think it was a bad game.

We had everything running against us, refs, penalties, 50/50's and a tough game the week before but we just keep hanging in. That is the most pleasing thing.

The refs gave us nothing and yet we prevailed. I couldn't believe what the Sharks were allowed to get away with.

I thought that Mullen was enormous, he is playing really well. Gagai and Uate seems to be more effective than they have been for quite some time, they are coming good at the right time.

We are a big man short currently and the loss of Cuthbo is another injury we can ill afford.

Our goal line defence was awesome, they had 4 line dropouts which they defended.

I really don't know what to make of Boyd, he is a star with sublime skills who just doesn't seem interested. I can't believe that Bennett would be happy in the effort. What makes him tick?

I didn't think that Gids was too bad for the first run back, he just needs to be more relaxed when he injects himself, he does try too hard.

Finally, I know that we have Gagai and Leulia signed for a couple more years but I'd love to see them on long term deals, they could be anything.

 

[rnb11]

without mason, scott, mckinnon and cuth going off early i think we did well to grind out one of the best forward packs in the game. their determination over the last few weeks i have not seen better in years.

snowden became the first ever knights prop to make 50+ tackles, he needs to be in that sort of form this weekend

 

[The Showstopper]

On Gagai i can see him playing fullback one day.

 

[Big Tim]

Jimmy actually dives to the ground on contact, often between players, and gets the QPTB. Its bloody outstanding how consistently he manages it no matter how many defenders get to him.

I guess I wasnt clear. It happens too often to not be a plan from him. He does it better than anyone I can think of. He doesnt sacrifice metres or contact for getting to his stomach. It is what gets our set going in the right direction.

For those wanting Boyd to return the ball, why? Uate and McManus' best assets are their strong carries.

 

[The Showstopper]

I think Boyd's passing the ball to the winger's on a kick return is a Bennett plan. I think it is unfair to single Boyd out for it. Maybe Bennett thinks more yards come from Aku and James returning the first tackle as Tim has mentioned. I know it makes Boyd look weak but it is what it is. Also Darius often goes to dummy half early in a set. There is a tactic to it i believe.

 

[perverse]

I guess I wasnt clear. It happens too often to not be a plan from him. He does it better than anyone I can think of. He doesnt sacrifice metres or contact for getting to his stomach. It is what gets our set going in the right direction.

For those wanting Boyd to return the ball, why? Uate and McManus' best assets are their strong carries.

The time wasted with Boyd looking for his support and the ball being passed to him completely nullifies any extra ground one of our wingers might make, for mine. If it's a Bennett plan, which I don't feel there is really much evidence for, I don't really see it as effective unless he doesn't back Darius' ability to get a quick PTB or he's worried about Darius acting like a princess too much.

Actually, that's probably the best reason to not be overly worried about it, for mine. At least our little princess isn't getting upset every time the kick chase hammers him at full speed. Darius doesn't seem to like the physical aspect of the game too much... he'll do just about anything to avoid contact. I reckon he's duffed more than a few tries over the years trying to protect his body rather than worrying about how the ball is going to meet the ground.

The only time you'll ever see Boyd put his body on the line is in a really big game - finals or origin mostly... and even then you might still only get 2 or 3 genuinely hard fought kick returns in the entire match. You can't take Boyd's talent away from him, but you can certainly question his heart. If he had heart then he'd be a much, much better player... and genuinely thought of as an elite fullback of the game... rather than the middle-of-the-road perception he has now.

 

[Joker's Wild]

I guess I wasnt clear. It happens too often to not be a plan from him. He does it better than anyone I can think of. He doesnt sacrifice metres or contact for getting to his stomach. It is what gets our set going in the right direction.

For those wanting Boyd to return the ball, why? Uate and McManus' best assets are their strong carries.

No mate, I wasnt disagreeing with you. I was just giving a bit more insight into how Jimmy manages a QPTB so often.

The bloke is a master at it

 

[IanG]

Pulled it out of the fire.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

You did

Our backs are such merkins though.
No desperation at all on that play. Boooooo

I reckon most if the try's scored against cronulla are conceded off kicks.
Seems to happen alot anyway.

Big win for you guys given you have the storm this week.

 

[Rolla]

No mate, I wasnt disagreeing with you. I was just giving a bit more insight into how Jimmy manages a QPTB so often.

The bloke is a master at it

I agree, he really has it down to a fine art and has been doing it for a while.

One thing Jimmy is doing this year though, as opposed to the years before, is he will actually have a proper go at the line if he isolates a defender or sees a gap. He knows when to go for a quick play the ball when the opposition are set, but on the odd occasion (Like his match winner Vs Penrith) he will back himself and make some more metres or bust through. In the past i thought he looked for the ground too much and it meant that if ever he beat the first defender he was too off balance to capitalise. Now he has it down pat IMO.