R3 // Storm 28-20 Knights @ AAMI // Mon 7pm

[Apey]

Some basic stats after Round 3

 

[Jono078]

Biggest thing I see there is we have a spoon battle on our hands next week.

Stats say we're the second worst attacking team and 2nd worst defensive team, but I don't think it's all that bad. We're just playing a little dumb. Once Mullen and Boyd are back I can see things going really nice for us.

 

[Burns]

Gee looking at the draw again, I know it's been stated, but there is an amazing run there with home games.

 

[perverse]

It's possible that the goodliness of Boyd and Mullo will outweigh the dumbness of Gidley and get us competitive again.

 

[Noname36]

Yeah, we've been far from horrible. The lack of possession is the issue but if we can sort our discipline out and get it a bit easier from the refs I think we'll be okay. Mullo and Boyd coming back means Gids gets less ball and Gagai/BJ get more which can only be a good thing.

 

[Swarzey]

Was nice to see us get a repeated set tonight. We always push for the try when we're in their 20, mostly because we tend to start games slow and build pressure on ourselves. Slow it down and f**k, we'll pile on more points and win the possession game quite heavily too. Week One of the finals style.

Dumb penalties and some silly choices in attack aside, we were good. No reason to put our head down given Storm should have blown us off the park.

 

[Yosh]

Didn't read what everyone wrote but assuming pretty similar.

Kidley was shocking.

Dobson was great on attack but he missed too many one on one tackles. He also has no running game...

Minto, I feel sorry for. Seems like a decent player but seems to be playing one level above what he is actually capable of. He offers no last line defense what so ever. If they get through the line, they gonna score. Also no running game what so ever... Really really bland fullback if anything. Need Boyd back before we need Mullen back.

If anything I hope McKinnon's okay... I feel terribly worried but I'm sure he'll be okay!

David and Kade seemed to be a much stronger starting front row and I thought Mason wasn't too bad after coming on.

Hopefully Beau stays fit for the whole season because he is really offering something different in the forwards.

Uate was good tonight. McManus even playing?

If Joey can get the stupidity out of his game, he is going to become an amazing centre. I worry he might be getting fat as well but he is all power, speed, footwork and stupidity.

 

[Mr Angry]

Geez Bennett gave Kidley a spray. As only he can sitting next to him.

 

[Spot On]

Thank you to the people pointing out Gagai's errors/missed tackles. Seems like every week Uate cops 100% off the blame for that sides crap D when Gagai and Dobson have been woeful all year as well.

I agree there is some truth to this but Uate had almost had another try scored against him one on one by the rookie winger who hapened to put his hand into touch. He was outleapt by him and his attempted tackle on Chambers for his try was a f**king joke. There's more but you get the picture. Not 100% blame but he has now built a very strong profile of a winger who is a horrible defender and very, very shaky under the high ball.

 

[The Showstopper]

Thought we were extremely unlucky last night. Had we just pushed the envelope a little more we were home. Mullo's kicking game would have owned The Storm last night. Joey Leilua creates no end of problem for Melbourne's right defence. We have to find a way to make him a decoy runner who creates space on the edges. If he got that right Boyd would destroy sides on their right by having the option of hitting Leilua flat into a hole or cutting out to Mcmanus should they get the read on Joey's run wrong. We have the most powerful centre in the game IMO. Time to exploit that.

 

[chinorocks]

I agree there is some truth to this but Uate had almost had another try scored against him one on one by the rookie winger who hapened to put his hand into touch. He was outleapt by him and his attempted tackle on Chambers for his try was a f**king joke. There's more but you get the picture. Not 100% blame but he has now built a very strong profile of a winger who is a horrible defender and very, very shaky under the high ball.

Not suggesting that Uate isn't to blame for a lot of it. Rather just wondering why Gagai seems untouchable around here? Never gets criticised for his misses, but Aku gets hammered after every game.

 

[Dave_]

Not suggesting that Uate isn't to blame for a lot of it. Rather just wondering why Gagai seems untouchable around here? Never gets criticised for his misses, but Aku gets hammered after every game.

Because Aku has been going so bad for so long. Also his pay packet is far greater than Gagai's and no one believes we're getting value for money from Uate.

 

[Zoidberg]

As I've said before, I think we really miss Mullo in defence. Not just his actual tackling but probably his communication and combination with Gags and Aku.

Jimmy not doing much, I think, is not only because we don't have Mullo and Boyd, but because other teams go to Aku's side with their kicks. Pretty hard for Jimmy to make his dummy half runs when our sets start on the other side of the field.

I'm happy with the effort we've put in, just too many dumb plays and penalties. Our defence is also not quite up to scratch.
Hope that first win, and Boyd and Mullo's return, is just around the corner and gives us some confidence and gets us on a bit of a roll.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Jimmy made quite a few early hit ups coming out of our own end, made 44m off 7 runs. Thats it aside from that one dropped ball over the line (a tough catch to make)

I think its def a sign that teams are targeting Uate, Gagai and Dobson and a lack of left hand shift. BJ made a good fist of his runs last night but they were mostly of his own making rather than a set play to take the ball to his side. As some have pointed out, getting Boyd back will change this as its his pet play

 

[Knight Vision]

I take a lot of heart from our start to the season. We've been missing the best of our spine and been unlucky to loose 2 of the last 3 games and managed pushed one of the most dominant clubs of the last 10 years all the way last night.

 

[Johns Magic]

Agreed actually. I don't think we are going too bad. Just dumb and unlucky but at least the fight is there.

 

[perverse]

Yeah, I agree too. I think we're lacking a bit of class (Mullen and Boyd) and probably a little something in the forwards, but I'm liking that we're competitive and improving every week. I think we just need a bit of luck and our playmakers back to get winning again.

I don't know what is to be done if Gidley continues the way he is. Wayne will have to drop him, surely.

 

[Serc]

Yep looking the best we have 3 weeks in for any season under Bennett (given the troops off the field)

Looking forward to getting two of the biggest chunks of our salary cap back on the field, not to mention our draw in the latter third of the season.

Also looks like I'm going to have to be patient to get ahead of the Broncos on the ladder. All my mates up here are loving it at the moment. Maybe we'll get the joy again of knocking them out of the finals race a few weeks out from the semis

 

[Joker's Wild]

One can only hope for a repeat of that sweet sweet moment in 2013 Serc my boy. Twas glorious to be in Brissy at that time

 

[doggone]

Did McManus see the ball at all tonight?

Passenger! :-(