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R5 eels

Bayside Dragon

Juniors
Messages
64
We are building very nicely for Anzac Day, hopefully we can build to a more complete game next week. Rest Lawrie if need be and be ready to rip in vs the Rorters.
Must say that our draw could hardly have been better for us. Since the Sharks game, the bar has been set incrementally higher each week from the lowest of levels.

Could have been so much harder on all levels if we had met teams like Panthers, Storm, Roosters and Souths in these early rounds. Being 1 or 2 from 5 would have been very tough for team bonding, confidence in coaching team, self -belief and even recruitment prospects. Understandably, Hook is very measured in his praise.
 

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
7,462
What an outstanding performance. Could not be prouder of the boys. 1st half was near perfect and set the platform for a great upset victory. My 2 key points which impressed me:-

1. Every player that comes in to the side plays well. They do not lose anything in their performance. You would not even realise a player has come on. They just get on with the job where the player they are replacing left off. Unbelievable.

2. They were getting caned in the 6 again calls in the second half. Some I thought were pretty harsh. Old Saints would get upset and drop their guard. Not this team. Sims actually ran off and maybe too fast hence the Parra try as they probably needed a little time to settle but since then just kept defending 1 down and did not look like they were down on troops. Incredible.

Goes to show how good the cattle is that Mary had and could not get them playing to their strengths like Hook. I am so glad there were not that many changes to the squad as the Mary lovers would be saying he did not have the cattle but Hook not only has proven what a great coach he is and the squad he has is capable of beating anyone on their day, but how bad Mary was. The board is to blame not Mary for this. He only accepted the role given.

Dufty is playing out of his skin and so is Rava. Bird on this form to me is the buy of the season. He is back to his Sharks form. And Saints got him on the cheap same with McCulloch.

The players look like they are enjoying themselves which is key to this success. That is the key. Poor Tyson would be spewing.
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
What an outstanding performance. Could not be prouder of the boys. 1st half was near perfect and set the platform for a great upset victory. My 2 key points which impressed me:-

1. Every player that comes in to the side plays well. They do not lose anything in their performance. You would not even realise a player has come on. They just get on with the job where the player they are replacing left off. Unbelievable.

2. They were getting caned in the 6 again calls in the second half. Some I thought were pretty harsh. Old Saints would get upset and drop their guard. Not this team. Sims actually ran off and maybe too fast hence the Parra try as they probably needed a little time to settle but since then just kept defending 1 down and did not look like they were down on troops. Incredible.

Goes to show how good the cattle is that Mary had and could not get them playing to their strengths like Hook. I am so glad there were not that many changes to the squad as the Mary lovers would be saying he did not have the cattle but Hook not only has proven what a great coach he is and the squad he has is capable of beating anyone on their day, but how bad Mary was. The board is to blame not Mary for this. He only accepted the role given.

Dufty is playing out of his skin and so is Rava. Bird on this form to me is the buy of the season. He is back to his Sharks form. And Saints got him on the cheap same with McCulloch.

The players look like they are enjoying themselves which is key to this success. That is the key. Poor Tyson would be spewing.

Agree ..Kaide Ellis had his best game for us.
 

Bayside Dragon

Juniors
Messages
64
What an outstanding performance. Could not be prouder of the boys. 1st half was near perfect and set the platform for a great upset victory. My 2 key points which impressed me:-

1. Every player that comes in to the side plays well. They do not lose anything in their performance. You would not even realise a player has come on. They just get on with the job where the player they are replacing left off. Unbelievable.

2. They were getting caned in the 6 again calls in the second half. Some I thought were pretty harsh. Old Saints would get upset and drop their guard. Not this team. Sims actually ran off and maybe too fast hence the Parra try as they probably needed a little time to settle but since then just kept defending 1 down and did not look like they were down on troops. Incredible.

Goes to show how good the cattle is that Mary had and could not get them playing to their strengths like Hook. I am so glad there were not that many changes to the squad as the Mary lovers would be saying he did not have the cattle but Hook not only has proven what a great coach he is and the squad he has is capable of beating anyone on their day, but how bad Mary was. The board is to blame not Mary for this. He only accepted the role given.

Dufty is playing out of his skin and so is Rava. Bird on this form to me is the buy of the season. He is back to his Sharks form. And Saints got him on the cheap same with McCulloch.

The players look like they are enjoying themselves which is key to this success. That is the key. Poor Tyson would be spewing.
Liked the fact that Hook said from day one that we had the roster to be a good footy team, and that this would NOT be a re-building year.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,591
Great signs at present Josh McGuire is sure to add a bit to the pigs,then we will add a guy called Jack db ,then we will be the giant killers ....
Where in the forward pack will we play: McGuire and Jack De Belin?

In my opinion, McGuire to lock and De Belin to start on the bench. By the time De Belin is available, we should have had a good look at McGuire and make decisions accordingly.

Vaughan
McCullough
Laurie
Sims

Kerr
McGuire

Alvaro
Faamausili / Ellis / new prop
De Belin
Fuimaono / Burns

 
Last edited:

Brutalitops

Juniors
Messages
2,333
Something I don't think I've seen observed here yet, but I believe the 6 against being so against us is no mistake. We are gaming the 6 again rule to reset our line rather often and the referees are starting to realise this (hence the Tariq bin)

No complaints from me, for once we are the team taking advantage of new rules instead of being at the other end of it. Comes with a. Decent coaching staff who know how to teach players to walk that line as finely as possible (it's what Cam Smith did so well all his career)
 

Dragon David

First Grade
Messages
7,528
Where in the forward pack will we play: McGuire and Jack De Belin?
The way the current forwards are playing, it will be hard to swap any and be replaced by McGuire.

JDB is currently at the Downing Centre for his re-trial as well as his cousin. We will be getting a rehash of everything again for the next two weeks and the outcome will be known in approx. 3 weeks I guess. If he is acquitted then he might resume in the reserves for a few games I'm thinking
 
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kit66

Bench
Messages
3,620
Just watched the game and wow what a great effort from the boys. They took it up another notch from last week in defence and lowered the mistakes. Also our combinations are coming along nicely.
Vaughan is killing it so far and is close to best on park each week. All the forwards are punching above their weight but I'm really impressed with Fuimaono's effort and also Kerr who's becoming our quiet achiever. Norman's kicking game is invaluable getting us upfield, his defence too has improved but I'd like to see him run a bit more. Our backs are outstanding and Rava is close to the best winger in the comp.

There is room for improvement, our discipline and errors are poor and McCullough should leave the kicking to the professionals but all that means is that we can get better with a bit more effort and challenge the top teams, I don't think anyone will be taking us lightly any more that's for sure.

I'd like Hook to ask the refs boss why we're being targeted and what we can do about it because I saw plenty of opportunities for the ref to give us restarts or penalties not least of which were 3 tackles on Clune when he kicked, 2 he was tackled in the air and another the tackler went for the leg - there was also the Gutherson shoulder charge and even though there wasn't much in it we didn't get a penalty for that either.

All round though, happy days.
 
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