Rd.27 v GC

[Fangs]

The Keary short side play isn't what it once was.

When he had prime GI and Teddy in his team he could wrap around the short side to create the extra number as his superstar full back would be on the open side and the defence wouldn't go with him.

Nobody is scared of the plodder that is Tedesco in 2024. If Robbo had the balls to play Manu at FB it'd be a worry

It's not but it's the last danger they have left in the spine. Keary is more threatening than Teddy IMO.

They'll score some points but it's about how many. We have the D keep them to 12 max 18.

 

[Iamback]

I am as disappointed and frustrated as most on here regarding what I saw last night and really for how we have played for most of the season. Considering in my view how average we have been it’s important to remember we finished the season with the best defence in the comp. When you consider how many injuries we have had to key players and disruption from Origin it is a remarkable achievement. But just looking back further Ivan has had this team up for almost every game since the beginning of 2020 and for almost all of that time we have virtually looked unbeatable. I just think that must take its toll on the playing group and unfortunately it’s just not sustainable. Add to that the loss of Burton, Capewell, Api, Kikau, Chrichton, Lenui etc it’s almost inconcievable we have managed to finish this season in second place. For what it’s worth I don’t think we are winning the comp this year because I just can’t see them flicking a switch to revert back to how we played in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 but still all things considered I am happy we are still in a position to be a chance of winning 4 comps in a row.

You need great defence to win comps.
History shows you also need a top 3 attack. We sit 6th in that category.

The positive is Storm sit low in defence. So for them to win will be an outlier

 

[age.s]

Error wise he was but still compare his numbers to Tago and he still wasn't the worst centre on the field

Defence he missed 2 tackles. Made 12
Tago missed 6. Made 12

He ran for 70m more.

7 errors between both centres is shocking but atleast Alamoti got more involved

I wasn't really looking at stats, just the eye test. Alamoti made more runs but he rarely looked threatening. Very disappointing finishing for his nearly try in the second half, though it was an excellent cover tackle by Fermor. Defensively he may not have missed as many, but he didn't look dominant in the contact. Throw in a few errors and it's not a good enough performance.

Tago was par for 2024 Tago. Looked good with the ball, especially when he had time to wind up. Some big hits and good defensive efforts (that ankle tap would have been counted missed ftr) mixed in with some shockers/grabby efforts. Throw in a customary careless error and all your missing is a boneheaded penalty. Not good enough for a guy on his money, but comfortably better than Alamoti. At this point we just have to strap in and hope the big games fire him up.

 

[Chins get the wins]

I hate it but hopefully the refs put the whistle away like normal come September. Because Tago and Kenny are doing so much stupid shit.

No idea why fans enjoy the officials ignoring rules but they do

 

[Iamback]

I wasn't really looking at stats, just the eye test. Alamoti made more runs but he rarely looked threatening. Very disappointing finishing for his nearly try in the second half, though it was an excellent cover tackle by Fermor. Defensively he may not have missed as many, but he didn't look dominant in the contact. Throw in a few errors and it's not a good enough performance.

Tago was par for 2024 Tago. Looked good with the ball, especially when he had time to wind up. Some big hits and good defensive efforts (that ankle tap would have been counted missed ftr) mixed in with some shockers/grabby efforts. Throw in a customary careless error and all your missing is a boneheaded penalty. Not good enough for a guy on his money, but comfortably better than Alamoti. At this point we just have to strap in and hope the big games fire him up.

Tago isn't helped by Martin's form but as a 2x premiership player. He'd be in the player needing to do his job as opposed to a 19 year old who came across from a bum club.

It really is expectations for me.

We also had Sorro 1st game back from a decent lay off. With Turuva working back into form as opposed to Tago with a rep guy inside and outside him

Of the 4 errors Alamoti had 1 was trying to score a try. One was the ball popping out when being tackled so not bonehead plays


That said I do think Alamoti will be better as Turuva's replacement.

 

[Michael Matral]

G

How much of last nights performance was due to looking to next week, not what’s in front of them? I don’t think we should under estimate the long term loss of Cleary this year and the impact right across the team. Plenty of other injuries too. It’s fair to say the team has been dysfunctional most of the season.

With our best possible team on the paddock, I predict the old Panthers to smash the Roosters next week.

100%

 

[Whino]

We finished the season as the best defensive team in the NRL. That’s 4 years in a row now. Our defence is going to carry us through the finals.

Best defence for 5 seasons in a row.

2020: Conceded 238
2021: Conceded 286
2022: Conceded 330
2023: Conceded 312
2024: Conceded 394

 

[Iamback]

Best defence for 5 seasons in a row.

2020: Conceded 238
2021: Conceded 286
2022: Conceded 330
2023: Conceded 312
2024: Conceded 394

Further to this the 394 we conceded this year

Would put us as the 5th best defence in 2020, further highlighting the soft nature of this years comp

 

[soc123_au]

Further to this the 394 we conceded this year

Would put us as the 5th best defence in 2020, further highlighting the soft nature of this years comp

Less games in 2020 though.

 

[Whino]

Further to this the 394 we conceded this year

Would put us as the 5th best defence in 2020, further highlighting the soft nature of this years comp

Only played 20 games in 2020. Measly avg of 11.9 avg though.

 

[Iamback]

Less games in 2020 though.

Only played 20 games in 2020. Measly avg of 11.9 avg though.

Yeah sorry I should of specified.

7 teams conceded less. When averaged out the whole top 5 from 2020 averaged less than we had this year

 

[The yak]

After a couple of quiet weeks it was good to see To'o back to his best last night.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Yeah sorry I should of specified.

7 teams conceded less. When averaged out the whole top 5 from 2020 averaged less than we had this year

So what does that tell you about the data? Just
saying it is a softer comp is lazy analysis; why is this comp softer and to the extent that the top defensive side this year is not too 5 years ago.

Pit another way; Roosters scored most points this year. I haven’t looked at the numbers, but I imagine they scored more points than the top team in 2020.

Maybe the game/interpreations are changing to benefit point scoring?

 

[Iamback]

So what does that tell you about the data? Just
saying it is a softer comp is lazy analysis; why is this comp softer and to the extent that the top defensive side this year is not too 5 years ago.

Pit another way; Roosters scored most points this year. I haven’t looked at the numbers, but I imagine they scored more points than the top team in 2020.

Maybe the game/interpreations are changing to benefit point scoring?

Well no 2020 was the blow out year. Margins were huge we are getting teams losing scoring 30+ this year

The Roosters also scored the most in 2020. Again 20 rounds so will average it

They averaged 26.1 a game in 2020. This year they scored 30.6 a game

4 teams this year would of beat the 2020 point scoring record.

Meanwhile we have dropped from 26 a game to 22 this year

So we have scored less and conceded more which follows the trend since we started this run.

As for why that is up for debate likely many reasons but we are going against the trend

 

[John Hamblin]

The Keary short side play isn't what it once was.

When he had prime GI and Teddy in his team he could wrap around the short side to create the extra number as his superstar full back would be on the open side and the defence wouldn't go with him.

Nobody is scared of the plodder that is Tedesco in 2024. If Robbo had the balls to play Manu at FB it'd be a worry

Teddy runs around in the old telephone box!!

 

[The Realist]

Much better intent in this first period of half.

No more errors. Need to focus now.

Garner playing much better on the left. Sorro looks underdone and slow laterally - needs to play off the bench now. Garner needs to start.

Get the next try to be 22-6 ahead and Titans will implode I reckon.

Sorro shouldn’t be our starting 2nd rower anymore. He is becoming a little slow and losing fitness as age and injury catches up with him.

I don’t think Ivan will change things this year though, but next year it’s definitely on the cards.

 

[The Realist]

All the talk on Tago.

Alamoti has had an absolute shocker. I rate him but tonight he made Tago look like Girds.

The amount of support Alamoti gets mystifies me. He is highly error prone and struggles with defensive reads. He was okay defensively (albeit against an ordinary attack) but was atrocious otherwise. It’s also not just a one off either.

He is a work in progress.

 

[WestyLife]

The amount of support Alamoti gets mystifies me. He is highly error prone and struggles with defensive reads. He was okay defensively (albeit against an ordinary attack) but was atrocious otherwise. It’s also not just a one off either.

He is a work in progress.

Coming from the dogs definitely set lower expectations for him. Probably not fair but is what it is.

 

[Fangs]

The amount of support Alamoti gets mystifies me. He is highly error prone and struggles with defensive reads. He was okay defensively (albeit against an ordinary attack) but was atrocious otherwise. It’s also not just a one off either.

He is a work in progress.

He has had the same disruptions our other backs have. Played a lot of wing in NSW cup too. I have a bit of sympathy for them to be honest.

32 career games and he turns 21 in January next year. Still very young and very much a work in progress. I think he will come good for us.

 

[Big Mick]

Sorro shouldn’t be our starting 2nd rower anymore. He is becoming a little slow and losing fitness as age and injury catches up with him.

I don’t think Ivan will change things this year though, but next year it’s definitely on the cards.

I think that's why the club had prioritised a backrower for next year instead of a prop.

Sorro moves back to the bench as a prop like a couple of years back - with one of Smith/Henry paired on bench with him. Garner as the utility/backrower cover.