Rd2: 530pm Eels v Sharks GAME DAY THREAD @ Shark Park 19/3/22

[T-Boon]

when does a team use a 3 man bench?
The coach really needs to face some questions at the press conference about what is going on in his head. It isn't good enough. This is a club trying to win a premiership after 40 years. There are tired players out there at the end wondering why the coaches son gets picked then just gets to hang around on the bench like a bad smell.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

poor performance, attack terrible

papa is poor defensively on the edge, Opacic not great against Ramen…..

to many big players in the middle, look better defensively when Nrown, stone , Maka out there. Shouldnt start with the same again…

but completion rate was great, just need attack improvem

need a big improvement to even be close to getting a top 4 stop!

but luckily it’s round 2 and plenty of footy to be played!

 

[hineyrulz]

Given Arthur didnt get used can he play 2s tomorrow? Id assume Carty can.

We need to keep him in cotton wool for firsts.

 

[T-Boon]

Most people watching footy don't think about defence. The only team that exists is the one with the footy. Even when a team loses their fans just think it's because they didn't score enough.

Agreed. That is because RL defense is boring (especially to neutral fans). It spells doom for the game that defense is both so frigging boring and also all coaches care about.

 

[JokerEel]

If the refs called forward passes we win that game.

Completion rate was great.

 

[Jake the snake]

the coach has lots to answer for. Poor performance, no cohesion in attack, no defence. And he plays favs with his son on the bench wasting a spot. At this rate based on these performances we would not make the 8. Sack him.

 

[the phantom menace]

I assume Jakob Arthur is only being seleced in the 18/17 until Nuikore is fit to play (and provide mid-game backline injury cover if needed).

Then Arthur/Cartwright can get their weekly hitouts in reggies, and we can look at how the bench (comprising four forwards) should really be selected and all four used so we're fresh at the end.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You called him not a half, how is that not sledging him??

So calling him a half would be a compliment? He is best running the ball, merkin. Not passing, not kicking. Running.

 

[hindy111]

In my opinion we had plenty of ball in the last ten minutes to control the game and slow it down enough to win it.
Mahoneys pass to Moses just was never on. We only needed to control the ball and stay down that end of the field.
Dylan the set prior losing also poor.

A special mention to Waqa. He was exceptional tonight. A shining light.

Simmonson looks garbage.

Dylan looks very sharp but why is nobody sniffing around? 4 or 5 times he needed support and it may be try time but nothing.

Gutherson is to slow to give us any spark at the back. I was vocal about moving on from him. Great player but a slug at the back. Doesn't break tackles. He does save tries however. I just like fast fullbacks.


Opacic defends well but isn't a first grader based on attack. We do have 3 guys injured so not much can do there.

N.Brown made a big difference when he come on. We looked a far better side.
We still lack composure compared to the better sides and we also lack spark in the backline. I've seen enough already to question if we are a legit top 4 side let alone premiership side.
From what I have seen early I think we are in the range of 6th-10th

 

[hineyrulz]

We completed at 90% and lost to a team that completed in the 60’s. Moses kicking game and the Sharks mistakes kept us in it.


we were dreadful around the ruck, no line speed and our edges were appalling.

We look so poorly coached it’s not funny.

 

[Tooooks]

It’s certainly not wrist slitting time but after some of our defensive efforts late last year, especially in that final game against Penrith, I thought we’d turned a corner and finally had that defensive steel all the top sides do.

But two games in our defence is shit, and barring some individual brilliance tonight our attack is shit. Maybe BA should hire another 6 assistant coaches.

If he puts Jake on the bench again next week he’s lost me for good.

 

[hineyrulz]

If the refs called forward passes we win that game.

Completion rate was great.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yep definitely fading hey...

They definitely faded. We just faded worse.

 

[Rocket man]

Ray Stone should never be selected again
F**k him off to Redcliffe permanently

I don't think it was a cannonball tackle.

 

[hineyrulz]

At least we wore them down in the end.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Lol atrocious.

Deserved to lose this. Playing with 16 works well.

Who should have played that was better than the merkins out there? Matterson and Niukore?

 

[hindy111]

Penisini head and shoulders our best player on the park IMO. I wonder if he could play 6 eventually.... He is sublime

Didn't he miss the tackle for match winning try? I thought Blake was best by far

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Three cheers for ash brie and box wine!

 

[Happy MEel]

Injury cover. Imagine if we hadn't had him last week.

We would have been better off

 

[Wally21]

Injury cover. Imagine if we hadn't had him last week.

Yes, we would have kept our best two halves together and would have had Cartwright play in the centres as cover.