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

[Gary Gutful]

If we're any chance of beating storm next week this is the side:
1.Gutho
2.Blake
3.Opacic
4.Penisini
5.Simonsson
6.D.Brown
7.Moses
8.RCG
9.Mahoney
10.Paulo
11.Lane
12.Carty
13.N.Brown
14.Rein
15.Papali'i
16.Makatoka
17. Rodwell
Rodwell needs a call-up FFS ran for 224m last week in reserve grade, Mahoney is flat out playing 80 Rein needs to be there. Papali'i needs to be on the bench for impact when RCG and Paulo come off and can defend in the middle better then on the edge.

We’ll step up against the Storm irrespective of who plays. We generally do against the better teams.

 

[hindy111]

I thought he was good. One mistake doesn't ruin a performance just because it had more significance to the narrative. It's like missed tackles that lead to tries. They're just missed tackles ffs. The fact it led to a try doesn't make it a worse miss. The try was the team's fault not the individual who made the mistake.

I thought he was just average. C+ or a B - are they the same thing?
Any giving away a penalty does effect his performance rating as it was a brain explosion, illegal and not needed at the time. The mental capacity of a player is part of the game. The guy with ball was rapped up and going nowhere. His tackle was illegal and dangerous and cost the side the game in end.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It is a pity though that our coach just can't get us playing in the style of the Panthers or the Roosters.

We don't have the same mobility in the pack as these teams. We'd be foolish trying to play like them.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

They are Shills, pure and simple.

*Shirl's

 

[TheRam]

We don't have the same mobility in the pack as these teams. We'd be foolish trying to play like them.

Mobility isn't our problem, football smarts is and at present wingers too.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Wiremu Greig should come onto our bench, imo - we need some size.

I think we need more mobility. I'd rissole Makatoa, move Papali'i and Kaufusi to the bench and start Cartwright and Nrown.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The same issues of rushing in off the wing and being exposed were there when EGJ and Reddy were wing and centre.

It's called an overlap. Clueless fans of other teams blame their wingers when it happens as well. They've probably been doing it since 1908.

Obviously sometimes it is the winger's fault, like Blake not trusting Opacic yesterday for Katoa's try. But plenty of times the winger stays out and the centre misses the tackle or gets dragged across the tryline. Deadshits would then blame the winger for sliding on his line, when the fact is when there's an overlap it's all up to the attack to score or butcher the try. The defence can do their best and still concede because the try was set up at the previous play-the-ball.

 

[TheRam]

I think we need more mobility. I'd rissole Makatoa, move Papali'i and Kaufusi to the bench and start Cartwright and Nrown.

I would ask why do we have two potential ball playing locks in Brown and Matterson that are playing like boneheaded robotic boofhead automatons?

 

[Gary Gutful]

They are Shills, pure and simple.

Better than being dills.

 

[Gary Gutful]

I would ask why do we have two potential ball playing locks in Brown and Matterson that are playing like boneheaded robotic boofhead automatons?

They are both Cyborgs that BA created in his shed after a trip to Bunnings and some electrical advice from @hindy111

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You don’t think the manner in which the tries are being conceded is problematic and is something that needs to be addressed?

It does but I don't think our problem is out wide. We often concede quick play-the-balls in the middle, and this puts pressure on our edges.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Plus Opacic, Simonsson, Kaufusi, Stone...

I would describe Kaufusi as a legit first grader and the other three as fringe first graders.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He wasn’t injured in the warm up, nor does he have an injury as he’s playing in reserve grade, JA was seen training with the top squad during the week so the excuse now is Cartwright needed minutes under his belt … but on Tuesday he was named in the top 17. If he was named in the top 17 and the intention was for him to play then they were fine with not needing to give him more minutes in reserve grade.

Solid theory except for one key fact.

JA was always going to play.

Except he didn't.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You keep trying to make sense of Poos arguements. You will run out of gas b4 he does I promise you. And at $2.29 per litre is it worth it?
Like Captain America. "I can do this all day!"

Given Arthur wasn't named on Tuesday and didn't get on the field anyway, the argument of nepotism makes no sense. There are a bunch of alternate reasons and I've given them to you. Why do you still think nepotism could be the only reason he was brought in at the last minute and then kept on the bench other than that you had already predetermined that nepotism was the cause?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I thought he was just average. C+ or a B - are they the same thing?
Any giving away a penalty does effect his performance rating as it was a brain explosion, illegal and not needed at the time. The mental capacity of a player is part of the game. The guy with ball was rapped up and going nowhere. His tackle was illegal and dangerous and cost the side the game in end.

Plenty of things cost a team over 80 minutes. The final, most memorable thing really isn't the most important, as Arthur's said in the presser. Our first half was far worse than the final five minutes.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I would ask why do we have two potential ball playing locks in Brown and Matterson that are playing like boneheaded robotic boofhead automatons?

Mate it's round two. How many forwards are throwing heaps of passes? Nrown passed the most of any forward on the field yesterday. And don't forget we have Paulo who throws a good pass and is better at committing defenders. The merkin threw 13 passes last week. Dylan Brown had 14. Someone needs to be running onto these passes.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Given Arthur wasn't named on Tuesday and didn't get on the field anyway, the argument of nepotism makes no sense. There are a bunch of alternate reasons and I've given them to you. Why do you still think nepotism could be the only reason he was brought in at the last minute and then kept on the bench other than that you had already predetermined that nepotism was the cause?

Not me mate. Look elsewhere for your nepotism target. BA does fall in love with some players. Stone is one, Will Smith was another. Joe Paulo another. Luke Kelly. Etc, etc. It dosent need to be nepotism. It may be but I dont think so. His use of the bench, tactics and attraction to the ordinary has always been questionable. Why would it change now. His team not mine. BA has been great for our club in those areas he excells in. Id hate to see a tag such as nepotism define his career but many have grabbed it and are running with it. Jake really needs to get the job done for BAs sake. I hope he does.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Stone is one, Will Smith was another. Joe Paulo another. Luke Kelly. Etc, etc.

All players he let go, and apart from Smith (signed by Holbrook) all were signed by premiership winning coaches.

 

[Happy MEel]

Given Arthur wasn't named on Tuesday and didn't get on the field anyway, the argument of nepotism makes no sense. There are a bunch of alternate reasons and I've given them to you. Why do you still think nepotism could be the only reason he was brought in at the last minute and then kept on the bench other than that you had already predetermined that nepotism was the cause?

Then there’s our reason, and we’ve given it to you but I’ll provide it again. It’s just a theory (as is yours) but I think there’s sufficient evidence suggesting it’s the most likely scenario:
Arthur was named outside the 17 to ease pressure on his son, who had already started copping it. He was always going to be named in the final 17 as he is playing favourites with his son. Carty was always going to be 18th man and your assumption that he was injured is laughable and categorically proven wrong. BA didn’t play Jake because it was too close a game and he wasn’t able to get his son some more first grade.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Arthur was named outside the 17 to ease pressure on his son

How did that ease the f**ken pressure? Merkins were talking all week that Jake Arthur being dropped proved it was the reason we lost ffs.

And you're right, we didn't lose, but you'd never f**king know it listening to the whingers.

As for Cartwright, it hasn't just been Jake Arthur named ahead of him. Whatever's going on with Cartwright it's well within character for him to shit the bed and find himself on the outer at a club. Nobody ever doubted his talent but he's already been moved on from two clubs. Could he be about to make it three? You wouldn't bet your house against it. A lot could've happened between Tuesday and game day.