Rd25: Parra v Storm GAME DAY THREAD @ Commbank 1/9/22

[DaveMc]

The bench rotation was interesting last night, I might be wrong but it seemed that RCG and Paulo were never off at the same time? Which meant they both played big minutes, but it seemed to help in keeping up momentum.

Overall, it’s been a good few weeks. I thought we were no chance of a top 4 finish a month ago, perhaps this is the time that Arthur finally has the team peaking at the right time. Still, it’s going to be a tough run in the finals. Would much prefer to win next week, because another game against Melbourne in a fortnight will be no easy task.

 

[Gary Gutful]

What a relief spoke to a couple of guys who are close to the inner sanctum before the game and they were so worried about the thought of playing souths next week if we didn't win tonight.

It's bizarre how it's turned out but after tonight simply someone else has to knock souths out for us in the finals. Normally it's Melbourne we want to avoid.

I think not only fans but coaches and more likely players just dont know how to handle souths too much damage mentally has been done for us to match them now.

But anyway we did the job and I reckon our chance of winning the comp is now at 40%.

Win next week and jumps to 60-65%.

You are off your head with those percentages.

 

[yy_cheng]

The bench rotation was interesting last night, I might be wrong but it seemed that RCG and Paulo were never off at the same time? Which meant they both played big minutes, but it seemed to help in keeping up momentum.

Overall, it’s been a good few weeks. I thought we were no chance of a top 4 finish a month ago, perhaps this is the time that Arthur finally has the team peaking at the right time. Still, it’s going to be a tough run in the finals. Would much prefer to win next week, because another game against Melbourne in a fortnight will be no easy task.

Only issue now is how long they sustain this. Will they burn out?

If we beat panfers and get a week off then no issues. If we lose then burnout can become a real something. Paps was knackered at the end there. His will to move had been overcome by fatigue

Funnily enough, lano doesn't seem to be so tired

 

[yy_cheng]

I thought Penisini did some tough carries as did Sivo. Pensini bar that drop was excellent. Overall but our backs didn't help the forwards out enough.
Opacic I like. His attack is poor but defense like a rock. Waqa looks lost on the wing.
He had a shit game. Let two bombs bounce which I felt where his to take. Come up in defense a few times and got lost. And every bomb he went up for he knocked on.
Top off a total of 60 run mtrs. Sometimes I wonder if he is a better winger or centre. I think next season he will go back to centre as we are short. In defense I feel he is suited to centre better. And in attack he also seems to make more damage there.

At wing he can however finish well. But with Russel,Haze and Superman Simmonson I think he goes back to centre.

I really liked that play to will in which he dropped.

U could see paps and will charging nearly side by side at the line and the defender was in 2 minds

Instead of hitting paps as normal, Moses laid it on wills chest

Its the decoy runs that I have been talking about.

On rcg and jnr, I reckon they took it on themselves to protect the rest of the pack

They took alot of hitups and the storm didn't really try anything grubby in them

 

[DaveMc]

Only issue now is how long they sustain this. Will they burn out?

If we beat panfers and get a week off then no issues. If we lose then burnout can become a real something. Paps was knackered at the end there. His will to move had been overcome by fatigue

Funnily enough, lano doesn't seem to be so tired

Yeah, agreed. Was thinking the same myself while watching the game, that it would’ve taken a lot out of them.

 

[Wally21]

Some interesting stats. All of our forwards with the exception of Mahoney and Makatoa ran for over 100 metres. Junior ran for over 200. Our back 5 however had fairly low numbers with the exception of Gutho, (who was MOTM in my opinion) and Sivo.
Do our backs, need to do more or was it just that sort of game? It was the opposite for the dirty merkin grubs

 

[King-Gutho94]

Only issue now is how long they sustain this. Will they burn out?

If we beat panfers and get a week off then no issues. If we lose then burnout can become a real something. Paps was knackered at the end there. His will to move had been overcome by fatigue

Funnily enough, lano doesn't seem to be so tired

8 day break is perfect I reckon for next week.

Its not a short turnaround but also not a long one.

Sometimes you can have too long a turnaround between games 10 days can be disadvantaged for rhythm.

8 days is the sweetspot imo.

 

[strider]

Some interesting stats. All of our forwards with the exception of Mahoney and Makatoa ran for over 100 metres. Junior ran for over 200. Our back 5 however had fairly low numbers with the exception of Gutho, (who was MOTM in my opinion) and Sivo.
Do our backs, need to do more or was it just that sort of game? It was the opposite for the dirty merkin grubs

I think it shows melbournes kick chase is very good. They get down there and try and pin you in when the backs are taking those early hitups.

And i think it showed our plan was to roll down the middle. Combined with melbournes defense which tries to suffocate and cut off backline moves. They are a strong defensive team.

 

[JokerEel]

Anyone think it is a coincidence that jake has played the last ten minutes at hooker against both the warriors and storm and both times we conceded two late tries in a flurry

his positioning is so poor that it stuffs up the rhythm

Or is it too small a sample size?

for me it’s a massive concern next week and hopefully beyond - he can’t be the back up hooker

Yes JA must have gotten Ice all excited when he came onto the field which caused him to lose focus and allow 2 tries in.

 

[Incorrect]

We basicaly played with 2 x forwards. BA wanted another prop. Imagine we did land Lodge or Klemmer and had them coming off bench.

Unless N.Brown is back I just don't see Makatoa or JA getting more then 20mins between them.
It may be our weakness come finals not having one more good forward.
I'd prefer N.Brown and Bryce over Makatoa.
Not big on JA but I'd rather a utility on the bench then 4 forwards.

Agree it is a shame we didn't manage to bring in another established middle forward before the transfer deadline. It seems fairly obvious that BA doesn't have a lot of faith or confidence in Maka in those big, tight contests and the same could be said of JA. Without the cushion of a 16-20 point lead last night, it's unlikely both Maka and JA would have seen any action. A fit Nrown on the bench instead of Maka would provide a bit more reassurance in the big games coming up in the finals. Being in the position where we might be playing with 15 instead of 17 seems risky, particularly when fatigue sets in at the backend...

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

No one likes fatigue in the backend.

 

[Incorrect]

Yes JA must have gotten Ice all excited when he came onto the field which caused him to lose focus and allow 2 tries in.

It was disappointing to concede 2 tries off Grant and Munster signature plays. Grant's dart from dummy half and Muster's dummy and run in to the back field to put Meaney away would have been spoken about ad nauseum during the week. I put it down to fatigue and the comfortable lead we had. Concerning all the same though....

 

[Incorrect]

No one likes fatigue in the backend.

Some do.... Mostly perpetrators.....

 

[King-Gutho94]

I think of all our recent final series under BA this is probably the 1st time we can truly believe we are good enough. Not only do we know we can beat the top dogs we are in good form leading in.

2017 - 4th - Having not played a final series in 8 years we were probably too inexperienced to win it. Should have won in Melbourne though.

Storm had a star studded team with Cronk still there they only lost 4 games all season.

2019 - 5th - Excellent recovery from a spoon but reality was we weren't competitive with the top teams and more flat track bullies. Melbourne put 64 and 32 in a final on us. And we copped a few more hidings that year. Built a fortress at our new home shot us up the ladder.

2020 - 3rd - We shot at out of the gates. Our first 10 weeks was elite especially defensively.

Fell off a cliff in the 2nd half of the season. Limped into the finals and just didnt look likely leading in we went out the back door along with a lot of injuries and Jenko getting suspended on semi final day.

2021 - 6th - Similar to 2020 shot out of the gates before crumbling in QLD hub in back half of the year. Restored some confidence with a win against the storm in 2nd last round. And unlucky in the semis but coming 6th made it virtually too hard to win the comp.

 

[Gronk]

Anyone think it is a coincidence that jake has played the last ten minutes at hooker against both the warriors and storm and both times we conceded two late tries in a flurry

his positioning is so poor that it stuffs up the rhythm

Or is it too small a sample size?

for me it’s a massive concern next week and hopefully beyond - he can’t be the back up hooker

Tell me that you have an axe to grind, without telling me that you have an axe to grind.

 

[TheParraboy]

I'm not about to lose my nuts over our top 4 finish. We finished the year strongly. But with the side Bellamy has on the paddock last night hismside still performed great. I wouldn't swap to many guys for our players if you went through the side one by one.

Anyhows we need to win some big games now. I hope Canberra give Storm are real bashing.

Didnt think Storm performed great. Defensivley they were always going to be strong

Penisini missed a try, and Marata got touch judge in the way.

Thought we dominated that first half. 14-0 (Edit: 8-0 HT it was) was flattering for them

Second half we made 7 dumb errors (2 in the first half) which gave them some momentum back end of the game. Was a case of Parra taking the foot off than Storm performing great

Yeah they had some key players out. Who cared we had a decimated backline in 2020 finals, or that Reed , Lussick and a couple of other out last years series

The acid test now is next week. No excuses for either side

 

[eel01s]

I hope Moses is ok. Looks like he injured his finger again, he was in a lot of pain.

 

[strider]

Thought we dominated that first half. 14-0 was flattering for them

8-0 was even more flattering

 

[Gronk]

It was disappointing to concede 2 tries off Grant and Munster signature plays. Grant's dart from dummy half and Muster's dummy and run in to the back field to put Meaney away would have been spoken about ad nauseum during the week. I put it down to fatigue and the comfortable lead we had. Concerning all the same though....

I could tell at the ground that Storm found some energy at 0-22 and we were celebrating and clock watching. Concerning ? Nah. They needed to score 4 converted tries in 8 mins to bothers us. We had sealed the top 4. Game over.

 

[King-Gutho94]

I hope Moses is ok. Looks like he injured his finger again, he was in a lot of pain.

Just amputate the bloody thing it's only middle finger.