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Rd4: EELS v Panthers GAME DAY THREAD @ Commbank Stadium 23/3/2023

the phantom menace

First Grade
Messages
8,419
Just got to watch the replay - some initial thoughts:

* First try with Cartwright on the end of Brown's kick must have been reheased and worked a treat at the end of a pedestrian restarted set.
* Two repeat sets via Moses grubbers showed promising signs and coming back with a penalty goal was better than coming back with nothing.
* Big unforgivable gap in the middle at 33mins for Yeo to stream through Hodgson and Hopgood - why wasn't one of them getting a refresh at the 30min mark, BA?
* Dumb stuff in the ruck at 38min for the six again in front of the post, followed by Sivo's good tackle spoilt by the dumb grapple. So after showing the best of the first half play we went into teh sheds equal because of a poor 7 mins.

* Hands second half try came of some great play the ball speed from Paulo/Hands, and then great pass from Doorey with good play from Penisni to stay up and deliver the final offload.
* Sucked in to Panthers giving away the late hit penalty on Moses for a 60m gain and 2 points - what a change with Moses not missing a kick!
* A rough penalty for Makatoa's high tackle with 10min to go, player was croaching and nothing in it so will hopefully get off.
* Panthers made too many yards in that next set and had us at sixes and sevens across the park - and of course it was Waqa Blake with the turnstyle attempt to let in the try.
* We had a good set up for what should have been a final minute field goal attempt - Moses called for it but Hands went to Brown for a nothing turnover.
* Then a very dumb stuff by Paulo, don't jump into the tackle and go high - might miss a game for that. Not sure why the sin bin was used - and it all gave Cleary the chance to nail one of those f**king stupid 2 point field goals to drag us into extra time...
* So again, equal at the end due to a dumb final 10mins costing us

At least we got the even up sin bin decision after some Panther went high on Waqa. Some good set up runs from RCG then Hopgood, someone else and RCG again, and finally Moses got the chance to return the favour and take the match! Good to finally get a 2023 win on the board :).

Positives were vastly improved completion rate, Moses kicking game on song, Dyland stepped up the quality of his involvement a lnotch, and it was good to see the defence finally holding up across the park - - apart from being gassed/loose in the middle in the 10mins before halftime, and Waqa-fragile out wide in the final 10mins.
 

Matty Bhoy

Juniors
Messages
1,545
Glad we got the W tonight, it gets the monkey off our back. Could easily be 4-0. We completed much better tonight and defended well. Hands was superb coming off the bench and I like the thought of having a suitable interchange for Hodgson now, who is only going to continue to improve.

Really looking forward to having Lane back sometime in the next few weeks. It’ll create a lot of opportunities for Dylan and Sivo. Doorey was great once again. He’s been a smart acquisition.
 

the phantom menace

First Grade
Messages
8,419
You can disagree, no drama with that. Defence isn't just about making or missing tackles. If you go alot further in depth to defence, in my eyes he was outstanding. The ability to cover 3 on 2s, the ability to be up top in one on one tackles, the ability to stop and slide when you realize you are short. If he was shit we lose by 20 because they looked dangerous down that edge
Was Blake next to Matterson in the line for most of the night? Easy for Matto's defence to help Blake look good/better in the situations you're indicating.
 

the phantom menace

First Grade
Messages
8,419
Blake was outside Cartwright, who doesn't provide enough pressure. That's what led to the three on two outside Blake that wouldn't allow him to commit to the decoy/lead runner.
So when Lane gets back he adds that presure next to Blake (if he's still in the top 17) that should make Waqa less of a trunstyle? Bring on the Tigers game...
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
58,526
Bryce has to stay in the starting side.
All of a sudden the bench looks better with
Hands,Doorey,Matterson on it. Makatoa has played strongly the last two games. He deserves the 4th spot right now
 

yy_cheng

Coach
Messages
18,007
Just got to watch the replay - some initial thoughts:

* First try with Cartwright on the end of Brown's kick must have been reheased and worked a treat at the end of a pedestrian restarted set.
* Two repeat sets via Moses grubbers showed promising signs and coming back with a penalty goal was better than coming back with nothing.
* Big unforgivable gap in the middle at 33mins for Yeo to stream through Hodgson and Hopgood - why wasn't one of them getting a refresh at the 30min mark, BA?
* Dumb stuff in the ruck at 38min for the six again in front of the post, followed by Sivo's good tackle spoilt by the dumb grapple. So after showing the best of the first half play we went into teh sheds equal because of a poor 7 mins.

* Hands second half try came of some great play the ball speed from Paulo/Hands, and then great pass from Doorey with good play from Penisni to stay up and deliver the final offload.
* Sucked in to Panthers giving away the late hit penalty on Moses for a 60m gain and 2 points - what a change with Moses not missing a kick!
* A rough penalty for Makatoa's high tackle with 10min to go, player was croaching and nothing in it so will hopefully get off.
* Panthers made too many yards in that next set and had us at sixes and sevens across the park - and of course it was Waqa Blake with the turnstyle attempt to let in the try.
* We had a good set up for what should have been a final minute field goal attempt - Moses called for it but Hands went to Brown for a nothing turnover.
* Then a very dumb stuff by Paulo, don't jump into the tackle and go high - might miss a game for that. Not sure why the sin bin was used - and it all gave Cleary the chance to nail one of those f**king stupid 2 point field goals to drag us into extra time...
* So again, equal at the end due to a dumb final 10mins costing us

At least we got the even up sin bin decision after some Panther went high on Waqa. Some good set up runs from RCG then Hopgood, someone else and RCG again, and finally Moses got the chance to return the favour and take the match! Good to finally get a 2023 win on the board :).

Positives were vastly improved completion rate, Moses kicking game on song, Dyland stepped up the quality of his involvement a lnotch, and it was good to see the defence finally holding up across the park - - apart from being gassed/loose in the middle in the 10mins before halftime, and Waqa-fragile out wide in the final 10mins.
I hope will can always keep it up, he young
 
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