Rd5: Eels v Dragons GAME DAY THREAD @ BankWest Stadium 11/4/21

[Avenger]

Just back from the game, to be honest the better team won and we were far too slow from the start.

Having said that, with Atkins as ref and the incomparable Perenara as video ref, that just about nailed it. Dragons just did enough, slowed very play the ball down to test the ref, and got away with some awful video ref decisions. I thought Klein was bad in that role, Henry has got him covered easily. Said when Gutho,scored off the Brown pass, that we would still lose by 2, haven’t seen the replay as the game will be difficult to watch, but on the way home they called the no try awful and the turning point of the game.

Needs a a massive attitude change ahead of the Canberra game, as any drop on enthusiasm will see us nailed to the mast. Can see why they are reluctant to up Fergo, had opportunities that would have been tries 2 years ago, and his game has deteriorated each season, won’t get paid big bucks by anyone I would think.

Nice summary. Fergo and Moses are both down hill skiers.

 

[Kornstar]

I thought the refs were fine. I think poupou is right you need to be prepared to concede 6 packs in exchange for quick line speed.
But we have never been that high octain, enthusiastic kind of team under Arthur.

We haven't really been that team this century.......we always get out enthused and when the opposition is especially enthused we crumble.

We were shit but there are 2 plays that pretty much sum up the night for each team.

Play 1 - We score a great try to get right back into the game only for it to be checked thoroughly and taken away (probably correct call based on others similar)

Play 2 - Dragons score off a forward pass where the referee was literally in line with it and he was the only useless merkin in the stadium who missed it and that seals the game for them

We didn't deserve it but that is pretty much how our luck went tonight, everything went Saints way and everything we did was completely and utterly shit!

Next week we are no chance and i think it could easily be a 50 point thrashing based on our usual performances in Canberra.......thankfully we have 2 winnable games after that in Broncos and Bulldogs.

As for the season, i had no real expectations of a premiership this year, i think like many people think here, BA is a good coach but he is not a premiership winning quality coach, rarely do we see real tactical coaching planned for a specific team to expose weaknesses. He seems to like the Storm style and hang in the game till you wear a team down, which rarely works for the top tier teams.

Top 6 with another early exit is probable so hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

As for the Dragons, they were very good and were up for the entire game. Pretty funny that people were losing their minds after the Charity Shield......

 

[Joshuatheeel]

disagree we were 18 nil down and not even in the game. Coach didn’t have the team prepared for the game. Blind Freddy could see that the dragons were going to come out and bash us. And we just let them. Totally outplayed and out coached. It’s typical BA in big games. He fails to motivate the players.

so we ambushed the storm and Bellamy didn’t have them up .....

 

[Eelementary]

Huh?

They didn't turn up tonight, because they're focusing on their match against the Raiders.

 

[Bandwagon]

That was definately a penalty. Totally lazy and needless from Paulo.

The Dragons defender initiated contact, from the angle we were given you could tell that as when Paulo comes through the line, the defenders arm is around his waist.

 

[Kornstar]

Condolences, fellas. And now, there’s one.

Don't worry, hindy111 is happy his team is the only one left undefeated.

 

[Bandwagon]

so was Ben Barba when the Broncos were also playing him out of position....

Where is Ben Barba now?

He had a coupla good seasons, then went off the rails.

 

[eel01s]

We were out-muscled in every aspect tonight, yet still could have won the game if we showed some composure and could actually hold onto the ball and complete sets. That 5 minute period after our first try was the chance to come back and take the lead, yet we panicked and stuffed several opportunities. Oh, to swap Carty and Lane's kicks!

 

[T-Boon]

They didn't turn up tonight, because they're focusing on their match against the Raiders.

haha. Our boys don't do Canberra.

 

[eel01s]

We were out-muscled in every aspect tonight, yet still could have won the game if we showed some composure and could actually hold onto the ball and complete sets. That 5 minute period after our first try was the chance to come back and take the lead, yet we panicked and stuffed several opportunities. Oh, to swap Carty and Lane's kicks!

 

[Jake the snake]

Just back from the game, to be honest the better team won and we were far too slow from the start.

Having said that, with Atkins as ref and the incomparable Perenara as video ref, that just about nailed it. Dragons just did enough, slowed very play the ball down to test the ref, and got away with some awful video ref decisions. I thought Klein was bad in that role, Henry has got him covered easily. Said when Gutho,scored off the Brown pass, that we would still lose by 2, haven’t seen the replay as the game will be difficult to watch, but on the way home they called the no try awful and the turning point of the game.

Needs a a massive attitude change ahead of the Canberra game, as any drop on enthusiasm will see us nailed to the mast. Can see why they are reluctant to up Fergo, had opportunities that would have been tries 2 years ago, and his game has deteriorated each season, won’t get paid big bucks by anyone I would think.

Agree Dragons deserved the win. They really bashed us. But I don’t how the likes of Pernera and Klein and those pathetic refs have still got a job. They are just dreadful week
In week out. The ref ranks must be utter crap if those guys are still able to be refs. It’s a joke

 

[Eelementary]

I'm pissed at tonight's effort, but some perspective, please - it's round 5.

There's a shit-tonne of work for this team to do, but how about we leave the wrist-splitting to after round 10?

Hell, we could probably even afford to lose next week (though nobody wants that, obviously).

 

[Eelementary]

haha. Our boys don't do Canberra.

I never said they did; I said they had all their focus on next week's game.

It's pretty clear to me that they weren't focussed on tonight's game.

 

[Kornstar]

Lane is such a useless sloth of an edge forward that teams basically give him space and what look like linebreaks because they know he cannot make anything out of them.

Our support play consists of Gutho and that is it. He can't be everywhere all the time. Each time Drown or Lane make a break or poke their nose through there is no-one anywhere near them, until we have a team that pushes up in support more often we will be a top 8, first or second week finals exit kind of team.

Think the run of 2009, we did everything the good teams do and were a team significantly cheating the cap away from a premiership........we have been nowhere near that since and our finals appearances reflect that.

 

[T-Boon]

Cartwright is a total head case.
He was completely as advertised.

Arthur is going to put his arms around him and Cartwright will throw pie in his face all year. This is my prediction.

 

[Soto]

Back from the game..in summary horrible.
No patience, no composure, absolute deadshit plays.
I don't want to sound melodramatic but i would not be renewing Moses. I would bite the bullet and give Adam Reynolds the 3 year deal he is after. Game manager, outstanding goal kicker, vision, composure, patience.
If John's is working with Moses then it's not working. His attacking kicks are just no where near good enough. He plays frantically, he tries miracle plays when we need to go through the hands and he doesn't lead or settle the team down.
Tonight's bench was horrible.
The infatuation and rush with Cartwright is puzzling. To go into the game with 1 prop on the bench defies logic. Stone is not good enough, Cartwright has played 1 game and did ok but rushed back in...Why?
Fergo time to move him on...too many errors. For an experienced player...sorry nope..
Arthur's bench rotation sucks big time...
He gives Will Smith 5 mins a game...wtf.
Jakob Arthur honestly would steer us around the park better than Moses. He is very good for an 18 year old. Extremely level headed and has all the qualities you want in a half. Has played excellent in NSW cup and Schoolboys final last year...class act.
If our bench is not Kaufusi, Nuikore, Papali'i and Smith then we need another middle or 2nd rower.
Hipgrave for mine is far better than Stone and Cartwright.. if anyone watched nsw cup today Hipgrave was very good.
Nuikore experiment in the centres should finish immediately.
Also we don't have enough pace in the backline. You dont win comps in April but i think we have been lucky with wins against Broncos and Sharks with both teams losing 3 and 4 players at halftime...only good game we have really played is against the Storm..

Rant over

 

[Angry_eel]

My thoughts:
Dragons deserved the W they played well
Refereeing hurt us at crucial moments
- Gutho try taken off us a bullshit
- Dragons try was off a forward pass
- Dufty try was also an iffy who can say he would have got there
I like Cartwright. He has potential and another attacking option
I hate to say it but its round 5

 

[Poupou Escobar]

They just wanted it more.

When we had chances we showed no patience which was at quite a contrast to how we played the last 3-4 weeks.

The Gutho no try was absolute BS, and I think they were lucky not to down to 11 because even after Sims was binned they gave away another 2 set restarts, but the ref was too gutless to make the correct call.

It’s a big wake up call though, think the boys got a bit ahead of themselves.

I thought the Gutherson no try was a fair call, but the ref did fail to ping the Dragons far too often. In such a high fatigue game we shouldn't see linespeed like that any more, except defending your tryline. It's impossible to sustain without cheating.

At the same time, we should've reacted better. Either started cheating ourselves or not tried to go around them.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Where is Ben Barba now?

He had a coupla good seasons, then went off the rails.

very true but helped Sharks win a comp...

anyhow it won’t happen just a fun discussion who we could get for fullback if Gutho played in the halves....

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Is it just me or is this site terribly slow tonight

The two biggest supporter bases on LU just played.