round 1 v the gummy sharks

[Pantha-Boy]

I think we played considerably well.

We must also remember the Sharks are a strong side with players like Tupou and Barrett taking their place in the side.

They also have a big homeground advantage.

But I think its going to be even tougher next week when we meet the doggies.

 

[Fibroman]

Get rid of Tighe and Sammut out of the side. Don't let Luke Lewis kick a ball. Don't let the refs penalise us out of the game and allow Trent Barrett to score a try from an offside position and disallow a dead set certain try to Jennings for no good reason and I think we may have a chance of winning some somes. Did I mention that we need to get Christopher Dale Flannery out of retirement to deal with Elliott?

 

[*Sandy*]

She went out, good on her.

Given time together Coote, Graham, Sammut and Iosefa will be a good core, start next week I say.

Many think they have seen the spoon team tonight.

Experience in Petro and Lewis and pace out wide, you will win games.

Elliot though...............

Surely he can't do too much damage in just one more year... ?

I look forward to that core in years to come.

Did anyone notice Iosefa's face? Was it messed up a bit?

 

[bigfoot]

I don't understand some of the opinions on here and elsewhere saying they are not disappointed, we played well, Iddiott is not to blame, etc.

The facts:
- We scored ONE try. Just ONE. And how was that try scored? Jennings brilliance. No amazing team try, no brilliant set play, nothing, just Jennings' sheer skill.
So what exactly has the team been working on for 6 months?... :lol:

- Yes, we only conceded 18 points. I have seen a lot of comments here and otherwise saying that is a good thing, etc. Problem with that is that the Sharks attack is sh*t, they are developing a new halves combination AND they lost their BEST attacking weapon in Kearney. If we had been playing a better attacking team with their full-strength side we would have had much more scored against us.

- I have seen comments saying Iddiott cannot be blamed. Uhh... one of the main reasons we lost was because after 2 years the team still has absolutely no clue about what they are doing in attack, and our sad excuse of a coach decided to drop the best playmaker in our whole squad before the match... the one who was developing a combination throughout the off-season with Sammut, was used during the trials, and was promoted by Iddiott as the combination we were using this year...

Obviously people are getting used to and accepting garbage from this team, as is the Panthers management... not me.
Hopefully next week is a better week... although to be perfectly honest I can't see us losing by less than 30 points, let alone winning.
Like I said, hate to be negative, but what choice do we have after seeing no improvement after an entire off-season?

I'll still be supporting whichever team Iddiott selects out of his hat each week, though.

 

[Copperhead]

There's a difference between being negative and being realistic.

There was nothing to hang your hopes on with that performance.

If people want to make excuses, and be optimistic for the rest of the

season, good on them. But we're in trouble. Elliot hasn't fixed

anything. More off season hype that fails to materialize into improvement.

A disgraceful effort.

 

[*Sandy*]

After two years with Elliott I wasnt expecting much.
I was quite surprised there was only an 8 point difference.
I also see no point in whinging about it relentlessly as I am a person who puts the last game behind me and moves onto the next.

I hope to see Wade in the 6. Lewis in the 13. Not sure about Aits as the starting hooker. He had a great game but I would like to see Iosefa as our starting 9 for him to build and learn from it. I want to see the forwards with a lot more grunt in them. That hit on F Puletua is an example of what I want to see from our boys.

 

[mxlegend99]

I'm not sure how anyone could be wanting Jarrod Sammut to be dropped after that game. He was very solid i thought. His only real problem was kicking early... and everyone of our kickers was doing the same thing. Clearly Matt Elliott had either instructed them to do so, or implied it at the least.

The changes are quiet easy to make IMO. Michael Gordon has to play in the centres, with Junior Tia Kilifi playing ont he wing. Wade Graham has to partner Jarrod Sammut in the halves. Luke Lewis has to play lock.

Matt Elliott will probably name the same side this week. If any changes are made, my bet is Jarrod Sammut is dropped for Wade Graham.

 

[Fibroman]

What do you people expect? Not many people know this, but Mick Leary has signed former comedian 'steady eddie' as our kicking coach, and he has had a major influence on Matt Iddiott, by turning our training sessions into a standup comedy routine. Apparently Matt Iddiott has a bag full of one liners and has the players in stitches, even the ones down on their kneeling cushions.

 

[bigfoot]

If any changes are made, my bet is Jarrod Sammut is dropped for Wade Graham.

I will give up hope for the rest of the season if this happens.
If Sammut and Graham aren't in the halves and Lewis isn't at lock I don't think I will be able to muster up the courage to watch the game... the Bulldogs will absolutely thrash us, ie. 50+ margin.

 

[runatme]

Penrith will beat the dogs next week

 

[Pantha-Boy]

Penrith will beat the dogs next week

It will be a tough match no doubt.

But if we play like we did against the Sharks than we will be hammered.

We need to play like a proffesional team and we must be more organised.

Elliott clearly didnt set a game plan so we are going to need one.

My game plan would be 3 hit-ups than on the 4th out wide to Jennings.

If Jenko doesnt score than he would have made a break therefore we will have good field position so we can get a nice kick out from Graham to Tia Kalife where he will tower over El Masri to score in the corner.

 

[Fibroman]

If only it was that easy.

 

[Pantha-Boy]

It would cause Elliott to have a stroke reading that.

He couldnt handle the pressure of seing the words Tia kalife.
he has never seen that word before, let alone take notice of it.

 

[franklin2323]

Sammut is not a 1/2 every game he plays there clears that up for me. Graham at 6 won't work with Sammut at 7 cause Sammut is 2 greedy and plays for himself. 8 times he kicked before the 3rd tackle. 3 times Coote did the same. Lewis, Jennings and the other outside backs got no ball! So I don't think Graham would of helped cause Lewis got no ball Graham would of been the same.

While Graham hasn't set the world on fire in the Trials or 20's on Sat night. He still needs to be our 7 and go from there. Sammut at 1 or where ever works well prob Windsor

 

[Fibroman]

I think we should throw Romelo into the side and give the kid a crack. He has got some mungrel in him. I like it!

 

[Johns Magic]

Any reason Petero only got 32 minutes?

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

Any reason Petero only got 32 minutes?

not a great swimmer?

 

[mxlegend99]

Any reason Petero only got 32 minutes?

Matt Elliott likes to avoid using our best players.

That's why Wade Graham and Junior Tia Kilifi weren't even selected, it's why Michael Gordon and Michael Jennings are rarely passed the ball, and it's why he likes to select Nathan Smith at lock every week.

But on an honest note... for some reason our starting front rowers were barely given a chance to do anything, and our team was kicking the ball extremely early in the tackle count all night.

It's as thought he had no faith in us to be able to win it, and was just trying to minimise potential damage (ie. injuries, F/A etc.). Although had we played out half our sets rather then kicking, Gordon or Jennings probably could have come up with the points we needed.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Elliott is a simpleton who makes out like he is smart.

Not fooling anyone Matthew.

Panthers for the spoon as long as this goose is around.

 

[mxlegend99]

I dunno. Roosters could possibly save us from the spoon if they play like they did last weekend all season. We atleast had a good go at a win. Defensively we were solid, it was just stupid decisions in attack and terrible ball handling that killed us.