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Well, Magic Round was very special, but a Monday morning means the attention now turns to Round 11, in what will hopefully be another special one. We take on the Tigers this coming weekend in what is a rare afternoon game at home. Just our fourth home game of the year and just our second daylight game so that makes for a pretty special occasion. Hoping for good weather as we should get a good crowd out there given our recent form and what the Tigers have done the past couple of weeks.
Tricky week this one I feel. Dunno what it is about us and Wests, but I swear to God, it doesn't seem to matter how each team is travelling when we play, it always seems to turn into a shit fight. The Tigers seem to always have a knack of dragging us down to their level and making a real game of it. I wouldn't say 'bogey' side at all, but they're definitely one of those clubs that always lift against us. Games like Anzac Round last year where they pipped us by one point, early on in 2021 where we needed Tom Burgess heroics in golden point to get past them, there was one in 2020 late in the Season that ended up being close. As I said, it just always seems to be a real battle against this mob. To be honest, I'm expecting nothing less on Saturday. They'll be up for this one, there's no doubt about that. They've had two wins this year, both coming in the last two weeks, and one of those was against Penrith no less. So, I guess you could say they're in form a bit. They'll come into this one feeling pretty good about themselves, there'll be a bit of confidence there and they'll be looking for an ambush. Interestingly, when you look across their side, I actually think they have a better team than what their ladder position suggests. Guys like Koroisau, Brooks, Nofoaluma (who always plays well against us), Klemmer, Bateman and Papali'i are obviously their main drawcards and their main threats. That's a nucleus for a pretty decent side, there is a bit of strike there. then of course, another threat we now have to watch is the young bloke Bula out the back for them. He's come from nowhere but is looking insane.
So, yea, we know the Tigers are going to be up for this and we need to be wary but in saying that this is not a game we should be dropping. It's a game we really should be winning if we are serious Premiership contenders and want to be top two. The only way we lose this game, is if our attitude stinks and we are complacent. It's happened in the past against lower sides, especially against the Tigers. Losing games, we should be winning last year really hurt us, we don't want that happening again this year. In saying that, the 2023 Rabbitohs are a different team and I'm sure JD will get the boys up for this one. A Saturday afternoon game at home? There's no reason not to be!! So, this week, attitude is key. The Tigers deserve some respect for what they've done recently, and we should treat this as every other game. I'm not expecting to blow them off the park, but I am expecting a good, solid performance, and a win. Just keep doing what we've been doing. Keep that defensive focus, hold that line like we have been. If we can get that right against this Wests side, and keep holding them out, everything else will flow off the back of that. I also want to see us complete well. It's these kinds of games you want to be somewhat clinical, you don't want to keep giving them chances to get their tails up so that's another big focus. We get those two areas of our game right; I think we'll be too good.
What's more, adding to the reason to be up for this game, if the Broncos lose and we win by more than two points, we go to the top of the ladder so that's something huge to play for. There's also the fact that the ladder is actually really close. We might be second right now on 14 points, but there is a stack of teams chasing our tails on 12 points so it's close. You don't want to be dropping games like this.
So, an important week this one in the context of our Season, and I think it's games like this that will really show where we're at in terms of Premiership contention status because this game is all about the mindset and the mentality. It really is that simple. We can do this!! Should be a great day out there Saturday and boy, it can't come quick enough!!
Tricky week this one I feel. Dunno what it is about us and Wests, but I swear to God, it doesn't seem to matter how each team is travelling when we play, it always seems to turn into a shit fight. The Tigers seem to always have a knack of dragging us down to their level and making a real game of it. I wouldn't say 'bogey' side at all, but they're definitely one of those clubs that always lift against us. Games like Anzac Round last year where they pipped us by one point, early on in 2021 where we needed Tom Burgess heroics in golden point to get past them, there was one in 2020 late in the Season that ended up being close. As I said, it just always seems to be a real battle against this mob. To be honest, I'm expecting nothing less on Saturday. They'll be up for this one, there's no doubt about that. They've had two wins this year, both coming in the last two weeks, and one of those was against Penrith no less. So, I guess you could say they're in form a bit. They'll come into this one feeling pretty good about themselves, there'll be a bit of confidence there and they'll be looking for an ambush. Interestingly, when you look across their side, I actually think they have a better team than what their ladder position suggests. Guys like Koroisau, Brooks, Nofoaluma (who always plays well against us), Klemmer, Bateman and Papali'i are obviously their main drawcards and their main threats. That's a nucleus for a pretty decent side, there is a bit of strike there. then of course, another threat we now have to watch is the young bloke Bula out the back for them. He's come from nowhere but is looking insane.
So, yea, we know the Tigers are going to be up for this and we need to be wary but in saying that this is not a game we should be dropping. It's a game we really should be winning if we are serious Premiership contenders and want to be top two. The only way we lose this game, is if our attitude stinks and we are complacent. It's happened in the past against lower sides, especially against the Tigers. Losing games, we should be winning last year really hurt us, we don't want that happening again this year. In saying that, the 2023 Rabbitohs are a different team and I'm sure JD will get the boys up for this one. A Saturday afternoon game at home? There's no reason not to be!! So, this week, attitude is key. The Tigers deserve some respect for what they've done recently, and we should treat this as every other game. I'm not expecting to blow them off the park, but I am expecting a good, solid performance, and a win. Just keep doing what we've been doing. Keep that defensive focus, hold that line like we have been. If we can get that right against this Wests side, and keep holding them out, everything else will flow off the back of that. I also want to see us complete well. It's these kinds of games you want to be somewhat clinical, you don't want to keep giving them chances to get their tails up so that's another big focus. We get those two areas of our game right; I think we'll be too good.
What's more, adding to the reason to be up for this game, if the Broncos lose and we win by more than two points, we go to the top of the ladder so that's something huge to play for. There's also the fact that the ladder is actually really close. We might be second right now on 14 points, but there is a stack of teams chasing our tails on 12 points so it's close. You don't want to be dropping games like this.
So, an important week this one in the context of our Season, and I think it's games like this that will really show where we're at in terms of Premiership contention status because this game is all about the mindset and the mentality. It really is that simple. We can do this!! Should be a great day out there Saturday and boy, it can't come quick enough!!
