Round 17 vs Melbourne

[Pablooo]

Those f**ken scumbags first 3 try’s all had arse about them
Full side we beat the salary cap rorters

Whilst Saints “A”game is definitely built around their pack which was mostly missing last night, the Storm are still a threat even with a full Saints team. Last night they had nine players missing from their first 17 which is phenomenal. But I still think with both teams at their best, Saints will be too clinical and stronger through the middle third for the Storm.

 

[Crush]

Lost 3 from last 5 games.
Mary is back in form.

Umm, we have lost 2 from last 5 games. Details and facts aren't your strong point. Stick to mindless rambling and death riding.

 

[ozbuck]

On Foxtel the one of the commentators said that Bellamy instructed his team to target Nightingale and Leilua at the halftime interval.

Fair enough. Ups to Bellamy for targeting Nightingale. He let those soft tries at the end of the match when it was already over.

The try they went in the front with was just a case of us not wrapping the ball up...we had the momentum then with 13 to go. Then the try straight after was a poor miss by the halfback (same when he let in the try just before halftime). It was game over and the. Nightfall was exposed.

Mary had a gameplay and targets in a previous clash this year too. So the rebuttal one could make is 'why couldn't Bellamy see the dragons were going to expose those targets?'

Is nightingale a proper second row option tho, no.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Lucky we weren't playing with Rein then or it would have been a Porsche against a busted up Datsun 180B missing a door and the boot.

You're (deliberately) missing the point. BOTH a "Datsun" and a terribly overrated "VW" are no good against a "Porsche".

And, you're the one harking back to Rein.

 

[giboz71]

It’s the first time one of our forward starters went down early.

Mary’s been getting away with a back on the bench as he hasn’t had a to make a forward replacement early. And defending at 2nd row is a specialist position as often you have halves, centres and fullbacks running at you.

As I said losing Host killed us. I suppose he could have put Sele in there but that would have stuffed our prop rotation.

One of those nights, that and the fact we never beat Melbourne in Melbourne and Smith and Bellamy were never going to let us beat them twice in a season.

And Melbourne’s reserves are a class above ours and they were much more prepared for the step up. This is where a coach like Bellamy kills mere mortals like Mary.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

We just have too many young forwards in our squad of 30 who just aren't up to first grade standard. Keep a few and let the rest go. By some first grade standard props.

Our right edge is still a major problem. Atkin to bench and when he is fit, Lomax to right centre. Dufty needs to position himself better in defence.

"Dufty needs to position himself better in defence"
.
I don't mean to take the piss but seriously?

One of Melbourne's tries involved one of their players not bothering to sidestep past Dufty.

Cringeworthy.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Umm, we have lost 2 from last 5 games. Details and facts aren't your strong point. Stick to mindless rambling and death riding.

Saints have been playing poorly since late May (six weeks ago). Gloss up the stats as much as you can.

 

[ozbuck]

In the lead with 13 to go. Man, tbh the game was anyone's at that point. It was a rackety old crazy bitch of game that if anyone is taking seriously , well they need to examine their view. It was a make belief game, fairy dust. All these young guys coming in...everything goes up in the air. They pipped us at the end.

I tell you if we have won everyone would've been praising Mary. We were 14 mins away. But we didn't and so he gets shit.

Now, have I thought we'd win the premiership this year? No. Even when we've been first all year I still haven't thought that. But not because Mary is coach. But the fact we've beaten. Some of the top teams makes me excited because in the finals anything can happen

 

[ozbuck]

Saints have been playing poorly since late May (six weeks ago). Gloss up the stats as much as you can.

GOOD!! Im glad we're playing shit now. Better than week 1 of the finals. Everyone goes on about timing. Damn right. Its all about timing. Looks like Mary is timing it great

 

[Life's Good]

My take on this game is our attack is quite good. Not many teams put 30 in Melbourne at home. To those bagging Nichols, it’s his first game & I thought his kicking, passing & running was fine & played the perfect foil for Widdop(who was very good).
Our crumbling defence in the last 20 was 2 things - lack of combinations & fatigue. Nighty, poor bloke, had both of those covered by rushing out of the line leading directly to tries. There was also some lazy efforts by Luc & the Storm had enough class to exploit it( aided by the coaching masterstroke of instructing players to target Nighty). Whilst disappointed with Duftys defence the kid was left high & dry by the front line completely collapsing. I’m confident getting our SOO players back will fix this defence but having 50+ put on us will leave some mental scars.
I’m hoping this game is the wake up call to show that near enough isn’t good enough.

 

[st penguin]

By the way, Souths are leading the comp.
Say it slowly.
Try not to choke on it
#marycantcoach

err...you've already said that coming second is successful.

Sad.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

We just cannot win in Melbourne. Last time we won was the semifinal game in 1999. 34-10. Let this sink in, McGregor and Mundine were playing the last time we beat Melbourne. And it was a good solid win too. Some terrible games down there. 70-10 at the MCG, I think Mundine quit the week after of a few weeks after, something like that. Then in 2014, when the refs won Melbourne the game. Anyone, despite letting in 52 points, I guess we played ok, besides the last 20 minutes. Defence was crap, and I don’t know why McGregor but Nightingale in the second row.

We just cannot win in Melbourne. Last time we won was the semifinal game in 1999. 34-10. Let this sink in, McGregor and Mundine were playing the last time we beat Melbourne. And it was a good solid win too. Some terrible games down there. 70-10 at the MCG, I think Mundine quit the week after of a few weeks after, something like that. Then in 2014, when the refs won Melbourne the game. Anyone, despite letting in 52 points, I guess we played ok, besides the last 20 minutes. Defence was crap, and I don’t know why McGregor but Nightingale in the second row.

For those with long memories, the Nightingale/Host swap over was redolent of the '93 grand final where coach Brian Smith replaced prop Jason Stevens with a much smaller utility player (Jeff Hardy) DESPITE the presence of much larger option (Neil Tierney).

The history books show how such a terrible decision played out.

This kind of basic error is on par with McGregor's decision to name JDB at halfback against the Broncos a few years ago.

The bloke simply CANNOT coach adequately at a first grade level, and simply needs to be replaced at year's end.

Of course, with Saints having a (on face value) successful season, the Board will undoubtedly extend Paul McGregor's tenure.

Woe.

Despite the absence of its Origin representatives, last night's result emphasised Saints run the high chance of being eliminated in 'straight sets' (as unpalatable as it sounds).

As for Nightingale, he was put in an untenable position by the 'coach' who is deluded in thinking he can manufacture specialist players into something they are not. As others have pointed out, 40 tackles in a single match is probably Nightingale's season tally.

Yes, the tiring player let in a few tries towards the end but why hasn't ANYONE mentioned an obvious arm injury that was picked up by Channel 9?

Nightingale's presence on the interchange bench is debatable, but it's not the overriding factor why the loss was so heavy.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

It’s the first time one of our forward starters went down early.

Mary’s been getting away with a back on the bench as he hasn’t had a to make a forward replacement early. And defending at 2nd row is a specialist position as often you have halves, centres and fullbacks running at you.

As I said losing Host killed us. I suppose he could have put Sele in there but that would have stuffed our prop rotation.

One of those nights, that and the fact we never beat Melbourne in Melbourne and Smith and Bellamy were never going to let us beat them twice in a season.

And Melbourne’s reserves are a class above ours and they were much more prepared for the step up. This is where a coach like Bellamy kills mere mortals like Mary.

If Mary put Sele on the bench as part of the prop rotation he’s crazier than I thought.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

If Mary put Sele on the bench as part of the prop rotation he’s crazier than I thought.

Given Sele plays second row, I didn't understand why he didn't immediately replace the injured Host.

Or, Latimore comes on and Au Mau moves to the back row.

Could someone please educate me why these two ideas aren't practical?

 

[jeffdragon]

GOOD!! Im glad we're playing shit now. Better than week 1 of the finals. Everyone goes on about timing. Damn right. Its all about timing. Looks like Mary is timing it great

Exactly
When i saw smith was not playing origin i thought it is still hard for us to win.
souths have no inglis for a month .
No team can be at there best for the whole comp.
Look at penrith atm

 

[dino1]

Hello
The way we capitulated last night, gave me a felling of De ja vu. Is this the start of our dreaded choking?????

We got taught a few lessons last night:
Our ISP team is crap.
Nicholls should be released.
Luc should of been ready a couple of years ago, so get rid of him.
Our backline cant defend.
Nightengale should go his use by date expired 2 years ago.
Dufty even though his speed is an asset, his defence is woeful.
Mcgregor is still a stupid coach.
WHERE was our defence in the last 20- was it a case of fitness gone bad?
Where was Widdop in the last 20?????????

 

[giboz71]

If Mary put Sele on the bench as part of the prop rotation he’s crazier than I thought.

Well Sele was the closest thing to a 2nd prop on the bench (to partner Latimore). Nighty and Robson were the others.

The only other prop we could have used was Allgood or Kerr and I doubt they could have helped us.

Ideally, Mary should have put Lawrie as starting prop and Sele at lock and kept Ah Mau and Latimore as our bench props.

 

[Saints Forever]

This is a game that proved Melbourne’s reserve grade unit is closer to playing first grade than our ISP boys.

ISP boys ran out of gas with 15 minutes to go.

Smith was the difference between the 2 sides.

Nicholls showed why he was making his first grade debut at 29.

If Smith were playing last night for us we win.

We lost the forward battle and in doing so the game.

Am sure when our half back and SOO standard forwards return we will be fine.

Time to play 4 forwards from bench.

No need for utility unless he is a speed merchant.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

Well Sele was the closest thing to a 2nd prop on the bench (to partner Latimore). Nighty and Robson were the others.

The only other prop we could have used was Allgood or Kerr and I doubt they could have helped us.

Ideally, Mary should have put Lawrie as starting prop and Sele at lock and kept Ah Mau and Latimore as our bench props.

It baffles me why Lawrie wasn’t used more than Flo and Sele.
At Lawrie really goes hard.

 

[Bests Golden Boots]

Given Sele plays second row, I didn't understand why he didn't immediately replace the injured Host.

Or, Latimore comes on and Au Mau moves to the back row.

Could someone please educate me why these two ideas aren't practical?

Mary couldn’t remember thier names to tell them to go on and Flo was the first name that popped into his head?
Either that or he just hates Flo and wanted to see him smashed all night.