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Time to switch focus and look towards the next game, Round 19, as we take on the Bulldogs this Saturday night, back out there at Accor. A pretty important game in the context of our Season as we really need to back up last week's performance and get a win here. Cannot afford to drop this game, it's almost a must win. So, for that reason alone, it's a big game, but it's also a big game because we're playing our old rivals, the Dogs. Always a big game when we play them as they're one of our traditional, and most fierce rivals. We have a rivalry that stretches back well over 80 years now and there's a lot that's happened between the two clubs in that time. It's no secret we don't like each other, and that's quite simply not going to change heading into this weekend.
Well, what the hell do we make of the Dogs now? I really don't know how to read them. There's no doubt they're really struggling at the moment. Decimated by injuries, and they got beat 66-0 by the Knights yesterday which is pretty crazy. That's probably rock bottom in their Season to be honest. They're towards the bottom of the ladder and certainly doing it tough right now. However, I don't think them getting absolutely walloped is necessarily a good thing for us heading into this weekend. Despite their struggles, and they'd be very low on confidence right now, there has to be some kind of bounce back. There just has to be. They're gonna be pretty fired up to make amends and they'll see yesterday as rock bottom, it's only up from here. So, I'm expecting a pretty pumped-up Canterbury side which to be honest, could be a bit of a danger in an Origin effected game. We don't know who they're going to be missing due to Origin but hopefully both Burton and Addo-Carr get picked. They should still field a decent-ish side against us, so we need to be wary. I certainly think their main threats are out wide, they've got some pretty good, young, outside backs in the likes of Alamoti, Perham, Averillo, Kiraz etc. They'll make you pay if you go in complacent.
For us, this week is all about proving that last week was no fluke and that we really are over our slump and back on track. We simply must prove that, there's no two ways about it. I'm sure the boys will take a lot of confidence out of the way we played on Friday and that should be our standard going forward, we need to build off that and keep going. We can certainly beat the Dogs, but I don't want to see us underestimate them. There really shouldn't be any room whatsoever for complacency heading into this one. Hopefully, missing Origin players ourselves will help us not be complacent, and as I mentioned earlier, the bounce-back factor for the Bulldogs will be there and they'll come out hard. Our attitude is the number one thing I want to see the boys get right this week, especially in defence. If we can get that right, then the rest will hopefully flow off that. Try and keep your discipline like we did last week, be patient, and points will come. Play that 'Rabbitohs Footy' we've been talking about all year. We have no idea ourselves who we'll be missing due to Origin, and that is a bit of a worry, but let's just see who gets picked today and go from there. There will have to be a real 'next man up' mentality this week.
So, in the final Origin-effected Round of the Season, it's going to be a bit of a challenge for sure, but it's one that I'm looking forward to as a fan, and I'm sure the boys are too. A really important game in our Season against an old foe. Gotta get it done lads! Go do it!!
Glory, Glory.
Well, what the hell do we make of the Dogs now? I really don't know how to read them. There's no doubt they're really struggling at the moment. Decimated by injuries, and they got beat 66-0 by the Knights yesterday which is pretty crazy. That's probably rock bottom in their Season to be honest. They're towards the bottom of the ladder and certainly doing it tough right now. However, I don't think them getting absolutely walloped is necessarily a good thing for us heading into this weekend. Despite their struggles, and they'd be very low on confidence right now, there has to be some kind of bounce back. There just has to be. They're gonna be pretty fired up to make amends and they'll see yesterday as rock bottom, it's only up from here. So, I'm expecting a pretty pumped-up Canterbury side which to be honest, could be a bit of a danger in an Origin effected game. We don't know who they're going to be missing due to Origin but hopefully both Burton and Addo-Carr get picked. They should still field a decent-ish side against us, so we need to be wary. I certainly think their main threats are out wide, they've got some pretty good, young, outside backs in the likes of Alamoti, Perham, Averillo, Kiraz etc. They'll make you pay if you go in complacent.
For us, this week is all about proving that last week was no fluke and that we really are over our slump and back on track. We simply must prove that, there's no two ways about it. I'm sure the boys will take a lot of confidence out of the way we played on Friday and that should be our standard going forward, we need to build off that and keep going. We can certainly beat the Dogs, but I don't want to see us underestimate them. There really shouldn't be any room whatsoever for complacency heading into this one. Hopefully, missing Origin players ourselves will help us not be complacent, and as I mentioned earlier, the bounce-back factor for the Bulldogs will be there and they'll come out hard. Our attitude is the number one thing I want to see the boys get right this week, especially in defence. If we can get that right, then the rest will hopefully flow off that. Try and keep your discipline like we did last week, be patient, and points will come. Play that 'Rabbitohs Footy' we've been talking about all year. We have no idea ourselves who we'll be missing due to Origin, and that is a bit of a worry, but let's just see who gets picked today and go from there. There will have to be a real 'next man up' mentality this week.
So, in the final Origin-effected Round of the Season, it's going to be a bit of a challenge for sure, but it's one that I'm looking forward to as a fan, and I'm sure the boys are too. A really important game in our Season against an old foe. Gotta get it done lads! Go do it!!
Glory, Glory.