Round 19 Vs Raiders

[Pomoz]

I thought the Raiders played well. They are a quality side and it is no disgrace to lose to them. A couple of points from the game:

• Our back row was really poor yesterday. Without Kikau and with Yeo injured we had no impact with our wide runners and found it difficult to make any breaks or metres. Martin also looked a bit lame. The Raiders were the opposite and their back row bent our line back plenty of times. Their back row owned us yesterday.
• I don't understand why Dave's mate had such a light bench with Lua and Egan. We needed more artillery, why wasn't Cartwright given a chance? Seems crazy to play with a broken Yeo, who is having a poor season (out of character for him, but that's my view), especially against a team with such a strong forward pack.
• Once again, the ball movement from the middle forwards worked well and that aspect of our play causes teams a lot of problems through the middle. Tamou, JFH and RCG all delivered 100+ metres and the Raiders big men couldn't cope and were gassed. Papali and Soliola made 65 and 75m respectively. JFH made more metres on his own!
• Naden was poor but he is a rookie with a handful of games and this will happen with every rookie. It'll be Too's turn soon enough.
• Edwards had a great game for us and his 215m against such a good defensive team is very impressive.
• Our attack inside the 20, sucks. Nothing new there. We lack runners following through when our big men hit the line looking for offloads (JFH was waving the ball around looking for support, Cleary too). We lack runners straightening the attack, the one time we play straight we score. Who'd a thought?
• I thought we were a bit flat after the Dragons game, which took up a bit of juice. We'll bounce back.

 

[unKwn]

Mansour is past it. Naden is far too limited. A first grade team should be looking to do better than Whare and Edwards in their positions. We should be looking to replace them all for 2020. To'o is the only outside back worth his jersey and he's just average.

biggest overreaction ever

i agree that mansour and whare should be replaced next year, but naden? it’s like his 6th game. are we just going to ignore everything good he’s done so far because of one shit game? and edwards was really good, unfortunately he doesn’t have a good pass on him (if he did he would be a great fullback), but he is the least of our worries right now

 

[OldPanther]

I'm convinced nobody here actually watched the game. Everyone is rating Egan and Kenny both a 5 in the player ranking yet Egan has a try assist and forced a drop out. Dragons game Kenny had a try assist and got a higher score yet was playing a much easier opposition. The bias here is really bad at the moment.

 

[Pomoz]

I'm convinced nobody here actually watched the game. Everyone is rating Egan and Kenny both a 5 in the player ranking yet Egan has a try assist and forced a drop out. Dragons game Kenny had a try assist and got a higher score yet was playing a much easier opposition. The bias here is really bad at the moment.

Nah mate. Just opinions is all. One man's superstar or favourite, is another man's journeyman (come on down, Isaah Yeo) or deadbeat (come on down, Tyrone Peachey).

 

[OldPanther]

Nah mate. Just opinions is all. One man's superstar or favourite, is another man's journeyman (come on down, Isaah Yeo) or deadbeat (come on down, Tyrone Peachey).

Yeah that makes sense. Just strange Kenny gets recognition when deserved yet Egan doesn't. Obviously comes down to what you've said and bugs me a little since it was this forum that convinced me on Egan in the first place.

Anyway thanks for the reasonable response to my rambling haha.

 

[martielang]

I wouldn't be throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Canberra played well yesterday, we were a little off & they made us pay like good sides do. Some questionable calls didn't help either.

Shows we're still a step behind the top 4 but I don't think that's any great surprise to anyone. Sure there needs to be a little tweaking but I don't think wholesale changes are needed, we controlled large parts of the game.

I still don't mind having Egan & Luai on the bench. We're not going to beat anyone with superior structure so throwing Luai on in the middle, while it looks like a mess, has merit IMO. I think i'd be bringing my man Katoa back into the fold & giving Kenny a rest. Be good to see how Katoa goes now he has 2 halves in reasonable form, a fullback who can catch & a back 5 that no longer take backwards hitups.

 

[Alintheeast]

After 45 years going to Penrith Park I think you can smell it or feel it in the air that we are going to loose. Yesterday there were a lot of vapours about. We never do well in our big matches at home plus the enhanced media attention surrounding Kikau suspension, 8 in a row and Jimmy off to France maybe spooked the younger guys. The worry are the Berries away if we loose to them we are no longer in control of our destiny. As club man I think it is great that right through the grades we are in finals contention and would like to keep it that way.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Maybe Naden is more of a winger, but then who is in the centres? An 18 year old Chricton? That ain’t going to happen.

 

[OldPanther]

Maybe Naden is more of a winger, but then who is in the centres? An 18 year old Chricton? That ain’t going to happen.

But it should.

 

[TheFrog]

I'm convinced nobody here actually watched the game. Everyone is rating Egan and Kenny both a 5 in the player ranking yet Egan has a try assist and forced a drop out. Dragons game Kenny had a try assist and got a higher score yet was playing a much easier opposition. The bias here is really bad at the moment.

This is why having a decent sized sample is the way to go. I have no preference between the three hookers. They've all had their moments.

Maybe Naden is more of a winger, but then who is in the centres? An 18 year old Chricton? That ain’t going to happen.

It was just one quiet game. Last week Naden killed it. Same with Mansour.

 

[herbert henry1908]

But it should.

Next year, but leading into the finals where it’s touch & go we’ll make it?

 

[OldPanther]

This is why having a decent sized sample is the way to go. I have no preference between the three hookers. They've all had their moments.



It was just one quiet game. Last week Naden killed it. Same with Mansour.

My point is people aren't being fair to Egan for some reason. In a game Kenny played better he got credit for, in a game Egan played better he didn't get credit due to favouritism.

Agree on Naden and Mansour.

 

[OldPanther]

Next year, but leading into the finals where it’s touch & go we’ll make it?

I think it will improve us. Won't need to do any more than Naden has and most here say Crichton is better than Naden.

 

[herbert henry1908]

It was just one quiet game. Last week Naden killed it. Same with Mansour.

Agree I wouldn’t panic off of one game, but Naden does have a major difficency at centre, he doesn’t pass the ball. He need to work on that a lot if he’s going to make centre his position long term.

 

[Dave's mate]

But it should.

Not with the young spine we have. If we weren't in the running for finals it woukd be different

 

[OldPanther]

Not with the young spine we have. If we weren't in the running for finals it woukd be different

We can't possibly win it anyway. No chance we beat a full strength Storm, Roosters or Raiders in the finals this year. We look too disorganised with the ball. I thought that was being sorted little bit at a time but completely disappeared against Raiders.

Develop now for next year so Ivan has a shiny new team to win a prem with.

 

[Dave's mate]

We can't possibly win it anyway. No chance we beat a full strength Storm, Roosters or Raiders in the finals this year. We look too disorganised with the ball. I thought that was being sorted little bit at a time but completely disappeared against Raiders.

Develop now for next year so Ivan has a shiny new team to win a prem with.

We can beat Canberra

 

[OldPanther]

We can beat Canberra

Would be funny to beat them in a finals game after the season we've both had.

If people think we have enough improvement in a short space of time I'm all for it I'm just not confident this year.

 

[franklin2323]

Luai to centre yesterday was a good call. If only he did it before they scored in Yeo's corner.

I said early in the season that should be done..

But that aside. Kenny could be lock. Or Leota start JFH to lock. Which allows Cartwright or Leinu on the bench or the best player in NSW Cup for the last 2 years has been Burns..Get him in.

 

[franklin2323]

Because you can always be better. Though I was exaggerating a bit with that comment to make a point and it shouldn't be taken literally.

The only changes I want are Lenui and Crichton given a go. I'd give Mansour a week in reserves again. He responded well last time. Might be what he needs from Time to time.

And the 7 inarow wasn't as good as it seems on paper too