Round 2 3Vs Knights Saturday 18th August 3pm Panthers Stadium

[TheFrog]

Makes sense. The Knights are average but unlike Titans, Raiders and Manly they're not incompetent, so they just saw us out. That's all we've been surviving on.

They defended well, which is unlike them. We didn't throw much at them though. Jimmy was missed, dare I say?

 

[Black Magik]

Games like that go back to the old Panthers always losing the unloseable. This team tried too hard, tried to dominate rather than running at gaps and ultimately getting frustrated.

Without flashes of individual brilliance I don’t see any team improvement.

 

[age.s]

The handling and dumb penalties were obviously a major problem, but the most concerning thing from that game was our attacking structure and passing. Looked very disorganized, like a team who'd met for the first time at the pub earlier in the day (and pounded several beers in the interim). Players received the ball flat footed or even having to move backwards. Passes went to ground. Plays in their 20 were 1 out runs and the ball was shifted slowly to the backline. I know he's had some terrible games recently, but we look much much worse without Maloney. May was ordinary.

I've never been a Hook fan, but at this point our discipline, basics and attacking potency have gone a long long way backwards in the fortnight since he's left. It doesn't prove he was a good coach, but I think it proves that punting him has all but killed our 2018 and shouldn't have happened before the end of a year in which we were a legitimate contender.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

I disagree with this completely. To me, it looks as if we are not trying at all and just expecting the opposition to roll over for us.

Nah, we were getting penalized for leaving the line quickly far to much. If this was true we would have had no line at all.

 

[age.s]

In a year where we're still (theoretically) in the running for a top 4 spot, it's amazing that we've put in several spoon worthy performances. Broncos, Manly (H) and today can't be split for mine.

 

[TheFrog]

Tanou really looked like he gave a f**k. I think Ciraldo's really getting the best out of him. Leota played well for the first time since coming back from injury.

Merrin was OK too. And RCG was good as always, and Yeo likewise. So what went wrong? For the first 30 minutes we dropped the ball incessantly, but after that things improved. In the second half we had a good share of possession against the poorest defence in the NRL. But we didn't have a half who could set up runners, like Maloney does. Our attack, with lots of ball, was bloody horrible. Brandy urgently needs to spend some time with Cleary and May teaching them how to set up support runners, because that was what was missing today.

 

[mxlegend99]

In a year where we're still (theoretically) in the running for a top 4 spot, it's amazing that we've put in several spoon worthy performances. Broncos, Manly (H) and today can't be split for mine.

You forgot the performance against Roosters for a loss.

Plus our past 3 wins against shit teams we were clearly inferior to the opposition for most the game too.

We have only had 3 good games this season.

Beating Cowboys, Dragons and Warriors. Otherwise we've been fringe top 8 at best

 

[kinghippo]

What it all comes down to apart from the errors is this team is no longer winning the middle of the field.
We are not playing forward before we attack.
it’s all to sideways.
Everything else is just icing on the shit cake.
Peachy got exposed against the KNIGHTS!
I doubt we will have another win this year.

 

[mxlegend99]

Merrin was OK too. And RCG was good as always, and Yeo likewise. So what went wrong? For the first 30 minutes we dropped the ball incessantly, but after that things improved. In the second half we had a good share of possession against the poorest defence in the NRL. But we didn't have a half who could set up runners, like Maloney does. Our attack, with lots of ball, was bloody horrible. Brandy urgently needs to spend some time with Cleary and May teaching them how to set up support runners, because that was what was missing today.

No what was missing was no one could hold the f**king ball. No half in history could do any better when his team makes an error before he gets the ball or after he passes it to them.

 

[age.s]

You forgot the performance against Roosters for a loss.

Plus our past 3 wins against shit teams we were clearly inferior to the opposition for most the game too.

We have only had 3 good games this season.

Beating Cowboys, Dragons and Warriors. Otherwise we've been fringe top 8 at best

Tigers game was pretty good too. Souths game when you consider the season they're having.

But yeah, I agree our ladder position is looking pretty deceptive at this point.

 

[Matthew Ellis]

You forgot the performance against Roosters for a loss.

Plus our past 3 wins against shit teams we were clearly inferior to the opposition for most the game too.

We have only had 3 good games this season.

Beating Cowboys, Dragons and Warriors. Otherwise we've been fringe top 8 at best

I thought in our loss to the Sharks we played really well too. Came within a half opportunity of wining.

 

[OldPanther]

I have just walked out of the ground. I am ropable. What an absolute f**king shit show. Play the f**king ISP side in first grade the next two weeks.

Same. I'm at Pizza hit down the road to drown my sorrows.

No according to most people on here he is better than Maloney and the next coming of Christ

Not true. Most people wanted Maloney rested and ready for finals.

 

[Thunder Road]

All season fans have been complaining about griffin and Maloney. The first opportunity to play without both and that’s what happens.

I’ll admit I was almost happy that Maloney wasn’t playing.....I was wrong, season is over without him

 

[TheFrog]

No what was missing was no one could hold the f**king ball. No half in history could do any better when his team makes an error before he gets the ball or after he passes it to them.

The second half was much better in that regard, we ended up having over 50% of ball and 68% completion whereas it was 50% in the first half. But the halves could not hit the outside men, Whare, CHN, Kikau, Blake, with good clean ball. Maloney does it so easy it looks just like standard halfback play, but no-one today could do it. It's timing, and today it was out.

 

[chrisD]

They defended well, which is unlike them. We didn't throw much at them though. Jimmy was missed, dare I say?

I think things are terminal and the only real answers are a new coach and a new season.

 

[billypilgrimnz]

I think things are terminal and the only real answers are a new coach and a new season.

Pretty much.

 

[TheFrog]

You forgot the performance against Roosters for a loss.

Roosters played really well and we were busted, but we showed some grit in that match, after it was gone. The Broncos coach did his homework, identified the weaknesses in our rookie back 3 (Mansour played in that game but caught cold on his wing) and his plan worked quite spectacularly. Then the intercepts.

I think the first half today was worse than either of those games, especially since we've got most of our side back now. We could have come back in the second half with the ball we had but our attack was pedestrian and the Knights wanted to win more. I could blame Cummins, who is the most skilful ref in the game (this is not a compliment) but we should have won despite him.

At least the Warriors will be thinking they only need to turn up next week.

 

[Black Magik]

O

I think things are terminal and the only real answers are a new coach and a new season.

One thing is obvious, we need to be top 4 to get to week 2 of the finals

 

[pantherz9103]

Phil Gould is deluded thinking we'd have a better chance of winning the comp sacking Griffin with 4 weeks to go and I most certainly am not a Griffin fan. Basically the players are only more confused and the game plan is even more non existent. The attitude of players like Katoa and CHW is rubbish. We're almost certainly playing at least one final this year and based on recent form we'll be embarassed. From the heights of that win over the Dragons mid season to this..

 

[Matthew Ellis]

Phil Gould is deluded thinking we'd have a better chance of winning the comp sacking Griffin with 4 weeks to go and I most certainly am not a Griffin fan. Basically the players are only more confused and the game plan is even more non existent. The attitude of players like Katoa and CHW is rubbish. We're almost certainly playing at least one final this year and based on recent form we'll be embarassed. From the heights of that win over the Dragons mid season to this..

I think Gus gave up on his this year before he sacked Griffin due to the starts we kept giving away post Origin under him. Just the way he's talking when he's asked about our premiership chances this year he kept deflecting the question.