Round 2 - Storm vs Rabbitohs: Thursday 17th March 8:05pm @AAMI Park

[southsport]

Yep lucky to only lose that one by 1 point. There’s some hope there guys! We killed ourselves up until 12mins to go. On to next week.

Milne to left centre, Havili to hooker and we suddenly come alive with 12 to go.
.

 

[handyman2190]

Ughhh jeez that hurts. That really, really bloody hurts. Wanted to get that one so bad in the end but we simply can't win in Melbourne. We just cannot win there. It's heartbreaking to lose by 1 after that kind of game and I feel quite shattered.

So many mixed feelings about that game, I don't quite know what the hell just happened. On the one hand, I'm absolutely fuming because we played pretty much the worst we could for 65 minutes. Seriously, it was diabolical, just about the worst I've seen from any team. A dropped ball just about every set and we bombed two, three, maybe even four tries at least. It was honestly disgusting.

But on the other hand, I'm so bloody proud of that amazing comeback!! I said all game on the couch that we were creating good shape, just couldn't execute it, and that when things finally clicked, we'd be on. That proved to be very true because once we found our mojo, we honestly looked unstoppable and the Storm didn't know how to handle us. I take a lot of confidence from that and hopefully things have now fully clicked.

It just sucks because if we complete at even something like 70% and just ice a couple opportunities, we win comfortably I reckon.

I'll go into more detail tomorrow, just gutted for now.

Im willing to bet noones been practicing goal kicking or grubbers for return sets,any kicking what a joke,1 kick and we win,f**k belamy and his 500

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

Completion rate was less than 50% at one stage. Never going to win a game of footy with that.

Melbourne’s edge defence were fantastic with their aggression. Souths response was to try tap on after tap on.

Just do the basics well FFS.

Exactly
The basics, hold the ball, complete sets, dont give up penalties.
They've been poor with this all 3 games now.
And someone needs to figure out how to kick for repeat sets, this aspect has been woeful without Reynolds

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

And Paulo had his last chance at left centre.
.

Hopefully but I'll believe it when it doesn't happen!

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

Milne to left centre, Havili to hooker and we suddenly come alive with 12 to go.
.

Because Havili is a threat to run from dummy half and he runs direct.
That's what's burning me up about Cook, he is not doing either, and its been like that for a while, all the semis for the last 2 years, and when ever he goes up against a top hooker, Smith, Api, Grant

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

And another aspect they need to bring into the play is getting Latrell barging at the line from a short pass, maybe 2 passes off the ruck. Sending Host or Tatola, or the GOAT is just wasting tackles, they are not going to break a goal line defense.
We used to do this with Inglis, we need to bring it back with Mitchell

 

[Wizardman]

The last part of the game was refereed a different way to what is was in the first 65 minutes.

 

[Rabbits20]

Exactly
The basics, hold the ball, complete sets, dont give up penalties.
They've been poor with this all 3 games now.
And someone needs to figure out how to kick for repeat sets, this aspect has been woeful without Reynolds

Not just that the whole kicking game hasn’t been good enough.

GK I think will cost us some games too like it did last night.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Latrell
AJ. Paulo
Milne. Graham
Ilias
Cody

forwards with Havilli and Mamazoo.

That Moale looked good too. Beastly

 

[handyman2190]

The last part of the game was refereed a different way to what is was in the first 65 minutes.

They got away with murder,they held us down and we got no repeat sets,their cheats always have been rorting the rules,munster lying all over us in tackles making us flip him over so we could get up,it wore thin 10min near the end and he got penalised,its a joke

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Gk is not an easy fix.

The players pot them over easy at training, but some psychological nonsense happening in games.

And reliance on Latrell to win games for you, is quite a high risk strategy for different reasons.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

A few talking points from that game.

Teams are too used to cook running now. I love the bloke but he's got to change his playstyle because he's too predictable. In saying this though he made some really good tackles in defence but I think Cook is best used as a running dummy half.

Our left centre options are Paulo, Milne and Taafe. I dont think its worth it yet to shuffle around the backline because of Paulo having 2 bad games. I think Paulo deserves a bit more of a chance before we drop him. If gagai was there last night I think we would've won the game but I dont think taafe or Milne match up to gagai either.

Our forwards were a bit lazy with their ruck defence. Especially koloamatangi and burgess. Hopefully this fixes itself.

 

[truthslayer]

Very disappointed at the quality displayed in the first 65 minutes.I mentioned last week the coach will come under the microscope, first the decision to start Murray our captain from the bench was a terrible decision. As the rest of the players bumbled and fumbled our star was looking very frustrated. Obviously the coach does not read the forums because blind Freddy knows Jaxson is no center . To little to late when this was rectified with Milne moving to center and Paulo back to the wing where he looked much better.I mentioned Davy Moale last week but some members think he’s not ready but his few minutes and runs tells me he is good enough. Let’s address the half back , yes young inexperienced but we are playing to win and last night was not a great performance, he needs to take on the line and when he did he looked much better. Walker and Cook were so average it was embarrassing , Walker still taking the wrong options and throwing stupid passes .Campbell Graham and Murray were standouts and there efforts alone made it bearable to watch, The forwards just were not hitting hard enough and standing back looking for someone else to do the job is just not on. WE did show great resolve in coming back and Nearly snatching the game but were was the rushed defence on the winning field goal he still had time to take a step sideways after being missed by one player that got to him. Now let me address the ref he was terrible , Melbourne’s backs were offside all night but only pinged in the last 10 minutes , the constant dirty play on lying on our players all night and he chose to overlook a second effort in the tackle not letting the player up and these should have been immediately penalised. As for the bunker they are useless and I sometime if its the commentary team making the decisions, again they showed there bias against souths which is really getting on my nerves.Savili actually had a great game and was very impressive at hooker when cook went off. So onto next week but credit for staying in the game even if the completion rate was pathetic , not acceptable coach!

 

[callmack1]

Key Takeaways from Round 2: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2022/03/18/key-takeaways---melbourne-storm/

'I learn from my failures' - Latrell opens up in raw interview: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...n/news-story/451ff122317e9e47604c0e451073697f

'Bring us joy' - Demetriou reveals reason behind Murray benching: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/1e8f9fad6b1c6042adbc73d7e1ed407a

'It was a rabble' - Bunnies experiment backfires as NRL great exposes gaping hole: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...i/news-story/fda35dedf269fc93f684103b12e4fd28

How Milford mess derailed Souths' plan and left rookie playmaker exposed: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/d534258edc55692e386a2c8548ba11b9

Jeez Fox are really hating on us this year aren't they? They can piss off!!

South Sydney coach says mid-game switch had to happen: https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-20...o-happen/c74b6c1d-d626-42e1-88ba-bfa4b205239d

 

[Souths Till I Die]

I think the players that were on in the last 15 minutes benefited a lot from the fatigue of the Melbourne forwards.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

The last part of the game was refereed a different way to what is was in the first 65 minutes.

Yeah the ref opened their eyes

 

[southsport]

Hopefully but I'll believe it when it doesn't happen!

Surely he can't be selected at centre again, he defended well but his attack is horrendous.
.

 

[assess5]

Im willing to bet noones been practicing goal kicking or grubbers for return sets,any kicking what a joke,1 kick and we win,f**k belamy and his 500

Taafe can kick goals and in general play, gotta find a spot for him

 

[Rabbits20]

This season is the first time in the history of the club that we didn’t kick a goal in the opening two rounds of the competition.

 

[handyman2190]

Taafe can kick goals and in general play, gotta find a spot for him

He dosent inspire me either,they need practice