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Round 20 v Storm

maple_69

Bench
Messages
4,420
I think we have the better side on paper. Crucially we are better defensively and have hit the same attacking heights as them frequently this year. They’ve done it more which is cool but that’s not going to be super helpful when they come up against a good defence.

The big advantage they do have is Bellamy and frankly there’s not much we can do about that. I think Nathan Cleary has to be our trump card. He is way smarter than any one that will be on that field.
 

Original Name

Juniors
Messages
1,286
I think we have the better side on paper. Crucially we are better defensively and have hit the same attacking heights as them frequently this year. They’ve done it more which is cool but that’s not going to be super helpful when they come up against a good defence.

The big advantage they do have is Bellamy and frankly there’s not much we can do about that. I think Nathan Cleary has to be our trump card. He is way smarter than any one that will be on that field.
Disagree about their 13 but man their bench looks frail. A hooker, a fullback and two forwards who don't provide a huge deal of impact more like solid role players. Grant's a gun but with Papi playing like he's afraid of contact if Spencer fires I think we have a better bench. They don't have a prop on the bench to close to Spencer at his best. Him winning momentum when comes on is our hope of winning this game.

One injury to a middle forward and they'll be a bit frail up the middle. Both Finucane and Smith will probably have to play 80 if it's early on and Smith's limit for being effect is around a 60 minute player.

Also something to note Storm gassed out in our game against them earlier in the year and we won due to them being to tired to stick to their system in defence (when Capewell scored). Picked a much smaller side after this time, look at that bench 109kg prop, second rower a hooker and a small FB. Probably predicting we'll kick long play end to end and try to tire them out like last game.
 
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franklin2323

Immortal
Messages
33,546
And a full strength we are not the best side by a mile haha.

At full strength the roosters, storm and rabbits would all be very very even games and could go either way.

Id say on paper the storm are probably the best team in the comp.

1 paps at full fitness is 3rd best fb in comp behind teddy and turbo so better than edwards
6 luai has munster covered this year but munster is a big game player with plenty of experience so pretty even.
7. Cleary has hughes covered but hughes is easily 2nd best half back in the comp and can detroy teams with individual brillance.
9. They have grant and cheese. Much better than the api may combo. Api is better than them but the ability for one of them to come on fresh is huge. They actually offer game breaking impact unlike may.

And the storm and our pack are even. They are huge and can really dominate and get on a roll as we have seen all year.

The backs are also probably even.

So no at full strength we are not miles ahead haha.
In a semi Api will play 80... so won't matter who is on the bench.

Look at the minutes by the bench last finals. Even Storm didn't use Hynes and their 3rd benchie got less than 20 mins.

Regardless a bench rotation of: TPJ, Martin and Leinu is enormous.

You don't think Cleary will game manage Papenhuyzen out of the play? If we keep turning him around.

The Storm are middle of the road in kick return metres and similar for Kick metres. These get overlooked because they are great at punishing the mistakes.

That is where our squad is way better and why if reletively fit the comp is ours to lose
 

murraymob

First Grade
Messages
9,956
Great result for us .gives Cleary another week fish more days under quarantine free recovery days for too
 

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,441
Great result for us .gives Cleary another week fish more days under quarantine free recovery days for too

Yep gives everyone another week to heal without us playing.

We are miles better than Souths. Like way f**king better
Yep 100 percent. At full strength we are much better than every team comfortably except the storm imo. Storm and us and very close with both at full strength, I think we are stronger 1-17 especially if TMJ can hit the ground running and be disciplined for his stints but Bellamy is obviously a better coach. If we are at full strength our defence and middle is where we would win assuming both teams play to their abilities. Our defence when at or close to full strength has been every bit as impressive as their attack which is admittedly scary good at times.
 

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,441
Be careful what you wish for.

if it’s just this week it’s a good thing imo, if it extends then no but they are locking down fast so should be ok. We are close to our weakest right now I’d say no fish or Yeo or Api in the middle is huge blow defensively. An extra week helps a lot.
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,135
Not a good thing for mine. Who knows how this could play out. The Queensland Government has shown how conservative and risk averse they are so the consequences of this could be dire, very dire.
 

mxlegend99

Referee
Messages
23,004
Postpone the season 6 weeks. We are back to full strength. Except for Api who we need to miss another game for his suspension.

This top 2 clash is the game it should be. Rather than a massacre.
 

betcats

Referee
Messages
23,441
I know it’s a selfish Penrith opinion but pushing the season back a week could end up being the difference in having Bizza available for a knockout or not, probably will help Nath a lot also with his rehab and trying to get that shoulder stronger. So it’s nice to avoid storm with so many out it could also benefit us massively on the back end, it’s with Yeo and fish, that’s one less game they miss for us. Api will still need to miss a game for his ban.

Now obviously if this outbreak grows then it’s a bad thing, of course no one wants the season to cancelled pr severely reduced.
 

pantherz9103

First Grade
Messages
9,617
If it gets postponed a week then we should have Yeo and Cleary back and also TPJ coming in. We'd certainly be a lot more competitive.
 
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