Round 24 V Storm

[umina panther]

Docker isn't a first grader and he never will be.

 

[Dufmack]

Our errors were terrible tonight and all but not going to take much out of this game, absolutely injury devastated team missing our most valuable player versing a class team battling to make the 8. And some poor refereeing on top of this.

Thought DWZ had a cracker game at least.

 

[maple_69]

Pretty good effort from Penrith. Docker was trying too hard. Looking for shots and pushing it in the ruck too much. I think he'll carve out a good career but can't seeing him holding out the back rowers we have back next year. Kingston was also off the pace, slow, too many inside balls. Tight in defence though.

Everyone else was good, really put in. Four tries to two with one being an intercept. Soward missed Seg big time tonight. Our attacking fluency of the past couple months was nowhere to be seen. Seg offers a crucial point of attack that allows Soward to dictate terms.

DWZ is starting to look the goods. Plummy is going great as well.

 

[GongPanther]

Docker had a below par game with his handling alright.

Not the end of the world...I'd rather have the luxury of still being in 4th spot with two rounds to play than being in 9th or 10th spot in no man's land.

No matter how anyone looks at it,we are in the 8,we have far exceeded expectations beyond our wildest dreams,and it's us that will be playing in the middle and hopefully beyond September.

 

[soc123_au]

Execution was off, but can't fault the effort. The better side won but really, the score could have been much closer. In years past we lose that game by 30.

 

[darkbloom]

This may actually be a loss that we had to have - much like the late season belting the roosters gave us in 2003, that belting was one of the factors that helped us win the premiership.

Personally I don't think expectations have been exceeded.

I in fact expected a final 8 finish and would have been very disappointed had we not played in September. My expectation came from the massive recruitment that was done, the depth that created, and the fact Cleary is a good coach.

My only caveats on these season expectations were the whether the halves could leave their recent poor seasons behind them and reclaim their earlier form. They quickly showed they were going to be an asset not a liability.

Basically I am saying we are in our rightful position.

A minor premiership - and maybe top 4- to me would be overachievement, missing the 8 would be well below. Once in the finals - especially top 4 - anything could happen, its a whole new ball game.

 

[umina panther]

That 10 min period early in the second half where they got a few joke penalties killed any hope of another win we were meant to get.

Seg would have had us up at half time

 

[TheFrog]

Just in from this game. Nowhere near as much crowd participation as last week, its as if we all knew it was too big an ask. We looked a bit tired tonight. Fought well in the first half and I'd have been happy to go in at 6-all but that try right on halftime set us back. Then we had a period in the second half when we attacked them without getting over before they put the game to bed. A decent finish though. Cronk with his cross kicks was dangerous all night.

Another tough one next week. We need another win to make the top 4.

 

[MaxPower]

Other than the home ground advantage we didn't have much go in our favour. Still, the team worked hard, and didn't get smashed. Statistically there wasn't much in it. Doesn't get any easier next round.

 

[Caged Panther]

That 10 min period early in the second half where they got a few joke penalties killed any hope of another win we were meant to get.

Seg would have had us up at half time

I think the more important thing here is not the joke penalties but our reaction to them. We got frustrated and things sort of spiralled a bit out of control from there.

It was a disappointing loss but kind of inevitable I think with all the injuries we've had.

 

[mxlegend99]

That penalty was a joke though.

Docker needs to be replaced. He's capable of the odd good game, but more often then not a dud.

BMM was poor. Soft defence on Roberts, poor hands not long after.

Will Smith... hasn't impressed me yet and his first two genuine try assists were to Storm and what I thought was a forward pass by luckily wasn't called.

Kingston.. I swear his first touch was a forward pass. No spark from him and he seemed to try giving away penalties at times too..

Mansour and Moylan. For all their great plays, they have some deadset dumbass moments too. But Mansour has to take the cake. His kick over the sideline was the dumbest play I have seen in a long time.

 

[forby]

The penalties just before and after half time cruelled the game and gave melbourne the leg up they didn't deserve.
An intercept, a try off a kick, dubious penalties and some missing penalties and we were still in it to the last ten minutes when time got away.
How can a player get cautioned for shouldering a player out of the way and yet not get penalised?
Too many times the melbourne team get the benefit of calls. Ashley Klein mightn't like their style of play but tonight's refs obviously like the way they continually slow down the play the balls.
Watch out manly!
We're still in this up to our necks!

 

[Karnivayne]

Will Smith whilst being decent defensively offers absolutely jack in attack, the better teams will play this to their advantage and put pressure on Soward, I think its time to throw Moylan in at 5/8 and DWZ at fullback with Simmons back on the wing.

 

[umina panther]

Agree Smith isn't a half. His try assist was 2 meter forward

 

[Fibroman]

Storm beat us with their defence. They had great line speed and slowed our attack down by working the rucks. They had a very good kick chase which hurt us in those slippery conditions.

Docker had a bad game, but doesn't deserve the criticism some give him on here. Plum and Docker on their day will win you a game with their defence.

Our timing was off in attack, and probably should have tried using the grubber kick and get repeat sets if we couldn't bust their line.

We showed some real spirit in defence and copped a few bad calls from refs and the bounce of the ball didn't go our way.

 

[friend10]

How many times did the storm just didn't get off the ground so they can get a penalty and then 1 minute later the guy walks up and is fine. The penalty against jeremy latimore is the perfect example. he got reported for nothing. they taught to stay down.

 

[MaxPower]

Of course they are going to stay down, the refs reward that kind of behaviour.

 

[forby]

And I still don't know how Cameron smith can get cautioned for shouldering so ward off the ball and no penalty. They get a line drop out and then penrith get penalised when a storm player drops the ball cold!

 

[friend10]

Melbourne are the biggest cheats. They wrestle, they dive and won't get up.

Look if they didn't dive then players don't get reported for rubbish. Latimore and docker are both going to get no weeks suspended.

 

[mxlegend99]

Docker had a bad game, but doesn't deserve the criticism some give him on here. Plum and Docker on their day will win you a game with their defence.

:lol:

Dockers defence isn't ever going to win us a match. He gives away too many penalties, misses a lot of tackles with his attempted big hits and his bad games are now outnumbering his good ones.