Round 5 vs Cowboys

[franklin2323]

Weird thing is he killed it in his first game back aside from his poor defensive reads, and has quickly gone to how you would expect a player with no off season to perform.

Gennings would be better

Still dropping the ball aswell as nothing in defence. Or Simmons for a fortnight or so then he comes back

 

[TheFrog]

Unfortunately Wallace will be our dominant creative half until Soward returns which may be as late as rd 10.

Perhaps the trouble with Wallace is the tackling he is called upon to do. Someone in front of him is not pulling their weight. If we don't have him last night it's a much bigger loss than it was.

A bit like Jason Gillespie getting dropped immediately after making 200. The trouble was, he was a bowler and not getting the results at what he was there for.

I think we might see (shock horror) Adam Docker back in this side sooner rather than later.

 

[Pomoz]

I don't know how people can be having a go at DWZ and Blake, they did what they could with absolutely no quality ball

+1. Forwards were owned for large parts of the game. No space and the Cowboys defended very well. They deserve some credit. they are a good side.

 

[Pomoz]

Some things to fix:
Moylan is a poor kick returner. He is too slow and not very elusive. I don't think fullback is where his future is.
Tyrone Peachey needs to run straight. He has a dose of the crabs.
We get off the tackled player too quickly. Concede a few penalties and slow the ruck. The Cowboys had 41 vs 17 fast play the balls. At times it was like watching touch football as they rolled up the field.

Some good things:
RGC is a gun. 33 tackles and 150 m against the Cowboys brutes is a brilliant performance. Not scared of anybody and puts his body on the line.
76 tackles from Taylor is quite simply stunning. We need another high work rate player like him. Oh. Just a minute, Merrin anybody?
Blake topped the metres gained for the backs with 100m and showed glimpses of what he can do. Behind a well beaten pack, he made a line break and 2 tackle breaks on his DEBUT. Give him a break, he is going to be a great player for us.

Finally, I just want to point out that we played a side in contention for the Premiership. If Thurston didn't play and we had Soward playing, what would have been the result? I'm proud to say our team had, Cartwright, Yeo, Blake, RGC and DWZ from our u20 side. They are young and will have bad days. Give them some experience and who knows what this side could be.

 

[Pomoz]

Perhaps the trouble with Wallace is the tackling he is called upon to do. Someone in front of him is not pulling their weight.

I think Taylor with his 76 tackles may be excluded from this investigation. He makes Col Van Der Voort look like a lazy bastard.

 

[Copperhead]

Perhaps the trouble with Wallace is the tackling he is called upon to do. Someone in front of him is not pulling their weight. If we don't have him last night it's a much bigger loss than it was.

That's one way to look at it, but it's wrong. We're under pressure because he has a useless kicking game and isn't offering any direction, and never gains us repeat sets. He also isn't making a mountain of tackles as you said elsewhere. He made 18, about average for a half, well below Brooks, Pearce, DCE, Hunt and A. Reynolds.

Go have look at last weeks match, he was majorly responsible for that mess in the first 18 minutes through his ineffective bombs and kicking the ball dead, handing them possession with no pressure. The 1st try in the 6th minute was scored between him and Manu, and the 3rd try in the 18th minute was scored after Gidley sat him on his arse.

He's getting criticism because without Soward he's been seen for what he is.

 

[abpanther]

Exactly

He had a couple of kicks on 4th tackle where he should really be finding the grass deep in the opposition half and instead he kicked it straight to the fullback.

In attack he's a passenger, he doesn't take it to the line and was merely passing it to Moylan and hoping that he could create something.

Yeah he tries hard and makes lots of tackles, that's great, Will Smith could probably do the same, I expect more from a veteran half.

He should be able to produce the same as a guy like Jeff Robson, who is willing to take the line on when required

 

[abpanther]

I think we might see (shock horror) Adam Docker back in this side sooner rather than later.

As I mentioned I'm not sure that this would be a bad thing, while it's nice having smaller, mobile backrowers with ball playing skills I think the balance of the pack is a little off at the moment. Docket would at least add some mongrel in defense, something we were sorely lacking last night.

Oh and Idris can't stay in the backrow with those minutes, his workrate is no where near good enough

 

[martielang]

We're 2 - 3, with a good chance of being 3 - 3 next week. Hardly the end of our season.

I agree with the majority, struggling up the middle and on our edge defence. I personally don't think our attack is too far off. We should of had 4 or 5 tries last night but our timing was slightly out. Credit where credit is due, Coote put his body on the line all night and IMO won them the game with 2 big plays.

The team is crying out for Simmons on the wing. His defence and positioning is the best in the club. we have plenty of rocks or diamonds players at the moment, an honest, hardworking, safe outside back is what we need.

McKendry started brilliantly and then.... nothing. Latimore was off last night as well. RCG stood up and I thought he was terrific. I'd have Anderson in the 8 with McKendry either on the bench or gone altogether. Another big body like Latu is probably also needed.

Kori was OK I thought. Holds up the ball nicely, just wish he took on the line a little. He hit Yeo a couple of times with great short balls.

Cartwright and Peachey are never getting the ball in any space. Teams seem to be jamming in and without Soward we have no one who can take advantage.

As others have said, slow our play the ball down and it kills our second phase play and turns our smaller faster forward pack into a weakness.

 

[ACTPanthers]

We're 2 - 3, with a good chance of being 3 - 3 next week. Hardly the end of our season.

I agree with the majority, struggling up the middle and on our edge defence. I personally don't think our attack is too far off. We should of had 4 or 5 tries last night but our timing was slightly out. Credit where credit is due, Coote put his body on the line all night and IMO won them the game with 2 big plays.

The team is crying out for Simmons on the wing. His defence and positioning is the best in the club. we have plenty of rocks or diamonds players at the moment, an honest, hardworking, safe outside back is what we need.

McKendry started brilliantly and then.... nothing. Latimore was off last night as well. RCG stood up and I thought he was terrific. I'd have Anderson in the 8 with McKendry either on the bench or gone altogether. Another big body like Latu is probably also needed.

Kori was OK I thought. Holds up the ball nicely, just wish he took on the line a little. He hit Yeo a couple of times with great short balls.

Cartwright and Peachey are never getting the ball in any space. Teams seem to be jamming in and without Soward we have no one who can take advantage.

As others have said, slow our play the ball down and it kills our second phase play and turns our smaller faster forward pack into a weakness.

Given our last couple of games... You're a lot more confident than I am

At the moment, I'm legitimately worried about any of our games without Soward - I can see us losing all of them until he's back (assuming Rd 10 is correct) - Over the next month, we play 3 teams at the bottom of the ladder (Sharks, Titans and Manly), and I can't see us winning any of them...

This all may seem doom and gloom but given our performances of late, I'm struggling to see another outcome.

 

[abpanther]

RCG looks like he could start soon, was our best prop by far last night

Also, how tall is Blake? Gee he looks big

 

[chrisD]

Your defence works in. If the winger is on the winger it should all line up. The winger being no where just leaves players inside in no mans land

Sadly me and a few others wanting him to comeback via NSW Cup have been proven correct

It doesn't work like that because the defence is almost always outnumbered on a backline sweep. To counter it the defense either has to slide to make the extra number before the ball gets there or come up and in and stop the ball getting outside. I'm not sure what we are supposed to be doing atm, it's such a mess it's hard to tell and it's hard to attribute blame. There's 3 on 2, Blake comes in, Mansour doesn't, the man Blake comes in on gets cut out and Mansour is left 2 on 1. Now if Mansour came in when Blake did then he gets to the attacker when the ball does, if Blake stays out hopefully we slide and we make up the numbers. Which was supposed to happen I don't know, but when Soward was defending three in with Idris and Jennings everyone was on the same page and it wasn't a problem.

Api, Blake and Mansour numbered up from the outside in on one of those tries and they ran straight through inside Api.

 

[chrisD]

Go have look at last weeks match, he was majorly responsible for that mess in the first 18 minutes through his ineffective bombs and kicking the ball dead, handing them possession with no pressure. The 1st try in the 6th minute was scored between him and Manu, and the 3rd try in the 18th minute was scored after Gidley sat him on his arse.

That's true and it really was all him and not Manu at fault, but it's also about the only defensive mistakes he's made since coming back, what can you do about it the few times he gets it wrong?

 

[franklin2323]

It doesn't work like that because the defence is almost always outnumbered on a backline sweep. To counter it the defense either has to slide to make the extra number before the ball gets there or come up and in and stop the ball getting outside. I'm not sure what we are supposed to be doing atm, it's such a mess it's hard to tell and it's hard to attribute blame. There's 3 on 2, Blake comes in, Mansour doesn't, the man Blake comes in on gets cut out and Mansour is left 2 on 1. Now if Mansour came in when Blake did then he gets to the attacker when the ball does, if Blake stays out hopefully we slide and we make up the numbers. Which was supposed to happen I don't know, but when Soward was defending three in with Idris and Jennings everyone was on the same page and it wasn't a problem.

Api, Blake and Mansour numbered up from the outside in on one of those tries and they ran straight through inside Api.

What try did they score where our winger, Centre and 5/8th or Backrow was in the right spot? none their 1st try Waqa went for the intercept. 2nd, 3rd and last try Mansour was MIA the Ethan Lowe try Cartwright was gone. Idris, Jennings and Soward worked because they talked and moved as a line

 

[franklin2323]

Given our last couple of games... You're a lot more confident than I am

At the moment, I'm legitimately worried about any of our games without Soward - I can see us losing all of them until he's back (assuming Rd 10 is correct) - Over the next month, we play 3 teams at the bottom of the ladder (Sharks, Titans and Manly), and I can't see us winning any of them...

This all may seem doom and gloom but given our performances of late, I'm struggling to see another outcome.

Same here. I am seeing another 2010-2011 taking shape. Though I hope it's just underdone players not quite right

 

[Fibroman]

My mates accuse me all the time of having man love for Adam Docker, but I can tell you it has been Plum and Docker that we have missed.

When Docker hits, they stay hit and we only need one player to step up as marker. That takes so much pressure off the likes of Elijah Taylor. It is disgusting that one of our most skilful players has to make 70+ tackles week in, week out.

The reason we won the comp in 1991 was because we had a bloke like MG in the defensive line that intimidated the shit out of the other sides.

It's simple. If we want to win games this year, we need to get really aggressive in defence, and that means Plum and Docker in the side. If we bash the opposition around a bit in defence, you just watch the space that opens up for the young superstars like Moylan, Blake, DWZ and co.

Just my 5 cents worth.

 

[Rhyno]

The 2nd longest losing streak by any team this year :lol:

 

[kiwipete]

My mates accuse me all the time of having man love for Adam Docker, but I can tell you it has been Plum and Docker that we have missed.

When Docker hits, they stay hit and we only need one player to step up as marker. That takes so much pressure off the likes of Elijah Taylor. It is disgusting that one of our most skilful players has to make 70+ tackles week in, week out.

The reason we won the comp in 1991 was because we had a bloke like MG in the defensive line that intimidated the shit out of the other sides.

It's simple. If we want to win games this year, we need to get really aggressive in defence, and that means Plum and Docker in the side. If we bash the opposition around a bit in defence, you just watch the space that opens up for the young superstars like Moylan, Blake, DWZ and co.

Just my 5 cents worth.

Unfortunately Docker has had an accident in the kitchen and apparently has a badly cut hand so his return won't be anytime soon.
A few have said how well RCG has been going and how poorly Sam Mac has been playing. There is probably 350k between their pay packets and one of them isn't earning it! Mac was off after 18 mins last night and despite a strong first 10 minutes added nothing when he came back on later, looks tired to me. RCG and Lats should be starting with Anderson and Plum/Kite/Mac on the bench. I don't think we can afford to have all 3 of them in the team when they are not adding much. Also BMM should return when fit in Manu's spot just to get some energy back into the pack. Anderson was supposed to be cover for Manu last night but Ivan took a gamble on Idris in the back row but we can't afford a 15 minute back rower.
Bring on the Sea Eagles so we can get back to winning!

 

[GongPanther]

Sika Manu returning next week.Plum will have benefited from that run as would have Apasai who played 5/8.

The younger inexperienced players now have a game under belt that could have easily swung the other way.Under the circumstances,we were beaten by a far better outfit,but hardly disgraced.

It'll do us good for later on when the cohesion returns,and our winning ways will be back again.

So no need for the panic button,as we have a better chance of getting into the eight than Nth Qld does of getting the rub of the green with the refs in this years semis.;-)

 

[Buzzard Breath]

At least Elijah Taylor tried. He made 76 tackles and only missed 2.
Fox Sports has him down for 64.