Round 6 vs Sharks

[Luke Bowden]

The interesting thing from last night was Maloney v Johnson. Maloney did some great things sets up Grant, pinpoint kick for the Cleary try amazing 40/20 but his lack of speed came back to bite us on numerous occasions and in comparison Shaun Johnson’s speed was instrumental in turning the game the sharks way. Could Jerome Laui be as effective as James Maloney perhaps perhaps not but he is your Shaun Johnson style of player and for all the good James Maloney does his lack of pace is a huge liability. If Nathan Cleary was somehow able to deliver what Maloney does in offence it would make the transition to Jerome so much easier.

I’m a big Maloney fan, I always have been.

But I can’t wait for Luai to be our Six. For all the reasons you have listed.

I think he’ll be a superstar, just need to give him a proper chance to develop.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Seriously our putrid defence was our failure to shut down last tackle plays or one on occasion concede a try on the first tackle in the case of the Xerri try. The team defended there line for god knows how many sets with some help from the officials where a few calls went against us and finally succumbed with the Fafita try. The guts, determination and the commitment to hold out as long as they did should be commended not dismissed as putrid. We survive the penalty try play and we win that game and the conversation on here would be so much different to what it is now. Real shame.

100% without that penalty try and we would be discussing how that game is the turning point in our season.

That really adds to the frustration.

 

[Kilkenny]

I’m a big Maloney fan, I always have been.

But I can’t wait for Luai to be our Six. For all the reasons you have listed.

I think he’ll be a superstar, just need to give him a proper chance to develop.

The transition would be easier and swifter if Nathan Cleary was delivering what James Maloney delivers in a positive way but unfortunately Nathan’s not and other than his spiralling midfield bombs there ain’t much else going on.

 

[Kilkenny]

100% without that penalty try and we would be discussing how that game is the turning point in our season.

That really adds to the frustration.

Mate, I knew at that very moment we were done and dusted. They run it on the last, desperation play from inside there own half, our lack of speed on that left edge defensive allowed them space and the rest is history. We defend that play or force them into a defensive kick where we get possession back we are still 14 points in front a good solid set all that is required to seal the win with the limited time left on the clock. They score a fortuitous try and with all the momentum and officials giving us nothing we were on a hiding to nothing. It is really is a shame because despite the doom and gloom we actually were NOT that bad, we gave it our all and led for 75 f**king minutes of the game only to come up short.

 

[Exsilium]

I wouldn’t be losing Maloney until NC develops into a dominant half. Which I am sad to say, is unlikely.

 

[Kilkenny]

I wouldn’t be losing Maloney until NC develops into a dominant half. Which I am sad to say, is unlikely.

I actually think he will become a far better player and develop quicker with Maloney gone.

Forced to be the dominant half with a will of the wisp sidekick in Jerome Luai will help him develop enormously.

We could have done with James Maloney in 2015 before the effects of aging kicked in.

Great player, capable of great things we saw that last night but at the end of the day he is slow and it hurt us on a number of occasions when Shaun Johnson stepped up.

 

[Kilkenny]

Just perhaps if Jerome Luai doesn’t blossom into the five eighth we all want him to be then perhaps Dean Blore could be an ideal partner for Cleary. He is certainly not as flashy as Jerome but he is more in the mould of James Maloney, in that speed and pace if not his go but can guide the side around, solid passing game and solid in defence. Even allowing for his current injury woes he is part of our development group so clearly the club see something in him.

 

[Kilkenny]

At the end of the day there really is no substitute for speed and pace.

It is one of the greatest attributes to possess and other than perhaps Waqa Blake we don’t have any.

Aside from our other obvious issues we are slow across the whole 17 and particularly slow in our back line.

I don’t profess to know what meetings Ivan has with Gus, if any, or any other meetings for that matter but surely the powers that be at our club must surely see the obvious as it is an issue that needs to be address and quickly. If not for this season then surely for 2020.

 

[forby]

We looked like a decent run team with the ball this week. Better than we’ve looked over 80 mins for a longer time than I can remember.

Defence was putrid, if Sharks were finishing competently they’d have put 40 on us.

They took five consecutive sets inside the 20 before they could score. That's putrid defence?
The critics raved about the Roosters keeping Melbourne out for 4.

 

[chrisD]

They took five consecutive sets inside the 20 before they could score. That's putrid defence?
The critics raved about the Roosters keeping Melbourne out for 4.

There were holes everywhere, it was just our scrambling and sharks ineptness rather than any competent defensive structure or decisions. They bombed about four tries and if the game went for ten more minutes they’d have scored four more as our line was water by the end.

 

[TheFrog]

They bombed about four tries and if the game went for ten more minutes they’d have scored four more as our line was water by the end.

If one side continually has possession this is what tends to happen. Tackling burns up the juice far more than being tackled.

 

[franklin2323]

There were holes everywhere, it was just our scrambling and sharks ineptness rather than any competent defensive structure or decisions. They bombed about four tries and if the game went for ten more minutes they’d have scored four more as our line was water by the end.

We missed 2 less tackles in 1st half than the 2nd. A few passes not hitting the mark kept it zero rather than our good work.

I dread to think what the score would of been if they weren't so depleted

 

[franklin2323]

If one side continually has possession this is what tends to happen. Tackling burns up the juice far more than being tackled.

22 missed tackles half one
24 in the 2nd. We were bad in both halves

 

[age.s]

We weren't bad in both halves. Missed tackles mean nothing when compared to points.

 

[Das Hassler]

If one side continually has possession this is what tends to happen. Tackling burns up the juice far more than being tackled.

Sure does as well as having 2 or 3 burning up that energy....a half who sloppily hands back a 7 tackle set for forwards ( who did the work to get there) to have to defend should pay through the nose. Burns me up when they just shrug and skip back into position to watch the forwards defend their inneptness

 

[franklin2323]

We weren't bad in both halves. Missed tackles mean nothing when compared to points.

According to Fox Sports stats

1st half:

Possession Sharks 53%. Panthers 47%

Territory
Sharks 57%
Panthers 43%

Linebreaks
Sharks 2
Panthers 1

Offloads
Sharks 6
Panthers 0

So all over stats show we weren't as good as the score said

 

[franklin2323]

Sure does as well as having 2 or 3 burning up that energy....a half who sloppily hands back a 7 tackle set for forwards ( who did the work to get there) to have to defend should pay through the nose. Burns me up when they just shrug and skip back into position to watch the forwards defend their inneptness

What gets me is the amount of early tackle kicking we do. Every game there is atleast one dumb kick

 

[Panfa]

Yep the early kicks are a real worry the one against the gold coast off the scrum was the dumbest ive seen and thursday nights kick on tackle 4 with 3 mins to go was a waste of time.We needed to play out our set and try to get a repeat set .

 

[franklin2323]

Yep the early kicks are a real worry the one against the gold coast off the scrum was the dumbest ive seen and thursday nights kick on tackle 4 with 3 mins to go was a waste of time.We needed to play out our set and try to get a repeat set .

There was one in the 1st half just kept them out. 3rd tackle and went for the 40/20. Maybe we get close enough to roll it on in goal.

The coach has coached 300 games. The origin winning halves so whoever is calling it should know better

 

[Panfa]

The tactics in the 1st half may have been due to the strong breeze being behind our backs on thursday night.But that only works if you keep your opponents pinned in there 20 with a great chase or force an early error.The old saying cant win without the ball so no need to keep handing it over id rather play out our sets.