Rumours and Stuff

[Poupou Escobar]

My thoughts on the game. We played well in patches and had great enthusiasm, but the Panthers were woeful. As one of the commentators mentioned, they made 4 errors in the first 15 mins without doing anything. In other words without even using the ball, they were unforced. Just gave us the ball.

It really didn't get any better for them other then the Jennings sin binning phase. They were atrocious at times and if we had played like that, most of us here would be in the bathroom with razor blades and a bottle of booze.

So it makes it very hard to judge how we are going really as a team and how much we have improved if all that much. Sure it looks like it and with the acquisition of Ferguson, Lane and D. Brown we certainly have I would suspect and Junior should only make us better over all, but by how much is the real question?

The Bulldogs game should be a relative easy game for us if indeed we have truly improved to our potential and don't fall into complacency after just one solid win. The dogs don't have any real quality pigs up front anymore(yes big Papa, I know, but he is not a metre eater) so we should be able to dismantle them over the course of the game if we use our heads and play well. Note: the Dogs and the Raiders are my picks to be vying for the spoon this year. Both teams are virtually without any recognised quality metre gaining front rowers. You can't go into a season without them and think that you can win games. Madness, I don't care how good the rest of your roster is.

So if we do play to our potential this week, it won't tell us much either. I suspect that we will have a better idea of how well we are going when we play the Roosters and then the Sharks. If we can manage to beat at least one of them, then we are doing alright, that's if we don't drop our bundle and play like crap against the Raiders, but show character by maintaining our intensity.

Then we should be naturally up and jumping out of our skins for the Easter Monday home coming game against the Tigers, but lets not forget that they will be too, you can bank on it. So who knows what the outcome for this game will be. All I know is I'm freakin excited and I can't bloody wait!

Raiders have Papalii

 

[IFR33K]

When a try is scored through the middle you can bet the defending hooker was involved. Especially when they were both on the field.

Never seen a hooker defend on the edge so goes without saying, but you’re stating the obvious

 

[TheRam]

Most had Penrith in their Top 4. They have drifted out to 5th in most markets now.

I don't rate the Panthers a highly as some others do, but they are a quality roster and now have a very good coach too. Their problem is the scandal and injury.

I felt that at the time of the Jennings sin binning, if they had Kikau out there he would have done what he did last year and shifted the momentum well and truly their way, we were fortunate this time around that we didn't have to find out.

Praised be Jesus.

 

[TheRam]

Raiders have Papalii

Big woop. Most of his footy has been in the backrow. They have been forced to use him upfront now. Sure he can do it, but he is on his lonesome when it comes to size(and he is hardly a giant) quality, power and aggression. Don't forget both starting front rowers are listed as locks from last season.

They will be found out, just wait and see. Don't look at the game against the Titans, they didn't have ANY halves out there, none for the majority of the game. What team can produce points with that going on?

 

[Avenger]

Most had Penrith in their Top 4. They have drifted out to 5th in most markets now.

Imagine they miss the 8 and the pressure on Gould and his Cleary dynasty?

 

[Glenneel]

Does BA look for a prop/middle forward to replace NBrown, or does he promote within?

Probably Moeroa and hopefully Paulo and Terepo back this week.

 

[Bazal]

Imagine they miss the 8 and the pressure on Gould and his Cleary dynasty?

I think Cleary probably has a free pass this year, whether fair or not, because Gus loves an excuse and won't want to shoulder even a fraction of the blame.

If they miss the 8 Gus will definitely blame the off-season sex tape drama and all the "distractions" it caused. Even if it's not actually relevant.

I don't think they will miss the 8 though, tbh.

 

[lingard]

I saw Brett Kenny's first grade debut at Cumberland Oval. I was so impressed, I said to my father, "that bloke will play for Australia one day". Well, I got the same feeling watching Dylan Brown on tele yesterday. He's the real deal, I'm sure. I reckon Niukore is gonna be great, and Sivo looks the goods as well. I like what I saw of Lane. We have the nucleus of a damn good side for the first time in ages, as far as I'm concerned. It's time now for some very astute recruitment/retention decisions in the next couple of years, because if we can't keep a decent side around Dylan Brown, he'll bugger off to a more successful club. It won't just be about offering him more than anyone else, it'll be trying to keep him happy by surrounding him with a decent side. He's our next Brett Kenny. We simply have to keep him here.

 

[Happy MEel]

When a try is scored through the middle you can bet the defending hooker was involved. Especially when they were both on the field.

Except that he wasn’t involved in the Panthers’ first try which was also through the middle.

It was certainly a strange decision to have them both on the field at the same time when we were down to 12 men, defending our ass off and the Panthers gaining momentum.

 

[Noise]

Except that he wasn’t involved in the Panthers’ first try which was also through the middle.

It was certainly a strange decision to have them both on the field at the same time when we were down to 12 men, defending our ass off and the Dragons gaining momentum.

Panthers

 

[Happy MEel]

Panthers

Lol. Them too

 

[hindy111]

Imagine they miss the 8 and the pressure on Gould and his Cleary dynasty?

I think its possible they will bomb out. Not based on yesterday but there spine also has a rookie hooker an unproven fullback and an overated Cleary. A lot depends on Jimmy

 

[Gazzamatta]

Too many good players to implode. Big question mark on Ileary though. Hopefully Gus dosent think he looks tired by seasons end.

 

[Gronk]

I think its possible they will bomb out. Not based on yesterday but there spine also has a rookie hooker an unproven fullback and an overated Cleary. A lot depends on Jimmy

Everything depends on Jimmy. Fittler must be hoping that the tape that holds Maloney together lasts into July.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

No. I agree with what many have already stated on here. Tep to 13, Paulo back in. Terepo in the wings until his shenanigan is sorted out. We probs won't sack him now.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Never seen a hooker defend on the edge so goes without saying, but you’re stating the obvious

I was responding to someone else who stated the obvious. When a large player runs at a small player on the tryline, he needs his teammates to help out. Alvaro and Mahoney were both there but probably both a bit gassed to be much help.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I don't rate the Panthers a highly as some others do, but they are a quality roster and now have a very good coach too. Their problem is the scandal and injury.

I felt that at the time of the Jennings sin binning, if they had Kikau out there he would have done what he did last year and shifted the momentum well and truly their way, we were fortunate this time around that we didn't have to find out.

Praised be Jesus.

Kilau is a terrible defender. With all the ball we had, if he’d played we would have scored a lot more tries.

 

[Happy MEel]

I was responding to someone else who stated the obvious. When a large player runs at a small player on the tryline, he needs his teammates to help out. Alvaro and Mahoney were both there but probably both a bit gassed to be much help.

Sure, but his team mates should expect him not to be a turnstile and make a decent initial collision, especially having only been on the field for a minute or two.

 

[gaffer]

jennings cited for the low high shot hope parra fight it If he put his hands any lower he would of collared Dbrown who was lying on the deck

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Big woop. Most of his footy has been in the backrow. They have been forced to use him upfront now. Sure he can do it, but he is on his lonesome when it comes to size(and he is hardly a giant) quality, power and aggression. Don't forget both starting front rowers are listed as locks from last season.

They will be found out, just wait and see. Don't look at the game against the Titans, they didn't have ANY halves out there, none for the majority of the game. What team can produce points with that going on?

Papalii plays nearly all his Origin footy in the middle. He only played edge at club level because he has decent lateral movement. Though he is still a defensive liability out wide.

I agree their pack lacks height, though they have a few very big youngsters. We saw them in the trial.