You missed a goodun' Red.
We started well but couldn't get across the line, some bad luck, some just poor 'execution' - the typical stuff close the line. After having our chances, we conceded two tries. It was 12-0 but you know, we were still hanging in there.
The big problem is in the forwards. We are a backs coached side. We did well out wide but only really came back when the backs started taking on the Souths forwards. ie, the likes of Morris, Nightingale running straight and stepping. Souths have a great pack, but were found a little wanting when our more mobile players were running just wide of the ruck. That's not to say the forwards were totally useless, just that they needed some help.
We didn't go for a penalty goal when 6-0 down. Right in front, early in the game. Would have been 6-2 and probably no extra time would have been had.
At 12-0, Souths were playing like they'd won the game. They had every reason to think so, our defence was too often standing flat footed. Souths turned on the pace out wide, started throwing the ball around, line breaks and quite frankly it was starting to look like the beginnings of a carve up. But the scrambling was good good enough, it resulted in handling errors from Souths and we found that we were still hanging in there.
Then we came back.
55 minutes and we were still zero on the scoreboard. We hadn't scored a point in first grade for an eternity.
But we scored. It was 12-6 with 20 minutes to go.
But then Souths scored and I suspect most people had written us off by then. Souths leading 18-6 and 15 minutes to go against a team that was having trouble finding the goal line. Yeah, that should have been the match.
But we lifted a gear and Souths were not able to go with us. Two tries in 4 minutes.
18-all and how many field goal attempts? Four or five, Fien, Dugan and Stanley all missed (Soward would have nailed 3 of them). But we got them in extra time, and not through some pissy field goal. Dugan had the shot, defence came up too quick so he ran it, there was an overlap, Morris was there and the rest is on the scoreboard.
Merrin and Prior lifted late in the game and may have been the difference.
Quinlan at five eighth was very good imo. Runs at the line, has a passing game, backs up, wears the bruises... but we knew that before kick off. Has a kicking game as well. And scored a try. Double thumbs up should be coming his way.
Concerns for Cooper, landed on his hand with arm out stretched perpendicular to the ground and jolted his shoulder, lucky not to dislocate. Replaced by Vidot who did well late in the match. Cooper played well up until then and found Morris inside a few times.
Other people in the pub were cheering for St George.
And I tipped us to win despite the hecklers, who all seem to disappear at full time.
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