State of origin series

[Luke Bowden]

That was by far Nathan's worst game for NSW.
Martin was f**king excellent and Luai pretty good

Martin was f&@king excellent playing on the left edge…. Where he belongs….

 

[Luke Bowden]

I can’t understand why everyone is saying that “Panther Ball” doesn’t work in rep footy. It’s never been tried.

The Blues were set up completely different to the way we set up in club footy. Freddie’s style is a completely different attacking system.

So please stop… it’s quite annoying.

 

[Chins get the wins]

Martin was f&@king excellent playing on the left edge…. Where he belongs….

Also defended in the middle

 

[The Realist]

Clearys kicking is shit house..

Has been for a fair whack...

He has one blitz game every 6 weeks or so than goes back to the same crap... he needs to have a good hard look at himself.. that's just the facts

Honestly, I think the celebrity has gone to his head and the hunger to win is diminished. That and he feels 'secure' that he is the IT man in both his teams - so he isn't trying/training as hard.

The best thing for the Panthers (and for NSW) is if Nathan is dropped. I would hope that it lights a fire under him.

 

[Flashstep]

Personally I'm pinning it on tedesco. Edwards plays NSW win.

Works for me.

 

[The Realist]

I can’t understand why everyone is saying that “Panther Ball” doesn’t work in rep footy. It’s never been tried.

The Blues were set up completely different to the way we set up in club footy. Freddie’s style is a completely different attacking system.

So please stop… it’s quite annoying.

I saw Api/Yeo/Cleary/Luai/Critta attempt to play 'Panther Ball' a dozens times tonight and it looked about as good as our games against the Knights/Eels/Tigers etc.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

I saw Api/Yeo/Cleary/Luai/Critta attempt to play 'Panther Ball' a dozens times tonight and it looked about as good as our games against the Knights/Eels/Tigers etc.

Surely not. If we had Api this year we would win every game by 60…

 

[Someone2]

The Iceman melted again

 

[Girds89]

I saw Api/Yeo/Cleary/Luai/Critta attempt to play 'Panther Ball' a dozens times tonight and it looked about as good as our games against the Knights/Eels/Tigers etc.

People think panthers ball is picking strong wingers and back 5 to do the hard work...

It's not that at all..

It's how we structure our attack... api early ball to yeo who plays short to a forward or our the back to nath... nath than plays short or out the back to a sweeping luai or teddy...

It's become one of the most predictable things ever...

I mean.... was I suprised Ivan hasn't tried to change it this year.... no... Ivan is a simple coach.

But Freddie has literally has a whole year to thi k of something different and structures and he hasn't...

 

[Luke Bowden]

I saw Api/Yeo/Cleary/Luai/Critta attempt to play 'Panther Ball' a dozens times tonight and it looked about as good as our games against the Knights/Eels/Tigers etc.

Know you didn’t. You can’t have, they were set up completely different.

Luai had no middles to drop under all night, because Yeo was stuck in the centre channel all game, they do that try and bring Teddy and turbo into the game, but it just doesn’t work.

We play with Yeo floating on both sides of the ruck and Cleary and Luai having players to drop under. They didn’t have that all night which meant they are easy targets for the defense.

The team is so poorly coached.

They were 100% at No stage tonight using our system in attack… not once. Not even when Marto scored.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

People think panthers ball is picking strong wingers and back 5 to do the hard work...

It's not that at all..

It's how we structure our attack... api early ball to yeo who plays short to a forward or our the back to nath... nath than plays short or out the back to a sweeping luai or teddy...

It's become one of the most predictable things ever...

I mean.... was I suprised Ivan hasn't tried to change it this year.... no... Ivan is a simple coach.

But Freddie has literally has a whole year to thi k of something different and structures and he hasn't...

Ivan’s theory is that you keep pecking away at the sore and eventually you break the game over. Helps when you only concede 12 points a game. By playing conservative in attack, you allow your defence the best possible chance to be an attacking weapon.

To be fair it is a pretty successful strategy.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Also defended in the middle

No he didn’t mate, stop it. Just because the edge back rower makes a tackle in the middle of the field when we have them pinned in their 20, doesn’t mean his defending the middle.

Give it a rest mate. He played on the left and had a great game. Just except and move on.

 

[Iamback]

Sorry to say this, I really am, but the Panthers were overall shit. Yeo and Cleary were our worst.

I said a few weeks back that this is the worst season I have seen Cleary play. He is just a Robot out there. No creativity. No finesse or great timing. No thinking multiple plays ahead. He is just a robot. But his kicking game is greatly diminished, and he is now dropping off tackles as well.

Luai is still off when playing the link man to the backline.

Critta the only fault you could say for him is he tried too hard. To'o was decent in a beat team.

Yeo was honestly diabolical with ball in hand. I have no idea what is up with him at Rep level, but he could be one of those guys who is an absolute stud at 1st Grade but mediocre at Rep level. I hope he makes me look like an idiot in game 2 & 3 but he has some history now with the Blues. I can't shake the feeling that someone like Murray would be a better option.

Martin is the only player from our team who could be proud of his performance.

Finally - I think we were out selected and out coached. Freddy just doesn't have it - well not compared to Slater/Smith/Thurston.

Fox was crap. Hudson Young a liability. TPJ bone headed selection. And Teddy was awful. It's clear that he is in significant decline.

I know hindsight is 20/20 but I'd honestly have Cook, Walker, Murray connection with Latrell. Their style of play better suits rep footy. A (misfiring) Panthers Ball does not and QLD coaching staff has us figured out.

Yeo was good defensively.

PantherBall doesn't work in rep games. QLD know exactly what Cleary will do and as elite players shut them down.

They know if Yeo and Cleary are together what is coming, As such attack takes a hit, but give me Yeo's 38 tackles 0 missed for a middle anyday

 

[Iamback]

No he didn’t mate, stop it. Just because the edge back rower makes a tackle in the middle of the field when we have them pinned in their 20, doesn’t mean his defending the middle.

Give it a rest mate. He played on the left and had a great game. Just except and move on.

He came on as a middle replacing TPJ when he was hooked.

10 mins later Hudson Young got hooked and Murray came on. That pushed Martin to the edge

 

[Iamback]

Surely not. If we had Api this year we would win every game by 60…

Well they'd be on the right side for starters

 

[Chins get the wins]

He came on as a middle replacing TPJ when he was hooked.

10 mins later Hudson Young got hooked and Murray came on. That pushed Martin to the edge

I'm shocked people can miss this

 

[mxlegend99]

Josh Addo Carr was way out of position.

Correct. Fittler had a left winger on the right wing

He had a right winger and centre on the left. Both edges exposed eay on because he had everyone way out of position

 

[Iamback]

Ivan’s theory is that you keep pecking away at the sore and eventually you break the game over. Helps when you only concede 12 points a game. By playing conservative in attack, you allow your defence the best possible chance to be an attacking weapon.

To be fair it is a pretty successful strategy.

Good line speed too.

Look at the 1st QLD try.

Tedesco was the other side of the posts, When has Edwards ever done that? He stands in the middle when in the line, That lets him go whatever side the ball goes.

Kicks were being allowed to be caught and wingers make easy metres. Something we don't do that.

Little things like that works no matter how adventurous you want to be in attack

 

[Iamback]

I'm shocked people can miss this

After reading game comments, I am not.

 

[The Realist]

Know you didn’t. You can’t have, they were set up completely different.

Luai had no middles to drop under all night, because Yeo was stuck in the centre channel all game, they do that try and bring Teddy and turbo into the game, but it just doesn’t work.

We play with Yeo floating on both sides of the ruck and Cleary and Luai having players to drop under. They didn’t have that all night which meant they are easy targets for the defense.

The team is so poorly coached.

They were 100% at No stage tonight using our system in attack… not once. Not even when Marto scored.

Our boys were attempting to play as they do with the Panthers but with NSW supporting cast/structures instead. Is it our players not being able to adapt to other structures? Are they not as good players as we think they are when they are outside our system? Is Freddy a crap coach? Could the answer be D (All of the above)?

I had a non-Panthers friend point out to me how disjointed our players looked with the rest of the team and how clunky they were. I couldn;t fault him.

Obviously, there were other problems. TPJ was a brain explosion selection. Hudson Young was awful and Teddy is a horrible ball hog who no longer breaks the line. Fox was also a complete passenger out there - diabolical.