Sure, they are only trials . . . . .

[DanOz]

Which is still not good enough against such a one dimensional attack.

Highlights a lack of depth I suppose

 

[super_coach]

After seeing both Easts and Souths go around on the weekend, tells me we are still way behind the better sides. Okay we may have made up some ground with the likes of Brooks,Patterson,Tapau,Gavet and Richards bolstering our team but Iam afraid we looked to be still miles off the pace.

I know very early days and lets wait he see, but I think it will be hard long season

 

[DanOz]

It takes time to gel though. In 05 we were 13th half way through the season I think?

 

[innsaneink]

there was no Gallen, Carney, Robson though and just watching Sharks games, 99% of everything do is channeled through those 3, so unimaginative is their attacking play.

Thus their defence would have still be close to its strongest, but their attack would have been hopeless.

The second half scoreline proves that

The good thing about this is that we managed to score plenty of points against a reasonably decent defensive outfit. Something we struggled with immensely last season.

The worrying thing is that our defence gifted one of the most limited attacking sides 20+ points in 40 mins.

Luke Lewis also

 

[Mario chalmers]

After seeing both Easts and Souths go around on the weekend, tells me we are still way behind the better sides. Okay we may have made up some ground with the likes of Brooks,Patterson,Tapau,Gavet and Richards bolstering our team but Iam afraid we looked to be still miles off the pace.

I know very early days and lets wait he see, but I think it will be hard long season

While its a safe play to assume that (based on last year), its unfair not to wipe the slate clean for 2014.

I'm not looking past the first two games. They are both winnable.

 

[Radical Rat]

I see the Dragons as wooden spooners this year, so we absolutely have to beat them this first game and I think we will. I can't believe they are favourites.

 

[innsaneink]

I'm not looking past the first two games. They are both winnable.

They certainly are

 

[Skreepe]

Season is riding on Robbie Farah's back.

He looked a bit overweight at the nines though. Hopefully, he will trim down a little prior to round one.

 

[pHyR3]

I see the Dragons as wooden spooners this year, so we absolutely have to beat them this first game and I think we will. I can't believe they are favourites.

well.... we are wooden spoon faves, so....

 

[gronkathon]

Farah seemed to have a far improved technique in defense as well.

Better contact and rather then last years catching style looked to control the ball carrier from the hips

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

It's all In the hips....

 

[madunit]

Luke Lewis also

It's almost criminal how ineffectively he is used at the Sharks.

He would have been the perfect replacement in our side for Ellis

 

[Tryhard]

As Bennett said you might win some games but you'll have a pretty unsuccessful life relying on last minute wins & a few key players to win games.

So I don't think it should be put on Farah's back (& don't like your chances if you do), Farah's good but even the Storm struggle at times relying on the 'Majic 3's backs'.

I'm feeling positive because without Benji all the players know they are more in the limelight, are expected to pick it up & put in, & will therefore generally do it (& they may even surprise themselves with what they can do - look at Brooks).

Season is riding on Robbie Farah's back.

He looked a bit overweight at the nines though. Hopefully, he will trim down a little prior to round one.

 

[Vic Mackey]

I think the responsibility will be shared across the park more so then ever this year. We have no benji however just about all our forwards have great off loading ability. Paterson, Blair, Taupau, woods, Fulton, sironen, sue have all shown they can offload with these. With guys like tedesco following them up I think we'll score a lot of tries/make breaks that way.

We've never really had a pack that offloads. With sheens we played before the line and dropped once we got there. Potter coaches to go through the line. I'm excited to see this new style of play.

 

[innsaneink]

Lots of offloading is high risk.....we still need to "earn the right to attack" as potter was bangin on about last year

 

[madunit]

exactly right ink.

make the metres up the middle, get the field position, astute kicking, good kick chase (in numbers, as opposed to in a pair) and defence that prevents the opposition to make as many metres as we made.

its simple stuff that every club tries to do, except for the Tigers under Sheens.

 

[super_coach]

Discipline will be our down fall. We are just not good enough yet to be giving teams a piggyback, and yes people can say we are unfairly targeted by the officials but in reality its usually dumb play by players who have trouble reacting to pressure once the blow torch is applied.

We have to be a squeaky clean disciplined team in 2014 to have any chance of being a top eight team. If we carry on like we have in the past, we will be getting something for the trophy cabinet at the end of the season made out of wood

 

[mepelthwack]

Discipline will be our down fall. We are just not good enough yet to be giving teams a piggyback, and yes people can say we are unfairly targeted by the officials but in reality its usually dumb play by players who have trouble reacting to pressure once the blow torch is applied.

We have to be a squeaky clean disciplined team in 2014 to have any chance of being a top eight team. If we carry on like we have in the past, we will be getting something for the trophy cabinet at the end of the season made out of wood

This I agree with. Our discipline is abysmal. I'd rather see them score because we didn't give away a penalty than them score because we did, which is what's been happening. Fix this area and the opposition gets less chances to score, guaranteed. Minimise legups downfield, please.

 

[magpie guy]

If Anasta has to be our 5/8 then I would really like to see us actually utilise his long kicking game. With Benji gone the team shouldn't have to deal with shanked kicks and errors killing our momentum. Also, with Brooks and Anasta taking over the kicking it means that Farah will not have to kick out of dummy half all the time which has become a bit predictable.

 

[Tiger05]

We have to be a squeaky clean disciplined team in 2014 to have any chance of being a top eight team.

I think that this is important within reason. Sometimes giving away a penalty wins you a game. We need to do this though sparingly.