I'm expecting the forwards to stand up and the Sims boys to have blinders, especially Korbin who has a shot at origin with guys like Napa ineligible.
I think we'll lose it through the obvious (penalties) and not taking our chances in attack when we get them. I'm yet to be convinced Mullo, Hodko, Gagai and Randell can control the game, maintain pressure, force repeat sets or offer any combination of structure and creativity that troubles the defence inside the 20. We can't put on a simple shift to save ourselves. Ball dies at second receiver, we're always going wide on the back of no momentum and we take horrible options late in sets.
I'll be looking for improvement in how the halves close out the sets. If not a repeat then at the very least don't come up with something so rushed and poor that the opposition actually gains momentum and marches down field. Too often our weird chip bombs, kicking it dead, running it on the last, kicking it on the first (mullo) doesn't just mean no points, it means total loss of control and field position. Many times we concede a penalty following a poor finish to an attacking set.
Brisbane by 18 after we really give it to them early but can't score the points to show for it.
