I've only seen this on replay, as I was at a wedding last inght in a state of apopletic shock getting score updates on nrlstats.com.au. So I'm watching the replay as I write this.
My thoughts, and then I'll get to the team...
* Johnson seemed to heavily favour the left edge, which was unfortunate, as early on there was a couple of times when Hurrell and Fisiiahi could be on be to something. There was one play they went out the back, it was a pity the pass wasn't accurate from Locke, because Hurrell had acres of space. Another one they go to the left and there's space again, but Leuluai's pass was very poor.
* Penalties. The ruck speed from both mobs was quite slow. Why the Warriors were getting penalised was that they were coming up with the hand on the ball. They've had a whole off season to get that right, they were flogged on it in the Brisbane trial, and it still happened here.
* The Sandow try, Lowrie got caught flat footed. Even as the ruck was being played he was walking like a snail.
* The Hayne try, the only error was Leuluai's contact probably wasn't high enough.
* The chaseon Sio from the Leuluai bomb was a disgrace. I read an article from Elijah Taylor where he talked about how he'd watched Cameron Smith and the big thing he'd learned was he didn't over do the chasing of kicks. Cringeworthy quote. Seemed like the rest of the team felt the same.
* Johnson at times seemed to be playing with the backline far too flat. It didn't seemed like the organisation from Johnson was crash hot. I wonder whether if he plays 6 and Leuluai plays 7 things might change a bit.
* Feleti. Felt he was trying to over do things a bit.
* Unbelievably poor chase from the Warriors to allow Cheyse Blair out of the in goal. Good kick from Johnson, they deserved to get punished for that effort. And they did. They were out on their feet on that set, but they got themselves in that state by being pathetically lazy on the kick chase.
* Probably the one thing I'd like to see more of from Fisiiahi and Hurrell, given their athletic strengths, is getting more involved off a first or second tackle coming in to the centre part of the field, or taking an early run out of dummy half.
* Locke and the wings got lucky a couple of times - they could easily have given up 40/20s. Didn't seem too aware of Sandow's tactics.
* Taylor, a dumb play to give away a shoulder play penalty. What an idiot.
* Not saying Taylor did a terrible job, but Godinet gave them spark when he came on. IMO, Godinet and Mara need to be playing dummy half, it just means the halves get the ball quicker when they need it, and the forwards get the ball in the bread basket nice and flat. Taylor's pass is slightly slow.
* Glory boy Johnson needs to kick through the ball more when he kicks, the miss off Lillyman's try was poor
* In the set where Neilsen scores, they dead set bomb a try two tackles before, but the play for Neilsen to score is a very nice play.
Frankly I know what happens from that point on and didn't watch the rest.
Positives, Ikahihifo was good going forward (one or two cheap errors though). He's going to be a good player. Correct a few of the baiscs (backline positioning on a spread, kick chase, not putting the hand on the ball as a player gets off his feet) and they'll get better.
Team for me
1 Locke
2 Fisiiahi
3 Neisen
4 Hurrell
5 Tupou
6 Leuluai
7 Johnson (though I'd really like the halves to change spots)
8 Lillyman - while Sam Rapira gets back his match fitness
9 Mara
10 Matulino
11 Mateo
12 Mannering (c)
13 Lowrie
Taylor
Godinet
Ikahihifo (he could do a shift in the front row I reckon, he's bulked up enough to do it)
Sam Rapira
