Vs Manly Rd25

[Big Marn]

Yep and why was Ata kicking off? Only a small thing (which turned into a game changer) but it should have been Shaun or Keiran or Roger

pretty sure i remember SJ making a mess of the windy conditions in Christchurch against Penrith last year, so im not going to crucify Ata. Hopefully its something he wont do again. But yeah, SJ should have kicked off as he would have been wary of the wind from his own experience. Yet ...he did not......

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

See this drives me up the wall. One of the main ways tries are scored in league is by someone fastish backing up a line break. It's a fundament of the game and one of the responsibilities of the inside backs/halves. I can't understand why it doesn't happen. Apathy? Lack of conditioning? Apathy is my guess.

The ball needed to go to RTS when Fusitua broke. Trebovich catches Kata, Ken, Ayshford, Foran and injured Johnson. Lack of length of the field try scorers.

 

[Blair]

It is what it is though. Im just sticking to what we all saw. What excuse can I make for Luke or Shaun or Foran not kicking it? What excuse can I make for Ata? Cos thats what Kearney does right? He makes excuses. It is what it is.

I'm taking a pause from posting right now as I'm as furious as I've ever been. Time to cook dinner and listen to the Pens v Drags.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

The worst thing this team does to me is lose just when we had the game. Im just so pissed off.

 

[Iafeta]

I hear Ata is now affectionately known as Scarecrow. He's still searching for that brain.

 

[JJ]

I hear Ata is now affectionately known as Scarecrow. He's still searching for that brain.

They only have one brain in the whole joint, but someone's hidden it

 

[Rich102]

Ahh. Glad to hear some of you still take it seriously.
Next year you may change your attitude.

 

[Blair]

Ahh. Glad to hear some of you still take it seriously.
Next year you may change your attitude.

I seriously knew Manly would always win. Even after normal-time when the commentator said words to the effect of, 'whoever wins the toss, wins the game, the wind will mean the side going against it won't get a decent shot'.

Nope.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Watched the final 10mins of it again last night

I think the Warriors and SJ in particular, still carry that baggage from last season when they had that run of losing 4-5 extremely close games

Got to 7pts ahead and he went conservative, instead of punching the ball into the corner, went for the sideline 30m out and gave up field position because he was fearful of giving away a 7 tackle set.

Obviously Hingano kicking dead was a shocker

Scores level, we drop the kickoff, and again I think last years demons played their part, as SJ couldn't get a droppie away last year, he panicked and took the shot on the 2nd play, with the worst part of that play being that going that early meant he gifted Manly a full set with time to get down the other end. Again it was the conservative play, and I understand why he was taking it at that point

Then in golden point, cant call this one conservative, on the 4th in good position they get bundled out. The smart play was Foran straightening up and taking the tackle. He blew up at Kata after the play, and Kata panicked passing it onto Ken, which is ironic because he rarely passes. I'm sure Foran would have expected Kata to run it straight and take the tackle rather than passing so a bit of blame all round there, but I think experience wise Foran should have known better

It's just little bits of composure which let them down in the end at crucial times. The opposite side of that composure was DCEs second kick, was under pressure from the chasers but instead of panicking he stepped inside them and hit it over with the left foot which is a hell of a play and the same as what he did in Perth last season

 

[Rich102]

It's called pressure. It sorts the men from the boys; the well coached from the rabble.

 

[vvvrulz]

It's called pressure. It sorts the men from the boys; the well coached from the rabble.

Whod've thunk we could out-derp our Penrith derp this year. If not a brand new level, certainly stiff competition.

The amount of mad panic these guys have simmering is scary, the instant shit gets real we turn into silly chimps.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

On to a more positive note - I think Isaiah Papalii is growing as a first grader. It might be a bit too soon to say that but there was some good glimpses from him yesterday. Is he the other second rower next year?

Meanwhile Pulu who were getting next year looks...very ordinary. I mean hes not a huge star player for the Titans but some posters hold him in high regard.

Harris is going ok for the Storm. Nothing great, just does his job.

Nothing to be excited about next year but that might be a good thing. We surprise everybody.

 

[ozbash]

I actually thought the Sea Eagles played a terrible game for most.

We were 1 point terribler. ..

 

[JJ]

I actually thought the Sea Eagles played a terrible game for most.

We were 1 point terribler. ..

Agree - Manly were pretty woeful - just shows how much we stink

 

[Philip_Smith007]

The lead up to last Tommy T try was a strip by RTS, kick get them to start on 40m, Fus up and in and leaves Wright unmarked, then Fus and Ashyford fall off tackle, RTS can't tie him up he offloads to Tommy T, who realised no Fullback, chips and burns everyone to the ball.
Hingo does not have a ball in his hands under the post, so someone passes him the ball for that kick off. Lazy/bad leadership group, who should have been controlling the game plan there.
Then we get a shot of Luke on sideline after it, looking uninterested and then giving a clap.

Why aren't we investigated for match fixing?

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Because the basis of match fixing is unpredictability? We're predictable. Predictably rubbish.

I don't get people saying senior players should've talked to Ata, or taken the kick. If that was his role at the time, he's a bloody first grader not a 5 year old. That's the problem with players grown in our development structure, they don't play hard, tough, close footy. Ata probably spent his youth carving up and not having to worry about binning a kick dead in a close game. It was brainless and no one else's fault but his.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Because the basis of match fixing is unpredictability? We're predictable. Predictably rubbish.

I don't get people saying senior players should've talked to Ata, or taken the kick. If that was his role at the time, he's a bloody first grader not a 5 year old. That's the problem with players grown in our development structure, they don't play hard, tough, close footy. Ata probably spent his youth carving up and not having to worry about binning a kick dead in a close game. It was brainless and no one else's fault but his.

So what is the point of a leadership group? Just fancy PR words?
Why has Wayne Bennett stated in the past players with less than 50 games are basically a liability (not exact quote).
In high pressure situations in any "job" in life do you want someone with more experience helping a rookie out?

 

[TheDMC]

Ata taking that kick off with big downwind is like getting an inexperienced 20/20 bowler who hasn't bowled all game to suddenly come on for the last over defending 15 runs. It is just not a good idea.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Ata taking that kick off with big downwind is like getting an inexperienced 20/20 bowler who hasn't bowled all game to suddenly come on for the last over defending 15 runs. It is just not a good idea.

I understand Ata still kicked it and it was dumb, but as your great analogy above it's a clear failing of the captain and the leadership group for a rookie to be put in that position or be allowed to volunteer for that.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Ata taking that kick off with big downwind is like getting an inexperienced 20/20 bowler who hasn't bowled all game to suddenly come on for the last over defending 15 runs. It is just not a good idea.

But who else was on to do it? Luke was off, SJ isn't place kicking...I've never played a game of league past my 10th birthday and I'd know to make sure it landed 10m back from the goalline. Professional sport is hectic, there's not time to just tap a bloke on the shoulder or reschedule a plan which was always that Ata kicked when Luke was off. You have to trust someone who is an adult playing professional sport to not f**k something up that straight forward.