Vs Rabbits rd1 2018

[Big Marn]

Can't give Kata a pass mark. He did some good things but too much of the same old. It will cost us games when he has a game that doesn't include the good.

RTS saved him with that try saver after an atrocious defensive decision.

Does it again for the Rabbits second try but tbf if he had a winger who moved faster physically and mentally they might have shut it down as it took a nice tap on to get passed Maumalo.

The sin bin was unforgiveable. We'd just given away 3 penalties. Kata put his hand on the ball and just kept it there. He never looked like moving. It was mind numbingly dumb.

While he's in the bin we concede a try through the missing man.

Gagai makes a break through that same space. If he passes inside instead of outside they score a try.

2 tries and 2 bombed tries largely through poor decision making is not something I can give a pass mark to.

We are not a good enough team to consistently win with such a liability out wide. He just doesn't make good decisions.

agreed. i think people quickly forget how diabolical that side of the field was defensively all last season. Still the weakest link of the team by far. Also, that forward pass that wasnt for the souths team would have had us at 10-10 going into halftime. Could have been a much closer game. We actually got the rub of the green in that game..,, for a change.

 

[JJ]

Can't give Kata a pass mark. He did some good things but too much of the same old. It will cost us games when he has a game that doesn't include the good.

RTS saved him with that try saver after an atrocious defensive decision.

Does it again for the Rabbits second try but tbf if he had a winger who moved faster physically and mentally they might have shut it down as it took a nice tap on to get passed Maumalo.

The sin bin was unforgiveable. We'd just given away 3 penalties. Kata put his hand on the ball and just kept it there. He never looked like moving. It was mind numbingly dumb.

While he's in the bin we concede a try through the missing man.

Gagai makes a break through that same space. If he passes inside instead of outside they score a try.

2 tries and 2 bombed tries largely through poor decision making is not something I can give a pass mark to.

We are not a good enough team to consistently win with such a liability out wide. He just doesn't make good decisions.

Agree 100% - bloody nice to win a game, buit let's not be deluded into thinking we were perfect, nor that all 17 were great - the Rabbitohs stunk the joint up, Kata, Maumalo, Blair (yeah I really don't like him) were not great, Hiku is a bit of a myth etc etc

However, the forwards were terrific, better than I thought they could be and the pack is supposedly Souths strength so that bodes well - the halves and RTS were great too, and Luke looks like he's been at the gym not the chippie

 

[One Warrior]

Can't give Kata a pass mark. He did some good things but too much of the same old. It will cost us games when he has a game that doesn't include the good.

RTS saved him with that try saver after an atrocious defensive decision.

Does it again for the Rabbits second try but tbf if he had a winger who moved faster physically and mentally they might have shut it down as it took a nice tap on to get passed Maumalo.

The sin bin was unforgiveable. We'd just given away 3 penalties. Kata put his hand on the ball and just kept it there. He never looked like moving. It was mind numbingly dumb.

While he's in the bin we concede a try through the missing man.

Gagai makes a break through that same space. If he passes inside instead of outside they score a try.

2 tries and 2 bombed tries largely through poor decision making is not something I can give a pass mark to.

We are not a good enough team to consistently win with such a liability out wide. He just doesn't make good decisions.

Thats why Beale comes in for Kata when he's fit, I'd put Ayshford in for Kata now, but believe he is injured too.

 

[jaseg]

Thats why Beale comes in for Kata when he's fit, I'd put Ayshford in for Kata now, but believe he is injured too.

With Tohu & Papalii playing well plus Beale & Ayshford injuries (and CNK seemingly not considered an option at centre), I'd seriously consider bringing Mannering into the side at centre - or Tohu, with Mannering taking the edge forward role.

Kata = free tries for the opposition.

---

I enjoyed the win, was great to see a decent performance on a number of levels, but I can't take it too seriously - the Bunnies were awful. Let's see where we are sitting come round 8.

 

[Iron Lion]

WOW just WOW

Cant believe that was the same Bunty Afoa from last season, i swear that cant be the same player!

If Afoa represents the change at the Warriors then we are playing finals football this year. Was not expecting that. Souths simply could not handle the physical strength we played with.

Very encouraging!!!!

 

[Benek]

Green freeing up SJ to take on the line is what I've been waiting for for years! Foran didn't deliver it at all and now we seem to have finally found the perfect foil for Johnson. Suddenly I'm far more excited about this season.

RTS outstanding.

Forwards held their own to a surprising degree. Papalii and Afoa both exceeded expectation for me.

Green is exactly what we need. He was superb as well controlling the game and taking kicking pressure of SJ too.

And Harris was a huge contribution. He adds a lot of experience and class, plus surprisingly good ball playing.

And I have to give hats off to Luke. He's fit and hungry again. With Roach getting injured I'm so happy that Luke is back to his old self.

Maybe there's some hope for this season after all.

 

[Izz]

Luke's playing for a contract next season. Let's just hope he isn't given one too soon, otherwise he might well drop off a cliff again.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

just watched the press conference. Kearney looks like he would rather be pulling fingernails then talking to media.
Interesting what he said about Green. Calls him an "Olden Days" footballer. We might have found another Campion. Lets hope so.

I wondered what RTS was doing at the start, but looked like he had a fly trying to land on his face.

I hope what ever they did the week building up to this game they have written down eg arriving 4 days before game etc.

Anthony Seibold can hold his head high, media trying to get him frustrated with the potential obstruction try and the no try forward pass. GI then got asked since he was closer to the pass, he played it with a straight bat, saying it was their call. Both didn't blame it for the loss.

 

[Hov]

Hey team. Been reading the forums for ages but neber really got amongst posting. Hopefully Ill get in a bit more posting this season cause I do love this team.

Good to see Bunty playing in the middle instead of the edge. I thought the high involvement suited his strengths really well and the difference in output compared with last year was huge.

Papalii was epic - I knew he had a great workrate but his work with the ball was impressive.

I am usually huge critic of Kata and Ken you just have to ask my mates haha. But some of their decision making on defence cant solely be blamed on them. If you look at Kennars first try you will see Papalii is standing on other side of field next to Harris - the other 2nd row!! This meant Kata and Ken were fairly outnumbered. Then from the way both sides were racing up when under pressure because of a lack of numbers it almost looks like that is the way edge defence is coached. Mind you when they had the numbers they looked pretty solid.

Anyways just a couple of observations from what I saw.

 

[Rich102]

Good points Hov. Welcome along for the ride.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I agree on the rushing defence Hov, it looked like a coached tactic to me rather than individual indiscipline. I think they’d been told to jam up on Inglis in particular, Fus came up and shit him down with a beauty at one point.

 

[Hov]

Yeah I guess Fus and Hiku were better at executing the rushing d - which isnt really a surprise.

But yeah Im not a fan of the rush - it can really exaggerate things if the rush isnt effective enough.

 

[Benek]

Jamming up works fine if everyone is in unison. The trouble is when someone like Kata flies out of the line by himself and then leaves a whole in the line. If was certainly an intentional strategy – it just needs to be executed better.

 

[Blair]

Jamming up works fine if everyone is in unison. The trouble is when someone like Kata flies out of the line by himself and then leaves a whole in the line. If was certainly an intentional strategy – it just needs to be executed better.

When Hurrell used to rush up and, usually, miss his man I never thought it was part of a team plan!

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I think theres definitely an advantage to it when you’ve got big blokes on the wing who dont have the best lateral movement- they often get beaten on the outside or stepped if they wait and slide buf can smash players if they rush up. But as noted it has to be done in unison, not leaving a staggered line

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

It's definitely a tactic, but for a tactic to work you need the players to execute.

Kata can't read numbers. He's completely lost. This leads to very poor decisions.

Ken isn't a winger. His reactions are slow and he doesn't have a wingers instinct. He will always be a step behind because of it.

No matter which angle you look at it that combination is asking for disaster.

It's like chucking a whole lot of chum in the water then dangling your quarter pounder in the water on a dare.

 

[MKEB...]

The only winger I can think of for us that can rush wsa Meli, ( Just ask B.Tate )

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

The only winger I can think of for us that can rush wsa Meli, ( Just ask B.Tate )

The spot tackle. Meli smashed a few backs just by timing his tackle just before they caught the ball which is such a vulnerable time for the attacker. He had that defensive acumen on the wing, it's like Meli knew the oppositions backline moves.

I have seen Kata rush up and then back pedal, or reverse, or just pause. Not sure if he's slightly panicking or what but its definitely looks like he's misreading it when the opposition score from his rushing up.

I do gotta give Kata small credit for his try assist and his try on Saturday.

 

[Iron Lion]

As an original of 95 supporters I am absolutely still buzzing about that performance from the weekend. The more I look back over it the more I see the Melbourne Storm structure all over it. Teams will begin to fear having to play the warriors if this is absolute direction we are playing.

Afoa, Papaiili, Lisone and Pulu etc they looked like players who had gone to the Storm school of off season development. I am seriously impressed and more than happy to eat humble pie on SK if this continues.

We looked like a structured team who will wear the opposition down first and foremost but also have the capability to turn on the razzle dazzle jungle ball. Wow we gonna play finals, I just know it based on that performance. You cant go backwards from that.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

What about the Rabbitohs? Are they a good team? I looked at the team on paper and picked us to win. I'm wrapt about the win but I'm not sure they're that good a side that we can start to think were all of a sudden 'up there'. The long storys just begun and so far so good.