What to do with Elijah Taylor

[Penrose Warrior]

Tigers embarrased us seems a bit harsh seeing we lost to them by 8 points and 4 points respectively...

But the point stands, and you're right. We lack poise, we lack the killer blow.

I'd point the finger a fair bit at Maloney. A lot has been said of him, that he's Origin material, he'll probably win player of the year etc..but he hasn't steered us across the line in a game against the big sides. So any talk of Origin is way too premature.

If you remember the home Tigers game, a stupid penalty gave them momentum and we never came back. Yesterday, kicked out on the full to give Dragons field position and same thing. Couldn't hit a field goal v Broncos. I'm sure there's more that have slipped my mind.

 

[devoid]

The table doesn't lie - we're 6th or 7th and more of a possibility than a probability to beat everyone else. We're capable on our day - hopefully we have 4 good days in Sept/Oct. It's funny the way the ladder works out - we beat a few sides this year when they were in the 8. Not all of them end up there though, aye. Only one blowout this season too - the Cows when they put 30 on us - the only time we have conceded over 30 this year. We haven't been terrible.

 

[hitman82]

Oh we have had a generally successful season so far in my view, but the fact stands that the teams in the final 8 are the ones that count - and our record against them is abysmal.

On our day can we really beat anyone? Haven't seen much evidence of that in 2011.

On our day we can certainly beat the also-rans in the competition. But hey 5 teams in a row just beat the Dragons - we couldn't.

I certainly hope we beat the Cowboys and Manly / Broncos and get through to the second week of the finals. But right now I am not expecting us to.

The game versus Dragons was a classic Warriors disappointment, which I spoke about in the lead up to the game.
-Top 4 on the line
-Media talking us up
-Playing an out of form "top" team
-Coming off a good run of wins
...and we choke.

That game was MASSIVELY important. A home semi is far more valuable to us than to other teams in the NRL, and I'd back us to win it against anyone. The fact we couldn't get the win despite the Dragons actually being pretty damn average says to me that we lack the intensity and focus required to do well in the finals.

 

[ozbash]

That game was MASSIVELY important. A home semi is far more valuable to us than to other teams in the NRL, and I'd back us to win it against anyone.

and that, is pretty much the guts of it.

I'm still pissed off...

 

[Rich102]

Tigers embarrased us seems a bit harsh seeing we lost to them by 8 points and 4 points respectively...

But the point stands, and you're right. We lack poise, we lack the killer blow.

I'd point the finger a fair bit at Maloney. A lot has been said of him, that he's Origin material, he'll probably win player of the year etc..but he hasn't steered us across the line in a game against the big sides. So any talk of Origin is way too premature.

If you remember the home Tigers game, a stupid penalty gave them momentum and we never came back. Yesterday, kicked out on the full to give Dragons field position and same thing. Couldn't hit a field goal v Broncos. I'm sure there's more that have slipped my mind.

And I'm sure the Dragons will drop Hornby for next week's game. Honestly, kicking out on the full twice. Hardly NSW Cup material.:-({|=

 

[devoid]

I thought we looked nervous.

 

[Rich102]

I thought we looked tired.

 

[Fast Eddie]

More to do with a lack of good go forward in the 2nd half and being tired and flat for a good period of it then nerves I'd say.

 

[devoid]

No, I mean at the start of the match - we looked nervous. Have you ever been affected by nerves so much that you become lethargic? Because that's what we looked like early on - thank heavens Hornby gave us a leg up, because Heremaia and our fatties in particular looke like they were petrified of making a mistake. It was only when Locke cut them up for that try that I thought we were starting to settle, and then came the shift with the not held Gasnier try... Anyway, it's dusted. We will learn. Get rowdy this Saturday.

 

[_addict]

Get Tai'i out there for about 30 minutes a game with instructions to just run hard and straight on the edges to help suck the defense in.

^
We should definately be doing this. I wouldn't mind if the others doing the shorter stints did the run hard and straight stuff a bit more too.

 

[devoid]

That is the upshot - we get Ta'ai back!!

 

[hitman82]

Ta'ai was always going to come back versus the Cowboys anyway. Imagine being Cleary, having to tell Ukuma that he's not required this weekend? f**k that - did you see how much rage he was carrying last time he played?!

 

[devoid]

Ta'ai was always going to come back versus the Cowboys anyway. Imagine being Cleary, having to tell Ukuma that he's not required this weekend? f**k that - did you see how much rage he was carrying last time he played?!

Ukuma wouldn't need to be told - he would just smell the stink in Ivan's pants and know.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

And I'm sure the Dragons will drop Hornby for next week's game. Honestly, kicking out on the full twice. Hardly NSW Cup material.:-({|=

Sarcasm isn't really your go.

Hornby did that in the first 10 minutes. Maloney has made his errors in big games, in 2nd halves, when we needed him to be a lot better. When has he stood up and put on big plays? He is the senior halve, he is the one being touted as a rep played. He's dominated a lot of bottom eight teams, and as hitman said we've done jack all against top eight ones. Name any big plays we have put on in big moments to win matches.

We looked nervous, not tired. Why would we be tired? We had an eight-day turnaround and we weren't beaten up in our last match. It was a big match, against a side we haven't done well against over there, and we didn't know how to put it away.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Unless Luck is injured Taylor is surplus to requirements

 

[hitman82]

Sarcasm isn't really your go.

Hornby did that in the first 10 minutes. Maloney has made his errors in big games, in 2nd halves, when we needed him to be a lot better. When has he stood up and put on big plays? He is the senior halve, he is the one being touted as a rep played. He's dominated a lot of bottom eight teams, and as hitman said we've done jack all against top eight ones. Name any big plays we have put on in big moments to win matches.

We looked nervous, not tired. Why would we be tired? We had an eight-day turnaround and we weren't beaten up in our last match. It was a big match, against a side we haven't done well against over there, and we didn't know how to put it away.

Yup - big away game, top 4 on the line, playing a bogey team who are out of form - we choked. Pure and simple. Didn't have the tenacity to put them away.

 

[Rich102]

Sarcasm isn't really your go.

Hornby did that in the first 10 minutes. Maloney has made his errors in big games, in 2nd halves, when we needed him to be a lot better. When has he stood up and put on big plays? He is the senior halve, he is the one being touted as a rep played. He's dominated a lot of bottom eight teams, and as hitman said we've done jack all against top eight ones. Name any big plays we have put on in big moments to win matches.

We looked nervous, not tired. Why would we be tired? We had an eight-day turnaround and we weren't beaten up in our last match. It was a big match, against a side we haven't done well against over there, and we didn't know how to put it away.

In my opinion Maloney is the best 6 we have ever had and hopefully we can lock him in long term.
Last season he had to find his feet, had changable centres and the feed from Seymour was slow.
This season he has had to mentor a new half (Johnson) and had a crippled winger and two makeshift centres to contend with.
Plus, to a great extent, a standoff is limited behind a pack that is going backwards and reliant on good service from dummy half.
After half time on Sunday the forwards were poor, whether from fatigue or nerves is questionable. They were walking back into position.
The service from dummy half was patchy all game, but deteriorated when Hohaia came on.
To blame the loss on Maloney is stupid.

 

[NZ Warrior]

Maloney? Our best #6???

Sir, I think you are forgetting one Mr. Shane Endacott!

 

[Rich102]

Maloney? Our best #6???

Sir, I think you are forgetting one Mr. Shane Endacott!

Trying to. Along with a number of others.