POST GAME Game II Discussion Thread

[Wolfie]

At least now we will have a week of everyone crowing about how brilliant nsw are, and how cleary should be made an immortal before he retires. We can go about our business and we wont have to fly in for the game.

 

[Wolfie]

Surely feldt a specialist winger, should get picked before Sami.

He is injured. Hammer does have that bit of xfactor about him.

 

[BroncsFan]

Surely feldt a specialist winger, should get picked before Sami.

Fieldt is injured... like half of qld apparently

 

[Sproj]

For next week, if everyone available is still available, I'd be going:

1. Allan
2. Holmes
3. Lee
4. Capewell
5. Gagai
6. Munster
7. Cherry-Evans
8. Welch
9. Hunt
10. Papalii
11. T.Vermicelli
12. Su'A
13. Arrow

14. Grant
15. Collins
16. Carrigan
17. Kaufusi

 

[Wolfie]

Fieldt is injured... like half of qld apparently

We have a fair bit of quality on the sidelines. a fit Ponga and Fifita would have made a big difference to this side imo. I dont think we are too far away if we make some brave selections next week.

 

[rnabokov]

For mine, our attack was ruined when Munster went off. This is a different side with a decent 5/8. It would also be great to have a dummy half with real speed, like Grant.

 

[Unbreakable]

For mine there necessary changes are:

Welch, E.Lee, Grant in
Lui, Sami, Hunt out

Arrow starting
Tino bench

1. Holmes
2. E.Lee
3. Capewell
4. Gagai
5. Coates
6. Munster
7. Cherry-Evans (c)
8. Welch
9. Friend
10. Papalii
11. Kaufusi
12. Su'A
13. Arrow

14. Grant
15. Fa'asuamaleaui
16. Collins
17. Fotuaika

 

[Big Pete]

Once they got their get out of jail penalty (which I called coming a mile away, Sutton is ridiculously predictible with his timely penalties) the Blues were just far too good for the Maroons. They tore Queensland apart from the ruck and just kept Queensland down their own end by targeting both wingers with kicks. It brought the best out of Cleary who isn't comfortable with the general play. It also brought Walker into the game and he did an excellent job of stepping up.

One of the keys is that they got their rotation right. Haas starting was far more effective in his role and Paulo really had the Maroons on tilt towards the latter stages of the half.

I thought the Maroons were their own worst enemy at stages. Just a little pedestrian playing from behind, not putting up enough shapes and challenging the Blues down different quadrants. It was very Broncos-like where they kept going back to the middle later in the tackle.

In the end, it should have been a lot worse. It was looking like 60 odd just after Wighton scored, but the Maroons showed some ticker.

Not a surprising result, now we just have to see how both teams will shape up going into Game 3. Welch will be a nice inclusion for the Maroons, Munster will be racing the clock, I don't think he'll be right to play. It will be interesting to see if the Blues pick up any injuries.

 

[The Don]

All I got from that game is Tino is a legend.

 

[Wolfie]

I thought Frizzell should have been penalised for the challenge on Munster.

 

[rnabokov]

Once they got their get out of jail penalty (which I called coming a mile away, Sutton is ridiculously predictible with his timely penalties) the Blues were just far too good for the Maroons. They tore Queensland apart from the ruck and just kept Queensland down their own end by targeting both wingers with kicks. It brought the best out of Cleary who isn't comfortable with the general play. It also brought Walker into the game and he did an excellent job of stepping up.

One of the keys is that they got their rotation right. Haas starting was far more effective in his role and Paulo really had the Maroons on tilt towards the latter stages of the half.

I thought the Maroons were their own worst enemy at stages. Just a little pedestrian playing from behind, not putting up enough shapes and challenging the Blues down different quadrants. It was very Broncos-like where they kept going back to the middle later in the tackle.

In the end, it should have been a lot worse. It was looking like 60 odd just after Wighton scored, but the Maroons showed some ticker.

Not a surprising result, now we just have to see how both teams will shape up going into Game 3. Welch will be a nice inclusion for the Maroons, Munster will be racing the clock, I don't think he'll be right to play. It will be interesting to see if the Blues pick up any injuries.

That's what happens when there is no energy, direction and good kicking from our 5/8. Our attack was pedestrian at best. I can't see this side winning without Munster

 

[BroncsFan]

We have a fair bit of quality on the sidelines. a fit Ponga and Fifita would have made a big difference to this side imo. I dont think we are too far away if we make some brave selections next week.

Full strength we'd be looking pretty good, but still a couple holes. Feel we could've benefited from McGuire this series... still absolutely no one for the centers

1 Ponga
2 Val
3 ??
4 ??
5 Gagai
6 Munster
7 Cherry
8 Papa
9 Friend
10 Welch
11 Fifita
12 Sua
13 Arrow

14 Hunt / Harry
15 McGuire
16 Tino
17 Collins/Carrigan/ Mo

So yeah not far off really

 

[Wolfie]

Full strength we'd be looking pretty good, but still a couple holes. Feel we couldve benefited from McGuire this series... still absolutely no one for the centers

1 Ponga
2 Val
3 ??
4 ??
5 Gagai
6 Munster
7 Cherry
8 Papa
9 Friend
10 Welch
11 Fifita
12 Sua
13 Arrow

14 Hunt / Harry
15 McGuire
16 Tino
17 Collins/Carrigan/ Mo

So yeah not far off really

We just need centers who will do their jobs. They dont have to be brilliant, just defend well and do the basics well.

 

[roo-ted]

We need to get Carrigan in there he’s going be playing for QLD for the next 5 years plus, there’s no point having him on the side line. We could of really done with him running out of our own end tonight.

 

[Sproj]

Well...whatever:

1. Holmes - Zero urgency, was a MASSIVE step down on what Brimson offered last week, it was almost embarrassing for Holmes. He was Boyd-like most of the night, ran with zero urgency, offered no support play and refused to put his body on the line - 3
2. Coates - Scored one of the best tries I've ever seen and had an amazing first 15 minutes. After that, he offered barely more than his team's other winger who was woeful. He runs with no urgency and when he dropped that ball, the head dropped and that was him done for the night sadly - 5
3. Capewell - Was found out badly one one NSW try but other than that, he was solid and really, after that debut last week and carrying an injury, it isn't surprising he wasn't quite as good. Still offered a lot though and had absolutely nothing to work with from his outside winger who had one of the worst origin performances of all time - 6
4. Gagai - He as usual tried his guts out but was just a little flat, understandably. He works really well with Coates, would love him back at the Broncos. He was still pretty decent, just not the Gagai we are accustomed to at origin - 6
5. Sami - Absolute shocker, he was absolutely walked over by Addo-Carr. He can't be there game three, got totally found out tonight sadly, he is rubbish - 1
6. Munster - Gone early and that was probably game lost there - N/A
7. Cherry-Evans - He tried really hard but he just didn't gel with Hunt sadly. I thought DCE was better than he was given credit for, he competes for everything and in a badly beaten side, he was quite good - 7
8. Lui - He played but you wouldn't have noticed him. He did exactly what was expected in that he was solid and did his bit. Unfortunately, you need more than that at this level, he is symptomatic of the injury problems of Queensland - 5
9. Friend - He did what he does at club level, he is solid, tackles his heart out and is Andrew McCullough. Qld needs more from 9, time to bring in Grant or even Hunt to start - 6
10. Papalii - He was decent but you need more than that. Scored one of the most graceful, elegant tries you will ever see and is the leader of this forward pack, he was solid but he needs to be great for this side to be a chance - 6
11. Kaufusi - He was his usual origin self, normal service resumed. He was great last week and I had never seen that at this level, unfortunately tonight, he went back to being nothing special. That pass after the accidental shepherd was just dumb - 5
12. Su'A - In a badly beaten side, he was a shining light, very impressive. He ran good lines, smashed everything that came at him and was doing covering tackles everywhere. I want him back at Brissy, he is a gun - 8
13. Fa'asuamaleaui - Man I loved the toe-to-toe with Haas, that was a lot of fun and so much for being friends I suppose. They are going to be wonderful along with Fifita at the Gold Coast for a long time to come sadly. Other than that, he didn't have the same impact as game 1 but he'll be a mainstay in this side for years to come - 5

14. Hunt - Shocker. If not for Sami's absolute stinker of a game, he would have been worst player out there. I do feel for him a bit, he isn't a half and especially not at this level but a 9 or a 14, he is great as game 1 showed. He did not gel with DCE or his backs at all - 2
15. Collins - Absolute weapon off the bench. Yes he dropped it once but he was everywhere. He took the tough runs, he was covering everything through the middle and pressuring the kickers as well. He was the best player out there for Qld along with Su'A, excellent effort in a badly beaten side - 8
16. Arrow - Nowhere near his level of last week unfortunately, he like most of the team was just off. He tried hard but was easily overshadowed by Collins - 5
17. Fotuaika - I noticed he was on and then I noticed he wasn't, that was about it. He didn't really get a chance to do anything and so he didn't do anything. A debut to forget, I already have - 3

 

[holdzy]

We need to get Carrigan in there he’s going be playing for QLD for the next 5 years plus, there’s no point having him on the side line. We could of really done with him running out of our own end tonight.

Wouldn't change the result at all.

 

[Alec]

Full strength we'd be looking pretty good, but still a couple holes. Feel we could've benefited from McGuire this series... still absolutely no one for the centers

1 Ponga
2 Val
3 ??
4 ??
5 Gagai
6 Munster
7 Cherry
8 Papa
9 Friend
10 Welch
11 Fifita
12 Sua
13 Arrow

14 Hunt / Harry
15 McGuire
16 Tino
17 Collins/Carrigan/ Mo

So yeah not far off really

I'd probably just keep Gagai in the centres now, just because there are no centre options. I'd probably go with Brimson at left centre. I have no idea how he'd go defending there, but I was impressed with him last game and I'd keep him in the side.

 

[Big Pete]

That's what happens when there is no energy, direction and good kicking from our 5/8. Our attack was pedestrian at best. I can't see this side winning without Munster

Munster was a huge loss, especially in defence, the communication just wasn't there from Queensland. I don't know if he would have been the difference, but I think his inclusion would have allowed Hunt to play that loose forward role where he was very effective in Game I.

However it starts with the back three. You can save yourself a lot of trouble by just comparing Tedesco (238m*) and Tupou (227m*) to Holmes (111m*) and Coates (46m*). Those are just the preliminary numbers, those will change over time, but any coach will tell you plays 1-3 determine who wins the set. Queensland just never got going in that department and it made it a slog.

That's the disadvantage of picking Coates. He's getting picked for those freakish efforts but he doesn't really have the ability to churn out metres at this level. It will come, it was actually his best aspect in juniors but like Tupou it's going to take time. I also don't think his future lies on the wing either, once he works on his defence, he'll end up in the centres and be a quality player.