Pack v Pack

[Hamm.0]

Everyone knows by now, my pre-occupation with forwards. IMO, it's where any game is won or lost. So, in light of that;

Lima, White, Kaufusi vs. Hannant, Clinton, Kenny.

On paper, you'd have to say Storm have this. Lima is devastating, Kaufusi is awa well....on his day. Kaufusi can succumb to niggle and that's where our bopys have got to be. Right in there with a few hands on things, just trying to distrupt Kaufusi's roll. Looking at Lima....I just don't know what stops him. Even trying to muscle on him or throwing some cheap hits isn't going to rattle him. I'm stumped on what you do to put him off. White...lolz....Origin proved how he can crumble. If Kenny or Clinton can hit him hard early, it will work well for us.

Cam Smith v Ennis

They won't really be going "head to head" so Ennis just needs to knuckle down, get his mind back to NOT be a ball player and not kicking short, make his metres, play the ref and then on the 4th and 5th get the ball to Locky and Waalace. Smith is very hard to niggle, he is as cool as they come, however I would still like to see our pack running at him relentlessly in attack. Thaiday, Clinton, Kenny at him for the first 30 IMO.

Parker, Thaiday, Carroll, Stagg, Sims, Eastwood vs. Hoffman, Johnson, J. Smith, Blair, Manu

I know he's not in the pack....but please Hunt, pwn Hoffman the bitch once more!!!!
Now I got that out, Hoffman crumbles after a decent square off. Johnson is no attacking dynamo. This leaves big Jeremy, Blair and Manu. All can handle the big games; however Manu has a tendancy to start dropping balls under intensity. IMO, Tunza needs to come in closer to the ruck this week, if he can execute a couple of rib rattlers, he will be able to get the game started up front. Thaiday is the rattler we need, I want him nudging and patting Manu , Hoffman and White at every chance. Hopefully Sims can continue form last week and Parker needs to step up (no surprises there.), he showed glimpses of tackle breaking ability last week, this week he can't be just a tackler....that's what Stagg will be doing. Also, no Broncos should take the Crocker bait...he will throw his own game out there and our boys need to ignore him entirely.

In summary, Storm have it on paper, but our pack is far from unconvincing. Stop Lima, Blair, Crocker, Manu; and there is no go-forward left. Pressure Smith, especially on his kicks. C'mon piggies!!!!!

 

[Jeba]

Very even really. Brett White is sensationally shit though.

Just comments on our pack for mine.

Hannant - improved over the last few weeks, keep it up
Ennis - has to play well. Don't care about Cameron Smith, Ennis should concentrate on his own game and giving good service to Locky and Wallace rather than a personal battle with Smith
Clinton - Big Joel is a key player here, our best forward over the last 6 weeks or so, should be fresh after not many minutes last week despite being out cold, he'll be right
Thaiday - might get lucky
Parker - just run straight and look for the offload
Carroll - smash Inglis
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Sims - smash someone
Eastwood - see above and hit the gaps
Kenny - keep doing what you've been doing
Stagg - keep running the good lines, gotten a couple of tries lately. Gee this bloke has improved in the later stages of the season

 

[Black Philip]

Hopefully Clinton brings his mongrel to the game and gets aggressive with his hit ups

 

[Hamm.0]

That's a good point re: Carroll on Inglis Jeb. But, I can't see anyone other than Tunza, making some big hits on their pack early. I'd prefer them to have him closer to the ruck in defence...at least early on. Still, owning Inglis early would play dividends as well.

 

[Alec]

Not only Inglis, but we have to try to smash Slater as well. Take him out of the game. I think he's even more dangerous than Inglis, especially around tired forwards.

 

[elie_m]

both packs are probably the strongest going around in the nrl. It is very hard to diferentiate between them and thats why its going to be such a great game but with the events of the past couple of days i hope the boys can forget it and really put on a match winning performance. melbourne will be gutted by last week's loss to a strong and commited warriors outfit and will be out to get revenge... so in saying that we must be ready for war! 2006 all over again

 

[Dave]

With Slater I think we need to take a hint from the Warriors game plan and kick for touch as much as we can. Our defence has been great but if we can control the tempo of the game and the field position we have the cool heads to just grind them into the turf.

IMO out pack is out performing the Storm pack at the moment - we are hitting hard and often and have a lot more variety in our pack than they do. As Hammo said Lima is their main go forward man, if we can slow him down we win the forward battle I reckon.

 

[uji]

I disagree, I think the storm pack is tougher and more proven. If we can just hold our own with them we may win. Such a 50/50 game...

 

[Dave]

Maybe if you look at both packs over the entire year but the Storm pack have been dominated 2 of the last 3 weeks and I think we have the firepower to make it 3 out of 4.

 

[Jeba]

With Slater I think we need to take a hint from the Warriors game plan and kick for touch as much as we can. Our defence has been great but if we can control the tempo of the game and the field position we have the cool heads to just grind them into the turf.

IMO out pack is out performing the Storm pack at the moment - we are hitting hard and often and have a lot more variety in our pack than they do. As Hammo said Lima is their main go forward man, if we can slow him down we win the forward battle I reckon.

Kicking on the 3rd or 4th tackle should be part of the game plan I reckon. Try and find touch when the wingers aren't back, look for a 40/20 here and there, anything to have Slater less involved. Worked for the Warriors!

 

[last|soldier]

The big d's going to have to be in the ref's ear also. We know Smith's going to be doing it.

 

[mrslong]

Keep your eyes on Tonie Carroll this game. He is going to have a blinder ala Webcke 06, possibly his last game, he's gonna go out with a Bang. Watch Ms White's head snap off from a bone-jarring hit to the sternum from Mr TC. Aww it's gonna be sweet.

 

[Hamm.0]

You guys ahve mentioned non-pack related ideas...perhaps in another thread???

 

[fenomeno]

Pack ideas? Carroll to break White's nose in the first tackle.

 

[mrslong]

You guys ahve mentioned non-pack related ideas...perhaps in another thread???

Is TC Snapping White's head pack related?

 

[spoonbled]

we need either TC or some1 like parker to do what berrigan did in the 06 gf. when Inglis gets the ball be on him before he knows what hit him.

 

[Hamm.0]

You guys ahve mentioned non-pack related ideas...perhaps in another thread???

Is TC Snapping White's head pack related?

Yep! Both forwards :D

 

[Black Philip]

Shutting down Inglis would be a nice start, but we need our markers to be very sharp on Cameron Smith to shut him down AND we need our pack to dominate theirs which is a BIG ask. That would leave Cronk without space and leave their outside backs mostly useless unless Slater pulls some miraculous crap out of nowhere.