They need to get a big sign to hang in the sheds that reads “You can’t win without the ball, stupid!”
We had our chances to establish a good lead in the first half and blew it, repeatedly. They don’t want to get into a grind and wear teams down and score off sustained pressure. They want to throw the ball around and go for low percentage plays on early tackles and when it doesn’t come off they are suddenly defending their own line again.
Some of the tries were soft and just bringing Mam & Haas back will tighten it up. However, it’s all well and good to say ‘oh, well they scored from kicks & lucky bounces’, but they don’t get those opportunities if up the other end we aren’t putting a low percentage kick in on the first tackle. Reynolds knows better than anyone that’s not how you win games, yet even he has fallen in this trap of playing touch footy. We played smarter last year!
I actually thought they turned the corner last week when, after expecting the worst after the display against the titans, they put in a patient, measured, almost perfect half against the eels, and then it’s back to touch footy again this week. I don’t know if the plan just went out the window because they were missing Haas & Mam and had resigned themselves to losing or what, but they need to learn to stick to the plan, make it second nature, because the better sides will make you pay for gifting them easy possession.
I really believe if they play smarter they will beat anyone, but I just don’t know what it will take for the penny to drop.