Pretenders or contenders?

[Dee]

You guys stating we are still contenders are living in a fools paradise.

We are waaaaay too inconsistent. 2 weeks before the finals and playing to secure a top 2 and top 4 spot and we dish THAT up on our home turf? C'mon guys. Wake up. I'd like to think it was just a blip in the road but this team just doesn't have the hunger or cattle to win the premiership.

We got bullied extremely bad tonight. We are soft.

 

[Sproj]

@Sproj

Mate, wake up.

I don't believe I'm asleep. :notsureifserious:

 

[Sproj]

You guys stating we are still contenders are living in a fools paradise.

We are waaaaay too inconsistent. 2 weeks before the finals and playing to secure a top 2 and top 4 spot and we dish THAT up on our home turf? C'mon guys. Wake up. I'd like to think it was just a blip in the road but this team just doesn't have the hunger or cattle to win the premiership.

We got bullied extremely bad tonight. We are soft.

So despite seeing what our potential is and playing the worst game of our year, we should just ignore what we are capable of and give up on our team...that is in the top eight...running 2nd...in the entire competition...with one round to go because of a really, really poor performance and STILL losing by less than 20...to a team that had everything running for them tonight? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, fool's paradise it is.

 

[Sproj]

If we play this bad again next week, I'll write us off too but not yet, we'll just have to wait and see which group is right but I will not be giving up on my team, sorry it isn't in my nature...particularly when they are running second...with one round to go.

 

[Danoz Direct]

If we play this bad again next week, I'll write us off too but not yet, we'll just have to wait and see which group is right but I will not be giving up on my team, sorry it isn't in my nature...particularly when they are running second...with one round to go.

I'm with you mate! If we can lay a platform for Milford and defend better than we did tonight, we can still really challenge.

 

[Foordy]

Pretenders.

No team has won a comp after having 50+ put on them. 50 points = Instant OHKO of season. Season over.

If it was mind games we would have let about 20-30 points put on us. Not abruptly have our season end with that shit we just dished up.

does it have to be 50 for the instant KO ... because Parra had 48 put on them against the roosters in round 10.

they'll deduct 6 points from the Eels score after watching the replay due to the absolute howler of a decision ... that takes them under the 50 mark :P

 

[Horseheadsup]

If we play this bad again next week, I'll write us off too but not yet, we'll just have to wait and see which group is right but I will not be giving up on my team, sorry it isn't in my nature...particularly when they are running second...with one round to go.

I'm not giving up either. But what's the go with Boyd ? His form has plummeted.

 

[winslow_wong]

Oh oh, yes I'm the great pretender
Pretending that I'm doing well
My need is such I pretend too much
I'm lonely but no one can tell

Oh oh, yes I'm the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I've played the game but to my real shame
You've left me to grieve all alone

Too real is this feeling of make believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal

Yes I'm the great pretender
Just laughin' and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I'm not, you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around

Too real is this feeling of make believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal

Yes I'm the great pretender
Just laughin' and gay like the clown
I seem to be what I'm not, you see
I'm wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you're still around

 

[KnToad]

I'm not giving up either. But what's the go with Boyd ? His form has plummeted.

I used to scream at the TV when Corey Norman ran sideways on kick returns and threw hospital passes to his teammates when he didn't look like he wanted to charge into the defensive line and get the set off to a good start....

Darius can't play that bad again this season...

 

[Sproj]

I'm not giving up either. But what's the go with Boyd ? His form has plummeted.

Yep, that is extremely worrying. I'm wondering if a switch to wing or centre would do him wonders but if we did, who do we shift to fullback? It is too late in the season to blood Allan, Isaako is too inexperienced as well and Mead has deadset been one of the worst signing in recent history (and we have had a few)./

So...what about Roberts? The guy has a fantastic pass in him and imagine the energy in his kick returns! Boyd can always chime in with his third man play throughout the game but it would get Roberts into the game and goodness me we need to do so. But is it too late in the season to do it? Would Bennett be that bold?

 

[Danoz Direct]

Yep, that is extremely worrying. I'm wondering if a switch to wing or centre would do him wonders but if we did, who do we shift to fullback? It is too late in the season to blood Allan, Isaako is too inexperienced as well and Mead has deadset been one of the worst signing in recent history (and we have had a few)./

So...what about Roberts? The guy has a fantastic pass in him and imagine the energy in his kick returns! Boyd can always chime in with his third man play throughout the game but it would get Roberts into the game and goodness me we need to do so. But is it too late in the season to do it? Would Bennett be that bold?

I like the idea of Roberts to fullback, but not this late in the season.

 

[Super Freak]

I couldn't give a **** if we were 1st. We also took advantage of some easy games while teams below us had form slumps.

You look at whether a team is contenders by how they are performing this close to the finals. How high of a level they are playing at. How much hunger and desire they display.

We had an off night last week, and then backed that up with one of our worst performances in a very long time. Contenders do not do that two weeks out from the finals, it's that simple.

Name me the last time a premiership winning team had 52 points put on them two weeks out from the finals.

 

[Russell Coight]

Yep, we are currently sitting second because we are making up the numbers. Fools paradise it is.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Sharks 2016: won 1 of their last 6
Cowboys 2015: won 2 of their last 5
Souths 2014: won 1 of last 3
Roosters 2013: won 1 of last 3

This is a list of the last 4 premiers games before the finals.... I'm not saying we will win it (calm down) but we had EVERY conceivable bounce of the ball go against us tonight and the team was obviously not up for this game. My guess is Bennett (just like those 4 teams listed above), is smashing the team throughout the week to get the miles in their legs and will taper down during the finals. Teams, particularly small pack teams that play best with a high energy game plan, can't be "up" for every game.

People need to calm down about the result. We are still second-3rd at worst if sharks win but we are guaranteed top 4 if roosters win!...with 1 round to go. The finals are on their mind...

I hate this loss as much as anyone on here, but this takes ALL the "2nd favourites" pressure off of us, puts that on parra, wakes our team up, but we are still in 2nd. Another positive, we had everything go against us that possibly could have and we still scored 6 tries....

 

[vertigo]

Name me the last time a premiership winning team had 52 points put on them two weeks out from the finals.

I can't because its never happened.

It's not about the losses but about how you lose, and that was fucking garbage.

 

[Jason Simmons]

I wish we were pretenders. I can't even call them that right now. No-one who plays like that and has 52 points put on them at home 2 weeks out from the finals when they are somehow still in 2nd place can be so blind as to actually think they are genuine pretenders, let alone actual contenders...

Thank goodness the NRL doesn't allow any player to say what they actually think.

 

[Russell Coight]

Obviously its not ideal to have 52 points scored against you, especially considering how soft some of the tries were, but at the end of the day we lost by 18 points. We beat the Sharks by 22 what 3 weeks ago? and Matty Johns and his gang of cockgobblers are saying they are the only team to beat melb. It's all horse shit, every game is different, every team who makes the 8 is in with a shot, if you think otherwise well more fool you.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Deep down no one is happy about this, that's fucking BS. Some people can just admit when you just know we are making up the numbers.

Making up the numbers.......**** off! Have a look at the comp. The only real certainty is the Storm. Anyone else in the top 8 has a chance. You "realists" make out that the rest of the teams are so super consistent......that's bullshit.