Round 14 Discussion

[ningnangnong]

Storm 6-10 Tigers.

 

[Big Pete]

Tigers are the luckiest side in the competition.

A major advertisement for why Origin should be on a stand alone weekend.

 

[Broncoman]

What a fantastic game of footy that was. Both sides turned up to play and despite the conditions they produced a top quality game that went down to the wire.

 

[The Brizz]

I wouldn't say it was great in terms of the quality of play. A lot of one dimensional, one-out stuff however the ball control and defence in crap weather was excellent plus it was entertaining because it was close. I agree about this being a great example why Origin needs to be standalone. We weaken our product so much taking Smith, Slater, Cronk and Farah out of a game between 1st and 4th in the games highest rating timeslot.

 

[Ari Gold]

There was really a very dour game to watch. Had there been two Friday Night games, I'd have swapped well before half-time. There was some great ball control and performances given the conditions, but a quality game it was not. Brizz is right, it severely weakens our product, and will continue to do so for the next month.

Next week we play the Cowboys. What would normally shape up as a great clash is going to be reduced by the likely absences of Hodges, Thaiday, Civoniceva and possibly Hannant and Parker and Gillett.

 

[Porthoz]

There was really a very dour game to watch. Had there been two Friday Night games, I'd have swapped well before half-time. There was some great ball control and performances given the conditions, but a quality game it was not. Brizz is right, it severely weakens our product, and will continue to do so for the next month.

Next week we play the Cowboys. What would normally shape up as a great clash is going to be reduced by the likely absences of Hodges, Thaiday, Civoniceva and possibly Hannant and Parker and Gillett.

This, very much so!

Besides, I don't think the Tigers defense was that flashy, not their attack for that matter. It goes to show that without their trio, the Storm are cod ordinary, but they do have a very good work ethic ingrained in their system.

 

[Ari Gold]

Yep. Tonight was proof that the Storm have absolutely nothing without their big 3. (Which annoys me, because I still believe that they wouldn't have all 3 of those players still if they didn't rort the cap)

Probably true, but outside of Hoffman, nobody in their team is really worth paying much money to. Norrie, Lowrie, Vave etc. are bargain bin players, and their backs, whilst okay, don't really strike me as being that great.

You are right though, Storm have nothing without their spine, and this goes to show just how good that spine is. Makes me less concerned for when NSW field a better pack.

 

[Big Pete]

I still rate Widdop, Bromwich, Manu, Proctor & Duffie (even though he had a shocker).

Bunch of solid players too.

But yeah, definitely beatable without their stars who are all the best in their respective positions which happen to be the most important in the game.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Widdop is a star but he is a Storm junior so that counts for something.

 

[Big Pete]

I'm not following, what does it count for?

They're all Storm juniors too now that I think about it. And they have more coming through in Denny Solomona, Mahe Fonua, Matt McGahan, Ben Hampton, Kenny Bromwich & Tohu Harris. They've got the production well and truly sorted.

Back to the Tigers, but boy aren't they evidence of a season being a long time. 2 months ago, some were prepared to write them off for the year and now they look like being a Top 4 side. With Ellis to return, they're going to be a tough side to stop. That Sironen has class written all over him at the moment.

But I got to say, Tuqiri is looking well and truly past it. 10 years ago a wing combination of Utai & Tuqiri would be godly, now it's a weakness. I hope when we meet them we just target them because I can see them breaking.

Back to the Storm forwards, I actually thought they were better than the Tigers. Ryles, Bromwich & Vave gave them great metres. The halves just failed to capitlise and they made too many cheap errors.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I'm not following, what does it count for?

Just that all the Storms better players have been there for their whole careers.

Back to the Tigers, but boy aren't they evidence of a season being a long time. 2 months ago, some were prepared to write them off for the year and now they look like being a Top 4 side. With Ellis to return, they're going to be a tough side to stop. That Sironen has class written all over him at the moment.

This year I think the Tigers are a red hot chance of winning it. As you say the wingers they have are a weakness though.

 

[ethos]

To be totally honest, Tuqiri has been terrible for about two years now. Don't know how he's managing to hold down a first grade spot.

And on the Storm struggling without their big three.. of course they'd struggle, most teams would look a little lost without their three most creative players. Only saw the second half but the team still held their own, they just missed that little bit of composure.

 

[Coxy]

To be totally honest, Tuqiri has been terrible for about two years now. Don't know how he's managing to hold down a first grade spot.

And on the Storm struggling without their big three.. of course they'd struggle, most teams would look a little lost without their three most creative players. Only saw the second half but the team still held their own, they just missed that little bit of composure.

Agree on Tuqiri. It's sad. He got into the clear twice last night and just had one man to beat, who didn't get much of a shot on him, and he fell over like a sack of potatoes falling off a truck.

The flashy, athletic, agile, elusive winger we saw go to Rugby Union is long dead.

 

[Alec]

Man, Melbourne would have absolutely smashed the Tigers as if they were an U20s side if they had all of their players.

 

[Broncoman]

Newcastle should be capable of inflicting a heavy defeat on Canberra even without Uate and Boyd. The Raiders have a poor record at Hunter Stadium, Newcastle have found some attacking spark and Dugan was ineffective at 5/8th. The Knights are a safe pick.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Pretty keen to see how Gagai goes tonight.

 

[Ari Gold]

This Mata'Utia guy is awful. He made a ton of errors in the U20 Origin match and he's doing just as shit tonight.

 

[Big Pete]

That was his brother that night.