Big Pete
International Captain
- Mar 12, 2008
- 31,505
- 24,026
- Thread starter
- #37
JT is set to miss the next three weeks.
It wouldn't surprise me to see him back in less time, but it's certainly a blow for the Cowboys. With the Storm game next week, their home record is under jeopardy and if they lose that game, it will be interesting to see what sort of impact that will have on confidence. One of the keys to the Cowboys success has been their trust in the structure. They stick to a gameplan as well as any side, so if you take away a vital element like JT against a quality side like Melbourne and they lose at 1300SMILES it can hurt throw off their gameplan.
On paper, you'd think they'd only lose that Melbourne Storm game and account for Wests and Sydney but stranger things have happened.
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While the competition feels like a three horse race at this stage between Cronulla, Melbourne and North Queensland, the Canberra Raiders have an opportunity to showcase their wares at home against the Warriors. Quite frankly the Raiders have been ordinary in recent times, but have still managed to win three on the trot and their odds onto finish the week in the Top 4. The only thing standing in their way is the Warriors, a team that mirrors the Raiders in certain ways. If they Raiders can play with more purpose and frustrate the Warriors in defence, it will bode well for their run to the finals.
The Gold Coast Titans v Parramatta Eels shapes as a real test for the Gold Coast Titans. They produced their best performance against the St George Illawarra Dragons and they come up against an Eels side that doesn't have a lot left to play for. Greg Bird produced some of his best form last week in that Dragons clash, so if the Titans are to win, they'll need him to lead from the front once again.
On paper, Melbourne should walk all over the Roosters at AAMI Park. However, after an indifferent performance against the Knights and the Roosters performances in recent weeks, it wouldn't be surprising to see this go down to the wire. What will be interesting is if Bellamy decides to rest either Smith or Cronk for this clash in preparation for the Cowboys next week. If that's the case, it changes the dynamic of the game drastically but knowing the Roosters fortune of late they'd still find a way to lose.
It wouldn't surprise me to see him back in less time, but it's certainly a blow for the Cowboys. With the Storm game next week, their home record is under jeopardy and if they lose that game, it will be interesting to see what sort of impact that will have on confidence. One of the keys to the Cowboys success has been their trust in the structure. They stick to a gameplan as well as any side, so if you take away a vital element like JT against a quality side like Melbourne and they lose at 1300SMILES it can hurt throw off their gameplan.
On paper, you'd think they'd only lose that Melbourne Storm game and account for Wests and Sydney but stranger things have happened.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While the competition feels like a three horse race at this stage between Cronulla, Melbourne and North Queensland, the Canberra Raiders have an opportunity to showcase their wares at home against the Warriors. Quite frankly the Raiders have been ordinary in recent times, but have still managed to win three on the trot and their odds onto finish the week in the Top 4. The only thing standing in their way is the Warriors, a team that mirrors the Raiders in certain ways. If they Raiders can play with more purpose and frustrate the Warriors in defence, it will bode well for their run to the finals.
The Gold Coast Titans v Parramatta Eels shapes as a real test for the Gold Coast Titans. They produced their best performance against the St George Illawarra Dragons and they come up against an Eels side that doesn't have a lot left to play for. Greg Bird produced some of his best form last week in that Dragons clash, so if the Titans are to win, they'll need him to lead from the front once again.
On paper, Melbourne should walk all over the Roosters at AAMI Park. However, after an indifferent performance against the Knights and the Roosters performances in recent weeks, it wouldn't be surprising to see this go down to the wire. What will be interesting is if Bellamy decides to rest either Smith or Cronk for this clash in preparation for the Cowboys next week. If that's the case, it changes the dynamic of the game drastically but knowing the Roosters fortune of late they'd still find a way to lose.
