Round 25 - Broncos vs Dragons - Post Match Discussion

[Mister Wright]

Lol. He tried hard and it was a great break but he looked so slow. Granville would have been over the try line by the time Mc got tackled.

Lol. That wasn't the only run he had. He had the defence retreating all night. Like Hunt he is really starting to make the right decisions on when to run from dummy half. Very smart game from Macca.

 

[Nashy]

Dismayed at the officiating, but also disappointed we didn't just muscle up and get on with the job. We were a man done but we looked downright fragile and out of sorts. Shades of the Sharks game.

Equally so, I'm impressed by our initial assault in the first half, and Hodges / Gillett stepping up to the ice the game. Some sterling performances from the usual suspects.

I'd really like to highlight the fact Parker kicked six from six. This is exactly the kind of game we've lost due to missed conversions in the past. Not sure if he's been practising or if it was a flash in the pan, but so crucial to our success.

I think them falling apart slightly after that can be excused. Big game or not, when something that big, and that wrong happens, it's sure to cause a lot of frustration.

 

[Mister Wright]

Dismayed at the officiating, but also disappointed we didn't just muscle up and get on with the job. We were a man done but we looked downright fragile and out of sorts. Shades of the Sharks game.

Equally so, I'm impressed by our initial assault in the first half, and Hodges / Gillett stepping up to the ice the game. Some sterling performances from the usual suspects.

I'd really like to highlight the fact Parker kicked six from six. This is exactly the kind of game we've lost due to missed conversions in the past. Not sure if he's been practising or if it was a flash in the pan, but so crucial to our success.

Parker's goal kicking form has been pretty good recently. I think he's only missed 1/9 the last two weeks and that one he caught off the post. They haven't all been easy either.

 

[K-Style]

Lol. That wasn't the only run he had. He had the defence retreating all night. Like Hunt he is really starting to make the right decisions on when to run from dummy half. Very smart game from Macca.

I don't mean by that I think he should be replaced btw. He's always lead tackler and didn't put a foot wrong that I could see.
Hopefully he can make more breaks llike that.

 

[Rally Towel]

I think them falling apart slightly after that can be excused. Big game or not, when something that big, and that wrong happens, it's sure to cause a lot of frustration.

Undoubtedly, it will cause frustration. Despite being at a disadvantage though, a team can take it one of two ways. They can put their heads down and try desperately to cling on. Or, they can fire up, harness the frustration and rage, and counter attack.

I guess I'd rather have seen them rise to the occasion a bit more. It may have been 12 vs 13, but we conceded three tries in that period. We need to be tougher when the going gets tough.

 

[Harry Sack]

[MENTION=1899]Big Pete[/MENTION] Hunt got the Ch9 Motm

 

[animal eater]

Well, nice to live another day after another heart stopper. We saw a really solid team effort. Obviously having play makers in play maker roles makes an enormous difference. While Sloth Griffin seems to be a nice bloke, if he had just a bit more sack and didn't worry about keeping Hoffman happy, we wouldn't be worrying right now about teams having to lose to make the eight.

Has there ever been a precedent for a side protesting a game on the spot? Kind of curious what happens if a side walks off the field until a decision like that is over ruled. Cummins obviously just got confused and didn't have the courage to admit he got it wrong. Would of been beyond disheartening to have lost that one.

All in all a great effort.

 

[rnabokov]

Dismayed at the officiating, but also disappointed we didn't just muscle up and get on with the job. We were a man done but we looked downright fragile and out of sorts. Shades of the Sharks game.

Equally so, I'm impressed by our initial assault in the first half, and Hodges / Gillett stepping up to the ice the game. Some sterling performances from the usual suspects.

I'd really like to highlight the fact Parker kicked six from six. This is exactly the kind of game we've lost due to missed conversions in the past. Not sure if he's been practising or if it was a flash in the pan, but so crucial to our success.

We won with 12 men - good enough for me, but the middle third defence needs to speed up and hit rather than grab and drag - do that next week and we are toast

 

[noisetheory]

- Another step forward for Marty. I thought his runs got the biggest cheers at the ground and there were a lot of whispers of 'who is this guy?'

yeah i agree. i was sat quite close to the ground just behind where kennedy would stand for each kick off receipt in the first half. alot of the crowd around me, myself included, were gee'ing him up (positively) and he looked like he was enjoying it. seems like he is finally comfortable in the team and enjoying footy.

 

[mieko]

Great game and fantastic from the guys to dig deep playing against 14. Ben Hunt was massive, really hope we are getting his signature soon.

Hodges still worries me at the back. While his attack is good, great vision and can throw a great pass, his defense is pretty suspect in that arm grabs just won't cut it. Plus being stood up by a back rower I feel his agility in open space just ain't that crash hot.

Kennedy also played very well, hopefully keeps that up into next year.

Good work and bring on the storm.

 

[Allo]

We won with 12 men - good enough for me, but the middle third defence needs to speed up and hit rather than grab and drag - do that next week and we are toast

Prime example of that is a tackle I saw Gillo involved in. First in the tackle, but tried to latch onto the ball+arms and got half thrown off instead of going for a nice hit into the ribs. This whole 'grab-drag-hold' style of tackling is rubbish. Having said that, there were a few nice back-planting tackles. Moose in particular had one or two beauties

 

[Porthoz]

Undoubtedly, it will cause frustration. Despite being at a disadvantage though, a team can take it one of two ways. They can put their heads down and try desperately to cling on. Or, they can fire up, harness the frustration and rage, and counter attack.

I guess I'd rather have seen them rise to the occasion a bit more. It may have been 12 vs 13, but we conceded three tries in that period. We need to be tougher when the going gets tough.

I thought they did to be honest, we went right up to their line after they scored their bullshit knock-on try, and came close to put one back on them!
But they took advantage of the missing man, which is where they scored their next try, with Thompson slicing through the line exactly where Gillett would've been. Compound that with another try of a forward pass, and the result is a team being blown off the park, suddenly being in contention to win the game!

The way we finished the game once we had 13 players on the paddock again, and the poetic justice of Gillett scoring the decisive try, showed the fabric this team is made of. Great stuff!

 

[theshed]

Nightingale definitely knocked it on but I don't personally think the pass was forward.

 

[Morkel]

Nightingale's stomach "no knock-on" is right up there with the Jamie Lyon torso tries. It's always us that cops them.

 

[Alec]

Can score tries with the torso, can't knock on with it. :bike:

 

[Morkel]

Can score tries with the torso, can't knock on with it. :bike:

That's exactly what I thought after I hit post. That's the NRL for you.

 

[rnabokov]

Prime example of that is a tackle I saw Gillo involved in. First in the tackle, but tried to latch onto the ball+arms and got half thrown off instead of going for a nice hit into the ribs. This whole 'grab-drag-hold' style of tackling is rubbish. Having said that, there were a few nice back-planting tackles. Moose in particular had one or two beauties

Yes, including Gillo's critical ball and all tackle on Marshall. Good read, good tackle.

Which raises the whole issue of consistency for 80 mins. Gillett needs to focus on the hit, not the grab, as well as so many of our other players. As you say, we made some really good tackles amongst the awful ones.

 

[Super Freak]

This was great work from Ben Hunt. Widdop is still looking for the ball..