Round 25 - Sea Eagles vs Broncos - Post Match Discussion

[Kaz]

I still maintain that Griffin coaches heavily on a defensive strategy.

That's worked a treat. NOT

 

[Jeba]

That kick from Norman on the 3rd tackle inside their 20m was probably the worst play I've seen from any of our playmakers this year. Outside backs didn't know it was on, defence wasn't out of position, and it was the 3rd tackle. Norman is destined for great things..... at Bishop Park in 2013. He's not first grade standard.

 

[Huge]

I could not post last night, just too fresh in the mind. We lost by ten points to a super team. we are not that far off. It was a lot to expect that we could beat Manly at home especially when they are the comp favourites. I expect another show of heart for Petero next week and maybe a win to finish his regular career. If we cannot win then I'll cheer for Cronulla.

We really are not to shabby a team when you look at how competitive we have been against the big three. One thing though is this, maybe we should not be in such a big hurry to dismiss the merits of other teams when we ourselves are hardly setting the world on fire.

credit where credit is due....

 

[Old Mate]

We were hardly competitive though, Manly had us by the balls.

 

[Force]

The attack is whats killing them.Lockyers departure has left a huge void in attack and shows just how big an asset he really was.How many times over the year have they screwed up on 5th tackle options?...poor kicks,poor attacking options,pretty much poor everything.Need better attacking halves.

 

[Coxy]

That kick from Norman on the 3rd tackle inside their 20m was probably the worst play I've seen from any of our playmakers this year. Outside backs didn't know it was on, defence wasn't out of position, and it was the 3rd tackle. Norman is destined for great things..... at Bishop Park in 2013. He's not first grade standard.

I hate saying I told you so but I've been saying it since last year when it was a "who will replace Locky" question and everyone said "Norman!" I was happy to support it once the decision was made, but it's been an abject failure and I don't think he's even half as good as the idiots in the press and within the club have been trying to make out.

Absolute nuffy.

 

[Jeba]

I hate saying I told you so but I've been saying it since last year when it was a "who will replace Locky" question and everyone said "Norman!" I was happy to support it once the decision was made, but it's been an abject failure and I don't think he's even half as good as the idiots in the press and within the club have been trying to make out.

Absolute nuffy.

And I remember you said the same thing at the Leagues Club in round 1 as well mate. I agreed with you too. Nothing has changed my opinion that's for sure.

 

[Coxy]

And I remember you said the same thing at the Leagues Club in round 1 as well mate. I agreed with you too. Nothing has changed my opinion that's for sure.

Yep. Which puts me above Gus...because someone actually remembers me saying it! :P

 

[Jeba]

Back on the game, I don't know why people are saying our defence was a rare highlight last night. Manly made easy meters all might, I'd say they would've averaged 50 meters gained in each set quite comfortably. We just sat back and waited all night, no line speed at all.

 

[Coxy]

Back on the game, I don't know why people are saying our defence was a rare highlight last night. Manly made easy meters all might, I'd say they would've averaged 50 meters gained in each set quite comfortably. We just sat back and waited all night, no line speed at all.

Yeah I thought the same. They didn't score after getting to 16 because they started making mistakes. Nothing much to do with our defence.

They found so many breaks up the middle with inside balls, and on the fringes just by drifting and then using short balls to catch our defenders off balance.

 

[Bull Shark]

I hate saying I told you so but I've been saying it since last year when it was a "who will replace Locky" question and everyone said "Norman!" I was happy to support it once the decision was made, but it's been an abject failure and I don't think he's even half as good as the idiots in the press and within the club have been trying to make out.

Absolute nuffy.

you're not the only one:

At this stage I don't think Hunt or Norman are the answer at 6 or 7 next year and beyond ... Hunt to me just looks more like a number 9 than a 7 and Norman - well I always wonder about young guys who burst onto the scene like he did last year and then seem to plateau and not kick on ..

- posted this on 25 September last year ...

and this, same day / night

I

don't like this idea that he seemingly just inherits the number 6 spot next year .. If he was bashing down the door for a spot in first grade this year (obviously not for lockyer's spot but somewhere in the 17) then fair enough but he's not. He had a chance last year and couldn't nail it and has meandered along between the lower grade and the occasional first grade game ever since.

He's clearly not ready to be a first grade five eighth for the Brisbane Broncos. At least not yet. And although I haven't seen a lot of him over the last year and a half, when I do see him he doesn't look like a guy who's red-dog mean and busting to get himself to the next level.

He's the Mitchell Johnson of Rugby League imo ...

 

[Big Pete]

Think you'll find a number of us were on the Hunt bandwagon, I was certainly one of them.

Heck, I was bagging out Capewell before he even came to the club apparently. That certainly hasn't changed. :laugh:

Only thing that has changed was my preference of Wallace but I'll freely admit that a form Wallace would be better than Norman.

 

[Bull Shark]

Think you'll find a number of us were on the Hunt bandwagon, I was certainly one of them.

Heck, I was bagging out Capewell before he even came to the club apparently. That certainly hasn't changed. :laugh:

Only thing that has changed was my preference of Wallace but I'll freely admit that a form Wallace would be better than Norman.

yep and this is why you won't find me singling out Wallace for all of the world's problems like 97% of Queensland seems to be - because imo he's not doing anything too different to what he did the previous few years playing beside Lockyer. The point of difference is that with Lockyer no longer around, people seem to think or expect that Wallace is going to fill some of that void by morphing into something he just isn't.

He is what he is and that was good enough for state of origin a couple of years ago, granted a hapless NSW side, but origin nonetheless.. Now I'm not saying that he's necessarily what the BRoncos need right now, because with the G.O.A.T Bronco no longer around, the team needs an 'Alpha' in either the 6 or the 7 jersey ... Right now, they don't have that so its a case of either Wallace making way for a halfback who is, or someone stepping into the five eighth role along side him who has that presence and that game.

You just can't have two 'Omegas' as your halves combo ..

 

[Porthoz]

yep and this is why you won't find me singling out Wallace for all of the world's problems like 97% of Queensland seems to be - because imo he's not doing anything too different to what he did the previous few years playing beside Lockyer. The point of difference is that with Lockyer no longer around, people seem to think or expect that Wallace is going to fill some of that void by morphing into something he just isn't.

He is what he is and that was good enough for state of origin a couple of years ago, granted a hapless NSW side, but origin nonetheless.. Now I'm not saying that he's necessarily what the BRoncos need right now, because with the G.O.A.T Bronco no longer around, the team needs an 'Alpha' in either the 6 or the 7 jersey ... Right now, they don't have that so its a case of either Wallace making way for a halfback who is, or someone stepping into the five eighth role along side him who has that presence and that game.

You just can't have two 'Omegas' as your halves combo ..

I don't often agree with you, but I'm behind what you wrote 100%!

I do see flashes of potential in Hunt as far as creative spark goes, and unless we pull a great halve out of our hat, we are stuck with what we have, and that has to be Wallace and Hunt. Yesterday Wallace was the only one who had anything and alongside Reed and Hodges, got us on the front foot with his kicking game.
The last month he has been horrid, but yesterday his kicks were finding the grass, he got use a couple of repeat sets and he didn't look as lost as usual.

As much as I hate to say it, Manly is the better team. They have an awesome arsenal in attack when they're switched on, and although we didn't throw enough at them, their defense didn't flinch for a moment either.

Still, we can't be that disappointed with the team's performance against what are by far the 3 best sides of the comp, 2 of which away from home, and a home game we should have won because we were the better side.

The fact we played them after a form slump due to the ****ing ridiculous Origin schedule, which has brought the confidence of this young team to the lowest possible threshold, hasn't helped either.

I understand the Norman bashing of late, but he can be a good fullback and we can use his ability to break the line and long kicking game, but please do not ask him to set anything up, he's just not up to it!

Having said this, the Penrith game with Petero will definitely need to be a good win. After that, I'm confident we can take anyone in the bottom half of the top 8, even on current form. Whether that builds enough confidence to take on anyone on the top 4 at their ground is doubtful though...

 

[Big Pete]

Think Manly were happy for him to find grass as long as he couldn't kick it over the sideline to give the boys a breather, seemed a deliberate ploy given how much we were out on our feet.

Maybe you're right about the 2 Omega theory, but then, I'd rather 2 first graders then 1 first grader & 1 numpty who obviously wasn't mentally equipped to handle the rigors of first grade.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Think Manly were happy for him to find grass as long as he couldn't kick it over the sideline to give the boys a breather, seemed a deliberate ploy given how much we were out on our feet.

Maybe you're right about the 2 Omega theory, but then, I'd rather 2 first graders then 1 first grader & 1 numpty who obviously wasn't mentally equipped to handle the rigors of first grade.

Geez....and I thought I was hard on Wallace. That's a bit OTT, BP

 

[Alec]

I'd rather keep Norman at fullback over Hoffman. Hoffman's style just doesn't belong in the modern day game. Fullbacks are like an extra 5/8ths at every successful club.

I do wonder what would have happened if Gagai stayed with us. He's got a much better ball playing game than Hoffman, is more natural at fullback than Norman, and arguably even a better ball runner than either of them.

 

[Big Pete]

Geez....and I thought I was hard on Wallace. That's a bit OTT, BP

Was talking about Norman actually. >_> <_<

But at this stage, Wallace is so out of form I'd relieve him and just give Norman/Hunt a real shot.