PRE-GAME Round 9 - Sea Eagles vs Broncos

[PNG Broncos fan88]

I think the whole ‘Macca is a defensive gun’ and the ‘look how bad our defense will be without him’ has been grossly exaggerated over the years based on one eyed fans just looking purely at how many tackles he makes a game on the stats sheet.

Look he is semi reliable and plugs a gap but it’s not like he has a Victor Radley-esque tackle technique where he can cut blokes twice his size down one on one. Also he is not a big body that can wrestle and dominate guys one on one and win the ruck.

How many of his 40-50 odd tackles a game are him just wrapping up the ball carrier with the aid of 1 or 2 other defenders? Besides his tackle counts the only other decent thing about his defense is he doesn’t usually leave gaps in the line probably because he is too slow to shoot out of the line and put a shot on anyway. Reed Mahoney can do the exact same job for Parra with the similar tackle counts yet still have some sort of semblance of an attacking game and he is in his second season of first grade. I have also noticed Reed has been kicking a lot more for Parra out of dummy half recently and with quality as well. Mahoney must be licking his lips knowing an origin jersey is going to be almost a given if Macca is his main competition in years to come.

So don’t give me this ‘oh we are fucked defensively without Macca’ bullshit because it’s an absolute cop out. Our defense has been disgusting even with him there. If you want to know what’s wrong with our defense, start with looking at the the arm grabbing techniques of Anthony Milford and James Roberts and then maybe look at our brain dead wingers who pick the wrong moments to rush in off their wings. Then look at our rubbish defensive structures where we struggle to wrap up the ball to prevent second phase play which causes us to be ok the back foot half of the time.

Very true, post contact metres backwards is proportional to all the 40+ tackles he makes.

 

[Wild Horse]

I wonder if Isaako is just being prepared for NRL fullback role? Maybe give Boyd a break?

Doh.... beaten to it lol

I'd hope not. I'd prefer Bird at fullback as he's played there already. I don't see why Issako should be in front of Bird for such a critical position.

Considering the money he is on Bird to fullback just makes sense.

 

[bronx89]

Honestly how is boyd still in this team (at least not even moved.)
I’d have Roberts in over boyd, Roberts only let 1 try in on the weekend, whereas Darius let 2 in and has been letting them in all year.
Seibs, get it sorted.

I would prefer to put Roberts at fullback. Roberts can’t defend but Atleast he would run it. Boyd should be in ISC this weekend.

 

[FaithinHook]

Gillett has stated Turpin will start in Macca's place.

 

[jarro65]

Gillett has stated Turpin will start in Macca's place.

Oh yeah [emoji106][emoji41][emoji869]

 

[Nepal Donkeys]

I can't be the only one who doesn't particularly rate Turpin. Willing to give him a shot but fk, this could be dire.

2 more losses in the next 2 weeks and we're cooked (if not already). Time to go full on rebuild then.

 

[Chewed]

Wonder who will be 14, hope it's Tanah Boyd.

 

[winslow_wong]

You reckon they'd prefer to make Macca tired in the 60th minute rather than just run over Milford and Nikorima and get guaranteed points from the 1st minute onwards?

I’m pretty sure they’re doing that as well.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

You know how I know we're gonna win this

Cause we're back on Friday Night lol

 

[winslow_wong]

You know how I know we're gonna win this

Cause we're back on Friday Night lol

Depends on what jersey we wear as well though

 

[GCBRONCO]

You know how I know we're gonna win this

Cause we're back on Friday Night lol

 

[mitch222]

Wonder who will be 14, hope it's Tanah Boyd.

They got demolished last week.

 

[1910]

Wonder who will be 14, hope it's Tanah Boyd.

Injured yesterday.

 

[Super Freak]

Addin Fonua-Blake and Lachlan Croker have been ruled out.

If we lose, I'm done.

 

[Matheos]

I don’t know the media reaction and pressure up there, but being from Sydney we have been hammered by every expert and made the wrong headlines all weekend. Everywhere you look “no effort”, “lack of trying”, “poor attack”, “shambles defensively”, etc.

Off the back of this scrutiny and the attitude and integrity of the players being questioned, I am expecting a monumental effort and determination against Manly.
This is our grand final in front of a sellout. Lose and September is over in May.

If we do not see it, if a team can’t lift and prove a point in this spot, then I will be 100% convinced this playing group is dead and buried.

 

[McHunt]

 

[McHunt]

Macca out = we will win.

That's my call.

 

[Kimlo]

Macca out? He should take a few months off to make sure he's totally healthy before coming back to first grade.

I'm not exactly sold on Turpin even being first grade standard though and we absolutely should go to market.