So finally got to watch the game, and I guess I was expecting to see a much worse performance based on all your comments but I thought that was actually a commendable performance.
That was an altogether different defensive performance to what we saw at any other time this year. Line-speed, aggression and commitment was much better and they really worked very well as a unit in covering up for each other. Cheyse Blair on the edge is still prone to miss important tackles and Sandow is always going to be a defensive frailty but other than that, it was more of the kind of defensive performance than they produced last year.
Attack was obviously horrible but if you lose your five-eighth after 17 mins, I think that is going to throw out any team especially one like ours where they hasn't been a lot of stability there. And you add Reni's absence and we were clearly struggling for creative options.
I actually see that next week's game almost represents the start of the season that Kearney would have envisaged when he went into this year. No doubt Roberts will come back in and he'll have the spine he would have planned for, if they can re-produce that defensive effort he'll have that defensive foundation he'd have probably been banking on and I thought the side looked hungrier than they have at any point this season.
I do realise I'm eternally optimistic, but I'm glad I ended up watching that game knowing the result and without any subsequent emotion. If Ryan is fit and Maitua is able to play and they take that frame of mind in the game, I'm really looking forward to next Monday.
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It was one of our better games of the season, to our credit we didnt let the game get away from us, and tried hard untill the end, and even though we lost, i didnt go away feelin too let down or dirty over it, and it was good to see the boys not giving up, as this year would test the metal of any sporting team....
The guys played for each other untill the end, and not till the last saints try did they put their heads down, so as far as spirit goes, it was a good effort exp taking into account the year weve had and the pressure the team is under
It was commendable when compared to some of our train-wrecks this year.
In the whole scheme of things, we couldn't beat a team who played poorly.
When whatsey Morgan dropped the ball with 3 to go, I would have been surprised if Saints DIDN'T score. In years gone past, I would have given our side a very good chance of keeping them out.
Don't wanna sound like a wet blanket, but the word "commendable" is relative.
It was commendable, but let's have a closer look.
St George are out of form, playing badly and still won.
Manly were less a couple of their better players when we beat them.
Realistically, we could easily have no wins...
Our current FG side is not up to standard and in my humble opinion, the centre/wingers are where we have fallen down all year ie we have let in a rediculous number of points down each side......
To take a line from Mr Snake........ Fools gold !!!!
change is coming SK sux thanks for the memories
Blair ran with purpose and was up against Matt Cooper. Besides the 1 poor miss he had a strong game IMO. Made plenty of metres and had a fewmisses but overall it was a positve result for him.
Morgan on the other hand continues to be a massive liability. How long until Tonga W is back?
Matt Ryan is the find of the year. He had a great game before he went off injured. I am not sure of his status?
Tautai has had a couple of chances to impress but is not running with the same purpose as he was as a hand impact player with Cronulla last year. Not sure if his name will be read out tomorrow.
Horo deserves one more game to prove himself. He made a few errors but he tried to get in the game. If he continues to be sloppy with his hands and passes I am sure he will not last in FG too much longer. Is Rory Brien close to playing again?
Saege need to come onto the bench. We need an X factor as our team struggles in attack game after game.
Roberts probably needs to be elevated but I would bring in Mullaney. Especially if Ben Smith is coming back. Has Smith played a game at Wenty yet?
Hindy was inspirational. No other way to put it. Hayne gave all even though he was heavily marked.
Sio and Burt had decent games. Sio ran strongly and Burt continued to play his smart
MK went okay, he seems to play with a bit more speed and purpose now. I still think he could have rushed more on Soward on their last try when Soward went across field. He needs a bit more urgency in his game.
Paulo can look dangerous with the ball but needs runners hitting the line with him. Paulo does need to stay away from dummy half though - he threw a few shockers and tends to when he gets in there. Fell off a few tackles.
Sandow looked half dangerous but lacks that one two punch he had a Souths. His kicking game suffers and he needs more dangerous back rowers to assist his game - Ryan has thrived off some of his plays. Fell off plenty of tackles.
Poore had a chance to nail a spot in the starting 13 and went alright, nothing silly from him but needs to make tackles stick and run better lines.
Mannah got lesser minutes of all props? Not sure if he was injured? Had little impact on the game where as Allgood was a standout with making close to 100 metres and making 35 tackles.
Moi Moi looked confused coming on from the bench, made 1 bad error but hit the line the only way Fui Fui knows how to.
All of our props really need to look at offloading, they are our best and strongest runners and from them we could really developing some enterprising second phase play. 0 offloads from the 46 hit ups against the Dragons from the 4 of them.
This is what you get with young centres. Blair is potentially a very good defender, but we have to remember he is still of NYC age. When you've got young centres, you're going to get occasional misses.
I thought Morgan was defensively excellent. His timing in coming up and back was perfect and he and Burt were working in perfect co-ordination all night, so there was nothing from that game to back up that assertion.
I want to know which Einstein decided we shut up shop with 14 to go. If we kept playing footy the two points would have been ours. This game reminded me too much of those close losses last year. Yeah we looked better than what we dished up so far, but the more things change the more they stay the same. I'm still far from impressed.
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