I agree with many we failed in so many areas and had plenty of chances to ice the game, but who watched Penrith Broncos. Is Penrith season set for failure as well based on their halves performance and lack of points. They had plenty of opportunities and bad choices in their game tonight too.
Penrith only a scored 2 tries, the same as us yet they played with a Clive Churchill fullback, the biggest chin to ever lead a side to 2 premierships in a row and a number of representative level players such as Yeo and Fisher Harris
When I look at both performances, I saw sides learning to play with a new dummy half who looked disjointed, and although I think Melbourne won't be as good as previous years, they will be better then the Broncos by end of the season if Munster stays fit. Penrith will miss Korisau a lot this year but they will adjust and finish strong as the season goes on.
Broncos won that on effort not skill which won't last the season. When things go against them again like last year they are a mentally weak side and will fall apart. Maybe not as bad as last year but enough to not compete with top sides once they work their way into the season.
There is no doubting Moses gutho and brown were very poor and it seems Bellamy has got his new forwards up to speed very quickly. I thought Melbourne wrestling wouldn't be as strong without bromich brothers and kafusi but they surprised me. They learn cheating in the ruck so quickly down there they must inject it in players once they cross the border.
Although I hoped for a Parra win I backed Melbourne due to their crazy round 1 winning streak and Hodgson learning to play with Moses and Brown along with us being a lot weaker on edges without Lane in the side and not having a genuine utility on the bench. Would love have someone like Wishart on our bench and hopefully Asi is that player when fit.
Hodgson looked good and I think it could help our game if the halves adjust. Moses has to accept Hodgson will play what he sees and he sees a lot more then Mahoney ever did.
Hodgson will give Moses good ball when the numbers are right, but also will give good ball to brown or gutho when the opportunity is on the left. He will get it wrong some times but will also get it right it plenty which can make both Moses and Brown better players. At Canberra, Hodgson didn't have skilful halves on both sides of the ruck so some expected him to feed the dominate half everytime he called for it even if numbers or opportunity was on the other side. At Parra we have a good half each side of the ruck so they just have to be ready for what Hodgson sees and plays. That means Moses reacting and getting in position to support up the middle if a break is made not sulking or crying cause he didn't get the ball.
At parra Hodgson can play what he sees as he has good player both sides of the ruck but Moses and Brown have to be ready and react when Hodgson goes their way if they called it or not. Both have the skills to capitalise on good ball or small opportunities that present so if Hodgson sees something they have to react and figure out what he sees by always being aware and ready.
Brown doesn't over call Moses enough and fades out of games so if Brown wakes up and gels with Hodgson he will get more opportunities to really reach his potential this year.
Also on Browns form, don't forget he was missing Lane. Lane takes lot of pressure off Brown as he was a massive threat last year and defenders were 2nd guessing if they should hold on Brown or slide out to Lane which gave Brown extra time and space to run. Kikau did the same for Luai so I expect Luai will struggle for a while until he builds combination with Garner and Garner can get defences to mark him and give Luai extra time like Kikau did.
My thoughts haven't changed after round 1 so far. The top teams like Penrith and Storm appear to have lost ground which in theory should help the eels if Hodgson improves our game. And although those sides will improve as the year goes on, they won't be as dominant as previous years. What I fear is the improvement in lower sides like Broncos and others. Teams Parra will probably be higher on the table than come the end of the year. but will cost us a top 4 spot and momentum/confidence throughout the year as we struggle to win games we are expected to win. Without momentum and confidence the season could get ugly for us with a difficult draw to start with so we have to get it together quickly and start converting more of our opportunities into points.
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I agree it's going to be a very even comp this year and I still think the eels are with as good a chance as anyone. Have to dust off after that first round and find form quickly
Penrith won't win the premiership this year. They'll be in bottom half of the 8. There will be a few surprise teams doing better this year. I thought the Eels were a real chance this year but the 1st round match against the Storm at their home ground was very disappointing. Moses and Brown were terrible
An outstanding blog FM... I believe you have identified most of the issues and they are all relevant.
Watching Bronco's last night I agree that their resolve was high, but they also will improve and you cannot help but be impressed by their Athleticism.....something that Parra doesn't seem to have or for reasons of familarity it at least seems that way.
I particularly watched the halves last night and was mesmorised by Reynolds performance, everything was poised and with silkly smooth precision, his kicking was immaculate and his game awareness near perfect....he basically showed at a level of equal forwards he is actually a better organiser than the "chin" and that's no small feat.....frankly I feel Moses still cannot bridge that gap at this stage, in saying that I can never remember Reynolds being as good as he is now....whether he physically can maintain that is always a question mark at his age but why he is on the field Broncos will be a threat....that new young 5/8 is a bit like Brown, he needs to be led but is dangerous as all hell if he has the room.
Finally I again agree that Penrith has come back a notch, but they are still not out of it, that young hooker (no 14 Luke) looks very promissing. Jees they are going to miss their No 8 when he leaves next year.
Summing up the game on Thursday night was with the other two played, we are two levels ahead of the Warriors/ Nights game and probably a level (along with Melb) below the Panthers/Broncs game.....I think both Broncs and Panthers would have beaton both teams on Thursday night and I have a apprehension about playing Cronulla next week....Broncs, Cowboys and Sharks will be the movers and of course we have to see first if Cowboys and Sharks can maintain the standard they looked like improving on from last year.
good read FM, as for cheating I see that as crap as all teams try slowing down the ruck and we are just as guilty as all the other teams we just need to take off the rose coloured glasses and be honest in stead of making up excuses. after last night with the panthers game I see the comp being very close and a lot of teams having a chance. the puality for the games are good but seems to be very average and not as good as previous years, the new rules they bring in and the relaxing of other rules are slowly destroying the greatest game of all.I think the storm will get better missin Pap, Olamand Sims to come back in just like we have Lane and Matterson so we will improve. The comp will be close but I still think the top 8 I named in another blog will stay the same.I think we are also weaker than last season and Matterson and Lane should be our edge they are a must.
Don't think Storm cheat, just smarter around the ruck.
I like Hodgo, but don't think his game was as good as some. He certainly gave 100% and played well. If Hodgo runs this side were in deep shit. Hodgo can tend to make the game about him. Some of his passes were ordinary, and he struggled with the long ball. Only first game so wait and see.
Also disagree with Moses having to accept Hodgo makes the calls. Around the otherway, if the 7 calls it he gets it.
3 times I noticed Mitch calling for the long ball and Hodgo went short. Don't think Hodgo likes playing out the back.
He was one of our best on ground but I think he cost us 2 points. Very late in the game set up front of posts 30 out. Moses called it, standing 5 back and ready, Hodgo goes left to DB, not expecting the ball play dies. To win games these moments/chances need to be nailed, Hodgo made the wrong call.
our defence out wide was clunky, but good cover defending.
Sides with fast back lines will hurt us, especially if there full back chimes in early.
Think I will just bite my tongue on DB, see how his going R5.
Agreed on Hodgson. He has great vision and his repeat set and try assist were great. But his service is sub par. Right to left he was standing first before passing instead of passing off the ground. I know he's a pro and highly experienced but he needs to tidy that up. Also he made about a dozen forward passes and was just lucky to get away with all of them. I'll put it down to nerves perhaps.
I am agreeing with you and Mutts on here Graham, re Hodgson I cannot blame him but I am getting a feeling of round pegs in square holes, I want to wait a little longer to make judgement.
The smart people have picked it up but I notice.
Hodgson has a reputation for over calling his halves. He had issues at Canberra and ended up getting shunted into the 13 role to prevent him doing it so much.
I was highly skeptical when we signed Hodgson. He doesn't have the long ball that Reed does. He is older and less durable than Reed. I have shut up over the off season to see what happens but now we all see the evidence. Game 1 and Hodgson overcalls his halves and costs us the game. He needed to go to Moses for the field goal, and he blew it.
Obviously things can still improve, and I hope they do. I haven't given up hope on Hodgson. I think he was a gifted player at Canberra. In his late 20s he was an excellent player. I just worry he won't be durable enough to last the season making thousands of tackles. I also worry he will overcall the halves, or not gel with them. Time will tell.
1st f###en game in and JH goes for the miracle play in the 78th minute, It's only going to get worse. Buying a hooker who doesn't know how to work with halfs can only ruin the team dynamics.
Throwing long passes like Mahoney rarely helped us in attacking structures. It actually allows sides defences to space out out near the ruck as Mahoney would try to go wide nearly every play the ball followed by another long pass. I saw better ball movement from Parra as the more players who touch the ball and move forward before passing questions the defence. Then you goe wide as defence has compacted and opened space out wide. 2 long passes and the defence just slide out before moving up in straight line as no player is threating the line as seen by Parra for past few years with our wingers or centres rarely getting open space or one on one situations.
Every dummyhalf overcalls the half at times and don't think Hodgson is better or worse then any player in that regard. In Canberra it was more noticeable as they only had 1 decent half but if Hodgson counts numbers and goes a certain way, we have players who have speed and skill on both sides of the ruck if they figure out how and when to put a play on.
Moses blows up if he doesn't get the ball but that doesn't mean he was in the best position to receive it. I would judge Hodgson game management over Moses and Moses is getting better in that regard but still needs to mature a bit.
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