Finding a Positive

Injuries, tough calls, errors all contributed to tonight's loss. So we need to take something positive out of a game in which injuries may have a far reaching effect on our season.Firstly Danny Wicks made a barnstorming return to the NRL In fact, he turned in a performance that I hadn't expected after watching a bit of a scratchy performance for Wenty last week. A great sign of things to come.Secondly Manu Ma'u was brilliant. His running and defence was close to man of the match level.Furthermore, Corey Norman really stepped up under difficult circumstances. If this is how he responds to the pressure of having a new number 6 signed by the club, you'd have to give him a huge thumbs up.Finally, our response to adversity. Still some way from where we need to get to, but our response to a massive tackle count, tough calls and mounting injuries was a huge step up on recent years. We were always going to wilt and our dropped ball became symptomatic of our fatigue.The concerns were certainly headed by the injury toll. I can't recall an opening to a season being so devastating to our club. Errors we can work on. Injuries can't be rectified by coaching.As a footnote, the refereeing of our games is already becoming a concern. I could highlight quite a few moments, but to me these were the clangers:1. The lift tackle on Hopoate that was not penalised.2. The drag tackle on Parra (Hopoate?) where the player was dragged over 10 metres along the ground. When is that not penalised?3. The mid air tackle penalty against Hopoate when it was clear to all that Hoppa and Morris collided mid air when contesting the ball.All in all a fair bit to be concerned or angry about, but some important positives. I wonder how many debutants we'll see next week?

The positive tonight is, while we fell apart injury wise we didn't fall apart all together. In the past we would have lost the plot but we stayed in the game till close to the end at which point the score blew out and didn't really reflect the quality of the actual game.

While i don't think the ref decisions had any effect on the result, i gotta agree with 1 and 3 being ridiculous. How can Junior cop 9 weeks for a tackle, yet Hoppa was lifted and it wasn't even blinked at? Yes they may have landed differently, but if you're going to take a stance on something because it's dangerous then make it across the board. Yes nothing happened, but it had potential to.

I blew up at the penalty against Hoppa, he was doing nothing but playing for the ball and i said something along the lines of "What the fuck is he supposed to do? Just stand there and let the other team take the ball?!".

Replies

Diggs for PM March 13, 2015 at 11:46pm

I have to agree there were a lot of positives that come out of tonights game, wicks return was outstanding!! I think he will be the buy of the year for us.
Xman March 13, 2015 at 11:48pm

Agree 100% in previous years we would have been down 24-0 by the 20 minute mark. Very courageous BUT still need to eliminate some stupid errors out of our game and it's different players each week and sadly our more experienced ones. I liked what I saw from Norman when sandow went off and I thought possibly Norman and Foran could work we actually went better when sandow was off. Tepai has to be managed because he is a freak, ma'u was incredible and wicks was great.
Pissed off that we lost but definitely not with the effort
This reply was deleted.
- SuperEel 22 March 13, 2015 at 11:56pm
  
  Manu's quicker than I thought though, he chased down Lafai when he got on his outside.
- Muttman March 14, 2015 at 12:00am
  
  We'll be ok this year. Sure we have a lot out but plenty to come back too when the whips are cracking. We have a game plan based on toughness in defence and asking lots of questions in attack. Plenty to look forward to.
- Gower Power March 14, 2015 at 1:59am
  
  2 - yeah that was Reece. That drag was just insane.... why not call held>??
Khagan March 14, 2015 at 12:15am

The positive tonight is, while we fell apart injury wise we didn't fall apart all together. In the past we would have lost the plot but we stayed in the game till close to the end at which point the score blew out and didn't really reflect the quality of the actual game.

While i don't think the ref decisions had any effect on the result, i gotta agree with 1 and 3 being ridiculous. How can Junior cop 9 weeks for a tackle, yet Hoppa was lifted and it wasn't even blinked at? Yes they may have landed differently, but if you're going to take a stance on something because it's dangerous then make it across the board. Yes nothing happened, but it had potential to.

I blew up at the penalty against Hoppa, he was doing nothing but playing for the ball and i said something along the lines of "What the fuck is he supposed to do? Just stand there and let the other team take the ball?!".
Hugo March 14, 2015 at 12:18am

We are one serious football team .
Tonight showed why we need foran.
- ColMac > Hugo March 14, 2015 at 12:20am
  
  Why what would have Foran done?
- Parrakeet > Hugo March 14, 2015 at 12:34am
  
  I like Norman's stylish passing and precision short kicks. Something is missing but it is not Foran imho.
Parrakeet March 14, 2015 at 12:23am

Home from game and watching replay we have them on toast in 44 th minute.

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