Ryles: "We Got What We Deserved"

 

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Coach Jason Ryles and captain Mitchell Moses summed it up best in the post-game press conference after our 20-16 round 23 loss to Souths. We went in as hot favourites. Most confident of an Eels victory. Our Boogeyman struck again. History delivered the verdict once more. But we pulled the trigger, and it blew up in our faces.

 “We probably came in with the wrong mindset,” Moses admitted. But his own game told the story. Souths’ match-winning tries came down his leaky right edge, and some of his loose plays set the tone.

“I feel like from the start, we’re giving them three seven tackle sets straight away, we’re rolling them and just let them off the hook too easy and put us under the pump straight away."

“That’s on me, I’ve got to finish the sets a bit better there. It’s a bit of a reality check."

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 Getty Images: Gray and Duncan starred.

Both he and Ryles conceded Souths simply wanted it more. They won the loose ball contests. They came up with the big plays. Gray’s try-savers, Duncan’s double on Moses’ edge was the difference on the scoreboard.

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Getty Images: Gray and Duncan save a try.

“I just think that’s been one of the real strengths of our game all year, our fight and our effort,” Ryles said.

“There were a couple of moments in that game tonight where it was really disappointing.”

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Getty Images: Up 12-4 there seemed complacency, an expectation they would win.

Asked what went wrong, Ryles snapped back humorously: “I don’t know, you want to come to the review and give me a hand?” 

He pointed to the missed opportunities: “We had nine linebreaks to their six, so chances were there, but we just couldn’t ice them. Those two try-savers were certain tries, that summed up the night. That’s where they’re at, and where we’re at.”

The Storm beat us 56-18 in round one with 9 linebreaks.

Last night's stats don't lie. The Eels made 15 errors to Souths’ 7. That's 85 errors in six weeks. Even the competition leaders and high-flying Dogs lose when they make 11–14 mistakes (against Saints, Tigers and Roosters). Few teams can overcome that level of self-sabotage.

For once, Ryles couldn’t find any positives. “I’ll have to go back and have a look and try and find some.”

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Getty Images: Lomax scored a doube, made some errors, but was lion-hearted.

Still, Jack Williams and Zac Lomax's efforts weren't to blame. Between them: 36 runs, almost 400m, 3 line breaks, 8 tackle busts, and 2 tries. And the fact we could have won that game, probably undeservedly, is another positive.

But other fundamentals such as poor support play and kick chases remain weaknesses I’ve been flagging on many occasions this year. They continue to haunt us. 

The question of why and how to fix the small things letting us down big time are the most important questions. It all starts between the ears and in habit-patterns on-and-off-field.

It's still early days in the Ryles era. We're still figuring out the roster and cleaning the cap. Let's not go too Chicken Little impulsive just yet. 

However, on top of Ryles and the coaching staff, Moses captaincy and ability to be all in, inspire and unite us — the hallmark of great captains that underpin great teams as well as our on-field leaders — will be a crucial moving forward. Above all, we need glue.

Next comes a litmus test. The white-hot Roosters. Ninety-six points scored in two weeks. Three straight wins over finals contenders demolishing the Dolphins, Dogs and Manly. They’re on their usual end-of-season rocket-surge. 

Next week will be a character test.

 

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Getty Images: Souths rose to the occasion as they have on many Indigenous Rounds honoring Indigenous icons such as 2014 grand-final winning Greg Inglis and Gold medalist Cathy Freeman (centre).

 

 

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Replies

    • Now that I would agree with, no fear in our forwards really.

  • Kelma better back to nsw cup Tuesday 

  • Look, we lost a game that we were in; Souths years back would have put 30 odd on us; But we lacked game management for me and I thought this last week too. We need to have Moses lead and be at his best or close to each week; along with Junior / Hopgood.

    Errors have hurt us again and this has to be sorted in terms of being mental / lack of fitness or just not sticking to what we know.

    We will be better, and Easts will again be a tough ask, but its a new week and lets see if they aim up again. They have had two big weeks, so we need to be up tempo.

    Hawkins should never have been left out..Iongi / Pap one of them had to be out. Hawkins is stable

    • Yeah watch them fire up v roosters just because it's a better side and they'll focus lol. Roosters will be walking in confident so that's our chance 

    • If the Rabbits had Mitchell, Wighton, Graham, Murray, Koloamatangi, Tatola, Hubner and Moale, they would have put 50 on us. 

      If Junior is not playing injured then he needs to dig deep and empty the sand from his vagina. Set a fucking example. 

      Moses needs to direct the team around the park, complete our sets and stop his continual whining. Be smart, remain composed and know when to engage with officials. 

      Hopgood has played reasonable over the last fortnight so I hope he is finding some form to finish off the year. 

      The year is over. The last 3 games, if it's feasible, we should blood some debutants. 

  • Lucky it was souths last nite. If cowboys, dolphins, roosters, storm score would have been over 50

    • Issue was we took Souths lightly. Those others, besides NQ we wouldn't have taken lightly.

      • Beat NQ last week in a tough battle and they just beat the Knights by 40 so you can kind of see where we are at based on that. Battles with Brisbane and Storm also solid. 

        • We play teams into form on the regular

  • Moses needs to be a creative playmaker and be a very smart 7. He should turn away from the structured footy that they had drained when the situation calls for it. Kicking to Lomax in the last tackle is now the best known secre in NRL.

    Likewise, they should disabuse themslves of trying to core in every possession. They were great oppurtunities to get a repeat set but they still opt for a high kick. They maybe have to invite a boxer in one of their meeting to tell them that body blows will chop down th head of an opponent, if you get my drift. That is what Storms are doing, they will get you fatigue with their attack with possessions via repeat sets.

    And most importantly, respect tn ball. Handle it as if your lives depend on it omthat unnecessary and unforced errors are minimised if not totally eliminated.

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