We all saw how QLD got on top of NSW after they started bashing the NSW pack on about the 30th min mark in game 1.
Again we saw the intent the NSW pack this time with Maloney, Cook and Teddy running amok after good forward metres and quick play the balls.
I really think this is where Mitch Moses' downfall at times comes from when our forwards are being belted. It takes a special sort of player like Cam Smith or Joey Johns to get a team who's losing the forwards battle out of trouble but those players are "once in a generation".
Get Mitch a couple good props and he'll weave more magic. It's simple as that.
PS I see Cleary getting belted by many NSW fans for not offering anything. Maybe not creatively but he's probably the best defensive half in the comp and rarely misses tackles.
PPS I didn't make any comment on the Freddy's Origin team last week. Rightly so as the scoreline showed. That and who am I to judge a coach who won the series last year whilst also taking into account his footy brain (that of Joey's too). He read things we didn't/ can't and he's made every single NSW journo who questioned his sanity look like a real c*nt. If I'm not mistaken, only Sterlo supported his choices. He put 17 commited players on the park and they gave 110% following the game plan to perfection. Personally I would have kept Latrell but Joey was right in hindsight.
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Ye i taks my hat off to freaddy through QLD run wild over NSW I didn't like the centres comb bo didnt like Ferguson on the wing
When Ferguson drop that bomb i said he cost NSW the game now but glad he made a mens
If the forwards get domination the skill men strut their stuff. Has not changed since 1908. Moses has rarely played behind a dominant pack.
Very true, Seth!
Personally few things excite me more than Sivo on a 1 on 1 or Moses on the front foot running the ball around opposition second rowers looking for an inside runner to send under the posts.
I think the good players create opportunities by straightening the attack and squaring defenders up . Perfect example was cook creating to deliver to graham which led to a try. All of the back of dominant forward run, quick play the ball and creativity .
I agree if we punched through a bit more Moses will create havoc on the back because he is very quick . We need a good mobile front rower
Great example...footage clearly showed him heads up, spotted it and executed in one swoop.
It was also a great quick head count by Cook who saw that QLD were a man less on the short side. This is something Reed needs to take heed from Cam Smith and Cook, keep his head up high at all times counting players both sides of the ruck. Mick Cronin was a master at straighening the attack and send Kenny through with a short pass many a time sometimes with a simple wrap around to create the extra man.
Mick croin was the best ball playing centre that I have seen.
Off topic, but imagine if Cam Smith came out of retirement for SOO III?
QLD and Kevin Walters would be shitting on Ben Hunt if they did that.
But if we spent that much of our salary cap on such a pack we would have no depth and a backline full of rookies and plodders.