LIVE GAME Round 23 vs. Raiders

[ancient_magpie]

Steve Mortimer was a runner and a 7 and Wally was an organizer and a 6. I think the idea of this organizing halfback is completely meaningless.

The question is are they good players or not.

Why is it meaningless somebody has to run the show

 

[earl]

Why is it meaningless somebody has to run the show

You are stating that someone has to run the show but I don't think that is true. It's cool to have an opinion but are there examples that don't concur with your opinion. Those halves I mentioned were great players and didn't align to your opinion on what is required.

Hughes and Munster are both running halves.

You could argue against this point but the examples I've provided prove that your opinion is not always true.

It works in a situation like Clearly and Luai but it's not the only way.

 

[bythebeardofzeus]

I now watch the Tigers games to see if the effort is there and particularly which players are consistently busting their backsides. Api, Bateman, Papali, Brooks, Twal and Seyfarth bust their guts each week. In fact I think many of our players are trying hard for the full 80. The Cowboys demolition of us was an exception when they dropped their chins. Sustained effort, especially when you are not winning games, is a sign that the camp is at least a happy one. I would like to hear other opinions on this?

Same here & I agree. Although we keep losing we’ve mostly always been in the fight. Problem is we keep shooting ourselves in the foot & our edge defence is ordinary. And with new halves next year they’ll need time to gel so we’ll be starting all over again. I think we’ll get one or two more games this year when we’ll click & put a score on a team but I think the next 18 months will be slim pickings. Hopefully Sezer & Sullivan/Fainu click with Api & Bula. And we find a couple of dependable outside backs as besides Staines (not sure if he’ll even be here) our 2-5 positions are up for grabs. A lot of ‘if’s’ in there but we’re due for a bit of luck!

 

[weststigers]

Junior Tupou poor game Only run 73 m 6 tackles 4 missed tackles and kicked a restart out on the full

Played in the centres, so didn’t have the same yardage as usual when playing wing, but yes, strange game from him. Seems to have a stupid error(S) in his game that cost us points.

 

[weststigers]

True but feeling sorry for yourself and blaming it on the refs achieves nothing. We need to improve our attack if we want to compete in the NRL.

Correct. Most of our problems with refs and close games wouldn’t be an issue if we could actually convert points.

 

[weststigers]

I don’t think anyone has mentioned him yet but a shout out to the 25 mins of Justin Matamua.

Some good hitups to advantage & played the linkman quite well actually instructing players around him. Something we have missed all season.

Kid seems pretty skilful. Looked much better than his debut game.

 

[Vicious]

Correct. Most of our problems with refs and close games wouldn’t be an issue if we could actually convert points.

Most of our supporters seem to think by changing our halves alone will magically make us a much better attacking team.
The lack of purposeful ball runners is a much bigger problem.

 

[Halbrowne61]

Played in the centres, so didn’t have the same yardage as usual when playing wing, but yes, strange game from him. Seems to have a stupid error(S) in his game that cost us points.

I thought he really wasn’t focused at all, seemed quite casual. Maybe finding it hard to remain motivated in the face of continual defeats. Had a few mates though, especially Toa who is a bit of an enigma …
One shot I saw of API he looked absolutely frustrated and spent. Hard to lift yourself when those around continue to make silly errors. Tigers just don’t seem capable of eliminating that from their game.

 

[Vicious]

I thought he really wasn’t focused at all, seemed quite casual. Maybe finding it hard to remain motivated in the face of continual defeats. Had a few mates though, especially Toa who is a bit of an enigma …
One shot I saw of API he looked absolutely frustrated and spent. Hard to lift yourself when those around continue to make silly errors. Tigers just don’t seem capable of eliminating that from their game.

Despite some obvious issues they need to address and hopefully improve on, Tupou and To’a are the only players on our back 5 that look likely to break a tackle or make a line break.
In all fairness the whole back 5 should be doing this, but rarely do.
We keep stating the obvious that our attack sucks, well it would suck a lot more without the only 2 dangerous ball runners.

 

[weststigers]

I thought he really wasn’t focused at all, seemed quite casual. Maybe finding it hard to remain motivated in the face of continual defeats. Had a few mates though, especially Toa who is a bit of an enigma …
One shot I saw of API he looked absolutely frustrated and spent. Hard to lift yourself when those around continue to make silly errors. Tigers just don’t seem capable of eliminating that from their game.

You’re right mate. It’s definitely demoralising to see errors when you’ve worked so hard to get into scoring positions. It’s the forwards who get us there and it’s the forwards that have to defend the errors, so it must be frustrating.

First year in grade, so I’m hoping they are working on their weaknesses and it’s just a matter of time before their performances are more consistent.

 

[weststigers]

Most of our supporters seem to think by changing our halves alone will magically make us a much better attacking team.
The lack of purposeful ball runners is a much bigger problem.

I’ve noticed that. We just lack options at pace. NRL defences are too good to just be spinning it from sideline to sideline.

 

[Vicious]

I’ve noticed that. We just lack options at pace. NRL defences are too good to just be spinning it from sideline to sideline.

Options at pace is what I’ve been trying to highlight that we are badly lacking.
Everyone raves how Souths left hand side attack is so lethal with AJ on the end of it. It is not anything special they are doing, but they are all in sync with everyone running onto the ball at speed Which includes Walker being the 5/8, Latrell being the fullback and not forgetting the hard running from their edge back rower and centre on that side regardless on whether or not they receive the ball or are used as a decoy.
When have all those positions for us all been in sync running into the ball at pace ?
Maybe the Cowboys game at Leichhardt and funny that we scored a heap of points.

 

[GCfan]

Same here & I agree. Although we keep losing we’ve mostly always been in the fight. Problem is we keep shooting ourselves in the foot & our edge defence is ordinary. And with new halves next year they’ll need time to gel so we’ll be starting all over again. I think we’ll get one or two more games this year when we’ll click & put a score on a team but I think the next 18 months will be slim pickings. Hopefully Sezer & Sullivan/Fainu click with Api & Bula. And we find a couple of dependable outside backs as besides Staines (not sure if he’ll even be here) our 2-5 positions are up for grabs. A lot of ‘if’s’ in there but we’re due for a bit of luck!

I agree with both posts in terms of effort. Sad it doesn’t amount to much though.

 

[851]

Anyone notice how flat Brooks was? A metre or two behind the ptb, definitely had Raiders guessing. I think Brooks is now playing his natural game, free of all the instructions hes been overloaded with. Our best player by a country mile.

Api was our best, and it wasn't even close, go watch the game again

 

[851]

Most of our supporters seem to think by changing our halves alone will magically make us a much better attacking team.
The lack of purposeful ball runners is a much bigger problem.

Ice looked a million dollars, Dally M secondrower of the year running of Moses, now he is running off Brooks, can you see the difference,

 

[Vicious]

Ice looked a million dollars, Dally M secondrower of the year running of Moses, now he is running off Brooks, can you see the difference,

Yeah I can Brooks don’t have Gutherson running smart angles and creating doubt in the the minds of the opposing defenders.
Ice is definitely not our problem, he’s still running hard and often.
Bateman on the other hand, surely his GPS tracker is showing he has not sprinted once since round 12.

 

[Camel2281]

I can't believe that Wighton had the gall to accuse the ref of trying to give the Tigers the game after the forward passes he kept throwing were let go. Bloke is an absolute gronk with a massive chip on his shoulder

 

[Halbrowne61]

I can't believe that Wighton had the gall to accuse the ref of trying to give the Tigers the game after the forward passes he kept throwing were let go. Bloke is an absolute gronk with a massive chip on his shoulder

Well he’ll fit in perfectly with a couple of other Mr Crankys, Walker and Mitchell at South’s.
Now what do they all have chips on their shoulders about ?

 

[GCfan]

I can't believe that Wighton had the gall to accuse the ref of trying to give the Tigers the game after the forward passes he kept throwing were let go. Bloke is an absolute gronk with a massive chip on his shoulder

Anyone know what happened to Stained yesterday? Hope it isn’t an issue with his bowel again.

 

[tiger_one]

Anyone know what happened to Stained yesterday? Hope it isn’t an issue with his bowel again.

I thought I heard Coach Sheens say in the press conference that it was his hamstring.