Glass Half Full

[Russell]

I'm not stoked with the losses but again it could induce positive change.

Our forward pack looks solid. Add blore, muzzie and we have a real good pack. Making meters, defended well against some of the best. Honestly the pack has had to make way too many tackles due to our backs and halves.


I don't understand this perception that our forwards have been doing a good job, one forward ran for over 100 metres on Sunday yet we allowed every rooters forward bar the new guy to run over 100 and Hargreaves from the bench did 167. None of our guys put their hand up to take two carries in a set, none of them work hard in attack its all on the backs to get us out of trouble. Joey has to go the crap on the weekend was the last straw but his brother is and has been a problem as well but i don't think people want to see it.

If you think Lucy has been a problem - you've been watching the Richmond Tigers.

Sensational last year and was ok this year until he was put alongside is bludging brother.

 

[Wagga_Tiger]

I'm not stoked with the losses but again it could induce positive change.

Our forward pack looks solid. Add blore, muzzie and we have a real good pack. Making meters, defended well against some of the best. Honestly the pack has had to make way too many tackles due to our backs and halves.


I don't understand this perception that our forwards have been doing a good job, one forward ran for over 100 metres on Sunday yet we allowed every rooters forward bar the new guy to run over 100 and Hargreaves from the bench did 167. None of our guys put their hand up to take two carries in a set, none of them work hard in attack its all on the backs to get us out of trouble. Joey has to go the crap on the weekend was the last straw but his brother is and has been a problem as well but i don't think people want to see it.

If you think Lucy has been a problem - you've been watching the Richmond Tigers.

Sensational last year and was ok this year until he was put alongside is bludging brother.

I wish we were the Richmond Tigers mate then we would have something to smile about, but no his defence last year was not sensational.

 

[earl]

I'm not stoked with the losses but again it could induce positive change.

Our forward pack looks solid. Add blore, muzzie and we have a real good pack. Making meters, defended well against some of the best. Honestly the pack has had to make way too many tackles due to our backs and halves.


I don't understand this perception that our forwards have been doing a good job, one forward ran for over 100 metres on Sunday yet we allowed every rooters forward bar the new guy to run over 100 and Hargreaves from the bench did 167. None of our guys put their hand up to take two carries in a set, none of them work hard in attack its all on the backs to get us out of trouble. Joey has to go the crap on the weekend was the last straw but his brother is and has been a problem as well but i don't think people want to see it.

We didn't have the ball. I thought every middle forward and Garner were really good with Tamou being the worst of our middle forwards. Luc was really poor but it's one game.

I think we matched them in the middle but just couldn't defend out wide or hold the ball hence the bad stats.

 

[Russell]

I agree (re the forwards). I thought our forwards went ok against the Raiders but were completely out played by the Roosters. No line speed, little aggression in defence, stood back and let them reach the advantage line before making contact - really disappointing. In saying that Brooks poor kicks in good field position offered them no reward just a poor performance all round. Laurie not included.

DEFENCE
EFFECTIVE TACKLE %
Wests Tigers 88.3%
Sydney Roosters 87.1%

TACKLES MADE
Wests Tigers 379
Sydney Roosters 325
MISSED TACKLES
Wests Tigers 34
Sydney Roosters 31
INEFFECTIVE TACKLES
Wests Tigers 16
Sydney Roosters 17

AVERAGE PLAY THE BALL SPEED
Wests Tigers 3.62sec.
Sydney Roosters 3.74sec.

POSSESSION & COMPLETIONS
Wests Tigers 45%
Sydney Roosters 55%

TIME IN POSSESSION
Wests Tigers 25:17
Sydney Roosters 30:54

COMPLETION RATE
Wests Tigers 81% 30/37
Sydney Roosters 84% 38/45

A few stats to mull over guys - I thought the forwards, whilst not great, did ok - it was the backs that let us down big time.

 

[Russell]

I'm not stoked with the losses but again it could induce positive change.

Our forward pack looks solid. Add blore, muzzie and we have a real good pack. Making meters, defended well against some of the best. Honestly the pack has had to make way too many tackles due to our backs and halves.


I don't understand this perception that our forwards have been doing a good job, one forward ran for over 100 metres on Sunday yet we allowed every rooters forward bar the new guy to run over 100 and Hargreaves from the bench did 167. None of our guys put their hand up to take two carries in a set, none of them work hard in attack its all on the backs to get us out of trouble. Joey has to go the crap on the weekend was the last straw but his brother is and has been a problem as well but i don't think people want to see it.

If you think Lucy has been a problem - you've been watching the Richmond Tigers.

Sensational last year and was ok this year until he was put alongside is bludging brother.

I wish we were the Richmond Tigers mate then we would have something to smile about, but no his defence last year was not sensational.

Personally I don't think there is anything to smile about in AFL.

 

[Speed2burn]

I'm not stoked with the losses but again it could induce positive change.

Our forward pack looks solid. Add blore, muzzie and we have a real good pack. Making meters, defended well against some of the best. Honestly the pack has had to make way too many tackles due to our backs and halves.


I don't understand this perception that our forwards have been doing a good job, one forward ran for over 100 metres on Sunday yet we allowed every rooters forward bar the new guy to run over 100 and Hargreaves from the bench did 167. None of our guys put their hand up to take two carries in a set, none of them work hard in attack its all on the backs to get us out of trouble. Joey has to go the crap on the weekend was the last straw but his brother is and has been a problem as well but i don't think people want to see it.

If you think Lucy has been a problem - you've been watching the Richmond Tigers.

Sensational last year and was ok this year until he was put alongside is bludging brother.

I wish we were the Richmond Tigers mate then we would have something to smile about, but no his defence last year was not sensational.

Personally I don't think there is anything to smile about in AFL.

Full time hooter

 

[voice_of_reason]

The first 15 mins we domainted them then we didnt see the ball for the next 20. I get the stats might not seem great but its hard to run 100m when you only have the ball for 25 mins of a game.

Excellent point. It's bemusing when people say things like "Nofo has been quiet since signing a contract" and "Brooks offers nothing" etc. The reality is - and this rests on Luke's shoulders - is you can't hold ground when you're kicking it dead. As jadtiger says, a poor kicking game will never win you a match.

We ran it off our line and either did a mid field bomb (giving them great field position) or kicked it dead giving them 7 tackles from the 25. The rest is academic - we start all our sets from our own line, the fatigue snowballs and we never get a chance to attack.

One thing Benji offered was the ability to curve a grubber into the in-goal. Luke tends to kick straight and the margin for error is very slim. He needs to be directing kicks across field or learn to bend them so they're not going dead.

I thought Luke's general play was pretty good but if he can't keep kicks in play we're fighting a losing battle. Give the kicking duties to someone else.

 

[hank37w]

1. Laurie and Stefano
2. BJ and Kepoa won't play anymore
3. Brooks might get dropped
4. Forwards and right-side really hold their own
5. Liddle has been quite good
6. Musgrove back
7. We played two top 4 teams

I think I get the drift and agree with most of what you are saying but really can't agree with our right side really holding their own.

Granted, we have played 2 very good teams but they didn't really test our right side and most of the time they just aimed for the point of least resistance, which of course was our left side.

I don't think too many people on here thought that having lucy, Joey and an inexperienced winger on the same side was going to work out, especially after the failed experiment with Lucy and Joey on the right side together last season.

As we all saw, that was a disaster early on last season and that union was quickly disbanded and why anyone thought it might work this season has got me beat.

If I can work that out, then it's no surprise that experienced NRL coaches would see it and exploit our left side weakness.

As far as our right hand side goes I was quite surprised the Roosters didn't go there more often and terrorize us there like they have in the past.

A couple of times that they did go there they were foiled by Noffo going for the intercept which unfortunately didn't quite come off.

Many on here were critical of the hero play by Noffo because it just gifted the Roosters 6 more tackles in our red zone late in the tackle count instead of going for the tackle and putting the attacker over the sideline for us to get back possession.

Our right side might be a bit more secure with Joey not there but I'm pretty sure that the better sides can find lots of holes in it still.

 

[TSupps05]

Glass Half full:
- We have played 2 teams that will both finish in the top 4 no questions
- The spine is only 1 game in, combinations will grow hopefully sooner rather than later
- Laurie is a gem, lock him down


Big question over the Raiders finishing top 4. But if convincing yourself they will, no question cos it helps you sleep better, go right ahead.

They will be very close if they aren't in it. Look it is a long season and the comp isn't won in the first month. Yes it would be nice to get some wins on the board early, but our draw is a stinker and we are gonna have to be patient.

 

[hank37w]

Can't see them not being top 6 at least.