OFFICIAL Harold Matthews Cup

Unlucky today for the Magpies. Hopefully they bounce back from it next week.
They weren't unlucky. They were terrible. Yes the ref had a shocker but you can't complete at 30% and hope to win a game. Apart from Lanyon there's really not a single player that would get a pass mark. Lakeman had by far his worst ever game
 
They weren't unlucky. They were terrible. Yes the ref had a shocker but you can't complete at 30% and hope to win a game. Apart from Lanyon there's really not a single player that would get a pass mark. Lakeman had by far his worst ever game
I agree they didn’t play well at all, but I hope they can bounce back from it this week.
 
Good weekend for the club so far, understandably a lot of fans overreacting to early season results after sustained failure for all squads from Matts (apart from Wests Matts) to FG. Need many weekends like this (where the games count in the senior grades). I think this will help us start being more patient as a club and supporter group, I think rushing the kids through grades and changing coaches all the time has impacted junior development for players 18+, many of whom just hit a wall in recent years. You could argue we also recruited or promoted too many small stocky types, like we want a team of Danny Nutleys from 1 - 17.
 
Wests are down 12 to 6 at ht. To be honest they have had very little ball, particularly in good field position. Quite a few threatening players in the opposition's spine that are hard to contain, but we are generally doing a good job. Goodfield looking good at centre on both sides of the ball. Him and Lanyon on the same side look dangerous. Hopefully more ball in the 2nd half will bring Lakeman amd Lele into the game a bit more.
 
Wests down 30 to 12 with 4 minutes to go. Game over. Had plenty of chances in 2nd half, but couldn't capitalise.

This side needs Siotame Havea Jr to help them attack. Completely different team without him.
 
Congrats Balmain, like I said in the SG thread, to come from 0 wins last season to 2 on the trot is a great reward for hard work.
 
Balmain were beaten comfortably, but a good game between Wests and Steelers is developing. 6 all at half time. Been quite heated, lots of physicality in defence. Number 14 for Magpies appears only small in stature, but strong with his hits.
 
Wests should have won, their 11 was excellent and their left edge strong again but their halves were just abysmal. You can't run when your halves are so poor. Lakeman started the season well but his form has disappeared, he looks tentative and uncertain in everything he's doing.

In the end the Steelers had X factor and Wests didn't. Their fullback was excellent, we just tried to plodd our way to victory but our discipline was atrocious. Lucky not to have had 3-4 players binned, constant late hits...

Balmain were abysmal. Too small, too slow, too dumb. The usual cocktail of our junior's incompetence. Why are there so many Lebanese players in this side? I thought the Lebanese mafia had been removed from Balmain. Some of them are obviously not of sufficient quality, the best posters should play, regardless of their cultural background.
 
A pretty shocking performance from Wests in Matts this weekend. We were literally half the size of the warriors team and just couldn't control their power and speed. Our forwards were annihilated, our halves absolutely rubbish. Our left edge the only promising signs. Two scrappy tries for us ended up with a 34-10 loss.

I'd offerdevelopment contracts to the warriors back rowers, both look mighty fine prospects from that showing
 

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