Lack Of Control in Matches - Trouble Ahead?

[Eddie]

Guys I am starting to get pretty worried about the next 6 weeks. The Broncos and Parramatta are both outside the Top 8\. I believe both these sides have the talent and the confidence and the form to surge into the finals in the next 6 weeks. Which means 2 teams will invariably drop out. We 100% must win this week, to steady ourselves and prepare ourselves for a very tough final 5 rounds. If we lose to the Sharks (which i don't think we will) the confidence will be shot, the scars of previous seasons will be back and we will be lucky to win more then 1 game in the run in my opinion. 12 wins with a poor for and against would not be enough. I think we will beat the Sharks but on current form and can't be overly confident about the final 5 games confronting us.

The reason I am worried is because we have failed to control matches this season. We have managed to scrape and scrap enough wins together in the middle of the season against largely poor opponents to give us a good position. Granted, that is all you have to do, get the 2 points. And I have given us credit for that this season, winning ugly. However the 2 times we have been tested against the Dragons and Manly we have racked up 13+ losses. You can't keep relying on winning ugly and at this stage of the season when all teams are over the rep stuff you have to up your game.

In my opinion the only 4 victories where we controlled the contest were against Parramatta in Round 3, the Cowboys in Round 4, Knights in Round 11 and Warriors in Round 12\. Alot of our victories have been desperate affairs that were decided in the last 5 minutes. I give credit for the team for this, i don't expect us to lead from start to finish in all our victories. However We have pulled out victories in the last 15 minutes on no less then 7 occasions. A very big effort to keep coming back in games, however it shows that in 80% of out games this season we have failed to take control of contests and play from in front. We have been behind after 60-70 minutes against a lot of average sides this season.

Like i said i don't want to be too critical, all you have to do is win the game, stuff the process, just win the game like Farah said. Winning a heap of close games is a good trait. However against physical and Top 8 opposition like Souths, Parramatta and Penrith can we keep relying on pulling games out in the final 20? If the average teams have been going with us for 60-70 minutes all year, how will we go against in form sides playing for finals? Will be able to control games when teams such as Canberra,Cowboys, Bulldogs, Baby Broncos have been able to go with us and lead us for the majority of games.

If we can beat the Sharks relatively confidently and then beat the Rabbits all my fears will be out the window. However we along with Penrith for mine are looking pretty vunerable. The amount of times Sheens mentioned injuries in the press the past 2 days you would think we didn't have enough players to field a side. Ok we have had a decent run of injuries, however its been far from diabolical as he seems to make out. He seems to be starting to prepare the excuses.

Not saying we won't make it. Although I actually think at the same time last season we were probably playing more fluent football and in the Top 4 in terms of form. At the moment i think out form has been fringe 8 all season. However we have been mentally tougher and defensively stronger on the whole. Although being in front just 5 times after 60 minutes this season in 18 games probably shows we are a little lucky to be 4th with a tough run in.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

You've nailed it once again Eddie, I completely agree.

This week is a must win game, no excuses. If we drop this one, I could see us not making it.

This and the Souffs game with their injuries have to be wins if we are serious. We always struggle against Penrith and Parramatta, these will be very hard games.

 

[851]

I agree,but we owe Souths from earlier this year,we also owe Parra for the TNT injury which derailed our run last year,throw in Penrith as we owe them for many beatings,and we should be up for these 3 games as well as the Sharks this week after what we dished up last week,I am still hopefull.
But please no more Fitzy and select a better benchwith 4 forwards.

 

[Cysquatch]

you are right eddie. its all good to scrap wins and get the 2 points but we have been travelling average and (imo) getting away with games. now, in seasons past these were the games we were losing and we were critical so its hard to complain when we win them but as we run into the finals we have to lift to another level. i, like prob everyone on here knows what we are capable of but those heights/performances have been few and far between this year.

we were really exposed on sunday. manly ran harder, tackled harder and were more physical and aggressive while we were playing touch footy, which is fine as long as your dominating the ruck. you need to earn the right to play the way we tried. i know we dont play like manly, we are our own team but we have to lay the platform before we start throwing the ball around. it also surprises me when robbie says 'they ambushed us' or 'we didn't think they would come out that hard'?! come on, this is the nrl, you cant be complacent or surprised that a team comes out fired up can you?

i dont want to be over critical because we are sitting inside the top 4 however i am concerned about our patience and particulary our lack of being prepared to dig in like we did on sunday. this is only because ive seen it before. i hope we can show what we can do (which is beat anyone, anywhere, anytime, the WT way) more consistently and starting from this week :sign: up the mighty!!

 

[NJLM78]

I agree,but we owe Souths from earlier this year,we also owe Parra for the TNT injury which derailed our run last year,throw in Penrith as we owe them for many beatings,and we should be up for these 3 games as well as the Sharks this week after what we dished up last week,I am still hopefull.
But please no more Fitzy and select a better benchwith 4 forwards.

We are surely due to beat Penrith. And Campbelltown on a Sunday afternoon would be the perfect place to do. If can name a team like the one selected for the Sharks game, we really should be more than competitive on the run home. The Sharks game a LO is must win. So many other important games this weekend too, so we must get the two points here.