Must win v Dragons round 14.

Tucker

Well-known member
We need to fight to save ourselves from the utter humiliation of a third striaght wooden spoon.
This is one of only three "winnable" games on paper in the next 3 months. We must secure the 2 points.

Our opponent smoked us in the trial. Their pack and outside backs trampled us. They handled us similarly in round 6 with us making the score look respectable at the end.
That said, they arent going much better than us this year, despite their 5 wins.
They got flogged last start, but have an undermanned Penrith this weekend with the chance to build some confidence before taking us to Woolongong the following weekend.
We'll be short in the forwards with Papali'i, Bateman and Klemmer missing.
Sezer is still missing in the halves.
Olam will return from suspension but may be rusty after a 3 week layoff.
Everyone else will have had 2 weeks to prepare
Saints have 3 backing up from Origin, but 2 of them will still be on a high after winning and backing up within a couple of days seems to be the easiest task according to the players.

Saints will be taking the piss if they dont attack our middle again.
Those selected to step in and cover for those missing will have their work cutout for them. With our benchies now starters, those coming onto the bench need big games. Sullivan and Api need to make their big men cover a lot of ground by kicking into space and gaining good territory through effective kick chase.
We have 2 weeks to get ready, lets hope they are refreshed and ready to go as our run from the rd13 bye to the rd 26 bye is very tough. We need to bank points wherever possible and the Dolphins. Cowboys, Roosters and Dogs have all shown that these blokes are easily beat when you go hard at them.
 
We need to fight to save ourselves from the utter humiliation of a third striaght wooden spoon.
This is one of only three "winnable" games on paper in the next 3 months. We must secure the 2 points.

Our opponent smoked us in the trial. Their pack and outside backs trampled us. They handled us similarly in round 6 with us making the score look respectable at the end.
That said, they arent going much better than us this year, despite their 5 wins.
They got flogged last start, but have an undermanned Penrith this weekend with the chance to build some confidence before taking us to Woolongong the following weekend.
We'll be short in the forwards with Papali'i, Bateman and Klemmer missing.
Sezer is still missing in the halves.
Olam will return from suspension but may be rusty after a 3 week layoff.
Everyone else will have had 2 weeks to prepare
Saints have 3 backing up from Origin, but 2 of them will still be on a high after winning and backing up within a couple of days seems to be the easiest task according to the players.

Saints will be taking the piss if they dont attack our middle again.
Those selected to step in and cover for those missing will have their work cutout for them. With our benchies now starters, those coming onto the bench need big games. Sullivan and Api need to make their big men cover a lot of ground by kicking into space and gaining good territory through effective kick chase.
We have 2 weeks to get ready, lets hope they are refreshed and ready to go as our run from the rd13 bye to the rd 26 bye is very tough. We need to bank points wherever possible and the Dolphins. Cowboys, Roosters and Dogs have all shown that these blokes are easily beat when you go hard at them.
Love how you've made out QLD winning is a guarantee haha but agree this game is a must win. When you look at our injury/suspension list there are a lot of outs which is going to make it extremely tougher to get the win. Sezer, Klemmer, Papali'i, Bateman, Latu Fainu, To'a, Tupou are all missing with the first four having 955 games of experience between them.
 
Love how you've made out QLD winning is a guarantee haha but agree this game is a must win. When you look at our injury/suspension list there are a lot of outs which is going to make it extremely tougher to get the win. Sezer, Klemmer, Papali'i, Bateman, Latu Fainu, To'a, Tupou are all missing with the first four having 955 games of experience between them.
Yeah, those first 4 are big outs. I know at times we have criticised them all individually but as a group, its a massive ask to win without them.
 
It seems Papalii has probably played his last game for Wests Tigers one Tackle from Val Holmes has done that and now he can do a nice long recovery and be ready for Penrith next year . If one thinks Olam might be rusty after 3 weeks imagine Sezer !
Dragons have 3 SOO players backing up with 4 day gap might help but don't think enough
Titans at LO a maybe but I think the threepeat spoon is almost certain atm paying $1.90 and will shorten . I feel we have no back up .The Western Suburbs Magpies cup side are dead last with horrendous defence . Last game they conceded 11 tries in a 55 min period
Last week we had to use both cup centers which was a disaster especially Casey
I just can't come up with a competitive 17 .
We at least threw the football around and played some " footy " in the 2nd half vs Cows
Best chance is we try it again and Sullivan has the game of his life .
I predict final points 14 that is 4 wins and 3 byes .14 points wins the spoon
 
Love how you've made out QLD winning is a guarantee haha but agree this game is a must win. When you look at our injury/suspension list there are a lot of outs which is going to make it extremely tougher to get the win. Sezer, Klemmer, Papali'i, Bateman, Latu Fainu, To'a, Tupou are all missing with the first four having 955 games of experience between them.
That's the thing, isn't it....955 games of experience and we still can't get it together...so the alternative (less experience) can't be that (or as) bad?
 
I may be getting old, but I can’t remember the last time we beat the Titans in Sydney. They always seem to beat us down here and I remember Anthony Don scoring tries for fun.

The Tigers dont beat anybody these days … maybe the Cowboys in Sydney occasionally
 
I think our problem (and has been for some years) is lack of enforcers, or that prop/second row that is going to make people think twice about tackling them.
The "mobile" pack worked (miracously) in 2005, but current top teams have proved that without pigs...there is no bacon! (With apologies to all the vegetarians on line!)
No matter how willing we may be, this game is first and foremost, a physical battle. We can show up with all the good intentions in the world, but when the going gets tough, we don't.
 
Perfect game for us to say F it and throw caution
to the wind. Coming off a lalay-off 2 & break the
boys would be relaxed. Forget the structures just
go out and compete on everything, play to win that's
all I can really ask. We could upset them playing
at Wollongong, we don't mind it there in recent times
 
Yeah mate, don't think Thurston ever won a Cowboys game in Sydney. Every other team we have a poor record against.
Sadly the days of us being a bogey side for any other team are gone. Last season, St George would’ve given us the best chance of snagging a win, but this year, under Flanagan, they seem to have our measure quite easily.

In all honesty, with continual injuries and suspensions highlighting our complete lack of depth, I can’t see us winning another game at all this season. Titans are improving, Bunnies are improving, Parramatta now Moses is back will lift and the Dogs have forged way ahead from their lowly position last year.

The thing is the boys keep competing, how long that will last as the losses keep mounting up, who knows. The best we can hope for is to jag a win against a team who is having a really off day when we play them, like Cronulla earlier in the season and the Cowboys (first game) last season. That may happen or it may not. Other than that, I just can’t see us winning anything.

Negative view? Yes probably, but I’m just looking at it realistically.
 
Unless we have players out to prove something in order to get themselves a contract I don't see anyone other than Api and Olam bothering to put in that much effort. A respectable loss appears to be good enough for WT's and we never bother to show-up for "must win" games. Hopefully our coaching staff will address the Lomax mismatch from round 6 as that was the difference last time, although fortunately he is not playing for a contract this time. Our only chance is if their entire team does a Nofa and dials it in.
 
Perfect game for us to say F it and throw caution
to the wind. Coming off a lalay-off 2 & break the
boys would be relaxed. Forget the structures just
go out and compete on everything, play to win that's
all I can really ask. We could upset them playing
at Wollongong, we don't mind it there in recent times
Maybe we can debut another Zac Cini and upset the Dragons at home again.

Gee, just realised that was over three years ago and we have won 2 spoons since then and are on target for a third if things don't change soon. 😢
 
Perfect game for us to say F it and throw caution
to the wind. Coming off a lalay-off 2 & break the
boys would be relaxed. Forget the structures just
go out and compete on everything, play to win that's
all I can really ask. We could upset them playing
at Wollongong, we don't mind it there in recent times
Yep exactly. Saints 50+
 

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