LIVE GAME Round 9 versus Sharks

[jadtiger]

Benji is slow to hook and when he does it's sometimes the wrong player. Still learning though.

That is true but unfortunately his options became limited when he had to replace a half (AD) very early.A loss in the forwards is usually easier to rotate players around.

 

[Fine Wines]

I think Latu would’ve been given time if we didn’t need to sub Madden on

This is the part i can't understand with Latu. He is a top little player , has X factor in his game is a head and shoulders better player than Jock Madden and simply should have been put into half back when they lost AD. Madden shouldn't be on the bench. Is a back up player at best and should only be called into the team when neccessary.

 

[liltiger]

The stats dont paint a pretty picture.

Missed tackles
Luai - 4
Hunt - 4
Toa -3
Hope - 3
Twal - 3
Madden - 3
Pole - 2
Fainu - 2
Tavana -2

All run metres
Taylan May - 150
Laulili- 141
Terrell May - 115
Turuva - 103

I still cant get my head around how our forwards were dominated so badly.

Fatigue. Two problems we had. First was that Hopes delivery from dummy half is different than Api. Api has an amazing ability to give the ball at the line at speed and within 2 - 3 hitups generate mass ammounts of momentum. Hope just doesnt seem to have the same ability. Api can take a few steps and still find time before the line, where Hope just seemed like he was being swarmed and passing further back than Api would. That may have taken gas out of the guys. Second thing is we defend a set and drop the bomb. Then the guys are back to defending. Eventually the legs get tired, mentally they switch off its human nature. Yesterday was really poor because we made Cronulla look like a premiership team but in all honesty as soon as we put pressure on them, they broke twice. That game was there to be won. Instead we lost by 40. Our right side defence was horriffic. I blame Toa for that, as our centre he should have been communicating inside and outside of himself. Tavana had a shocker but is a kid, Madden was off the bench and normally a left side defender so hes just trying to do a job. The second rower on that side was just filling in from reserve grade. Toa has been in grade for a few years now, yesterday was beyond unacceptable. His side that he should have taken charge of let in nearly 40 odd points. He should have taken charge and put his hand up and controlled that side in D. He just proved he is nowhere near first grade. Next week we get Tito in the centres or on that wing, we get the young guy we signed in at fullback and we bring Makasini back in. Makasini on the wing with Tito in centres might work. Benji said Sayfarth is on that side starting next week id go Sukkar but Sayfarth has been good this season. Tavana had a really poor game yesterday it could have really set his development back a few years depending how Benji handles it. All because of that poser speed hump inside him.

 

[Tucker]

Yeah, I saw the game.
You obviously just watched one bloke, that you obviously don’t like, and not the bumbling efforts of the forwards repeatedly handing the ball over to Cronulla so they could attack our inept right hand defence.
I saw outside backs gifting the other teams points.
I’m not sure what you expected Luai to do?
Run to the right wing to catch the ball every time it was kicked? Try and teach Toa how to tackle on the run … or the rest of his teammates to hold on to a football?
I saw us play with no possession in the second half due to the errors of his teammates.
Fact is you couldn’t fault his effort and putting the blame on him for that loss is ridiculous.

Luai is very good at appearing busy and appearing to contribute.
Other leaders in the past would have been roaring at the team under the posts to hold the ball, play to the corners, try and catch a break. They would have been very critical of young Tavana being isolated and attacked as he was and come up with starategy to helkp him out. He just doesnt do this stuff.
I love how those who constantly defend Luai always blame our forwards.
Without our pack, we'd be heading towards another spoon, not striving to make the 8.

 

[Oscar Martinez]

Luai is very good at appearing busy and appearing to contribute.
Other leaders in the past would have been roaring at the team under the posts to hold the ball, play to the corners, try and catch a break. They would have been very critical of young Tavana being isolated and attacked as he was and come up with starategy to helkp him out. He just doesnt do this stuff.
I love how those who constantly defend Luai always blame our forwards.
Without our pack, we'd be heading towards another spoon, not striving to make the 8.

Yelling isn't leadership.

 

[Tucker]

Yelling isn't leadership.

He doesnt even do that.

 

[WestsEffTheRest]

I'd take the opinion of multiple successful people in the game about whether Luai is a good leader or not over a bunch of forumers.

 

[WesternSuburbsBoy]

I think yesterday showed that Api is probably the most important player on our team... he really is the heart & soul of the club. Everything we noticed about the forwards being off, not attacking with our defence, poor line speed etc is all the thing that Api leads us in. Gonna be a tough next 2 games without him.

 

[TrueTiger]

We lose API,Bulla for the game and ten minutes in we lose AD...that's your main spine gone for the game and our best capt player..
It's ok to ridicule Madden and Hope not being up to the standard.but they are back up players who in my opinion did the best they could under the circumstances,they can only do their best..
Tao who is supposed to be our best centre really let the side down,his defence for a centre is appalling,just when we needed him to stand up and lead the way..
It was a bad day for us yesterday and I certainly hope Benji makes the right adjustments for next week,otherwise it's going to be a tough couple of weeks...

 

[Tired Tiger]

Yesterday's game was an absolute dumpster fire which were confounded by poor team selections, poor use of the interchange, lack of game management as well of all a lack of leadership.

Selections - The right edge was a disaster waiting to happen - Rookie winger paired with a lazy centre that deliberately avoids contact next to a second rower that played barely 1st grade was always heading for disaster. A better option would have been Sione in to second row, Bunty on the bench and Patrick Herbert in centre which would have been much stronger defensively and provided more protection for Tino - I guess there is also an argument for Skelton as well.

How Latu wasn't on the field yesterday is a mystery that will never been explained. The absolute drivel about forward rotations is so far off the mark - Sayfarth was a complete waste of a change. Are we really at the point where we only have one interchange plan and if an injury disrupts that we have the complete lack of ability to adjust to the game conditions - There are plenty of teams that loose their entire bench still remain competitive and even go onto win - certainly it doesn't result in the entire team giving up.

Why weren't the wingers swapped yesterday. Talyan could have dropped back on the 5th if they continued to bomb Tino and Luke L would have stiffened up the right.

I have defended Laui but honestly where is his leadership - not words but actual Leadership. The Luai show always had the potential to derail and while it wasn't the sole cause yesterday it's clearly had an impact. He said after he signed with us he wouldn't talk about it again after he did the presser as he was a Penrith player - It seems we wont be extended the same courtesy and professionalism.

Why didn't he rally the team, why didn't he tell them to help out Tino who was clearly struggling. Why didn't he rip in to the ref every now and then to slow things down a bit. He has a complete lack of ability to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and lead it to victory.

I really hope this was a one off but with the injuries I fear it will be more of the same in Melbourne .....