LIVE GAME Round 9 versus Sharks

Live Game Discussion
wstigers11 said:
I think Latu would’ve been given time if we didn’t need to sub Madden on
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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.
 
mtd#2 said:
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.
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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.
 
cktiger said:
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.
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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.
 
Tucker said:
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.
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Yelling isn't leadership.
 
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...
 
Yesterday's game was an absolute dumpster fire which was compounded 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 .....
 
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Tucker said:
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.
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So you’re saying without our pack dropping so much ball yesterday it wouldn’t have made a difference?
Hate to tell you but every leader doesn’t ‘roar’ at their team either.
On a football field or in business.
 
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Maybe Doueihi needs to be spelled when we play the Sharks
He did his ACL v the Sharks during Covid ( funnily enough Jock Madden was the ball sanitiser that day ) in Rocky and did his shoulder v Sharks yesterday
 
Jolls said:
I clearly recall Dylan Edwards having one of those games early in his career. Hooked part way through the game - he needs to go and get some more reps and come back in with a solid centre inside him. Toa is cooked and probably needs to be medically retired.
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One can only hope this is possible he's useless in his current state, previously said he wouldn't get a game in Siberia, well, maybe their reserve grade side.
 
jadtiger said:
Api also leads our defensive line with his enthusiasm,we mised him terribly yesterday and will for another 2 weeks.Unfortunately unlike previous years we have nobody capable of replacing him for any length of time,Hope is barely reggie standard and Latu and Madden are halves who would be wasted at 9 unless used very sparingly.
It was very unfortunate TDS decided to chase the money at Parra instead of continuing his apprenticeship with us.
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Jared Heywood would handle the attack side with ease .. his service from dummy half and his attack is first rate ,, I do worry about his defence still , he is not known for his line speed or hitting strength in the tackle just yet .. but if they can somehow protect him he would definitely help our go toward and getting the forwards running onto the ball
 
liltiger said:
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.
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Toa played so badly yesterday that Benji cannot reasonably defend him .. his effort and commitment were the problem and he avoided responsibility,,, I really and truly hope that he never ever plays for us again
 
Tucker said:
Sorry mate but this is a horrible take on that game. Absolute BS to lay the blame on the pack.
If that kid didn’t cry himself to sleep tonight then he needs a new career because that was an all time stinker of a game from him. 6 errors officially but I’m sure it was more…plus some awful defence as well. 7 tries on his side, with the focus directly set on him.
Toa was poor as well but by the word this kid was puss today.
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The kid will be named at 4.00pm tomorrow.
 
TigerNeddyK said:
Jared Heywood would handle the attack side with ease .. his service from dummy half and his attack is first rate ,, I do worry about his defence still , he is not known for his line speed or hitting strength in the tackle just yet .. but if they can somehow protect him he would definitely help our go toward and getting the forwards running onto the ball
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I would have thought that he would be at least 2 years away from being ready to handle first grade but i don't watch lower grades and would be delighted to be proven wrong.
 
jadtiger said:
I would have thought that he would be at least 2 years away from being ready to handle first grade but i don't watch lower grades and would be delighted to be proven wrong.
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Defensively we are going to have plenty of weakness the next few weeks.

Maybe we accept we might concede 30 points and focus on scoring 40.

Unless the forwards can get on the front foot (which starts from the service via the hooker) then we arent going to be in the game.

So maybe we take a punt on him. Bring him on after 25 mins.. start sione or latu for the first 25.
 
I was never in the getting my GF tickets early camp this year all I wanted was to make the eight and right now let’s hope that’s still the goal
 
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