I don't think we will see many changes barring injuries to TT and Blore. Turning this around is not about changing the team (yet). There were plenty of below par performances:
- Stefano dropped a few and a couple of his runs were nothing more than strolls,
- Api looked grossly underdone in the attack department, almost looked as if he didn't know the plays at times,
- AD's defensive decisions at times were diabolical. The Fifita try was just as much him standing back waiting for Foran as it was TT not protecting his inside shoulder and we probably shouldn't even discuss the Brimson try. Kicks in general play B- Goalkicking D.
- TT in defence and attack was limp. D grade effort even when he wasn't cramping.
- ICE - dropped a few and made some shit decisions to push the pass.
- Brooks and Laurie - will just leave that there - enough said elsewhere in the forum.
There are some positives to take away - we won pretty much every stat that mattered less the scoreboard. Statistically we matched or bettered GC; but we made so may unforced errors that we nullified it. We had some great metres across the board but dropped it at critical times or threw stupid passes. AD when he engaged the line and drew the defence was good. Even Brooks ran pretty well at times. Laurie was busy (not sure I can get over his lack of commitment to the high ball though) and made plenty of post contact meters for a little dude.
It came together against Canberra a couple of weeks earlier when we earnt the right to attack. This week we got off to a flyer with the GC errors and we decided to throw the ball around without having set the platform. We didn't have them on the back foot defensively when we went there and spent plenty of time passing for the sake of it. We need to get our heads down and drive them into the ground for the first 20 minutes and then try to take advantage of the compressed defence and tired forwards. Yesterday was mostly frantic attempts to play ad lib footy instead of second phase play after bending or breaking the line.
Our coaching staff aren't stupid. If we can see it so do they. Most of the players also aren't stupid and have some nous - they will see it on the replays as well.
If TT and AD aren't singled out Farrah there are much bigger problems. If Benji didn't have the spine by the ear today he doesn't deserve a clipboard.
So what does it come down to? Attitude.
Our attitude beat us yesterday - we tried to score without earning it, we made poor defensive decisions because we gave GC time to throw shape. Less the inability to diffuse high balls, this was not evident against Canberra. We rolled up our sleeves and got in the trenches early; then built our attack.
Do that against the knights and we have the cattle to make them pay. Don't do the hard work and we will shift sideways for the sake of it yet again.
No need to panic - early days yet.