Year_of_the_Tiger
Well-known member
I haven't had much web time in the last few days but I can’t find a dedicated topic where our team has received the praise they deserved for Friday's game and maybe it goes without saying but this is my praise space because I was Thomas the doubter last week …
I watched Friday night’s game (live) in Fiji. Now yes, I am on holidays drinking a Fiji gold watching the game live but that was an awesome if not extraordinary performance by the team against Parra. For 5 days we faced a demoralising loss, bad press, a short turnaround and we were about to face our nemesis who were last years’ grand finalists.
The forwards were a totally different pack! No point in highlighting one of them (except maybe KG who stood out with some big hits) because they all dominated parra for the whole game. They all hit and ran harder. I kept thinking at each 20 min interval that they would capitulate and Fui or Poore would get on top them but it never happened, even when the bench came on - we stayed strong - FOR 80 MINS - well done forwards! It was the platform they laid for our backs that really highlighted where this team could go. Great to see Heighno have a big game.
What can I say about the back? Well our backline given the front foot is the best in the NRL IMO. Marshall had room and went to town - an unbelievable performance. Yes, that flick pass happened on our line but it demonstrated Lote is already in our boys groove and that Marshall is about to have another 05 season :righton: Haven't looked but Benji's Dally M odds just got very short no doubt. And Lote is a star - what a buy. He is a consummate professional and on par with any other finisher. I don’t wont to create another 7 topic but Moltz was a different player and he played the right game for Marshall to shine. I really hope he stays for the duration of Lui's break, and IMO Sheens will have no choice 😛ray:. Beau Ryan - hasn't this kid come along! He is such a hard worker. It wasn't just his running game (think those sidelines runs out of our half) but he defended well too. Farah was back to his best (or close) and that kick for Lote was amazing. Lawrence was oh so close to breaking the line so many times - pity he didn't see the tryline because he deserved it. And with Ayshford we are just spoilt - and we still have TNT to come!
IMO there was not one performance in 2009 (even in our run home) that came close to that one. To my surprise, we really the showed the "grit and mental toughness" that had been talked of all pre-season.
So where to now? Just more of that boys. A good dose of guts, a limited dose of razzle-dazzle, and loads of classy, quality footy :master:
I watched Friday night’s game (live) in Fiji. Now yes, I am on holidays drinking a Fiji gold watching the game live but that was an awesome if not extraordinary performance by the team against Parra. For 5 days we faced a demoralising loss, bad press, a short turnaround and we were about to face our nemesis who were last years’ grand finalists.
The forwards were a totally different pack! No point in highlighting one of them (except maybe KG who stood out with some big hits) because they all dominated parra for the whole game. They all hit and ran harder. I kept thinking at each 20 min interval that they would capitulate and Fui or Poore would get on top them but it never happened, even when the bench came on - we stayed strong - FOR 80 MINS - well done forwards! It was the platform they laid for our backs that really highlighted where this team could go. Great to see Heighno have a big game.
What can I say about the back? Well our backline given the front foot is the best in the NRL IMO. Marshall had room and went to town - an unbelievable performance. Yes, that flick pass happened on our line but it demonstrated Lote is already in our boys groove and that Marshall is about to have another 05 season :righton: Haven't looked but Benji's Dally M odds just got very short no doubt. And Lote is a star - what a buy. He is a consummate professional and on par with any other finisher. I don’t wont to create another 7 topic but Moltz was a different player and he played the right game for Marshall to shine. I really hope he stays for the duration of Lui's break, and IMO Sheens will have no choice 😛ray:. Beau Ryan - hasn't this kid come along! He is such a hard worker. It wasn't just his running game (think those sidelines runs out of our half) but he defended well too. Farah was back to his best (or close) and that kick for Lote was amazing. Lawrence was oh so close to breaking the line so many times - pity he didn't see the tryline because he deserved it. And with Ayshford we are just spoilt - and we still have TNT to come!
IMO there was not one performance in 2009 (even in our run home) that came close to that one. To my surprise, we really the showed the "grit and mental toughness" that had been talked of all pre-season.
So where to now? Just more of that boys. A good dose of guts, a limited dose of razzle-dazzle, and loads of classy, quality footy :master:
