R9 - Penrith vs Melbourne Sun 12/05 6:30pm Centrebet Stadium

[Go Storm]

Further to my post above. What I was getting at is that CB may have been willing to up the training regime, which may be at the expense of a couple of losses. They may also be working on new plays etc which won't be used until perfected, or maybe the offloading is part of it??
At the beginning of the year they may have been happy to be 7 from 9 at this point in the season?? ( losses to Raiders & Panthers probably weren't foreseen though??)

We'll bounce back, like last year, with some new moves which will have the others playing catch up footy like usual

[steaming stormer]

Fonua should go back to NSW cup for a couple of weeks, but unlike some of the comments on here, I don't blame him entirely for being caught out of position in defence for the 2 tries last night. For me alot of it is due to Widdop rushing up and in, and not making a damned tackle, which means O'Neill is chasing him in, and then Fonua has almost no option but to come in too. There looks to be a real lack of communication on that side, and to my eye it starts with Widdop.
I would be dropping Widdop, and Fonua for a week or two based on form.
Bellamy says they looked like they didn't want to be there - I think it may in part be due to the fact that they don't hold any fear for their spot in the team. When was the last time we made a big selection decision in the starting side?

Last night was absolute rubbish. Moors was our most energetic, Smith was his usual self, but that was about it. Hoffy was quiet but solid, as was Harris. Slater looked poor, and was looking to link with his winger on basically every kick return. He is dangerous in broken play, but only if he runs the ball back every now and then.
If we turn up like that next week, Manly will flog us - at least we know the boys are generally up for Manly so see what happens, but I will certainly be disappointed if we name the same side tomorrow

[yourhero]

unlike some of the comments on here, I don't blame him entirely for being caught out of position in defence for the 2 tries last night. For me alot of it is due to Widdop rushing up and in, and not making a damned tackle, which means O'Neill is chasing him in, and then Fonua has almost no option but to come in too. There looks to be a real lack of communication on that side, and to my eye it starts with Widdop.

100% agree. Widdop rushes into the line with no idea and at that point the overlap has already been created.

If you come in field, you have to shut the ball carrier down. If you allow them to get the ball outside, they are a real chance of scoring every time. Widdop's defensive decisions AND execution are both exceptionally poor.

[scriptyx]

I'm now for dropping Widdop and Fanoa...I know tho that this wont happen

[Rose Madder]

I'm now for dropping Widdop and Fanoa...I know tho that this wont happen

Not only am I for dropping them.. I would have hooked the off last night as well.
It seems to me that Widdop is not interested in playing anymore, and it is affecting the rest of the team, Fanua has not played well in the last couple of games and needs a reality check, and Billy looked like a very angry man last night , which did affect his game .

[Molly]

Fanoa when firing is very solid, clearly more upside in attack v defence I think he is just in need of a spell to regain a bit of confidence. Is Duffie still injured or can Junior Sau force his way back in apush Oniell to the wing?

No need for panic stations, I just don't understand how Widdop holds his place, he adds very little imo and cramps the backline whenever the ball gets shifted, rarely passes when he makes a break and panics in defence way too much. I dont watch any NSW Cup or much of the Holden Cup.....what are our options outside Finch? We need to drop some simply to set a standard.

We are really struggling with defences that move up quickly, we seem too flat in attack to really generate anything and ourr potentcy over the last 4 weeks has really diminished, the light at the end of the tunnel though is we play Manly this week....surely thats all the tonic we need to regain some excitement

[storm77]

I get everything everyone i saying and yes I am done with Widdop as well but let me say this. The season ebbs and flows for everyone and perhaps some of this is because we have been "up" now since the WCC and since the Souths game we have just flat-lined. If nothing else I think a match against our blood rivals couldn't be coming at a better time.

[scriptyx]

I think the main thing is cam is a bit flat..normally he makes 10 or so runs out of dummy half but it seems like lately he is not doing that. Maybe our forwards aren't getting quick enough play the balls? Bromwich is our only good front rower...Norrie, Ryles, are past their best I think and Moors is pretty new. Blair and Griffin offer nothing from the bench, and to be honest they should not be picked again unless we have 3 solid forwards on the bench first then they can take one remaining spot.

I think we will step up for manly next week so I think team will be as follows ...not many changes

slater
waqa
Chambers
oniel
fanua
widdop
cronk
bromwich
smith
norrie
proc
hoff
harris

ryles
setu
moors
griffin
Sau
Blair


Team that runs out will have Sau in Fanua out

[blazza18]

I get everything everyone i saying and yes I am done with Widdop as well but let me say this. The season ebbs and flows for everyone and perhaps some of this is because we have been "up" now since the WCC and since the Souths game we have just flat-lined. If nothing else I think a match against our blood rivals couldn't be coming at a better time.

Yea I do agree. The next two weeks will be telling. If we can't get up for Manly and the Roosters then something drastic needs to happen.

[yourhero]

I think the main thing is cam is a bit flat..normally he makes 10 or so runs out of dummy half but it seems like lately he is not doing that. Maybe our forwards aren't getting quick enough play the balls?

I agree with most of what you wrote with the exception of this.

Cam made 13 runs last night (12 from DH) and made 98 metres. Extremely rare for a DH. On top of that, the bloke made 55 tackles! He also set up one of our two tries before it was ripped out of his hands for Bromwich to get the try.

Only Waqa and Fonua made more runs with 14.

It may seem like Cam is not doing as much in attack but that is 100% due to our forwards being dominated. No quick play the balls and Cam cannot go anywhere.

Smith was outstanding in a team thoroughly dominated up the middle for most of the game.

[Bourbon Rat]

The reward for....................
A slow start & not being excited enough
Will be a slide to 3rd on the ladder,(after the Manly/Chooks game)

I guess it's time for fans to be 'slow to start & not excited' until the team & coach pull their collective fingers out of the arses

[Faider]

so far from what i have read here nearly everyone has agreed to demote Widdop and i can't agree more, he really has seemed distant this year maybe has something to do with his signing; i dont know. But his attack is quite sub-par and his defense as we all know is abysmal with him running in to try and tackle halves leading a knock on effect. From what i have seen i think either Finch or one of the guys from the feeder clubs should get a go. Widdop from the start was a fullback and it seemed he was given that job due to the fact no one else was there to do it. That's just my opinion.

[mattstormy]

Widdop from the start was a fullback and it seemed he was given that job due to the fact no one else was there to do it. That's just my opinion.

That's funny you say that, Cronk was a utility when he first came to the club and Bellyache decided to transform him into a halfback, with the help of Matty Johns. As you say, Widdop was a fullback in the U20s and was transformed into a five-eighth in 2011 and if I recall Gaz didn't have any external help to ease him into the position. Maybe that's the difference.

[Faider]

You're totally correct, I feel that Widdop wasn't given the option that Cronk was given ( i still remember when cronk used to be on the bench and he was actually pretty bad ) but i think he needs to be dropped even if it's for just a game to work on some of his skills a bit more.

[Ice]

The thing that shits me the most is the lack of effort and discipline made even worse it was against 2 sides who realistically have zero chance of winning the comp. While everyone hates losing, you can cop a loss if they have a fair dinkum crack at it which they just haven't done in the last two weeks. While we can criticize the coach all we like about his bench choices, if the blokes who are picked in the 17 don't show up and rip in then it doesn't matter who's on the bench because we won't win regardless.

I mentioned last night in this thread that the majority of the team need an urgent attitude adjustment and realize they have to do more than just show up to win, especially against the lesser sides. As has been said, i think we'll see a big improvement against the Scum on Monday night. Whether it'll be enough to win though is another thing, we're certainly good enough but a lot depends on if certain individuals can be bothered stepping up and doing what's required.