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CB just said Hughes is probably more likely than X at the moment, X is still in a moon boot. Neither have done any training or running at all so both are long shots I’d imagine but they would be huge inclusions.

Why was Welch coughing so much in that presser. Sounded like he was sick

Whilst meany might have left his kicking boots at home, gee he absorbed some pressure under the high balls tonight.

Brilliant by Will Warbrick. Why don't we kick to him more often?

Should get smashed by Panthers, but stranger things have happened. In 2021, we were the best team all season and the Panthers pinched a preliminary final.

Amazing we have made a preliminary final after such an inconsistent season. Probably says more about the 13 teams that didn't make the preliminary final.

Good news no injuries or reports from the game it seems, really tough game to unpack, the quality of opposition has definitely hidden the level of our performance, which still was clunky to say the least, similar issues that we’ve had most of the year, forwards dominated, silly errors, 40+ missed tackles, I just don’t know where the extra gear is going to come from.

Hughes coming in would be massive, tonight though I believe our real problem was highlighted, how many half chances do we just not convert anymore? the Welch run downfield, the Grant run from dummy half, Eisenhuth galloping into the back field with no support, we score all 3 of those tries with Papenhuyzen, Slater, Addo-Carr etc anticipating those opportunities, we leave so many many points out there by not being clinical in these scenarios this season.

Now I thought Meaney was solid, he diffused everything thrown at him and looked better trying to direct the defensive line but in attack he is good for some hard scoots up the middle but he is no threat going to the edges and was no where to be seen on any line breaks we made, maybe we’ve been treated to freaks in the 1 jumper for too long but I do think little things like this are the difference between a comfortable win and a tight game like tonight.

I thought the guys that came back in were ok, Olam ran hard but still looks to missile out of the line unexpectedly, Smith had some hustle and made a few errors on effort plays, Wishart was fantastic, I actually thought besides the dumb hand on the ball penalty Loiero wasn’t too bad, for mine King and Munster looked awful, both look burnt out and over it, they simply can’t keep up, why Bellamy plays King for like 70 minutes but gives Garlick 25 I’ll never know, King could barely get back on side most of the night.

Another poor shift from Eisenhuth & Tui, we need to reevaluate the substitutions and timing of them, it hasn’t been working for us for months.

Next week if Hughes and X somehow get up I’d pick

1. Meaney
2. Coates
3. Olam
4. Smith
5. Warbrick
6. Munster
7. Hughes
8. Asofa-Solomona
9. Grant
10. Moeroa
11. Loiero
12. Katoa
13. Garlick

14. Wishart
15. King
16. Sims
17. Welch

18th man : Kamikamika

Insomniac wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:23 pm I'm calling it - we're done. Good night.

Tui HIA what happened with that …anyone know what cat it was ?

Storm Spirit wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:50 pm

Insomniac wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:23 pm I'm calling it - we're done. Good night.

Ha ha! Yeah, I wrote that but for some reason I did stick around & kept watching - usually when I call it early I do switch off, and I've been right every other time this season. This time it took our very last roll of the dice to extend our season by a week, but it doesn't get any closer than that.

More than happy to eat humble pie if we somehow manage to finish within 10 points of Penrith next week!

Underwhelming.

King at the top of the underwhelmers. Defensively, he’s capable. Offensively, he’s clueless.

You can mark him down for a couple of absolute howlers every game. We have too many ordinary players, Loiero, Olam, King and co. Penrith shouldn’t be troubled by us next game.

I know we don’t play the Eels every week but how we played them at home when we smashed them is our best chance given our players on deck.

We cannot pass the ball side to side with any threat. The left flank doesn’t have Fox and Kenny Brom any more..

We need to go hard and fast up the the middle, offload and turn it inside. We did it a few times last night when Meaney and Grant pushed through the ruck…we made miles more progress then pointless side to side shifts

To compliment this we need to be defensively on it. Last night our first 20 was great defensively then we slipped into bad old habits..

We don’t look to have much chance next week but funny things can happen. Cleary and Yeo could butt each other in a tackle, freak bounces of balls etc…We just have to be our best and hope for luck and a Riff off night..

Eighth preliminary final in nine seasons. But yeah it does feel like something of an indictment on the competition that we’re there this year (after such an indifferent season).

Papenhuyzen23 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:43 pm ...maybe we’ve been treated to freaks in the 1 jumper for too long ...

Look at out first choice fullbacks over Storm's entire history;
Robbie Ross
Billy Slater
Ryan Papenhuyzen

Throw in Munster, Hughes and Nicho at various times, and I think it's fair to say we've been spoiled.

Agree 100%

TC wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 9:06 am

Papenhuyzen23 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:43 pm ...maybe we’ve been treated to freaks in the 1 jumper for too long ...

Look at out first choice fullbacks over Storm's entire history;
Robbie Ross
Billy Slater
Ryan Papenhuyzen

Throw in Munster, Hughes and Nicho at various times, and I think it's fair to say we've been spoiled.

Inglis too

There was a set in the game where the Roosters had full momentum and Seve made two huge tackles right on our line to stop the Roosters.

For that last play to Warbrick, we were only in that position because of the work from Seve.

It was play 5 and not much happening. He pokes his nose through the line and gets a lightning quick play the ball but is pulled back down in the process by desperate Roosters defence, we get 6 again.