Preliminary Final vs Panthers @ Accor Stadium

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TC
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Lucas wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 9:46 pm Don't have a crack at the refs. Please. Stay classy.
Nope, Gee was ordinary. Panthers got away with heaps that we got penalised for.
Didn't cost us the game, but certainly put us on the back foot.
We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately
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yourhero
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big_m wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 9:53 pm The ref is the very least of our worries
True. But it should be a big worry for the game overall. You can’t have a professional sporting comp where the game is so heavily influenced by arbitrary calls that aren’t clear cut. The RL ruck interpretation and 10m rules are beyond a joke.

If it makes me not want to watch RL, it can’t be drawing in new fans.
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blazza18
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Genuinely annoying how predictable the performance ended up being.
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yourhero
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Everyone said it. If we keep naming the same team, doing the same thing, expect the same result.

We didn’t change and doggedly held onto mediocrity.

Ultimately, got what we deserved.
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TC wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 9:54 pm
Lucas wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 9:46 pm Don't have a crack at the refs. Please. Stay classy.
Nope, Gee was ordinary. Panthers got away with heaps that we got penalized for.
Didn't cost us the game, but certainly put us on the back foot.
Gee has always been ordinary towards us since at least the Brandon Smith call.
Yes you can say the Penrith koalas (apparently NRL protected species) would always have won I could not believe how bad the centres were, especially Olam.

It seems the whole edge defence has always been an issue going back, at least , to Dane Neilsen days. Don't quite know why it hasn't been addressed. Between unforced errors, dropped ball, 50/50's and just poor structure was our downfall as well as the Koalas.
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Thank God that's over, sick of watching this team blunder and fumble their opportunities
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StormGang
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We were having a fair crack at em in the first 20 mins then after that just fell apart and the class of the Panthers too much for us.

Considering we lost half our forward pack last season and everyone writing us off after we dropped 2 of our first 3 game to the Dogs and Titans, I'd say we should defo be proud of our efforts this season. As tough as tonight was, we constantly written off and scrutinized throughout the whole season. Yet somehow, some way, we earned a Top 4 spot and made it all the way to the prelim dropping to the defending premiers. Bloody oath we should be proud!! We're not 'there' yet, but we're certainly thereabouts. Forwards and defence defo needs to be address for next season but tell ya what, I'm feeling pretty confident we send Bellyache off with one more ring to ride off into the sunset with.

Keep ya heads high Storm fam and embrace what we've acheieved this season. Against all odds, all critics and all adversity, we overcame it all and fought right through til the end. Let's enjoy the season that was and what we accomplished. UP THE FKN STORM
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I’m furious with the lack of polish in the basics. We were never going to win that game, but was pretty confident we’d give it a crack.
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yourhero
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Before we turned to utter trash, we had more than our share of opportunities to keep it close or claw back a reachable lead… But we squandered it through some of the worst backline plays you will ever see in first grade.
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yourhero
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Honestly hard to fathom how bad our shifts were.

I could understand it if the Penrith defence were in our face and putting pressure on. But most of the time we were getting in our own way. Players weren’t sure where to be. Then basic one out passing was made to look difficult.

Astonishing.
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I just hate how Trent missed so many tackles, drifted off to the right edge at times and consequently left gapping holes on the left edge that no one over there could defend. Did I tell you I can't stand Trent Loiero
Papenhuyzen23
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Some interesting stats


- Our 7 backline players made 11 errors, the rest of the team made 3 combined.

- Our 6,7 & 9 missed a combined 22 tackles.

- None of our forwards cracked 100 metres.

- Katoa made 46 tackles for 0 misses.

- We made more metres per set than Penrith.

- We lost the penalty count and set restarts by more than double on both counts.

- Nelson Asofa-Solomona ran for 40 metres and no tackle breaks after talking up the forwards battle and his own effort levels in the media all week.

Not much to be proud of there, again Katoa and King were strong but the rest …

2024 hopefully we see some big changes to the personnel, surely some guys have played there last game in purple after tonight!
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blazza18
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Papenhuyzen23 wrote: Fri Sep 22, 2023 10:59 pm

- Nelson Asofa-Solomona ran for 40 metres and no tackle breaks after talking up the forwards battle and his own effort levels in the media all week.
Caps off a pretty underwhelming season if we’re being honest. Add him to the host of issues with the team.

He’s proven to be a complimentary player and not one you build an entire forward pack around.
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I said half way through the season we don’t have the forwards to win it, I would have sold my house on that bet.

We simply don’t have the go forward and domination in the middle to match Penrith and broncos.

If Bellamy can’t see that going into next year, he needs to go. His coaching just isn’t cutting it if he can’t see it. You’ve been great for a long time Craig but if you can’t make the most obvious changes to the team ( for example Trent ) you aren’t nrl coach material anymore.

I know we did good to make the prelim but that does not take away the fact there was obvious calls that needed to be made.

And regarding NAS.. he doesn’t play big minutes. He rarely gets over 130m per game. The only thing he offers is aggression and a late offload, which is good but your forwards lay the platform and go forward for your spine and backs to shine..we simply don’t have that with this current pack.

Heck katoa and NAS can stay and the rest can go.
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Kettles
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Rather fortunate to be on a delayed flight from Bali, so I’ve seen precisely zero minutes of tonight’s debacle… not likely to see any of it, either, to be honest.

Our selectors are having a laugh. They’re as much to blame as the collective rabble that took the field.
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