Buchanan missed a couple of tackles on his opposite but all in all was good I thought.
I thought it was a solid game from all the young guns. Halangahu in particular had limited chances but bent the line when he ran. Egan, excellent defence and good leg speed. LPT and Latu are surely in contention for first grade now. Not in a couple of months but now. Reed deserves the hype. I don't consider Couchman's young guns pushing to get into first grade anymore. They have to be in.
I think it's 28.
Yar I feel the same.. Ben has had a few years in lower grades where he has been rly electric though.. line breaks and setting up tries galore.. Ive been eagerly waiting for him to come through, especially with the lack of other outside backs pushing up in recent years (bar guys like bostock, schiller & gromek who we lost).
100% while they had some good players too, its a different game with names like the Cheese, Walker and Tedesco supporting those big forwards..
Spot on, he didn't read the play and that is what we have been missing from an experienced fullback for sometime now. That was Sloan's archives heel. Dont get me wrong you can't stop every try however reading the oppositions attacking structures is an art and takes time. Hopefully young Rumble can learn by his mistake.
Tough gig pulling on a 1st grade jersey. My old coaches eyes would agree in what you said, he really should not have dropped that ball back inside, he called for it, was expecting it and dropped it cold. You can make mistakes in your journey to the top but those who don't usually jump you in the pecking order. I wasn't wrapped in his reading of the 2nd try, it was a good move by the Roosters but he hesitated and thats all it takes . I hope he learns from his mistakes
I thought Luch was a touch disappointing last night in a team that was under strength but maybe I was expecting too much so early on in the season.
Agree with you some social media accounts have the happy dragon in a phone box ordering GF tickets. We won't be in the GF this season. The thing that impressed me as an old coach was our defensive line speed and structures especially when Gutho, Cook and Holmes were on. That's not a gimme when you buy quality players from elsewhere it takes time and a great deal of effort to realign yourself with another teams structures. I thought they were tremendous in that area which indicates to me they have bought into the coach, his style and structures. Defence will win you more games more often than not. We missed 23 tackles last night, now that has to be the benchmark and on a consistent basis. That stat in defence makes you competitive in a game.
I hope that you are right because when one song and given early ball on the edges against a defensive line either retreating or not set could garnish us many points this year. I must say he looked to be carrying a few extra kilos or alternatively didn't lose as much stomach muscle as say Lawrie has.
I would say during last season the communication on the field from the players was non existent especially in the last 4 rounds. Communication is an important ingredient in a successful team as long as it's constructive and from only those players chosen by the coach to do the talking such as your elected leadership team. In my day I had 2 players the cpt and also the vc one preferably in the backs one in the forwards may have changed since my day but worked quite well for me.
I agree maybe oppositions are onto him lurking out wide , maybe something has to change where he receives the ball .......
I mentioned in another post, perhaps early ball especially if we are moving their defensive line back or not allowing them to set. This relies entirely on your bookends chewing the metres up the middle and getting a quick play the ball off the back of that momentum.
Something also some forum members won't like, and I haven't been a fan either, RFM was good. Egan was too.
Lurch can be damaging , and should be better last year same ........ If I was coach a scrum close to the line stick him at 5/8 and let him ball play from there ........