I’m not going to get too worried at this point. Laurie clearly had a poor game and is not the long term answer but until we have someone better we are stuck. Not starting with Api was pretty dumb I thought given how much field position we had in the first 20min. The positive for my is that we had lots of field position so it showed our forwards did their job. Douhie also looked great with ball in hand, he really is a class player. Our left hand side attack though looked garbage except for Naden. We should beat Knights next week
My thoughts
- Started very well but couldn’t execute on their line
- Too many silly errors
- Brooks is still a worry. His passing under pressure just isn’t good enough. I say that as a Brooks fan
- Looked far better in the second half when we played more direct
- Defensive lapses are a worry but hopefully will improve with conditioning
- Laurie just doesn’t have the all round game to be an NRL fullback. A real worry as we have no obvious replacement.
- As poor as we were, we looked far better today than we did at the start of last year. I can see what Sheens and Benji are working towards. Last year, after Round 1, I didn’t think we would win a game all year
Agree on a lot of those points. We won every stat line there is except completion/errors. I understand that that is always going to come with a more expansive style of play, but some (most) of those errors weren’t under pressure and were pretty basic.
Overall I can see us winning more games than we lose if we lose the sloppy handling.
The gc try off a bomb that we didn’t even go for though was horrendous and deserving of a demotion for Laurie. How did bula go in reggies I wonder?
Yes it wasnt our expansive style of play that led to errors.
Stef, Laurie, Asu all dropped balls cold and there were others.
On the positive, I really liked the look of Asu, apart from his error.
Pole didnt get enough game time. He needs to be on the field longer.
We go to Klem and Twal too much when we are on the opponents line. Neither of them are good at getting fast play the balls.
only saw the second half. Some good signs, need to learn patience and some catching practice. Was always going to take 4-6 games for the team to gel.
I’m not going to get too worried at this point. Laurie clearly had a poor game and is not the long term answer but until we have someone better we are stuck. Not starting with Api was pretty dumb I thought given how much field position we had in the first 20min. The positive for my is that we had lots of field position so it showed our forwards did their job. Douhie also looked great with ball in hand, he really is a class player. Our left hand side attack though looked garbage except for Naden. We should beat Knights next week
I'm not understanding this Laurie had a bad game stuff.
He had some bad moments that yes were costly, but he was in the game for the full 80. Showing heart, showing commitment. When you have a 7 that completely let us down, a 9 that is captain and was terrible, they are the targets, not Laurie.
- If Laurie plays with that heart every week then he is first picked. This team sux. So any player that tries for 80 minutes has my support.
only saw the second half. Some good signs, need to learn patience and some catching practice. Was always going to take 4-6 games for the team to gel.
Second half was much better than the first.
We started well but didnt execute on their line and let them in for 2 soft tries.
Titans speed out wide and Fifita were the difference.
We otherwise competed.
Having a look at how we played, how our halves interacted with others and how our kicking game unfolded, I'm thinking it can't hurt to put Laurie at 7.
He isn't going to be a top line fullback, but his heart and effort is what we need at 7.
Brooks had no kicking game, and no organising at all. His hands were terrible, hard passes, dropped balls.
We honestly wouldn't be losing any organising at all if Laurie was at 7, but gain natural eyes up football.
It's a massive call after one game, but as a long time supporter and believer in Brooks, today was a huge concern. Api looked up so many time asking what to do. Cleary he had no halfback demanding the ball.
I’m not going to get too worried at this point. Laurie clearly had a poor game and is not the long term answer but until we have someone better we are stuck. Not starting with Api was pretty dumb I thought given how much field position we had in the first 20min. The positive for my is that we had lots of field position so it showed our forwards did their job. Douhie also looked great with ball in hand, he really is a class player. Our left hand side attack though looked garbage except for Naden. We should beat Knights next week
I'm not understanding this Laurie had a bad game stuff.
He had some bad moments that yes were costly, but he was in the game for the full 80. Showing heart, showing commitment. When you have a 7 that completely let us down, a 9 that is captain and was terrible, they are the targets, not Laurie.
- If Laurie plays with that heart every week then he is first picked. This team sux. So any player that tries for 80 minutes has my support.
laurie has a tonne of heart and lots of skill. The negatives were he let 2 bombs just bounce cold (didn’t see one from the Titans back 3) with one of those resulting in a soft Titan try. He also dropped a ball cold when we had the momentum behind us and then was caught not covering in defence off the scrum play that followed and got burnt by Brimson. He also was nowhere to be seen when Brimson dropped the grubbed through for the Titans second try. I don’t hate Laurie I just think he is in the bottom 4 fullbacks in the league, not saying he can’t play another position (though few players in the NRL would be smaller). Brimson is the type of reliable and committed fullback with some speed and skill that is the minimum standard for NRL in my view. If we had Brimson on our side we win that game. I’d say Laurie could play 14 but given Api isn’t an 80min hooker anymore (does he look overweight?) then Simpkins, Kepaoa and the prop rotation will be our bench
@tigerlily Yes watched the whole game …Bula is the No1 next season he is a better fullback than Laurie now and is still so young. Would imagine he will get a run sometime this season just needs more time in the Reggie’s ,but the guy can play !
im pretty sure he can’t play until after rd 10, but seriously how are we talking about players form after 1 round. Only at the tigers ‼️@tigerlily Yes watched the whole game …Bula is the No1 next season he is a better fullback than Laurie now and is still so young. Would imagine he will get a run sometime this season just needs more time in the Reggie’s ,but the guy can play !
Keep steering the right path
Reflecting on the game in the car in the way home we really should have won that. We were making good metres most sets and forcing them to kick from their own half. We just can’t execute inside the 20. This has been a problem for a long time. I thought we’d see something different this year and I know it’s only round 1 but we’ve got a long way to go until we complete with the top tier teams.
@tigertownsfs douhie looked great in attack but geez they went through him a few times in defence. Seemed they were playing AD as a 7 and Brooks as a 6 tonight
Brooks was pretty quiet, Api was average
@tigertownsfs we can’t just go with players who have ‘heart’. If they are not up to it they are not up to it. Tonight showed why he’s only got a contract for 1 season.
think after round 10
1. Bula
6. Laurie
7. Brooks
13. Douhie
If they drop Laurie (seriously doubt they give up on him any time soon) then easiest option is Tupou to wing and Staines to 1. that said I would bring in Tupou for noffa asap. Given how terrible our red zone attack was (ex douhie) then at least a tall winger would give brooks an option to kick to.
