Just watched the Replay.
Can understand the fan angst BUT WHAT A GAME !!!!! pretty proud of the Warriors team efforts , individual lapses aside.
Kept a close eye on Ropati , yep he got scorched by a better Center , but Ropati also had a mini revival in the Middle forty of that game , he reads the game seriously pro , foot speed let him down....wot to do wot to do....he shut down a number of the storm movements twenty minutes either side of half time.
Laumape looked a bit lost , too much chopping and changing him around it's not surprising.
Bills a little champion, he's looking inside for the ball all the time and contesting everything in the air, I love that guys attitude, we just don't seem to get those ingredients in the physically more talented players.
Martel is all crap.
Ok so we gave two top four sides a run for their money for seventy minutes , there is something to be worked on there and we have to find a way of over coming the Reffs insecurities when we lead against teams that in their minds should be in front....this year we are copping a hiding from the Whistle blowers at the end of games. Safe Footy might be the only way to win in the Last ten, it sucks to have to shut up shop and go into a defensive mindset , but I can't see any other way to win. Union style cycle it through the forwards ....my bad some of the worst ball droppers are there[DOUBLEPOST=1366947199][/DOUBLEPOST]oh yeah and TL is killing one half of the attack line.
He hesitates with the ball in hand , his timing is lousy , he has to let it go sooner or be pulled from the halves.
This is pretty much exactly what I saw from the first viewing.
I would have absolutely no problems with getting rid of Mateo now, which is 100% reversal from the beginning of the year. I don't think he fits in with the Elliott game plan, a game plan which when even remotely followed has seen us could've, and probably should have beaten the Storm, Roosters and Souths who along with Manly are the top four this year. He just provides absolutely nothing to me. I would love to see a real attacking, hole running back rower in his place... I think Bukuya, if we get him, would be an excellent fit, he is exactly these things.
I agree about Ngani, but seriously who can blame him? A rookie that has played a new position in virtually every game... incredible effort for him to just not look like a fool, let alone play well, really speaks about how highly the coaching staff value him. A great, great find for the year.
Locke and
Shaun Johnson are really starting to click into gear, and when they do, they can just annihilate oppositions D. I simply don't understand some of the criticism Locke gets, he was largely excellent under the high ball and he chimes into the back line very effectively, and we finally began to see some of his brilliant kick returns. SJs defence is improving out of sight, I think he is finally beginning to learn to use his not inconsiderable physical size effectively, which is purely an attitude thing and great to see.
Ben Henry has been hugely impressing me, he is a rock in defense and has excellent attitude. For mine, he should be in the starting back row every week, and even one of the first picked.
Again, I understand the criticism of Hurrell, but, when was the last time you saw a player run over his opposite, literally run over, 3 odd times in a game? If it weren't for Hurrell and Tupou on that right edge making huge metres for us, I doubt the game would have been remotely as close. And true, you could argue that without Hurrell's errors it might have been closer, but I honestly believe that with time his errors will gradually leave his game, and what we will be left with is the most damaging centre in the comp. Tupou and Hurrell are making a great combo on that right edge.
I wouldn't have a problem with Leuluai being moved to Hooker if Friend isn't kept beyond this year. I don't think he has been necessarily bad, and I think his passing game in the sweeping ride side shifts has been good, but I don't think he provides
enough attacking threat to warrant keeping him there. On this note, I must say I barely noticed Friend at all in this game, I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but regardless, I barely saw him.
I don't know what
Taylor really provides off the bench? Moreover, given his shift across the Tasman I would have no problem dropping him, especially when someone like Sam Lousi is fit... now he is a player that could provide us with
impact off the bench... which I am fairly confident is what it is for.
