SYDNEY ROOSTERS v PENRITH PANTHERS

[Waylander]

Agreed. Our major weaknesses are Sitili, Butcher and Young who continually let us down defensively. Roosters are the soft try capital of the NRL. Goal line defense is atrocious. I would feel a lot better if Mark we’re in the team and feel Robbo is making a major blunder by leaving him out has he oozes with talent. Butcher is too hot and cold and gives away heaps of penalties and big forwards run right through him. Sitili is error prone too and hot and cold. Young is very, very error prone and will be targeted. Even with our best team we can’t beat the Riff so I’m expecting a very easy win by them. We are just not in their league. Lose by at least 25.

Sorry, but your take on Butcher is not backed up by the numbers. He's made 748 tackles in 20 appearances - the most by any Rooster - at 95.4% efficiency. That's a better % than JWH, Collins, Crichton, Watson & Radley, just as examples. Yes he has had some obvious misses that have led directly to tries, but so has Rads. He generally controls the ruck very well for us, and also does some great clean up work behind the line. His contribution is largely undervalued because he has been disappointing in attack this year, but his defense is NOT a liability.

[Roosterfarian]

Sorry, but your take on Butcher is not backed up by the numbers. He's made 748 tackles in 20 appearances - the most by any Rooster - at 95.4% efficiency. That's a better % than JWH, Collins, Crichton, Watson & Radley, just as examples. Yes he has had some obvious misses that have led directly to tries, but so has Rads. He generally controls the ruck very well for us, and also does some great clean up work behind the line. His contribution is largely undervalued because he has been disappointing in attack this year, but his defense is NOT a liability.

Yep I'm glad he is back tbh because we'd get slaughtered with Sitili and Whyte side by side.

[A Country Member]

I liked hearing Trent talk about Sandon.

What I liked even more, was last week when there was a brouhaha and Cody tried to get stuck into Sandon and he held his ground and smiled back. Then minutes later in attacking territory, Sandon went a short side directly at Cody and came up trumps and made him look like an old man. That’s when I knew that we’re still in this.

Belief is a powerful force.

[theGman]

Respectfully, in boxing terms, we are definitely more than a puncher's chance, as great a team the Panthers/Storm have been this decade, if we get it right... like Frazier over Ali, Douglas over Tyson, the right mental fortitude & a dogged determination to say, today will not be yours... if Coach Robbo can tap into this, anything can happen... OTHERWISE... why even bother turning up? throw the towel in now... tell the teams from 9th spot onwards, can you guys take our spot... if we are still breathing then we are still alive & kicking.

E2W
RWB

Hey Uncle,
Congrats to the clan on DLS debut.
Was he still buzzing afterwards?
How did he find the step-up and
how did he pull up?

For a 19yo he was heaped praise by many league aficionados so here's to a great off season and fingers crossed for 2025.
Hoping this spurs on big bro.

[fletch]

The side to face the Penrith Panthers at 8pm this Friday at BlueBet Stadium has been trimmed 24 hours ahead of kick-off.

There has been no changes to the starting side. Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jake Elliot and Salesi Foketi drop out of the side with Michael Jennings remaining as the 18th man and Blake Steep the reserve.

[Archelon]

The side to face the Penrith Panthers at 8pm this Friday at BlueBet Stadium has been trimmed 24 hours ahead of kick-off.

There has been no changes to the starting side. Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jake Elliot and Salesi Foketi drop out of the side with Michael Jennings remaining as the 18th man and Blake Steep the reserve.

From outside looking in, I would have Marky Mark as 18th man over Jenko.. I get that Jenko cover both side of the fields, but not like he does a good job at it.

[Bansai Pipeline]

I would not be underestimating the Panthers at all. They are perfectly timing their run and most of the examples you guys are using of poor performances they either won the game or they had their star player missing. I think they are in the box seat to win it yet again because they are robotic and clinical, take all the emotion out of the game and take advantage of every bit of field possession they get.

If we are to win we need to blow them away early and then hold on when they get a 6 again onslaught.

The reason they look vuknerable is because they can play poorly and still win because they do the fundamentals well.

Who exactly is underestimating Penrith?

[caz]

so nrl physio says cleary won't play with pain but the danger is re-injury. he'll probably play the full 80 but you never know. also a bit of a cloud over edwards.
what can you say - spring, finals footy, roosters in the top 4. great time of the year

[Rooster_6]

Looks like the predicted rain is going to stay away. Should be a nice dry track.

[Vasco]

Sorry, but your take on Butcher is not backed up by the numbers. He's made 748 tackles in 20 appearances - the most by any Rooster - at 95.4% efficiency. That's a better % than JWH, Collins, Crichton, Watson & Radley, just as examples. Yes he has had some obvious misses that have led directly to tries, but so has Rads. He generally controls the ruck very well for us, and also does some great clean up work behind the line. His contribution is largely undervalued because he has been disappointing in attack this year, but his defense is NOT a liability.

I agree and he has also been better with the ball playing up the middle.

[Mickie Lane]

The Chooks have 8 SOO players 4 current the Panthers have 6 SOO players all current players.
Anything can happen on the night so we'll just see how it pans out.

[PLV012]

Hey Uncle,
Congrats to the clan on DLS debut.
Was he still buzzing afterwards?
How did he find the step-up and
how did he pull up?

For a 19yo he was heaped praise by many league aficionados so here's to a great off season and fingers crossed for 2025.
Hoping this spurs on big bro.

Thanks mate. It was all surreal for him & the family. The speed of NRL is the main difference to Cup. He pulled up fine, a bit filthy on himself for not getting the contact right on Burgess lol, but other than that, he loved every second of it.

Xavier is fine, knows where he's at & where he needs to be. Robbo has shown full support towards his development & understands (like so many others at the moment) that injuries & the recovery period, take time.

Both are keen on a big preseason & hope to hit the ground running in 25!... but at the moment they are training with nrl squad through the finals... & hopefully to the Big Dance & another Premiership! ...apparently training has been on point, everyone tuned into the task ahead & they won't die wondering! Let's go Chooks.

E2W
RWB

[HunchoRooster]

Who exactly is underestimating Penrith?

Quite a few on here saying they've been patchy and not at their best.

[Thirteen]

Quite a few on here saying they've been patchy and not at their best.

They have been but tonight they will play like premiers.

[roosterchook]

Sorry, but your take on Butcher is not backed up by the numbers. He's made 748 tackles in 20 appearances - the most by any Rooster - at 95.4% efficiency. That's a better % than JWH, Collins, Crichton, Watson & Radley, just as examples. Yes he has had some obvious misses that have led directly to tries, but so has Rads. He generally controls the ruck very well for us, and also does some great clean up work behind the line. His contribution is largely undervalued because he has been disappointing in attack this year, but his defense is NOT a liability.

His size is. Strong forwards run right through him and he gives away too many penalties. He’s a risk. He has great games followed by crap games. I personally wouldn’t have him in the team but who knows today he may be due for his 1/10 blinders.