They haven't been that poor since 2012

[Andrew Walker]

I rarely make predictions mate, especially this early in the season. We haven't even seen Watsamatta play as yet.

I do recall the same posts from last season.

I do recall pre game both years noticing Souffs looking very slick in the trials.

I do recall warning it's round 1 and quite possibly we will warm into the season while Souffs like to make early statements.

I do recall stating its a loooooooooooong season and round 1 means very little in October.

It's dejapoo all over again.

Humans are like that, especially fans.

So what do you think will happen next week???

On the contrary stsae I recall last year there was much positivity after the loss It was a game where we made 7 line breaks but didnt take our chances and finish off Last night I think 0 line breaks Im well aware it is a long season I take it 1 week at a time and without slitting my wrists over it this week was very poor and our worst performance since 2012

AS for predictions I predicted we would lose if we performed in the same manner as what we did against Wigan Im not quite sure if we went worse or just were made to look worse by what was good opposition and a side who I expect will play a hand later in the season

Next week if we play like that we will lose

[stsae]

On the contrary stsae I recall last year there was much positivity after the loss It was a game where we made 7 line breaks but didnt take our chances and finish off Last night I think 0 line breaks Im well aware it is a long season I take it 1 week at a time and without slitting my wrists over it this week was very poor and our worst performance since 2012

AS for predictions I predicted we would lose if we performed in the same manner as what we did against Wigan Im not quite sure if we went worse or just were made to look worse by what was good opposition and a side who I expect will play a hand later in the season

Next week if we play like that we will lose

Can't win games on the wrong side of a 12-6 penalty count and a 60-40 possession split.

Especially against a team like Souffs.

Personally it looked almost identical to last seasons round 1 clash IMO.

Sloppy, illdiscipline, deer in the headlights stuff. Then the inevitable run out of steam after somehow containing the rampaging opposition most of the night.

And the opposition are too good to allow that. No matter fans blindness when it comes to Souffs, they are a very good side.

Put it this way after last year and last night I still see massive improvement in one side while the other just showed their hand early.

In poker terms I know it's a marathon and early hits aren't a bad thing, on many levels.

I remain optimistic.

[Andrew Walker]

Can't win games on the wrong side of a 12-6 penalty count and a 60-40 possession split.

Especially against a team like Souffs.

Personally it looked almost identical to last seasons round 1 clash IMO.

Sloppy, illdiscipline, deer in the headlights stuff.

And the opposition are too good to allow that. No matter fans blindness when it comes to Souffs, they are a very good side.

Put it this way after last year and last night I still see massive improvement in one side while the other just showed their hand early.

In poker terms I know it's a marathon and early hits aren't a bad thing, on many levels.

I remain optimistic.

Point 1 Wrong we beat them at the same ground last season for the minor premiership with an identical penalty count against us

Apart from the result and similar scoreline The game last night was not similar I have now stated the line breaks for the corresponding match on 3 different occassions now

I agree with you description of the way we played and on Souths One thing though they want to hope GI stays fit They are heavily reliant on him Almost bordering on being a 1 man team He is that goood for them

It is Rnd 1 of a long comp So I wont make predictions on where we will end up as yet but we must improve a lot on last night in order to get the two points next week Which at this stage of the competition is what really counts

[stsae]

Point 1 Wrong we beat them at the same ground last season for the minor premiership with an identical penalty count against us

Apart from the result and similar scoreline The game last night was not similar I have now stated the line breaks for the corresponding match on 3 different occassions now

I agree with you description of the way we played and on Souths One thing though they want to hope GI stays fit They are heavily reliant on him Almost bordering on being a 1 man team He is that goood for them

It is Rnd 1 of a long comp So I wont make predictions on where we will end up as yet but we must improve a lot on last night in order to get the two points next week Which at this stage of the competition is what really counts

Didnt we lose the penalty count in a similar fashion basically all season 2013??? Including round 1???

I believe you missed my point, combine a 60-40 possession split, a 12-6 penalty count against and throw in Souffs who seem to like starting like its a GF, and you have a recipe for dejapoo. And I didn't even add the unforced lack of discipline errors we are able to conjure up at will.

Line breaks are overrated IMO. Sure they are handy, or shandy even, but unless they are finished off they don't do much good, round 1 2013 being the prime example. Like the old repeat set call. 0 or 7 same result. DeJaPoo. It all means dick unless its used to its full capacity, dig it.

Maybe Souffs defence has improved???

GI is the best player in the game IMO. Agree without him Souffs would struggle to make the semis. I liked the look of their 5/8, considering his age and change of position, looks to have a bit of that xfactor about him.

Their coach impresses again. Saw their weakness, reliance in GI, and has set about rectifying it. Considering Keary will be back mid season they have some real weapons now.

The thingy about improving is my point exactly, dejapoo. Same deal from last season IMO. One side has shown their hand early, one team has decided round 1 means zip in October.

I doubt anyone at our club are wrist slitting. Some of our fans on the other hand.

[bondi-boy]

It's time we stopped losing penalty counts 6-12, and stopped losing them at all.

It's time we stopped giving away penalties, and then started firing off complaints about the refs to the NRL's Integrity unit and that other special body if we feel discriminated against.

[Vasco]

I don't think anyone is hitting the panic button.

It's more the way we lost.

SKD is just filling a spot, contributing nothing but bad reads.

As for Mini, he is here for the season so we must live with that. Good to see RTS spending some time at the back though.

[dj_sta]

All in all it just seemed as though we were under done. It was quite clear we had a short pre-season.... I think we will get better with time, the more they play with each other. But we did look like headless chooks out there last night, but I am hoping that's the wake up call we needed to start working harder.

[bondi-boy]

I don't think anyone is hitting the panic button.

It's more the way we lost.

SKD is just filling a spot, ..........................

And saving tries when the ball has evaded all our other players and is behind the posts.

[bondi paul]

Got owned big time in the forwards - we seemed to play too shallow when under the pump whilst I think we let souffs off the hook with quick play the balls. For a team so heavily penalised I think we release players in a tackle far quicker than others as evident in the GF and last nite.

[stsae]

Got owned big time in the forwards - we seemed to play too shallow when under the pump whilst I think we let souffs off the hook with quick play the balls. For a team so heavily penalised I think we release players in a tackle far quicker than others as evident in the GF and last nite.

I definately blame MLK for all those penalties.

[Guest]

Having a quick look at the game, Souths definately won it in the wrestle as well as dominating first contact.

[Guest]

I'm not blaming the referee's for the loss because we were attrocious last night, but **** me I'd like to see some consistancy.

One example is when Maloney was penalised after hanging on to the legs too long only for souffs to do the exact same thing several times after that. The funny thing is I don't even believe their one's were penalties either, but if you're going to ping one you have to get the other.

That's just one of the things that shits me about modern day rugby league, there's no reward for making beautiful grassing tackles around the bootlaces anymore. No wonder young kids are giving up when you've got all these big islander kids and these poor little bastards can't even tackle them around the legs the way they should be.

If you make a beautiful one on one tackle like that the attacker should have to wait until the defender gets to marker to play the ball imo. Within reason of course.

[stsae]

I'm not blaming the referee's for the loss because we were attrocious last night, but **** me I'd like to see some consistancy.

One example is when Maloney was penalised after hanging on to the legs too long only for souffs to do the exact same thing several times after that. The funny thing is I don't even believe their one's were penalties either, but if you're going to ping one you have to get the other.

That's just one of the things that shits me about modern day rugby league, there's no reward for making beautiful grassing tackles around the bootlaces anymore. No wonder young kids are giving up when you've got all these big islander kids and these poor little bastards can't even tackle them around the legs the way they should be.

If you make a beautiful one on one tackle like that the attacker should have to wait until the defender gets to marker to play the ball imo. Within reason of course.

Great post Greeds, it's something I've been banging on about for years now.

Fark me I see kids as young as 8 wrestling at training. The Titties coaches clinics are teaching coaches to teach kids that shit.

You want to stop the shoulder charge, the wrestle etc you reward low one on one grassing tackling. It's not farking rocket science.

This is Mr Handshake Waynekerrs doing. He instructed his then assistant Bellyache to employ the first wrestling coach in the game in the late 90s. Then he campaigned to have the rules altered to suit his agenda. The bloke is the lowest carnt in the game IMO. On News LTDs level.

[Ray Stehr]

In that case Moving forward Are you tipping a narrow win for us next week ?

A one point win will be like gold next week.

[RoosterRooster]

Drop Maloney and bring back Freddy.