Reality - We're farked

[The ticket]

Last week the sharks were shite and got smashed

this week we were shite and got smashed

it happens this time if year

as it stands right now i would have my house on the storm to win the comp but plenty can happen between now and october (ask the cowboys)

[milanja]

I think We will make the top four, but we don't have the class or grunt to play the style of footy to beat a few of the other teams. Good year though, and already exceeded expectations. Next year should be better with teddy,

think our front row row is pretty poor this year. JWH has used all his brownie points up, and it's time he starts earning them again.

[King Salvo]

Last two weeks have been poor - sure they beat the Storm in GP but conceded 5 tries and if they had a better kicker we would not have been in a position to win - today was poor no question - the concern is the lack of resilience in defence - I would like to see average metres Sharks made in their sets compared to the Roosters - Sure possession at half time was 67% to 37% and 53% to 47% in the second half (overall 60% to 40%) but to win games and premierships you need to be able to defend for long periods without the ball and defend your mistakes and when you get the ball do the same to them - control the possession and put points on and or get repeats etc.

Don't look to me a side that can do that for 80 minutes week in week out - sure they can beat these teams on a given day although everything needs to go right for this to happen - Would the Roosters at their best beat the Storm/Sharks at their best when all at full strength though?- I think we are more a 6th place team on performance/sqaud than our current 4th position-Brisbane(despite losing to the Storm - they had players out though)/Cows/Manly will be our main challengers for a top 4 place - Roosters currently on 24 or 26 counting the bye - 28 makes the 8 they say although I think 30 will - so we do have work to do and it starts this week against Souffs Vermin - a must win game going into the bye.

[Johnny Tobin]

This week's game is massive.

[Parkway_Drive]

It wasn't me who said that. But we have a weak bench, and even weaker depth. Tell me how you think we can match or even beat the best sides (taking into account our obvious weaknesses?

I think you did say something like that but, hey you are a glass half empty type lol.

I have never suggested we could beat the top 2 sides when it mattered this year but I reckon we are a lot more competitive with Cordner and SST in the team. Which leads to Evans and someone else dropping off the bench. I would rather see Butcher play than Evans whose defence is absolutely fcuked imo. Tetv can play prop and tbh Liu who is also shitting me to tears but is a better option at prop than useless Evans. Butcher can play lock next week and Guerra otherwise in rotation with SST. Prop is our weak spot and we lack someone like what Moa could do for us.

With Cordner and SST we could put Guerra onto the bench and Aubbo to right centre if Manu needs a stint in reggies to sort out his D, Matto to starting right edge Cordner on left edge and SST to lock.

Maybe Robbo could have utilised Watson better today as Friend had to make nearly 50 tackles by 50' mark but the refs ensured we would always struggle with a stitch-up (i dont believe in conspiracies but this week we were reamed and didnt get a good call in the first 50-60 mins of the game as our 2 penalties given up to then were obvious ones) in the first 50 or so mins of the game in which sharks we gifted so much additional possession from dodgy calls and on top of that they played mistake free apart from the obvious forward pass which led to their third try. Also the charge down by Paulo early in the second half was a very dodgy call imo. Those decisions are reversed and the game becomes a tad closer as our defence was at breaking point on the first call and with the second call we should have been able to march down the field rather than turning the ball over at 30-40m from our line. Then the Lewis try was laughable.

I always been thinking we are a 3rd-6th placed team this year and that is a hell of a better team than the one who finished 15th last year.

[John Corey]

Anyone watch the presser. Robbo is in denial. Great tone, great avoidance of stating facts, Must know that we are in deep shyte.

Missing 2 forwards does not excuse how we've played the last 2 weeks (and in patches, all year).

Anyone see the Broncos season last year during and after Origin. It was over. They never recovered. THAT'S US THIS YEAR.

Also, suddenly I'm concerned about 2018. We've lost a heap of players and will lose more. Teddy is the best fullback in the world IMO, but he won't save us. IT HAS BEEN WELL OVER A YEAR AND WE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED OUR GLARING WEAKNESSES. LITTLE OR NO IMPACT OFF THE BENCH - I.E. WE ARE SHORT 1 OR 2 BIG STRONG EXPERIENCED PROPS. WE HAVE KIDS IN THE CENTRES WHO HAVE GLARING WEAKNESSES. MANU CANNOT DEFEND AT 1ST GRADE STANDARD, AND LATRELL'S READS ALSO VERY SUSPECT, AND HE LOOKS UNFIT AND SOMETIMES, FLAT-OUT, UNWILLING.

NO, I haven't been waiting for a big loss to have a rant as I've been saying the above all year, and 'obviously' 2016.

As has been said by many 'experts' out there, this year there is the Storm, Sharks and then everyone else can fight for the scraps. But,I'd also throw Manly and possibly Brisbane into the mix.

I watched the presser PeeGee. What do you want the coach to say? As it is, he made it pretty clear we were not tough enough in the last two weeks.
What else would you like him to say?

[Mickie Lane]

Maloney carved us up.

[novice chook]

I wonder if the Sharks fans were reacting like this after they were toweled up by Manly a week ago? What a difference a week makes.

Fact is, when we have an off day, we are really off. Weve had 2 big losses this year - Broncs and Sharks. It happens occasionally.

How many of us at season's start thought we would win it this year? I know I didn't and I haven't changed my mind.

We will play finals footy and our younguns will learn a lot along the way. As far as Im concerned that's more than a pass mark for 2017..

Now if we can just get rid of the bald headed defensive liability for 2018 ... how useless was he today!

[Mickie Lane]

I wonder if the Sharks fans were reacting like this after they were toweled up by Manly a week ago? What a difference a week makes.

Fact is, when we have an off day, we are really off. Weve had 2 big losses this year - Broncs and Sharks. It happens occasionally.

How many of us at season's start thought we would win it this year? I know I didn't and I haven't changed my mind.

We will play finals footy and our younguns will learn a lot along the way. As far as Im concerned that's more than a pass mark for 2017..

Now if we can just get rid of the bald headed defensive liability for 2018 ... how useless was he today!

Are you anti baldies?

[PeeGee]

Settle Down.

We are missing Cordner and SST - both critical players in terms of defence and making meters + the Sharks literally completed 100% of their sets and had every iota of possible luck go their way.

Once those two are back + we've snagged another meter eating prop (the sooner Evans gets the fk out the better), we'll easily be in the 8 come finals time.

Also, taking into account how poor last year was, i'm bloody over the moon at where we are sitting right now.

You've got to have losses sooner or later mate.

Settle Down.

You are certainly correct in that I need to settle down. BUT, im just pissed off because our glaring weaknesses have not been addressed since 2016. 2108 even looks aweful because we STILL have weak defensive centres and no impact PROP(S).

Can you please tell me how we are going to be any closer to beating the Storm or Sharks or Manly or Broncos (all at full strength) later this year or even in 2018. Kids like Manu, Connor, Butcher, Radley, Latrell, etc, etc are just not ready to step up and play well against the big boys. And last time I checked we haven't signed anyone to help us in these areas. Actually, last time I checked we have salary cap problems by signing Teddy alone, so we're offloading players to fix this.

I'm just looking for possible solutions. Does anyone have any ideas?

[Mickie Lane]

You are certainly correct in that I need to settle down. BUT, im just pissed off because our glaring weaknesses have not been addressed since 2016. 2108 even looks aweful because we STILL have weak defensive centres and no impact PROP(S).

Can you please tell me how we are going to be any closer to beating the Storm or Sharks or Manly or Broncos (all at full strength) later this year or even in 2018. Kids like Manu, Connor, Butcher, Radley, Latrell, etc, etc are just not ready to step up and play well against the big boys. And last time I checked we haven't signed anyone to help us in these areas. Actually, last time I checked we have salary cap problems by signing Teddy alone, so we're offloading players to fix this.

I'm just looking for possible solutions. Does anyone have any ideas?

A bex & a good lay down?

[PeeGee]

I watched the presser PeeGee. What do you want the coach to say? As it is, he made it pretty clear we were not tough enough in the last two weeks.
What else would you like him to say?

We got hammered and he was talking like it was nothing. It's great that he tries to come across like it was a normal acceptable loss, but it was a shellacking. They were toying with us mate, and still smashed us. Watch wayne bennetts presser and you'll see a coach with comments that reflect the nature of his loss to the Storm. We've been out played in our last 2 games comprehensively, (even though we ended up beating the weakened storm in the golden point lottery).

[novice chook]

Are you anti baldies?

So I'm anti useless, defensive liabilities who seems to evade criticism by many because he plays 5 minutes of flashy footy some weeks. He couldn't even manage that today. But apparently that's OK because he turns up for NSW and Aus ...

[King Salvo]

Cows(20 points or 22 with 1 bye to go) are leading Raiders 25 to 18 with 13 to go - Raiders(14 or 16 counting the bye) will need some miracle run home now to make the 8- have to win 6 or 7 out of 8 - gap widening between those currently in top 8 and those not- Parra on 20 make up the 8 - Penrith can move to 18 (currently 16) if they beat Vermin Souths (14 currently) - both Penrith and Vermin Souffs have had their 2 byes

[Mickie Lane]

So I'm anti useless, defensive liabilities who seems to evade criticism by many because he plays 5 minutes of flashy footy some weeks. He couldn't even manage that today. But apparently that's OK because he turns up for NSW and Aus ...

Yeah because they are pro baldies.