We are very possibly only one game away from getting it just right.

[zac]

As close as our last four games have been on the scoreboard, we could easily have won them all by plenty.

Our defence is in a good place; we are creating plenty of attacking opportunities; but we have bombed several near certain tries every match.

As much as you could say that there has been a pattern of bombing tries of late, I reckon it's an anomaly. Sometimes (despite the odds) you can toss a coin and throw four heads in a row. We're too good a team to continue to bomb the opportunities that we will continue to create.

Maybe The Beatles had us in mind when they sang 'Don't you know it's gonna be alright'?

[Bowzy]

Mate this team will give me a heart attack I swear, but there's always some confidence in knowing that we can close games out.

isnt it a freaky thing to know that when we need a try or need to turn the game around, the boys focus on that one goal and achieve it.

What at a year we've had.

[Guest]

we dont need to get it right we just need to win

[The Axe]

As close as our last four games have been on the scoreboard, we could easily have won them all by plenty.

Our defence is in a good place; we are creating plenty of attacking opportunities; but we have bombed several near certain tries every match.

As much as you could say that there has been a pattern of bombing tries of late, I reckon it's an anomaly. Sometimes (despite the odds) you can toss a coin and throw four heads in a row. We're too good a team to continue to bomb the opportunities that we will continue to create.

Maybe The Beatles had us in mind when they sang 'Don't you know it's gonna be alright'?

as a fan it is frustrating to watch our talent not perform for 80 minutes; bomb an unusually large number of tries and then when we do we have Management do their best to make 50/50 calls seem like 20/80s.

robbo made a most interesting comment in last night's presser. He said 2 ways to win. 80 minutes of relentless pressure and knowing when to make the big plays.

We have proven recently the big plays. Robbo callled out toups and pearse as such examples. Obviously latrell

whatever our 2017 destiny, we certainly create sufficient opportunities to win this

[The Brain]

Important thread to understanding what goes wrong and how to right the chooks.
We have these constant 10min lapses before half time...
What changes for the countless errors in thst time? A lot of things.. A little fatigue... Sure...
But i see it that the team or other halves tend to cut out Pearce out of the game eg starts with Friend to keary or to Guerra or to Cordner, get the picture.
Pearce has his hands one way or another in most of our tries.. Cut him out and all of a sudden we scire none. He can play in a structured game plan. Latrell try was not a fluke or just individual brilliance you can see before hand Pearce calling the play got the ball moved it judt giving him enough room to move and the rest was all Latrell.
So u see, when we scew the structure too much we become messy go knowhere and throw the ball shallow back to pearce and he gets caught out. Timing in football l ll is an art. Melbourne is the perfect example of what i am taljing about.
While slow the ball tactics is around structured footy wins out... No slowing adlib wins.

[The Brain]

Besides the above our forwards punch unreal and we play on the back of them we do well.. But constantly going side to side when excited amounts mostly sweet FA and errors. The contril is in the lead you must protect it not offer it on a platter

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

Important thread to understanding what goes wrong and how to right the chooks.
We have these constant 10min lapses before half time...
What changes for the countless errors in thst time? A lot of things.. A little fatigue... Sure...
But i see it that the team or other halves tend to cut out Pearce out of the game eg starts with Friend to keary or to Guerra or to Cordner, get the picture.
Pearce has his hands one way or another in most of our tries.. Cut him out and all of a sudden we scire none. He can play in a structured game plan. Latrell try was not a fluke or just individual brilliance you can see before hand Pearce calling the play got the ball moved it judt giving him enough room to move and the rest was all Latrell.
So u see, when we scew the structure too much we become messy go knowhere and throw the ball shallow back to pearce and he gets caught out. Timing in football l ll is an art. Melbourne is the perfect example of what i am taljing about.
While slow the ball tactics is around structured footy wins out... No slowing adlib wins.

Brain, great point regarding Pearce.

Watched the game live last nignt. Then came home and watched it again on tv. Did the same thing last week. Both games during these "periods of lapses in concentration" when in attack pearce's involvement has decreased. For whatever the reason - Keary calling for the ball, Friendy kicking, fatigue etc.

Pearce is the #7 and it is his team so he needs to take control. Joey said it earlier this year.

If it is these periods of the game that it stopping the roosters from putting together an 80min performance than pearce needs to lead from the front and take control of the game during these periods.... just like the JTs, Cronks and DCEs do

[Spirit of 66]

Pearce looked to be carrying a shoulder injury into the game. 2 weeks treatment might be very important for our chances.

[Darkone]

Getting bench transitions right at the 25min mark will help

Robbo running out of time tinkering with his bench

The bench is key to winning this thing,

Good thing Tet is back next game

[Monaco's Fan Club]

Brain, great point regarding Pearce.

Watched the game live last nignt. Then came home and watched it again on tv. Did the same thing last week. Both games during these "periods of lapses in concentration" when in attack pearce's involvement has decreased. For whatever the reason - Keary calling for the ball, Friendy kicking, fatigue etc.

Pearce is the #7 and it is his team so he needs to take control. Joey said it earlier this year.

If it is these periods of the game that it stopping the roosters from putting together an 80min performance than pearce needs to lead from the front and take control of the game during these periods.... just like the JTs, Cronks and DCEs do

Pearce's role is to kick long and tackle. The burden of organisation, short kicking/ repeat sets has been placed on Friend and Keary. Either Pearce is injured or relegated to being a passenger in crunch moments. I wouldn't mind the discussion of Pearce and Friend, rotating at hooker next year. Hopefully O'Sullivan's kid could push for a spot at 7.

[ccfc bondi]

They play so dumb when they have a lead! Stupid errors in attack going for passes that aren't on, kicks over the dead ball line that come back to bite them. Friend did a shocker last night. And towards the end of the game with a 10 point lead, a nice kick to force a dropout, but (Matterson, I think) goes for a try when it's not on and eventually it's ruled as a 20 metre tap; result - Broncos try. When are the dedicated Rooster fans going to be rewarded with a strong win and not one that requires multiple shots to recover from?

[dice]

They play so dumb when they have a lead!

This. Every time we have a lead we abandon the forwards and start playing touch footy.

To our credit we almost always get back up off the canvas to win the game a second time. A sign of a bloody good footy team.

[Mickie Lane]

Getting bench transitions right at the 25min mark will help

Robbo running out of time tinkering with his bench

The bench is key to winning this thing,

Good thing Tet is back next game

If everyone is fit then it will be interesting to see who makes the bench.
Evans has been playing good footy lately.
SST, Tetevano, Matto & Watson?
I dont think Manu will make the top 17 now unless there are injuries.