Official Match Day Thread: Roosters v Rabbits

[Teddy]

Teddy’s leadership last season (after being given the captaincy in just unprecedented circumstance where we lost both our spiritual leaders) was amazing, however it seems as though he thinks he needs to continue playing that way, surely he must know that he stifles our attack more often then not, he needs to go back to picking his moments and taking a backseat to Keary and Walker.

Sammy honestly has been the one most threatening with his eyes up instinct driven play, watch how defences hold their breath when he gets the ball now imagine that behind a dominant and disciplined pack.
I love it every time I see young Sammy with the ball in his hands, give him the 7 jersey and let him own it he has more then proven he can handle it, yes he’s still learning his craft I understand that and he will make mistakes but he will never die wondering thats what makes him so dangerous, make Nat butcher his shield (btw he was great last night) special mentions to SST Toops Manu and Momo.

Keary is feeling his way back he will come good, he’s to special a player not too get back to his best but let’s face it put him in the 6 let him go back to his natural game.

I tend to agree with some of the comments on here about bringing young DSF back into the 17 he well and truly would have learned his lesson about controlling that aggression of his (Robbo did the same with Manu, Mitchell and Collins and they well and truly came good) we need exactly that he has mongrel and has little fear when charging into the line.

Collins same as Keary give him some time he didn’t make origin out of luck or injuries to other props he earned his way to rep football that form doesn’t just disappear.

[Teddy]

The first tackle of the game by Souths had me thinking "Oh shit, Souths have turned up to play"
The Chooks were a massive chance at halftime even though behind but just couldnt get it together enough in the early to mid second half to dominate Souths.
I hate to say it but Cody, Murray, Latrell, Nichols & Kolomamatagi were tougher & grittier than any of the Chooks players.

Hard to argue with that Mickie.

[chopstiks]

Robbo's game plan was obviously to bamboozle them with pace, souths can't handle that - unfit overweight plodders who need stop start - but teddy and keary didn't do a great job of managing it, as everyone here's pointed out, the impatience started with them, Not good.

[Vee08]

A classy 9 to control the ruck will get the flow going… just my opinion.

[bondi.boy]

I've said this before and I'll say this again (I'm not attacking Fletcher Baker here but I have no choice), we need another big body, aggressive young forward who isn't afraid to take a line or players on. Daniel Suluka-Fifita should have been picked on the bench instead of Baker.

Our pack got absolutely pumped tonight, not a single player from our a pack stood up, SST appeared to be the only player having a go. We need big bodies, we need some young blood, some mongrel ... time to inject the likes of Tuku Hau Tapuha, Nafahu Whyte and Renouf Atoni. Make the current starting pack earn their way back.

Amen.

[Renman]

Whilst not blaming the ref for the loss yesterday I was very confused by one piece of play but, it may be that I have the rules wrong in my head. Joey M takes a quick tap, the ball is fumbled and Souths are awarded a try. At the time Joey takes the tap several (hopefully neutered) bunnies and inside the 10 and they are the one involved in scoring the try. Should it not have been played the advantage but when there was none, a penalty awarded to the Roosters? Bunker doesn't check it and no Captains challenge?

[DP1990]

The first tackle of the game by Souths had me thinking "Oh shit, Souths have turned up to play"
The Chooks were a massive chance at halftime even though behind but just couldnt get it together enough in the early to mid second half to dominate Souths.
I hate to say it but Cody, Murray, Latrell, Nichols & Kolomamatagi were tougher & grittier than any of the Chooks players.

Agreed. I yelled at the TV when the first tackle was made .... "Ah shit, they're on tonight !"

[Vasco]

Agreed. I yelled at the TV when the first tackle was made .... "Ah shit, they're on tonight !"

Saying that the Bunnies were "on" is a cop out. Why wouldn't the Roosters be "on" for such a big game? Especially when we've been towelled the previous three matches.

[milanja]

Saying that the Bunnies were "on" is a cop out. Why wouldn't the Roosters be "on" for such a big game? Especially when we've been towelled the previous three matches.

that solely comes down to the attitude of the coach and captain. They effed it up massively

[zac]

Whilst not blaming the ref for the loss yesterday I was very confused by one piece of play but, it may be that I have the rules wrong in my head. Joey M takes a quick tap, the ball is fumbled and Souths are awarded a try. At the time Joey takes the tap several (hopefully neutered) bunnies and inside the 10 and they are the one involved in scoring the try. Should it not have been played the advantage but when there was none, a penalty awarded to the Roosters? Bunker doesn't check it and no Captains challenge?

i wondered about that. i think johnson eventually put his foot on the 30m line so maybe that made it alright.

the other one was when the ref called a joey knock on when he was just short of their line and the replay showed that he'd been tackled in mid-air. not sure why that wasn't ten mins in the bin for the defender. seems like an obvious foul to stop a try being scored.

[mightyrooster]

I know it hurts more because it was the vermin beating us (AGAIN), but it's Round 3 and we still have a long way to go in terms of building combinations and getting players back to match fitness and timing after some very serious injuries last year. To say we were not on, or not up for the game is silly. Teddy was trying very hard but his execution was all wrong and his executive planning was also all wrong. That doesn't mean he wasn't trying or wasn't up for the game. Or the rest of the players. They played us through the forwards and that is where they beat us. The glut of possesion which always seems to go against us also didn't help. We, on one of the rare occasions, got all the poosession in the first half last week and look what happened there.

We will get better. We finished 5th last year with a second tier patched up team remember.

[DP1990]

Saying that the Bunnies were "on" is a cop out. Why wouldn't the Roosters be "on" for such a big game? Especially when we've been towelled the previous three matches.

Because the Roosters didn't turn up to play with the same in your face aggression and intent as Souffs did ? Every fan of the game knows that the Roosters vs Souffs is a game which can showcase fireworks, drama and entertainment where both teams turn up the dial that little bit extra. Souffs did that last night when the ref blew his whistle for kick-off. Roosters did not.

It's not a "cop out" it's a fact, a fact which has bit us on the ass for the past four games against them. The Roosters were basically at full-strength, after last week's decent win against Manly, played a Souffs side that started the season 0-2, without Reynolds, Gagai, Su'a and Bennett and we got hammered ! We were very lucky that some of those tries got called "NO TRY" because the score last night could have got very bad/ugly !


Embarrassing is an understatement !

[mightyrooster]

Because the Roosters didn't turn up to play with the same in your face aggression and intent as Souffs did ? Every fan of the game knows that the Roosters vs Souffs is a game which can showcase fireworks, drama and entertainment where both teams turn up the dial that little bit extra. Souffs did that last night when the ref blew his whistle for kick-off. Roosters did not.

It's not a "cop out" it's a fact, a fact which has bit us on the ass for the past four games against them. The Roosters were basically at full-strength, after last week's decent win against Manly, played a Souffs side that started the season 0-2, without Reynolds, Gagai, Su'a and Bennett and we got hammered ! We were very lucky that some of those tries did got called "NO TRY" because the score last night could have got very bad.


Embarrassing is an understatement !

They were clearly no tries. So nothing to do with luck.
It was suggested all week that we were not going to play with emotion as the last time we did that against them we ended up with players in the bin. Obviously doing the opposite didn't help much either. The vermin had better go forward and were able to consistently trap us down in our own quarter. They managed to stop Toops etc go forward on the first 3 tackles which is usually what we do to get our momentum going.

[Bondicigar]

After a year of adversity last year I think the roosters are guilty of thinking things would just happen this year with everyone available and have forgotten to roll the sleeves up .
Hopefully last night was enough to wake them from there slumber

[Mickie Lane]

Saying that the Bunnies were "on" is a cop out. Why wouldn't the Roosters be "on" for such a big game? Especially when we've been towelled the previous three matches.

Because the game means more to Souths & when I saw the first tackle it just came to my mind that it looks like Souths are on tonight plus they were 0 from 2 & had more to play for I think.
I dont say that Souths have more spirit then the Roosters but the hate towards the Roosters is more intense from them towards us than the other way around.
Blokes like Cordner, Friend, Aubbo, JWH (a little younger) the Morris brothers & Latrell would make sure the Roosters were on but now they have gone except JWH they seem not to be able to match Souths enthusiasm & aggression.