I don't know if anyone has noticed the team morale over the past month or so.
When we beat the dogs, the high fives, back slaps and general team feel was unreal. The boys looked happy and were playing as a unit. But seeing the boys even at the Tigpies game, I could sense a difference with the group. Maybe it is fatigue, but it is clearly different. There maybe something going on or something that has happened to interfere with the once highly noticeable close knit playing group.
I also think the way we were beaten by the officials & Riff did not help matters and we have looked flat and disjointed ever since.
As well as opposition teams dissecting our style of play, finding our weaknesses and working out how to beat us. Kapow has worked his butt of this year and has given so much, but he has been targeted a lot lately, we need another Kapow to share the load. Kelly was going o.k. early on, but he gets targeted also and is shut down before he can get a run on. Our line speed is slow and we are loosing the battle of the ruck. Let alone how we miss so many tackles and allow too many offloads.
We needed to improve or change our game plan somewhat especially after we were towelled up last week and we simply did not do anything different today. And of course we do not have great depth either, so once we conceded some injuries, we just could not fill the spots with first grade standard talent.
So what has happened is anyone's guess, but our team morale, ability to minimise offloads and missed tackles is a problem and has become increasingly noticeable over the past month. That and our lack of depth (we need forward punch and people that can tackle) and not changing or even slightly adjusting our game plan because if it no longer works, we should not keep doing it......!! (Maybe we should spend more time on defence in games, getting repeat sets and then the attack can flourish?)
And with out sugar coating it IMO we will get flogged again next week and maybe in each and every remaining game if we don't address some of the above points.
It is extremely disappointing to see the difference in our team in the last few weeks, from when I thought we could have a chance in getting to at least week two of the finals to now thinking we may possibly miss the top 8 altogether.
I agree with your post Eagleheart and I have a few reflections of my own.
It is very said to see us play the way we are right now.
This year I have been at live the
Canberra,Roosters,Sharks,Souths away games and most home games.
Those away games were some of the best away wins I have experienced in a long while. The boys in all those games were hungry and wanting to prove a point, they were as you said playing for each other and really happy.
Now we look nothing like that side. Something is a miss and if we don't fix it , it will be a long 5 weeks to go in the season for us.
One point on why I see this change is I think having our byes so early on in the season and so close together has really hurt us now. You look at the top 8 teams and apart from Penrith and us all other teams have had at least one bye in the later rounds after origin and they look fresh. Also our timing of our byes meant we did not get a chance to play sides weakened by origin.
We just look tired and I bet if we had a late season bye we would not be where we are now.
Like you finally , I really thought even if we dropped these last 2 games we would still make the 8 and get to week 2 of the finals and bow out, now things don't look so good for even making the 8 now.
It is a shame if we miss the finals now because we are better on our best day over a few sides currently there now. I think the pain will be for another week roosters by 20, then who knows.
Even if we don't make the 8 I want to see some pride back in the jersey over the coming weeks and not surrender so easily as we have done over the past 2 weeks.