Defence

[QLDSeaeagle]

We’re not winning the tackle which means the ball runner gets up quickly and the tacklers aren’t back at marker.

Would of helped if the Ref had called "held" before yelling "get off", which he did to Manly tacklers throughout the game, There were set restarts for infringements where "Held" was never called.

 

[Rafferty]

Would of helped if the Ref had called "held" before yelling "get off", which he did to Manly tacklers throughout the game, There were set restarts for infringements where "Held" was never called.

Solid point

 

[47MVEagle]

I thought we were scrappy & unsettled in the first half, trying to score off every play & making the inevitable mistakes that come with rushing the ball.

From our mistakes, Cronulla started laying the platform we should have concentrated on from kick off, but we kept trying to produce flashy plays instead of using our forwards to win the middle first, so we could go wide once we'd asserted ourselves.

I thought we were much more settled & structured in the second half, up until Des rested Turbo, Jake & Croker - we lost our defence in the middle with Jake & Croker off, & our positioning & cover defence with Turbo off.

 

[Rosko]

This won't change in 5 days, and we will get a big wake up call on Saturday.
Hope we can respond, but we may take a belting first.

 

[Rosko]

Defence has been a bit wobbly for sure. But on Saturday night we will see what we really got.
It's too bad keppies not there as I don't know who else could replace Walker on the bench if we want another forward. Apart from De Luis I forgot

Aloiai will be back.

 

[maxta]

Have been worried about the middle defence prior to this game - nothing has changed....agree the point of defence across the board, but some of this Sharks game is no major concern imo.
That last 20 minutes was just a write off as the game was already dead and their heads were in the dressing shed and already thinking about next weeks game vs Storm.
Also without Tom at the back, as important as he is in attack and some freakish defensive tackles, he has learned off the Snake about the importance of organisation from the back which the effect of this, is very underrated along with Jake on the sideline loosening up the middle 3rd.
The thread is 100% justified and will soon cop the Ultimate Test....
The main defensive concern which will be the true test, is the ability of winning that play the ball area and managing the tempo which Storm control in 99% of games smack - bang through the middles.....this is what will decide fate in this next game.

 

[Remy]

So annoying because we started off the game with strong defence. No lazy markers, great line speed, they didn't come in our side of the half for like 20 mins and that was on the back of a six again. I feel like with the extravagant type of football we play in attack to cut open teams with ease, we just let complacency creep in on the other side of the field and it leads to soft tries like we've been conceding in the last few weeks.

 

[Briza]

i don't like it and i don't like the way the game is played these day's, i'm most happy seeing a game won or lost 12-8 or 8-6 built purely on Defence.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Like almost every other team in the Brave New NRL, we don't cope very well with fast guys scooting out of dummy half or running at our edges. Sustained periods of attack, through good luck or good play, will wear us down - as they wear down any team.

Winning these days is based on scoring a sh*t-ton of points in a hurry, which is something we've been very good at. It's all about holding onto the ball and scoring back-to-back. The more points you're scoring, the less you have to defend. But there will come a time when winning will hinge on making a defensive stand. Be interesting to see if we're ready for it when it happens.

 

[cc eagle]

i don't like it and i don't like the way the game is played these day's, i'm most happy seeing a game won or lost 12-8 or 8-6 built purely on Defence.

So you don't want to see tom cutting up defences and scoring incredible trys ?

 

[The Who]

Well, if we don't put up a creditable showing with the team we have selected then we won't be a serious premiership threat. The only improvement to the 17 would be Keppie for Walker, which will hopefully happen in the last two rounds.
I think this match will be a hard slog. Melbourne plays for the full 80 minutes, unlike us. But I have a felling that we will shake up the comp on the weekend and show we can be as tough as we are flashy. As good as Melbourne are they don't have a ball-playing forward like The Shoe. If he has an 'on' day, and we don't muck around too much with benchies, we could win.
I'm reasonably confident.

 

[tookey]

Problem solved

Des told Tommy today that he now has to make 60 tackles a game as well as score 3 tries and set up 3 more

 

[Fonzarelli]

This won't change in 5 days, and we will get a big wake up call on Saturday.
Hope we can respond, but we may take a belting first.

Well you learn more in defeat. We lost twice to them in 08, the run win or lose will be so good for the boys to test themselves against the best.

 

[pjayz]

Ok, how long did it take you to google an appropriate GIF?

 

[Pittwater Legend]

Our defence is a concern at times but I just want to hit the finals in good form and have all the key players in reasonably good shape physically.

While it seems like a lot of points are being scored at the moment, keep in mind that the 2001 season contained 5 top 8 teams that conceded over 20 ppg including the eventual premiers Newcastle (24.58), and 2 other teams that conceded literally just under 20 ppg. Parra conceded only 15.62 ppg but pulled off an epic choke in the grand final.

With the side we have been trotting out the past few weeks, I’d fancy our chances of taking out the comp.

 

[manlyfan76]

On topic ... but random thoughts.

We may be able to get away with a light weight bench and expansive glory road footy against the 7th -16th placed teams ... but not against the top teams ..

We can not afford both Lawton and Walker on the bench ... we need middle grunt.

He is young and getting better but Schuster gets lazy in defense late in games ... often tuning his back ... yesterday he was caught in no man's land near marker for their 1st try of the second half .. and then was slow to move off the line for their second ... just a few things he will work on .

Yes a 20 yo who has played less than half a seasons worth of games is going to have things to work on.

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

Our defense has me somewhat bemused. At times, it is paper thin... and at times we show the best goal line defense in the NRL

 

[Eagles4Life]

Our defense has me somewhat bemused. At times, it is paper thin... and at times we show the best goal line defense in the NRL

Makes you wonder doesn't it ........

 

[XV-1]

Totally agree that D is our biggest issue, and it will be against the top teams Melb, Riff, Souths and Roosters.

All the more reason why Des will probably keep picking Parker and will never pick Suli.

That said, Melb will definitely attack Foran and Parker with speed, much like the Cronulla #1 did last night. Both these players are not fast laterally like DCE and Harper are.

 

[StuBoot]

On topic ... but random thoughts.

We may be able to get away with a light weight bench and expansive glory road footy against the 7th -16th placed teams ... but not against the top teams ..

We can not afford both Lawton and Walker on the bench ... we need middle grunt.

Interesting that the Storm have a lightweight bench too this week - both Grant and Smear.