What is it with the Eels and Broncos and absolute cardiac crushing games at Suncorp? Like last year, the two teams played out an insane nail biter as Parramatta overcame a 20-6 deficit to claim the overall honours 40-32. Yes, defence was very much optional tonight but the Eels showed some real character to fight back and stun the reigning premiers. Sixties and Forty20 schedule a late night reaction after a raucous watch party at Sterlos!
Pezet grubbers showed what we’ve missed compared to other teams. We’ve had no short & low height attacking kicking flare from our halves for a long time as a strength
The other big take away from that game is we’ve needed better ball running / line bending strength
Kelma showed that tonight and truly opened the game up he was among our best tonight, Iongi did it too hard individual running near try line & scoring off it
What’s positive is we honestly played like shit compared to what we are capable of at our best.. and Moses, Pezet, the Fox, and Jnr still warming into the season / look under done
The negatives? It looks like teams have done their homework and know how to shut down our wide shifting plays and are up in our faces causing errors
we only started to succeed once we started playing through them, our team looks better when we stop trying to go sideways, and play more direct
What a win!!
I agree – our short kicking game has been poor for years. I don’t rate browns kicking game and Moses doesn’t really have a good short kicking game either. Lorenzo seems to have one and Jonah got lucky on a few grubbers tonight.
Correct Muz. That was nowhere near our best. But it was a step in the right direction.
Ron, they definitely work on the short kicking game. Just need to keep working at it
I am at odds with your comments that Moses has no kicking game. However he has plenty of football in him and chooses to use other options. Not just a kick and hope grubber
My gripe with Moses short kicking (rubber) is he very often kicks it into people – he did at least that once tonight and it has happened for years. His cross field kicks are okay but he attacking bombs and cross field kicks should be better for someone of his kicking ability I think (of course, a kick is only as good as its chase and we have been poor in chasing kicks for a while but we are slowly getting better). That’s why I think as a 6 next to Moses you need to really hone your short kicking. Lorenzo seems to have that deft touch based on small sample from trials
Correct Muz. That was nowhere near our best. But it was a step in the right direction.
Feel the real difference maker tonight was the boys coming off the bench and changing the middle, especially with how different they are. The ball playing of walker, leg speed of doorey and size of Tuivaiti made a huge difference in the first half.
Does make me think though that something has to change with our starting 3 and I’m leaning towards de Belin getting dropped to cup. I was actually ok with his signing from a footy perspective but he hasn’t really done anything to impress me with his work rate during the trials or first 2 rounds.
Personally (I don’t think this’ll be how they line up) my pack and bench is:
8. Jack Williams
9. Ryley Smith
10. Junior Paulo
11. Kitione Kautoga
12. Kelma Tuilagi
13. J’maine Hopgood
14. Dylan Walker
15. Matt Doorey
16. Sam Tuivaiti
17. Charlie Guymer
18. Tallyn Da Silva
19. Joash Papalii
And you decide around half time if you inject Guymer or da Silva as your 4th sub.
If kelma could defend at 80% the level of his attack he’d be a top 3 second rower in the game.
A big call to be made this week with Hoppy returning
I wasn’t overly excited when we signed JDB and nothing I’ve seen has changed my mind. I think we should start with Guymer at lock and JDB can play NSW Cup and play his way back to into the team. Guymer offers more in speed and aggression and this is what we are LACKING ATM. Unfortunately JP has also had a slow start to the season but I expect him to improve week by week.
Do you think there is too much focus on JDB? I thought he was fairly solid tonight. That said, I’m not sure who makes way for Hoppy
I’m struggling to see why Charlie Guymer isn’t playing
Such a great effort to pull back that game I thought we were playing from a different playbook in the first 20. As soon as we turned the ruck around we dominated and we’re so hard to contain.
Right now I can’t see how de belin fits into this side moving forward I think his actually blocking a player that can actually make a difference in Moretti another fast mobile big guy.
I understand they are adamant about walker not playing 80 but there’s multiple players who can cover that role without debelin being there for 20 minutes.
We have to trust whatever call Ryles makes.
What is clear is that we get an even share of possession we can score on anybody. Even last week against the Storm when they were towelling us up we still threatened on occasion, we just could hold onto the ball.
Completions Brett. Completions
It’s really nice to look forward to reading The Grades.
Exactly Noel
The thrill of victory. What a difference a result like that makes to a weekend. I can now watch footy with a smile on dial, knowing we’ve banked 2 points.
And thanks for the late show, that was the icing on a great night.
Cheers Joseph. Straight after full time I said to John that we had to do the instant reaction podcast straight away. Easy for me to say. I live close to the club whereas John has a longer drive and had to set up the pod. Worked out to be a good move
Nowhere near their best but absolutely a step in the right direction.
Honestly, I could have worn a loss if their completion rate was higher – great to see they managed to not fumble and panic in the opposition’s 20 so often.
Great to take the win as well!
Hopefully we see the young squad continue to fire up nicely.
Not completely unconvinced that Moses isn’t injured or head’s somewhere else. Far from his best, but the season is a marathon, not a race.
Not sure how you get that take.
Moses’ long kicking game and game management in the 2nd half was immense. Was the difference in the end.
How many times did he land 50 metre kicks inside the 5 metres! No one does it better.
Obviously far from our best but its progress.
Observations:
JAC’s hand wasn’t right. I don’t think he could tackle and he protected it when running. But Ryles obviously determined that this was still better than anything Kelly could offer – and he was right.
Pezet is a work in progress. But you can see with how deep he runs into the line, that he is a talent.
I wish Simonson would get that skip step out of his game that he sometimes uses on hit ups. Takes away so much momentum.
As Iongi gets more match smart he will get even better. He was strong in general tonight.
Walker was outstanding. Keeps defences guessing.
Ryley was much better. Most of the team was.
Did we lose anything with Samrani playing over Penisini?
Would we lose anything with Guymer playing over JDB?
Kelma had a night out with the ball which was great, and all the commentators all talked about. They over look his defence, but I think we all still see it and it was on show early and still needs work if he is to grow. Same can be said for his partner on the other side.
All in all though, you have to like that they found away to turn things around with all the momentum, the six -again’s and the crowd.
I agree, Guymer will offer so much more than JDB does. Every player gets to an age where there are running on old legs and that is what JDB looks like right now.
Also agree with Bailey and the skip step, such a momentum stopper.
Dyl Walker will probably be the 14 for NSW this year. We need to upgrade him for a minimum 2 – 3 years now before the bulldogs or tigers come with a big offer.
We are missing out on some big signings so we at the very least need to lock up our best forward.
I also struggle to see why we don’t start with Walker.
Why wait till we are behind after 20 minutes to inject him when he can set up the game from the start.
I think you’ll find Walker doesn’t want to start unless necessary, he definitely doesn’t want to play 80 at this stage of his career. Do we prefer to start him and then lose something when he goes off or have him come off the bench when teams start to tire ? Both have pros and cons.
Poor 40s was embarrassed by his dad in the background as he still lives with mummy and dad.
Why didn’t u introduce him ?
JdB seems to contribute to the workload well while he is on the field. Makes his tackles, takes a few runs but he’ll never be a standout player in the way the game is now being played.
But he was brought to the club as an experienced old head to help guide the young guys coming up. He should be doing most of that at training, in the gym, in video sessions, but how much does he do during a game?
I’m curious about his talk during games. If he is coaching the young guys while out there then that maybe where Ryles see’s the value.
But if he isn’t, then I feel that we are just delaying the likes of Charlie and Luka. Let JdB coach them at training etc, but let them play NRL where Mitch, Junior, Jack W, Dylan W can all be in the ears helping them during a game.
Nothing against JdB, but he isn’t the same player that was selected for NSW Origin all those years ago. I believe the club has the option on extending him for next year. Unless it’s bargain basement stuff as a depth player, I personally dont think it would be a good move.
I read on Twitter last night that JDB and Junior were praised early wirh for taking the hard runs up the middle laying the platform later for our young forwards that’s the way I seen the game also your right we need to trust Ryles
Pezet defended poorly in the first half, and he wasn’t the only one.
There are still structural weaknesses in the backline defensively. Any one of those disallowed Broncos tries falls to the fool in the bunker and we would have lost.
A shocker of a forward pass missed in the play before the Broncos second try.
Iongi needs to position himself better for the kicks on the line, but he’s still learning.
Most positive things
They didn’t give up
The backs were better out wide defensively by a mile.
We have variety in playmaking that has been lacking
Tuilagi continues to be a beast in attack,, I wonder how long it will be before someone tackles him by the ponytail?
Forwards worked hard. It was good to see Junior taking the ball up from inside the 20 and not just the wingers. It commits the defence and sets up the next play better.
A much better team than this time last year.
I think this was one of our best matches in terms of competing. I feel at times in the past when under that pressure in the first half we would have failed and been down by 20 plus at halftime. The fact the boys hung in there and then lead at halftime was amazing, and I was fairly confident going into the sheds.
This game is a testament to us hanging in there and attacking….we scored some easy tries.
I think some people are being harsh on Jr and JDB as I felt the start of the game was v quick….anyway each to their own.
We need that mental attitude and stronger defence next week and we will get another one.
Glad someone gave The Ibis one point in their 3,2,1. I worry about his lack of pace and defence in the centres but he was solid against the Broncos.
Loved watching 40s old man enter the fray – the joy of live transmission! Perhaps a more regular guest appearance could be in order.
We didn’t play great but won against last year’s Premiers. I’ll take that any day of the week. It was so good hearing the silence in my Brisbane suburban street! Also seeing The Courier Mail working itself into a lather. Joy.