Definatly made me feel better about Easts loss.For anyone have a shithouse weekend, Brothers sadly got smashed 50-20 by the Bank.
Tough day for the filth clean sweep in all grades to the bankers!For anyone have a shithouse weekend, Brothers sadly got smashed 50-20 by the Bank.
Clean sweep to the Magpies.Tiggers found wanting at Chipsy WoodI believe it may have been a clean sweep in all grades for Souths today too, although I don't know the result of the Colts match which started after the Premier grade.
The only thing you have got right is that the tigers had no answers.Brandon was shown up by an 18 year old in his 2nd premier grade game.Shame we had a slow start.Could of been interesting come semis.Definatly made me feel better about Easts loss.
I was left questioning Pat Richards gameplan after the loss. Yes Souths were good defensively, yes the ref let them kill the ball repeatedly, but it looks like Easts just had no answers. We all know Easts use the exhaust pattern and work the blindside with forward runners. But Souths were dominating defensively, so why was that pattern persisted with? There were moments when Skelton, Brandon and Seuteni all looked good running wider, but they were never used. I think Fuller needs to take responsibility for this, his crabbing is a killer to any momentum and he does not really play what's infront of him, instead just sticks to the same pattern, regardless of its success (or lack of).
Another note was this stupid repeated line-out move of Buttler or Riley running it straight up in the mid-field. Yes it works a couple of times, but it is really easy for the opposition to pick up, at one point Souths had marked 3 players on Buttler and belted him. I have no idea why they didn't just shift it behind him to someone like Wilder or Mansell, who barley saw the ball. Easts cannot win this competition if they are not able to recognize when their gameplan isn't working, because to be honest, there is not innovative about it.
The other issue is the lack of direct running in the backline. Without White today, all the runners were shifting laterally. Skelton on a few occasions had to sacrafice himself just to ensure they didnt end up running off the field. Hopefully White isn't badly injured, because he is a massive cog in that backline, no disrespect to Chucky Mullins, but White is the solidarity we need when things aren't going right.
Some positives though, not many to be honest. Andrew Ready had his best game in a while, his line out throwing was spot on compared to other weeks. Stollberg, Enever and Butler all proved to be handfuls in the line-out. Greg Riley ran well, made a couple of line-breaks in his return.
Brothers/Easts losing and Souths winning (along with GPS and University) sets this comp up for a few thrilling rounds before the finals.
Welcome aboard, I think Easts will miss the finals again. Tough final two games and they will have that sinking feeling all over again.I have been coming to these forums for a long time, and decided to actually sign up so i can express my opinion on various posts and just generally getting involved. And I think there needs to be more participants that are not linked to Easts, as sometimes I think i am reading an Easts forum. The amount of air time someone like UJ gets is embarrassing. But anyway I will finish the rant at this stage there. Great upset too on the weekend, Congratulations to Souths. They are hitting their straps later in the season. Sunnybank are really looking the favourites after that thumping win over Brothers and I believe GPS and Uni scored most likely easy victories over the coast teams. I heard Wests were ahead in the first half by a lot and then Norths came back with the help of the referee for continuous infringements that went unpenalised and pretty much snatched victory at the final stages. That is very interesting news clubland to hear Brandon being shown up by a young 18 year old, great news though, those so called big Easts second rowers may not have laid the platform for Brandon to play 15metres back from the advantage line as per usual. With only two games remaining my prediction for top four is Sunnybank, Brothers, Easts, Uni. Possinly GPS, hopefully Uni and Wests can upset that for them. Anyway I would say my first post has come with controversy, but I will handle it!
Blaming the referee is always poor form.
Great defense & very good counter rucking was what won that game for Souths... nothing to do with the ref!