OK. Have watched the replay now. What a great grinding win by the boys. Hopefully this will give the Reds some confidence for the rest of the season.
My thoughts (some maybe repeated from the previous posters but I will try not to).
Reds:
- Lane looks good. Cramping towards the end of the game and sucking in the big ones at times. Hopefully fitness will improve. Has done a lot for his stock value in that one game. Settled in well after the nerves wore off.
- Toua did well in defence. Was limping at the end of the game so I hope to god that it was just some cramp rather then another injury.
- Taps is going to have to be careful with his tackles. He has been lifting a few times this season and it will only be a matter of time before something goes wrong, or a JO takes exception. But wow - Those quads!!!! That is where the power is.
- Genia gets frustrated when crowded. I think that the Irish showed how to play him and teams have picked up on it.
- Hanson has made a claim for the #1 hooker spot.
- Slipper was absolutely empty by the end of the game.
- Higgers has been by far and away the best Reds player this year. Long may it continue. Loved the Robbo, Gill & Higgers backrow. They seemed to complement each other well.
- Shipperly has cemented his spot on the wing. Can even pack into a scrum at flanker if necessary.
- Horwill's nose wasn't bleeding at the end of the game.
- Chase the f*^&%$g kicks would you!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Higgers try #2 - I HATE THE CHIP KICK! Even when it is successful I still hate it. (I am starting to sound like Kernsy, but he is right it rarely comes off.) Well done Davies for the pass though.
- Reds tackling degraded in the second half.
Brums:
- Mogg has found his razor. Yay!!!!! Shows a wonderful turn of speed. He is going to be scary good at 15. His kicking is coming along nicely.... very Berniesque.
- White had a good game.
- Hooper and Gill played well. They both had brain farts as you can expect from young players. Gill just got a 12 min rest for his.
Ref:
- I was giving Walshy dig rap before the game to the blokes I was there with. Well, live it didn't look that good, but from the replay maybe he can be forgiven. Although it wasn't his best, it was not the worse ref preformance from the weekend. His handling of the breakdown wasn't good, but it was consistant so you can't complain. Called one forward that wasn't but missed one that wasn't so that evened out.
- Higgers try #1 - Live I initally thought yes. On replays I thought maybe not. I think the call could have gone either way. Instantenious. (I know it is not spelt right but I am to lazy to look it up OK.) Though call for the TMO. Robbo, Davies, Taps and Higgers all need raps for the try though.
- Palmer and Daley lucky not to be dealing with a White card. Well handled by Walsh. Handbags at 40 paces.
- Is it a ruck if there is no oposition pushing against you? I thought not. How then should this be handled in the laws? Not bitching, just asking.
Quote of the game:
Marto - "It's like a game of speed dating. Every week he [Will] has a different 5/8."