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The whole thing wasn't helped by playing through a virtual cyclone either. The Reds, many people's pick for back to back Champions, weren't that great in the conditions. A couple of lucky tries in the first half and a bloke who can kick. Link would have been spewing behind closed doors.
The rest of the world has us as the Wooden Spooners, on what I have seen so far that isn't going to be the case, there is some awesome Force action not far around the corner.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
I rated Stanley above Dellitt, and thought that on the back of that performance we'll se Sidey back in the starting 15 next week.
The question is if Shep is fit, what happens to one of Nalaga, Mafi and Cummins - maybe Cummins in the centres?
Any other year the "taking time to gell" line would have been used by most supporters after two fighting losses. Seems the years of frustration with so many narrow losses are taking some toll this year.
Iv'e got a positive feel for Friday. Things might just be about to click and we'll see the backs finally execute the game plan they've been given.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Yeah, pretty hard to fault a back 3 who didn't see the ball. Every time they got a touch, they did good things. Personally I'd leave Mafi at 15 as a reward for the good work he's done and look at Shep for a wing. Cullet will make a good outside centre and that's been a problem possie so far.
Start with the same backline we finished with last week, if Shep is fit, bring him off the bench if Seymour doesn't cope well with the start we can bring Sheehan on and shuffle around to our heart's content. It won't hurt to look for a solution.
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G'day folks, been AWOL for a while living up in KL but still managing to watch the games at my local. Unfortunately surrounded by Kiwis who take great delight in comparing the recent games in NZ and the Force performances. That's a hard argument to win without being outnumbered 10 to 1.
We're not going to win the title but we're not going to be wooden spooners either. I've got a Scotland jersey for that one
I took a lot of positives out of the Reds game and think we would have won had it been in Perth and maybe 2 or 3 more games into the season. We've had 2 away games and if we improve as much again we'll beat the 'canes. Still keeping the faith and would be a Superbru champion if I didn't vote with my heart!!
[Beer & crisps......the pre-season diet of choice
The Force appear to be playing like a team which spent most of its time in preseason concentrating on fitness & very little developing combinations etc
hopefully things will soon gel
A couple of positives out of the game were the performances of Battye and Cottrell.
Battye showed enough when he came on to deserve some regular game time. Taller and heavier than Sharpie at 21yo and still growing he is the future of the Force second row.
I would like to see a rotation roster among the locks - Sharpe Wykes Lynn & Battye where they will take it in turns to drop out of the 22 each week. Lets give Battye plenty of game time so he can slot in next year when Sharpie leaves.
Same with Cottrell - he is a big agressive unit and the type of player we should develop and keep as a Force man. I would like to see Cottrell included in a rotation roster with Hodgo Brown & McCalman for the 6,8,19. He definately looks like one for the future.
Some people are calling for Sidey to come in as 12 but I think he is better suited wider out. I think we should persevere with Stanley as 12, he will probably develop into a better link man with the outside backs and it would be good to give him and Seymour a chance to get a combo going at 10-12.
Has anyone heard anything on Will Tupou?
Change the game plan a bit - things that need changing quickly are-
*more attacking mindset - attck more to win and not defend more to prevent a loss
*pass the ball in front, run straighter from depth - far too much flat attacking - look what Bam and Chucky did running from depth straight
* get 1/2 back to clear way faster than present - we are too slow premeditating our sequences, all the Super Teams have great defensive tecnique and systems - lets see some evasion and speed a la Chuck's try
* we've got 3 big, strong, fast back three players - use them differently instead of last resort on the end of a slow passing chain - they should have free reign to attck from depth in 2 attacking lines
* offload more at pre/into/post contact - in other words get away from incessant slow ball rucks - hiher risk maybe but rich rewards - the EWF have the players but neither the mindset or the gameplan to execute their undoubted skills - Nalaga doesn't chnage from top try scorer/top player in France's S14 to a chump for no reason - get him playing differently in a different role and watch him drag this team forward