Force v Reds

[WFDom]

If we're gonna change up the way we play to a ball in hand / less kicking / attacking style. Should we have an attack coach?

[SNOB]

Great win! Not pretty but a win!
Can't say the Reds were a big challenge BUT what the fark has happened to our scrum that last year was as good as anyone's?
Line out wasn't as good this week. Handling was better.think we are going wide to early at times.
Not looking forward to Friday's game but will be there as usual and hope for a miracle!

[Alfred]

Wot me wurry?

[palitu]

only three tins, and just finished watching.

Masiwera - great game! runs, kicks, tackles - why would he get hooked for morohan i wonder? looks like a great find!

Half back - alby was way too slow and prior really sped the game up when he came on. sorry alby, but time to warm the pine for a little!

junior was solid in his first hit out. a great couple of steals, didnt set the world on fire with attack, but neither did he put it out. another start next week.

millar, poor bloke against a massively experience prop, gotta start somewhere, and he got schooled. will learn from it i think.

back row was relatively quiet, macalman to start next week.

Cheese is a shadow of his former days, need to get it together or swap spots with tessman.

DHP - he is absolutely top notch - pushing for wallabies.

Lance - welcome home buddy!

the game was poorly executed and fairly hard to watch from both sides. was nice to be on the winning side though. set piece was tough to call as every scrum penalty was millar. lineouts were poor, and we squandered numerous opportunities to attack on the 5m. The offloads were gone! i didnt mind seeing the offloads last week as at least they were practising! this week was very little. MAybe they should start with the little one out shifts to change the angle of attack and commit a defender. nice to see the winger involved in attack.

I hold little hope for next week, as i just finished watching the brums v tahs. next class up unfortunately despite that, i think we have recruited well this year, and can actually build something from it. 15- great, 10 - great, 11 - seems right up there, 9 - prior is nice and quick, back row will be a struggle next year without a great 7, but will have a handy 8, locks will be fine if we can keep the two we have and front row... hmmm bit worried as pekka can't last too much longer. hopefully the ones we blood this year are the ones to keep!

[SNOB]

Anyone have the word on when Tets will be back?

[shasta]

Anyone have the word on when Tets will be back?

Initially they said both he and Van Wyck out till round 6. Hopefully both are ahead of schedule. Be handy to have them back for round 4.

What's the goss Matt?

[Macattack]

So - we have people whining that we won? Is that what I'm reading?

Not here Jono, I'm good with it

We won and we beat a team with a $gazillion more funding from those wankers at the ARU. Yes, I'm definitely good with it 😀

[Scozzie]

I'm good with the win too. It's a much better feeling having a Win against our name than a loss. Sure, they made mistakes - a lot of spilled ball again (but the Reds did the same), scrums weren't great (but they were up against a good scrum) and lineouts need improvement. But, they were a lot better at the breakdown and in defence this week. There was also more control about the performance - not just slinging the ball wide, trying to force the new attacking game plan.

I'd see it as a performance to build on.

[sevenmile]

Hot goss for the force believers
Just leaving Perth on a FIFO holiday and can say after a night of grange and eta crisps that I can report the attendance of Ewan McKenzie at Perth airport
Just sayin

[boof1050]

Did anyone else notice that Mafi was struggling to get to some of the plays in time? Looked a bit like the fitness is a bit lacking compared to Coleman.(Next Force Wallaby). Very happy with the win particularly when you know that they can do it much easier than last night. Masiwera was superb. Jono Lance has to be the best signing for the Force in the last few years.

[Sheikh]

Stiles is part of the problem at the Reds. He needs the stage hook as well. They couldn't come up with game plan for $1000 at Kasey's. RG has some kid playing 10 who would struggle in 2nd grade when his coaching career is on the line. They could play Khunt at 10 Kurevi at 12 Fousea at 13 and their choice of Fijian flyers at 11 14 15. They would have a backline that would take teams apart. Frisby is a handy 9. Luckily RG wouldn't know if his arse was on fire and we stole 2 points today. The Reds won't win a game with their current 10

IIRC the Reds played Hunt at 10 for a game or two last year and he stunk the place up. Of course, the entire team stunk last year, but Hunt obviously didn't know what was expected of a 10. If he'd spent all off-season learning the position, he might be an option; but the Reds, in RG's wisdom, thought McIntyre (a decent NRC player, but on a dominant team) was the answer. Chucking Hunt into the 10 jersey now effectively guarantees losses for the next month, with no guarantee that he'll turn out to be good enough to play there anyway.

Mind you, as the next month for the Reds is: Rebels (A), Blues (H), Tahs (H), bye, I'm not sure the current Reds shambles would pick up as much as a bonus point anyway.

[Sheikh]

Great win! Not pretty but a win!
Can't say the Reds were a big challenge BUT what the fark has happened to our scrum that last year was as good as anyone's?
Line out wasn't as good this week. Handling was better.think we are going wide to early at times.
Not looking forward to Friday's game but will be there as usual and hope for a miracle!

Not sure last year it was as good as anyone's. Two years ago we had one of the best scrums in the comp, when the starting front row was Pek, Nathan and Kieran, with Tet and Heath coming off the bench. Tet stepped into Kieran's spot OK last year (the first few games were dodgy). Losing Tet has hit us hard as I'm not sure Guy Millar is ready to face international level props yet.

[shasta]

IIRC the Reds played Hunt at 10 for a game or two last year and he stunk.......no guarantee that he'll turn out to be good enough to play there anyway.

Granted it was about 5 years ago now, but he did play a lot of games at 10 and 12 for Biarritz. He played 10 in a winning Heineken Cup semi that year and did a great job. RG is out of other options anyway apparently.

[SNOB]

Not sure last year it was as good as anyone's. Two years ago we had one of the best scrums in the comp, when the starting front row was Pek, Nathan and Kieran, with Tet and Heath coming off the bench. Tet stepped into Kieran's spot OK last year (the first few games were dodgy). Losing Tet has hit us hard as I'm not sure Guy Millar is ready to face international level props yet.

Yes your correct Sheikh! I think I must have wiped last years performance from my mind!

[GIGS20]

So - we have people whining that we won? Is that what I'm reading?

I guess that post is a pretty good indication that you don't read my stuff anymore. I think they took a big step in the right direction by playing some intelligent Territory game and having a crack when they thought it was on. No they didn't make those decisions well enough, and they weren't always on the same page when they did, but that will come with experience