ok, I have calmed down on this so my take on the game:
don't want t harp on, but it is all on Flanagan. from his ordinary team selection, to his rank game plan, it falls on him.
how he thinks that placing an out of form backrower into a position that requires more from you than to be an edge player is beyond me. I saw a something that when wade has had the 6 on his back, we are 0/13, but somehow flanno went back to it.
if he really consulted with the senior players and the best solution was to put wade at 6, then some of them need to have a hard look at themselves.
the call for the 2 points at the start of the game was the wrong call. the first time we get into attacking position and he doesn't back us, what does that say about HIS team, HIS plays, HIS structure, HIS game plan, and HIS attack. its failing. if 6 minutes into the game you think that taking the 2 is the right decision, then you have the wrong game plan. there is no need to grind out at win against the titans who are there to be beaten.
in the press conference, he said some of the decisions we made cost us. no shane, all of the decisions you made cost us.
- wade isn't a 6
- this isn't union, you get no more points for a penalty goal
- up by 2 and taking the 2 is wrong.
if the trainer made the call, he should be sacked. if gallen didn't over ride him, he should be stripped of captaincy. ennis threw the ball away in disgust when the call came out, that's how a captain should react. I wish ennis would tap and go and worry about the consequences after the game.
if we tapped and went and nothing game of it, and they go the length of the field and score a converted try, we still lose, so what is the value ion taking the 2? for and against? we are now -32, those 2 points wont do **** in the gran scheme of things.
bringing bird on early for wade when he was concussed looked to be the right call, and when wade came back on, beale should have stayed at 5/8 to keep bird out wide. at one stage our right wedge was val, bird, lewis and beale and it was dominating in defence and making meters in attack.
this loss is all on the coach. I haven't been on the #FlannOUT brigade yet, but I am starting to come around to it. I would not object to him moving into a recruitment role and us finding a new coach, because he is out dated in his style, thinking, philosophy and general coaching.
a lot of people will blame wade for the pass, and whilst it was a terrible play that didn't need to happen, someone who is a regular half should have been in his spot in the first place. this falls on flanno again.
the loss is on him, just like the other 3 losses are on him.
rant over