Round 26, 2012 NRL: Cronulla Sutherland Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys @ Toyota Stadium, 2nd September 2012 @ 3.00pm

Did anyone else get pissed of with Channel 9 towards the end of our game how they kept saying "The Sharks are still a chance, unlikely, but still a chance". They kept repeating it! Damn, kept getting my hopes up, even though we never ever looked like running down that lead.

DeathMoth said:

i was a bit hasty with my raging earlier.

i was forgetting about a key piece of the puzzle to be returning... Wade. i reckon he's been missed in a huuuuge way. hopefully his return provides some rage and some ****ing balls.

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its no surprise our form has slumped since wade has been out

Stapoop is really hurting us with his poor hands.

Cowboys were just too good. JT leads them around the park so well. They hardly made an error and punished every error from us with a try. If they can hold onto the ball and stay in games to the end, they'll take some beating.

If we have some coin after hopefully tying Carney up with a new deal, Id be throwing the cash at JT...would be TE perfect signing.

Anyway, dissapointment aside, we're in the 8 and to tell you the truth I prefer playing down there. Apart from being really tough to get to (esp late Sunday game), we play better when not favourites and surely Canberra are due one of their dire performances. If we don't concede early points, control the ball, our style can really trouble them.

Fingers crossed, let's go Sharkies.

Oh and thanks to the wifey and kids for taking me out to the game today.

I thought our attack was on today. Some great attacking tries were scored (Best, Gal, Fifita). But the defence was horrendous, some soft tries (Taumalphabet? Segeyaro). Their heads were obviously looking ahead to week 1 of the finals.

Also, put Thurston up against Carney and it really shows the difference between a good player and a great player. Hopefully Carney has a real dig next week and carves up his former club.

And lastly, I couldn't really care less if Pom gets suspended, how stupid is he. Leutele has been strong in the last month anyway.

The lack of ability in our backline isn't the problem. We had that same backline or players of the some quality in those positions when we were on top of the table in the first half of the season. They weren't playing in career best form either so it's not like a form slump of the backs is the reason of our sub-standard second half of the season.

The fundamentals are just gone. The little and simple things that make a good football team great. Execution, attitude, line speed, kick chase, handling, discipline and most importantly belief.

We made more line breaks today and half the amount of miss tackles as the Cowboys did today. We just couldn't execute, didn't handle the ball well, our discipline was bad and we didn't believe.

The Melbourne loss showed out here today. We had no lack of motivation out there, bumper crowd, home semi on the line and possibly Best's last home game. We played like a team that had no confidence.

I'm kinda bummed, but I guess it is what it is. Stapo is a real concern, apart from that one intercept against the broncos, I can't think of anything positive he's done. I really hope Todd plays with more confidence than ever before. I won't be pissed off about our season if we make it past next week. I am however, going to have to write myself off next Sunday, because the nerves are going to be shocking!

confidence, drive and belief, those three words are worth as much as anything that is in the training manual in this comp, no secret as to why Broncos are playing like ****

Maybe next week with the pressure off we can play better.

Need Wade and Gards back next week. I don't care what shape they are in. We need them back.

Robson and Carney are far to predictable and it is killing us....also what do the other teams have in common that we don't ???? a good fullback.
B.Stewart (manly) G.Inglis (Souths) B.Slater (Melb) B.Barba (dogs) M.Bowen (cowboys) Dugan ( Raiders) then there's M.Wright - offers nothing in attack at all and is so slow...to win a comp you need a good 1,6,7 and 9 and we just dont have what it takes.

I am just as dissapointed as the next person BUT I think we should really be looking forward to this weeks game, its going to be a massive test for the boys but I really believe we can switch it on just like we did in Melbourne last week.

Wade graham returning hopefully poms will escape with out suspension and possibly Garnder back?

I am very excited for this game.

Even if 2012 isnt our year have a look at 2013, Luke Lewis, Michael Gordan, Jonathan Wright, Gallen, Carney, Toops, Graham, Gards, De Gois .... The list goes on.
With some finals experience this year and Flano having another notch to his belt - I am putting $1000 on them to win the premiership no matter what they are paying!

Lets get excited sharkies fans, It could be our last game of the season..... I just hope we can play like a football team next week

Sharkyle said:

I am just as dissapointed as the next person BUT I think we should really be looking forward to this weeks game, its going to be a massive test for the boys but I really believe we can switch it on just like we did in Melbourne last week.

Wade graham returning hopefully poms will escape with out suspension and possibly Garnder back?

I am very excited for this game.

Even if 2012 isnt our year have a look at 2013, Luke Lewis, Michael Gordan, Jonathan Wright, Gallen, Carney, Toops, Graham, Gards, De Gois .... The list goes on.
With some finals experience this year and Flano having another notch to his belt - I am putting $1000 on them to win the premiership no matter what they are paying!

Lets get excited sharkies fans, It could be our last game of the season..... I just hope we can play like a football team next week

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Your just happy because the game is in Canberra.

But I hear your points. I think we can do will next week if Gards can come back and Wade plays.

puma1355 said:

Robson and Carney are far to predictable and it is killing us....also what do the other teams have in common that we don't ???? a good fullback.
B.Stewart (manly) G.Inglis (Souths) B.Slater (Melb) B.Barba (dogs) M.Bowen (cowboys) Dugan ( Raiders) then there's M.Wright - offers nothing in attack at all and is so slow...to win a comp you need a good 1,6,7 and 9 and we just dont have what it takes.

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Yep and its what killed us out there today imo. I think even gordon would of been better out there and thats saying something as i hate gordon. Gards would be handy atm

puma1355 said:

Robson and Carney are far to predictable and it is killing us....also what do the other teams have in common that we don't ???? a good fullback.
B.Stewart (manly) G.Inglis (Souths) B.Slater (Melb) B.Barba (dogs) M.Bowen (cowboys) Dugan ( Raiders) then there's M.Wright - offers nothing in attack at all and is so slow...to win a comp you need a good 1,6,7 and 9 and we just dont have what it takes.

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yeah bro it's so painful to watch him pay at fullback in attack it's like we are crippled with him there.


edit: also sick of some people saying he is a certain pick for the 17 next year

Carney is lost half the time, he needs someone to train him in structured plays, maybe next year when we can afford a full coaching squad

Opeth said:

yeah bro it's so painful to watch him pay at fullback in attack it's like we are crippled with him there.


edit: also sick of some people saying he is a certain pick for the 17 next year

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I'll be extremely upset if he is

We don't need Gards back. I'd love for him to play but it'd be the wrong move.

The way we play teams has completely changed each half of the season. We were never a squad that beat a team by flair, flashy or brilliant plays. We were a ground and pound. Consistent and constant pressure. Kicking well and chasing well. We scored by growing through a team to creat the space to go around them. When we couldn't get around them we'd roll the ball into the in goal gain a repeat set and going through that same motion again. We'd compete and defend our goal line. Getting numbers in the tackle, reading the plays and stopping the offloads.

These are no longer there in out game. We no longer have the consistency of kicking well and chasing well. Too often are teams gobbling up kicks and making it back to the 30, 40 or even 50 meter line to start there sets. No longer is out goal line defence something to trust. Our outside men can no longer read the play, can't make the right decision on when to jam in and they can't restrict the offload. Our forwards are lazy when the play switches back in field, and it takes 3 or 4 men to bring down that inside man leaving us short out wide.

Our composure and execution inside the opposition 20 is no longer existent. Players are over-running plays, confusing which plays are which, forcing off loads and their handling is terrible. Fifth tackle options have been beyond poor. The intention is sometimes there for a repeat set but the execution is just terrible. Other than that the options are kicks that are too deep or too short.

It's pretty simple to fix basics when you have perfected them once already, just need the consistency and belief to do it.

Our back 3 are not that flash this year.

Lumpy said:

Your just happy because the game is in Canberra.

But I hear your points. I think we can do will next week if Gards can come back and Wade plays.

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Playing in canberra happens to be convenient but not what I was hoping, I had already arranged to stay in sydney next weekend for the home semi, playing here saves on travel time I guess.

Those players would definatly be a boost for the side.

But remember looking back at the last 3 games: All have been against top 4 sides.

Souths - We won and played well
Storm - In melbourne we dominated all the stats and only had a lapse in concentration for 3 minutes to lose
Cowboys - We matched try for try other then a 15 minute period where we let 3 soft tries in.

I think there is more positives in there then negatives wouldnt you agree?

Lumpy said:

Maybe next week with the pressure off we can play better.

Need Wade and Gards back next week. I don't care what shape they are in. We need them back.

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ummm you mean the elimination game? no pressure there.