Semi Final 2022 - Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs South Sydney Rabbitohs, Saturday 17 September 8:00pm @ SFS

Flanno

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What last night showed was the soft draw we had coming in masked how we were truely going, writing was on the wall really last few games, yes we kept the dogs to 0 but all they had was Burton bombs.
our ball control has been rubbish for months but we won ugly against lesser teams. We beat the cows with them resting most. Against tigers and knights we won ugly.
really the soft draw in didn’t give us a true look at how we were really going…
I think we were all hoping it wasn’t true because there was no evidence of it but last night we saw the evidence. Very disappointing, even against Cows we had it all in our court and blew it
 

bort

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I think we were all hoping it wasn’t true because there was no evidence of it but last night we saw the evidence. Very disappointing, even against Cows we had it all in our court and blew it
The ‘soft draw’ was an obstacle that could be overcome. Missing two more starters (in complimentary positions) than them maybe was also. Combine to two and it’s a steep hill.

Give us healthy Katoa and Talakai we can win that
 

Soon I Hope

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The ‘soft draw’ was an obstacle that could be overcome. Missing two more starters (in complimentary positions) than them maybe was also. Combine to two and it’s a steep hill.

Give us healthy Katoa and Talakai we can win that
Healthy Katia and talekai would not have stopped that try after 3 minutes, or saved finucane on the break, agree we would have been better, but not sure would have changed the result
 

kotwben

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Apart from Fifita & Nikora who have Cronulla got as ball playing forwards? Rudolph? Hamlin Uele? They are not in the same class.

As far as game breakers/strike players go for Cronulla, who have Cronulla got-1=Nicholas Hynes, the whole attack revolves around Nicholas Hynes.
Unless Cronulla can unearth someone else that can take attention and pressure away from Hynes, Cronulla can't win anything in finals matches because you need options.

Unfortunately, Cronulla lost a game that they should have won against NQld and it cost them severely-momentum blown, I couldn't have seen that happening if say Paul Gallen was capt. and Michael Ennis & Luke Lewis were there. Graham should have been up the whole team in the last few minutes, and Taumololo should have been stopped.
In the end the context of the loss in 93 minutes and allowing NQld to score with seconds left on the clock before the full 80 was just too much to take mentally for the players, and then the two soft tries before half time, the disallowed try when Holmes took a dive.

Don't know why Nicholas Hynes did not challenge the call when he regained the ball from the dropout called a 'knock-on' v Souths.
Will Kennedy was absolutely belted by Mitchell with a swinging arm well after the ball had left his hands-definite penalty. In the context of the game these are huge decisions. The Ramien 'no try' was also contentious to say the least, camera angles are not always definitive, it would have made the score 24-18 when Mulitalo scored thereafter, different ballgame.

Cronulla needs some forwards because Fifita is not easily replaced, I actually believe he should have started this game-he would have stopped Nicholls, plus his experience counts for everything. Finucane, McInnes, Hunt, all workhorses, but do not offer too much in attack. The speed at the play the ball is too slow.
Graham is winding down, I recall when he was regularly making good off-loads and making some kicks, not much anymore.
You can't win finals games with 1 strike player. Fitzgibbon was rightfully filthy to go out in straight sets, but it will be interesting to see what he can do to remedy the problem of only having Nicholas Hynes as Cronulla's lone strike player in 2023, I doubt he can.
I agree with a lot you've said here, Steve. Nicho needs to improve his long kicking game (the glimpses we've seen have been fantastic but all the mid-field bombs were giving me Chad PTSD) and the forwards need to support him more in the same way Penrith give Cleary all the time in the world.

As for a Gallen, Lewis, Graham-led team beating Nth Queensland and stopping Taumololo in an extra time finals game? Unfortunately, 2017 would beg to differ.
 

apezza

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So Chicken wings are only Grade 1 these days. Of coarse.
 
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Still too devastated and gutted to make any real comments this morning. The only thing I can possibly console myself with is that we probably wouldn’t have gone any further next week.

Sorry mate you had to endure that.
 
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How was the train trip?

That was probably the only thing that went our way that night. Got a lift to Sutherland and then took the train into Central. Got out intending to hit the Light Rail but some helpful transport staff suggested the bus would be quicker. Walked about 50 metres got on an almost empty bus and was at the stadium in about ten minutes. Short five minute walk to the Stadium. Found our seat easily, food and beer lines were ok and the price of food and drink was very reasonable.

And unfortunately then the game started…
 

Born&bred

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That was probably the only thing that went our way that night. Got a lift to Sutherland and then took the train into Central. Got out intending to hit the Light Rail but some helpful transport staff suggested the bus would be quicker. Walked about 50 metres got on an almost empty bus and was at the stadium in about ten minutes. Short five minute walk to the Stadium. Found our seat easily, food and beer lines were ok and the price of food and drink was very reasonable.

And unfortunately then the game started…
So it's your fault. You wasted all your luck on first world problems...
 

SF

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HaroldBishop

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CHOGM

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It's not the first time it's happened this year, we're terrible when teams jam in/ rush up. No plan b.
We need to develop an attack up the middle to draw defenders in and then create space out wide. So that needs dummy half running and forwards off loading.
 

andrew's_sharks

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We need to develop an attack up the middle to draw defenders in and then create space out wide. So that needs dummy half running and forwards off loading.
Exactly...a large part of a dummy half running is momentum and we had none against the Rabbits.

I think we had no momentum for two main reasons. Outside backs let us done with Kick return meters (Huge hole of Talaki) and Miller and Tracey got us no where.

Secondly impact of our big men. We need more grunt in the middle. Really missed royce but ultimately our forward pack is a touch on the small side.
 
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