I hope the Cows beat thr Groncos this aftetnoon and it would be wonderful if the officials screw them over to boot. That'd be karma.

Well I think I'm totally wrong and it's the Cows getting the raw end of the stick from the refs.

I agree mostly because I’m tired of Averillo not showing any heart. Bloke just drops his head early at the slightest setback and doesn’t pick it up. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong but I’ve doubted NRL’s for him for some time.

Looks good running from the front, put an obstacle in front of him and he looks for mummy.

I think he’ll end up a superstar in Super League.

Averillo is still young, but I am wondering if centre, wing or fullback might suit him better.

Wakeham has apparently improved his attitude this season.

I am 50/50  on the change but happy for Baz to make the call.

The only other player worth trying in the halves is Duffty or Flanno if he comes good.

IMO any young player can improve, sometimes being dropped and s spell in reserve grade is best for their development.

Baz seems to be going better with team selection and coaching this season.

Whatever happens, you can't judge just off this game. It's bloody raining again and it's just abit unlucky we haven't really played games in dry conditions. Trial and 2 nrl games in driving rain.

Good start though!

Schoup can’t tackle it even get in position to make one.

And that’s the ball game. Barrett should do the right thing and stand down. Not backing your players is fucking disgraceful. 

Definitely an impovement on last season.

Attack and defence need a bit more work.

Still might jag a win here, need a good start to the 2nd half.

Wakeham going off HIA bad luck.

BBO too young to be playing in the halves.

I don't think Manly are that good, so we are still a chance.

Looking Llike bottom hslf of the table unless we improve.

Still teams have started poorly with 5 loses and turned it around.

All the ball. Much better team. We still look like rubbish. Hasler would have this team in the top four. I think almost any coach could have won the first three. 

Didn’t we sign Baz to improve our attack? 

Fans just need to stay positive, we were total rubbish for the last few seasons with Hasler coaching, some of the worst footy ever.

I do think BBO should be dropped with Averillo or Wakeham on the bench.

Schoupp much better defending in the centres, Tommy Turbo was the threat, Schoupp nailed him a few times.

A few marginal calls went against us in the 2nd half..

I am not convinced Baz knows how to coach a good defensive structure, but a lot is up to the players.
Players should be working together and communicating.

So far we haven't been flogged, best hope for more wins is slightly better combination in attack.

For a team that had fvck l ball in the second half and fvck all 50/50 calls go our way, we did well. We were a bit sloppy but we will get better.

We signed him for plenty more than that... D, A, recruitment, culture...
What the hell did U expect this year???...

Our A is not far off, with plenty of bombed opportunity...  The sides we have played have defended well... These guys have had all of 3 games together...

Our D has been close to beat in the comp... And tonight against GF contenders (though not at their best) held up... Again...

We've signed several guns with a couple more to follow knowing who our coach is...

He axed a couple of non performing players ..

I know you and the Mock despite disagreeing on virtually everything would've made a superior coach... But I reckon, as someone that didmt want TBaz you might be inclined to extend a grace period to round 8 or 9...

How many trys have we conceded???...

33 points conceded. The least of all teams by a long shot. That's an encouraging statistic lads.

Conversely we've scored the least points so far, only Manly have scored 3 more than us. 

The only difference between a win and a loss tonight was two missed conversions by Burton. Our defence was by far a pass mark or better.

The defence is much better than last season 

Most of my concern stems from the way we defended last season.

Micko was calling out Schoupp, but we went much better with him defending in the centres in the 2nd half.

In attack and defence we just need more games playing together.

I don't have any doubts about Baz coaching the attack, that is his strong suit.
.

A bat on to the Fox also called forward in a tight call.

Lots to work on, but I'm happy with the effort and the squad.

Actually I don't know why Schoupp got all the blame, we just got caught out jaming in a few times.

Burne slipped which was costly.

If we are going to compress the defence we need more linespeed.

I do agree but some of the attack looks good, often we are not nailing the final pass.

Line speed and refereeing go hand in hand. Quite often line speed is a team going early and getting away with it.

I always said I’m happy for him to remain coach for his contract. But I think he has proven to be very poor at coaching. Changing the team after two rounds is very poor. 

Yes. I was harsh on him. He was outstanding defensively in the second half. My problem is more the way we defend in tight. Cows, Broncos and Manly have all beaten us down the right side from more than forty out and scored. 

What side does TPJ defend on?

The value of a good mobile defensive 2nd rower is underestimated.

Ii was also Wakes first game, the tries might have been conceeded when BBO was filling in for Wakes.

Schoupp / Burns looks to me like a defensive combination that might work, also an attacking combination that might work.

I aldo wonder why Duffty is rarely in position to make a covering tackle.

I am not a fan of the fullback packing into the scrum at lock. Sure that needs to be a mobile player, but I would drop the fullback back, unless the scrum is close to the line.

Actually I think Hethro defends on that side, but he was off injured.

The point is that that edge was disrupted and players were not used to playing together. 

I thought Baz did well with tactics today.
It was clear we were playing to a gameplan to nullify Saab and Turbo (which we had called blueprint from first 2 rounds). And it worked.

The problem was the fact that I raised this whole last week which was
#1 we dont fekking score enough points
#2 we have defensive structural problems inboard of right wing which are NOT Okunbors sole fault.

I couldn't have spelt it any fekking clearer.

And yes.... I pride myself as the coaching Oracle.
Because I was so fekking right.

(Go back and read my posts)

The positive in it is that we can easily overturn our negative For and Against.

The negative is that we don't score enough points to win games

Dufty had no chance on the first try.
Once Garrick got passed Burns, Dufty had Garrick and at least 2 Manly players to cover. He went for the pass but it was a hail mary play.

On the second try, it was disappointing we didn't just slide. Dufty makes a last ditch effort to hit the ball away from Garricks hand and nearly succeeds. But the issue was inboard when we didn't slide wirh 30seconds to go.

As for the scrum, the idea is to break away and get under the posts. It was pioneered by Billy Slater who was very vocal and the "voice" of Melbourne storms structure. His role off the ball is often unrecognised by some.

Dufty hasn't got the same voice. 

It's why I'm very open to have someone like Gutherson. He is not only an elite fullback. He is a good captain and we could have done with someone like him in the final 5mins today.