A noticeable difference in how long South's are are allowed to hang on in the ruck compared to Melb... Ref must think Melb are Penrith...

Or Souths are Bulldogs...

Lots of tries off kicks this week.

I don't mind watching the Dragqueens and Souths lose.

But watching the Roosters and Storm win isn't as good.

Topine is the player suing rhe club after being forced to wrestle as punishment for being late for training.

I hope that we settle, can't see him ever playing NRL again. 

The Souths strip looks like a Dogs strip, understandable reflex from the ref.

This is news to you?
Its been on TK since the wrestle...

All i can say is Sucked in Souths.

Oh and dont sack your coach. Its not his fault. 

I don't read TK.

I did guess in the end.

The cheap shot from Milne at the end sums up Souths. 

Apart from Murray and a few others, they have no mental discipline. 

Latrell., Cody, Wighton and Milne are the worst offenders 
.
Defence says a lot about a side, it said plenty about us last season. 

So far this season we are one of the better defensive sides.

The are plying like a side that wants the coach gone... Wayne Bennet return on the cards???...

I think that their problems run deeper than the coach.

The players need an attitude adjustment, old man Bennett could do it, but would he want to?

The ladder is just about right at present. 

A good win over the Tigers will see us in the 8 as Roosters are playing Broncos. 

Raiders are playing Sea Eagles and I expect the Raiders to lose.

Fogarty is a big loss for the Raiders we should be able to stay ahead of them.

Of the teams below us the Cows and Warriors are the biggest dangers.

After the Tigers we have Panthers on their home turf, a very tough game, we should stay ahead of the Raiders on for and against. So possibly staying in the 8.

Next match is Raiders in Brisbane, big for both sides. 

I am assuming Raiders and Cows probably lose this week.

Had Olakau'atu been a Bulldogs' player he would have been sent off....no questions...terrible looking tackle on Shawn Lane. Looking at Sutton's performance only confirms we were robbed against Souths.

Watching parra/manly game last night and neither team looked like a convincing premiership threat. Plus it's undeniable that Sutton must have an agenda against us. He's a different ref against the 16 other teams.

What I find unconvincing about many teams this season is that they don't seem mentally tough or fit enough.

Many leak a lot of points when momentum shifts against them and I have lost count of the number of frustrated brain explosions from players in losing positions.

Many teams seem to melt like butter in the hot sun.

Most of the current top 8 have a bit of grit, or too much class.

Manly and the Raiders stand out as sides that don't seem to have the grit.

Outside of the 8 we have it, the Warriors and Cows are 2 teams that might be able to find it.

The comp is so even I am not even ruling out sides currently placed 13th-17th. But the points differential for those sides shows how they currently struggle to handle momentum shifts.

So it is the kind of season  where solid defence,  fitness and mental discipline may take a side deep into the semis. All sides can attack and can look good when momentum is swinging their way. 

Mitchell Woods wins SG Ball best player. He is signed up until the end of 2027. Future superstar. 

You used to get dropped to reserve grade for walking back onside..

What did you think about the Tigers performance against the Broncos?

I think that they are much improved this season with a stronger squad and they are improving. 

I also saw some hunger and desire from them.

We might be favourites and we are coming off the bye. The next step in the evolution of our side is winning this kind of game.

If the Tigers turn up hungry and determined we need to out last them in the grind and nail our execution.

If we skip out to a lead we can't relax, we need to put in a shift for the full 8.

This is our chance to break into the 8.

Absolute danger game of we 'dont turn up to play'... 

We should be in the 8.

Now we need to stay there.

We should be favourites in 5 of our next... and I hope we can surprise the Premiers...

next 6*

It's official, we're in the top 8. Somebody pinch me, hard to believe its happening. Onwards and upwards from here.  

Yep I reckon this is the business part of the season for us.

If we are in the 8 at the start of SOO we should be well in the 8 after SOO and even finishing top 8 is a good result.

Our form against the Chooks and Storm is the most promising.

We don't want to screw up the opportunity with a dumb loss to the Tigers.

Panthers are very hard to beat, especially at home. I think 4 out of 6 will have us in good shape.  So we can afford to lose to the Panthers and one other team.

The comp is pretty even, we have short turn arounds against the Panthers and Dragons and the Knights get a considerable home ground advantage. 

If we somehow manage to beat the Panthers that would be great.

After the top 3 we are the next best ranked defensive side. Against the Tigers and Panthers our defence is the key to our chances.  Against the Tigers if we defend well I think that they will miss enough tackles to allow us to post a winning score. I don't fancy a high points shoot out against the Panthers with their main players pressing for origin selection.  

We need to go with the Panthers set for set, drag them into a grinding contest then ice our limited chances.

We need a win over the Tigers to set up momentum going into the Panthers game.
.

We are hardly the finished product. It would not surprise me if we drop the next two games. But if we play with the same desire we should beat the Tigers well. 

YES!!!...

I agree with the coach, our forwards are underrated. 

Ditto for the spine, which while not top 4, is good enough to finish top 8.

Our centres and wingers are top 4.

Top 4 teams, Sharks,  Storm, Panthers and Broncos  , plus Roosters are a class above us.

Take out that top 5, all of the other teams are fairly even. Our edge compared to many sides is defensive grit.

Drop our intensity or fumble execution, we beat ourselves.  Otherwise the opposition needs to put it all together.

We have already played Sharks,  Storm and Roosters we did well. Panthers and Broncos are an even bigger challenge, most of the other sides we can beat.

They took it right up to the Storm down there  and almost flogged the Roosters at their home turf. 

They are all winnable if we put our best foot forward, and have an even share of luck (so cancel out any Sutton reffed games)....

Who from the Dogs plays origin this year???
Foxx...
Critter...
Burto??? I'll be pissed if hes named 18th man...
Preston unlikely but wouldnt disspoint in that arena...
Curran same as above... the guy is just a beast....
Hutch has his nose in front of Cleary for mine at this stage... 

Even Critter is no certainty, they may play Teddy at fullback and Turbo in the centres.

I would play Turbo at fullback, perhaps play Teddy at 14.

Staggs and Best are other centre candidates.

Foxy close to a certain selection.

Hutch halfback, captain, bus driver, banker, coach, ballroom dancing instructor and social organiser.

....

( Hutch buys the beers - the job description throws QLD off the track)