We got ahead of ourselves Thurs night and tbh I was worried we would before the game started with all the talk about how we wanted to play expansive football and be the entertainers for the remainder of the year.

We just don't know at this stage how to mix it up, play solid through the middle straight football and expansive football in the same game, let alone same set. We made up our mind to play expansive before a ball was kicked so there we were going sideline to sideline just for the sake of it. ATM we just don't know how to mix it up, and ATM I don't blame them seeing as they been playing one style since 2013.

I'd say a good rule of thumb for the coming weeks would to play solid through the middle and/or one or two wide hitting runners, UNTIL we get the offload for 2nd phase, then play the fancy stuff.

it was cart before horse stuff on Thurs night. Looked good while it worked, but it was never gonna work enough.

Zef your posts on Trump are worth reading because its clear that you've taken pains to inform yourself about what the latest news is and and can digest it in terms of its context within the ongoing investigation. Its like an executive summary for those of us too lazy or too depressed to trawl through all the details ourselves.

True, for the rest of the year our newbies should be learning to play the basics ( first grade style ) and let the tricky stuff emerge once they are experienced enough to understand the dynamics of the game and disciplined enough to recover if an attacking move misfires.

Was looking for the Like button on this post but couldn't find it.  

But i like it anyway.

There is an element of truth in this post...

The coach and players are struggling to change things up but are finding it hard to find the right mix.

At least they know what they are doing wrong...

This is the weakest side we have had for a while, and will have for the next few years...

Des had far more talent to work with and the attack was even worse...

I would love to get Marty Taupau back at the club, if we are missing something in the forwards he is 100% of what we are missing, aggression, passion, hard running, offloads..... dominance in the middle of the park is critical....

I also noticed on the Parra tries that the 2 halves Lewis and JMK were running back hard scrambling trying to make covering tackles, on some of those plays our fullback and outside backs and perhaps even the back-rowers should also have been chasing... we need more pace full-stop that is why we are conceeding long range tries and not scoring many...

So there are lots of ways of improving the side and lots we realistically need to do ... hopefully we are close to rock bottom now and are starting the long climb back to the top... 

Easts are trying to sign Marty Taupau. I don't know how they fit them all.

Nora, skullduggery that's the answer you're looking for. They don't call Easts the "Rorters" for nothing. He is probably on the books for the minimum salary and TPA's will fix the rest of the deal. Yeah I know, a very flawed system our beloved salary cap is encased in and very poorly policed indeed. Things probably won't change in the near future either.

Yes its very interesting summation from Zef.
I particularly like the parts where Zef thinks its the final straw but doesnt realise (or appreciate) that the US president is a protected man, a powerful man and little stupid comments or disliked behaviour arent gonna knock him off his post.

He is not powerful as in he'll beat someone in a fist fight (maybe that too), he is powerful because he is the US president and such positions are protected. He'd have to commit a crime (like murder or something) or sell off america to be impeached.

Big thanks to Collingwood for smashing the Roos and also Gold Coast Suns for knocking off the Swans. Has opened the door for the Hawks to make the top 8 and also a sniff at making top 4!

ODF it is beyond a joke ... everyone knows the Roosters are paying their squad much more than other clubs .. if it is legal under the cap, then the cap is a joke...

IMO it is cheating pure and simple ... while ever there is a nominal SC in place ... it is different in a comp like the EPL where there is no cap.

Yes, but there are limits on that protection, it all depends on the mid-term elections and what Muller throws up....

Nixon was lucky that he was given a pardon by the next president .....

Bottom line not many people in either major political party in America actually like and respect Trump ... he wasn't the preferred choice  for many Republicans ..  

Marki, who exactly do you think is, or would be protecting Trump?

If you're talking about the office, yes there is a "convention" (never tested before a court) that a President can't be indicted while in office - and plenty argue on both sides wether that's true or not and we'll never know until someone tests it.

And that won't be Mueller, because he's on record as one of those who belive a President can't be indicted while in office (and those last three words are key here, so pay attention).

Nor will he be impeached, because that needs 3/4 of The Senate and even if The Dems won 75% of The Senate there's too many spineless Democrats (and they won't win 75% anyway, absolute best case scenario is a 51% and most likely less because as it's a half senate election and the Repubs start about 20 seats in front they won't catch them even in a "blue wave" result).

But there's such a thing as a sealed indictment, and that's what's coming. It'll just sit in a judges desk until about late Jan 2021 and then it'll be opened. And it'll be full of wonders.

That's if he doesn't resign first, which is a big probably probable chance of happening once the indictments start hitting the Dopey Twins and Ivanka and her walking dead husband. That's when Trump might think of higher priorities and get out to try and save them..... and no that's not his kids, he'll throw the twins under a bus and maybe even Ivanka too even though she's his favourite girlfriend - but the money.....

...... oh he'll be ready to deal.

Michael Cohen has recordings, such good news.

2 good wins today.   Wakeham killed it in 20s.  

Anyone that thinks Olive is a 1st grader needs specs.Taulau has gone backwards big time.  Woolford was very good.  

And Meaney played well, real well.

Good to hear on Woodford / Wakeham and Meaney.

I like what i have seen of Meaney so far...

I also think going with you guys in the spine as a long term investment and building combinations is the best approach fort where we are at... 

There is no quick fix that will deliver a premiership next year, even being optimistic, that looks like a 4-5 year project...

Even if a quality spine players was available for 2019/2020 we might not be able to afford them,,,,

If you have most of the team and a definite premiership window that is the time to good all out on recruiting proven talent to complete the side....

We have too many gaps and not enough cash ....buying a team isn't an option.... in fact there is only one club that regularly takes that route...

I was at BSG, I will watch a replay of the Knights game. Ando when asked by a young guy what he thought of Wakeham said yeah he goes alright  ... which coming from Ando is high praise, he is not one for flattery:)

Buying a team is never an option HD, even if you are in a super cashed up position. How I see it, teams that have tried to buy premierships (and we all know who they were over the years) have not had a really successful strike rate for their investment, whereas teams that have invested heavily in junior footy and nurtured talent have always generally had long stretches of good seasons.

Martin is re-signing. 

Good to hear.
I rate him. Overplays his hand at times but that's just a result of our current situation with us trying to find ourselves.

Damn you Demons.
You had Geelong by 30 points in last quarter and let them come back and beat you after the siren...

In fact it was 24 seconds from their oen goal line and you gave them 2 contested marks. Boohoo 

Canberra almost sounds a bit like karma and they were dudded...but go back to the match against the Bulldogs when that fat pr*ck Joey Leilua was pushed into touch only to have a bad ruling made that the tackle had been completed. Bad reffing won them a game and a couple of weeks later lost them the game....why am,I smiling...Karma is a bitch Ricky.and I love it.

Corey thompson and Damien Cook are two players that I admired watching them go through their paces in NSW Cup, happy to see them do well, albeit at other clubs. Not many do make it at that level. That is was fans need to keep in mind. Not easy

My best from yesterday : Harper, cleeland, asipeli, Woolford and burr and Nelson from the bench. Bergamin too

if all rumors are true from what i posted yesterday even  T K   are saying gold coast  reserve grade no 7  KANE ELGEY  has signed for the bulldogs verbally  & will ink the contract sometime this week  , if he can get that form from a few years back  youd have elgey & foran as your 2019 halfs
i watched the newcastle game yesterday  nick meany played ok but  not better than  mybe nowhere near his class but thats my opion 2 nrl games
he is still a apprentice  

Tony, mbye wasnt bad for us at fullback but it was when he was given halfback duties on last tackle that brought the Des plays back.
Im not dissapointed he is gone. Meaney is certainly an apprentice and will make mistakes, but its his desire to try things that im more interested in. As someone as already posted, we arent going to win the comp next year...probably wont even play finals, but we need to rid ourselves of Desball and institute a new playing style.
I already see that now with Lewis and JMK as halves. In my opinion, next year will be the year that Foran realises he is finished. He will go into medical retirement and we can then decide if Lewis,  Cogger are our halves for 2020 or we use Forans cap money to recruit a half.

Marki...the deathrider..set it to the tune of "Rawhide"

i cant see cogger in the 1st grade side marki, especially if elgey is coming ,on foran not only has he had a toe operation i saw vision of him on thursday night & from what i saw he had plaster on his arm seemed liked  so i recon he will be fully fit next year , nancy says reece martin will get a new contract its not what i hear ,thats why cory oates is begin chased hard but as a 2nd rower  , also this hymnal hunt from souths off contact & is a centre watched him  play last night in a beat souths team he is a good defensive centre similar to j mozz 

Mbye wasn’t crap just not value for money

Hymnal Hunt...I love it and so appropriate for a Sunday...BigT...where are all the "confirmations" of Brett Morris signing with the filthy Rorters...go the Sea Eagles today