NRL 2025
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pretty average game for all the hype this year.
NSW were really fucking good in the first half, their forwards rolled the fuck over us from teh first set, their halves kicked us to death, and their kick chase and linespeed was far superior. Qld for whatever reason left all teh carrying to their backs and Carrigan.
And then the NSW backs were a class above. Crichton is a fucking beast, big, fast, skillful, and defensively really strong. When To'o was in the bin he defended that edge by himself.
If Cleary wasn't a rep level choker they would have been a mile in front at half time.The 2nd half was just shit. Qld dragged NSW down to their level and both teams pretty much sucked. Even the tries scored were scrappy as hell.
Alarm bells in camp Qld. The forwards got fucking smashed, and i am not sure there is anyone out there to come in to change it. Cotter was anonumous on an edge. Tried hard but couldn't make an impact. Tino didn't do enough. Fotuaika did nothing. Carrigan ran ok, and Nanai had his best ever Origin, but other than a couple of solid Nanai shots, they were smashed.
The spine is a huge worry. Grant had a stinker. DCE tried but faded away and created fuck all. Munster the same. Ponga offered nothing. And they weren't connected at all.
In the backs the newbie looked right at home, Coates played ok. Val Holmes fucking sucked and brought his Dragons form, while Hammer created one opportunity all night, and it was wasted because Holmes was asleep.
No impact from the bench except for Deardon who absolutely has to start. Collins is cooked.If Billy pulls this "Qld Spirit" bullshit and rolls out an unchanged team then the series is over before we get to Sydney. And make no mistake, he's under real pressure. Slater is a Suailii high shot from 4 straight losses and staring down the barrel of a 2nd straight clean sweep. Last year the couldn't score a try unless NSW were down to 12 (they didn't score a try in the decider) and it was the same last night. The attack is toothless and never looked like troubling the NSW linespeed last night. And the defence is pretty average. When the talent pool is this shallow, you need to coach better.
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Tbh - Qld should have, but failed to have picked Horse and given their lack of middles could have even brought out of origin retirement an aging Papalli, would have also done me a favour by weakening the raiders at the same time.
Papalli probably wouldnt play more than 30 mins but impact in middle would have been good. Horsburgh has probably been the form fit Qld prop this year anyway outside of Pat.Hammer should have been fullback, Ponga as much of an attacking weapon as he is for Newcastle right now. Mentally not there.
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Slater needs to use his bench better too. What was the point of Fermor? He did this with Kaufusi too. Arrow would add more and you could get 35+ good minutes out of him. Dearden to 7? He's not a great kicker of the ball, but one thing he does do is keep busy. A selection that they should I think consider but they won't, and maybe fair enough, is Jye Grey as the 14 I feel. Someone who can bring a bit of speed around the tired middles and play as a proper utility, something that Dearden isn't.
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Warriors up 14-12 at the break.
3 tries to 2.I’ve said it all season, but Metcalf’s suspect goal kicking will cost us a game sooner or later. Can forgive misses from out wide, but not misses from only 5-10m wide of the posts.
Mitch Barnett off with what might be a serious knee injury. Fuck.
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Warriors up 14-12 at the break.
3 tries to 2.I’ve said it all season, but Metcalf’s suspect goal kicking will cost us a game sooner or later. Can forgive misses from out wide, but not misses from only 5-10m wide of the posts.
Mitch Barnett off with what might be a serious knee injury. Fuck.
Metcalf is like Carlos Spencer (kicking wise) in that he'll get some hard ones but miss the easy ones.
Souths were fucking dumb to kick short 2m from half time.
Halasima doing the business again.
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up the Wahs