MrPosh wrote:
The game was lost in the forwards. Paps has been ineffective in probably only one or two games in the last three years and it's a shame yesterday was another. Coupled with Taps, Whitehead and Bateman all being quiet, it was always going to be a struggle.
Rightly or wrongly, the game plan is based on forward dominance and it's unfair to blame the backs when they fail to pick up the pieces. That being said, a better balance is needed.
I think Timoko and HSS have moved ahead of Valemi in people's minds because they haven't been in the team, getting their rookie errors out the way. Their time, and their mistakes, will come. The club desperately needs Scott to step up next year or to find a replacement for Cotric.
I’m a fan of yours Mr. Posh and I think you’ve made some spot on points in that post, I’m going to ignore them and focus on the above that I disagree on.
Storm won that game pulling apart the edges in the first 20 minutes. The forwards didn’t have a chance to get into the game. There’s quite a few posters playing what ifs on the injuries this season - but I don’t think any of our injured players change the outcome last night except MAYBE simonsson.
Whilst it’s easy to say young gun x would be better when they’re not on the field to make errors, I think you’re underplaying the arguments for playing Timoko or HSS. A number of posters are on record of questioning this decision at the time it was made when the players had similar experience. But the most important component of the argument is that even if Timoko or HSS had the errors of Valemei, the fact that they’re centres meant that Rapana and Cotric would not have been shifted from their positions which fundamentally weakened both edges for the Raiders.
I didn't mean to say the forwards lost it (reading it back, that's obviously what it says, bit it's not quite what I was getting at), just that the game plan was exclusively for the forwards to win it, which they weren't able to do. As much as anything, this probably shows the limitations of the coach - which I said in the first post has to be balanced with the huge positives of Sticky.
Also, for the record, from the little I've seen, Timoko looks the best prospect of the three youngsters, although I accept the prevailing view from those in the know that HSS is the most promising. I was just making the point that Valemi is in the spot light because he's playing.
I agree. I like CHN, he was good at his last club in the very poor side, surely he could do a few more minutes? Young has shown a lot of improvement this year. Just BTW, anyone else notice, although they are not that much alike, commentators frequently seems to get Young and Williams mixed up!
moto748 wrote: ↑October 17, 2020, 11:06 pm
I agree. I like CHN, he was good at his last club in the very poor side, surely he could do a few more minutes? Young has shown a lot of improvement this year. Just BTW, anyone else notice, although they are not that much alike, commentators frequently seems to get Young and Williams mixed up!
CHN will be a starting edge next season and play 80. It's just the fact he was coming back from being kicked entirely out of the game, with no club to train with, and given the wreck his life was in he was pretty down and just drinking and depressed for some of that time and even then when he tries to pick up and train on his own, covid hits with lockdowns (so gyms closed etc) too. He was just very unfit so was eased in. He was never going to displace Whitehead or Bateman from that basis so Ricky just worked him in as an impact bench player.
In general, CHN is basically an 80 minute edge player. Notice Ricky ran him for 75 minutes on the edge as soon as he had the opportunity due to rested players in that SHarks game. He'll take Batemans edge spot for 80 mins.
Campese was shown the door by Ricky. He was a well liked leader. The deterioration and lack of speed was evident from his knee reconstructions. Now it's time to do it to another captain.
RedRaider wrote: ↑October 17, 2020, 10:14 am
Just focusing on the right side for a moment. Next year we will be without an England International backrower and a SOO standard winger. At this point it would be rookie Timoko in the center for me with Rapa outside him. Backrow spot most likely CHN but he does not seem to be an 80 minute player so the right side will be shuffled in defence during matches. Hudson Young could be an 80 minute option on the right edge. He has the mobility and defensive game. I know he is being groomed as a middle but with Hors, Sutton and Guler to come back in, it would probably be better for the team if he was on an edge. Thoughts?
You can't be a backrower nowadays and not be able to play a full game. He'll be doing 80 come next season.
As for Young, I think he's clearly shown to be an average/mediocre edge player. His future is in the middle - unless he's temporarily filling in, he shouldn't be out on the edge.
Here's hoping that CHN has a big off season. Sticky has used him for mini-minutes in his time at the Club. I know he started behind the rest of our players but he has been with us for months now. I hope he becomes a gun for us on both sides of the football in 21.
Would you go with Timoko over Scott on the right or look outside the club? We should have some cap space after losing JB and Cotric.
Would definitely be starting with Timoko. From what I've seen of him in his short time in FG and at the Nines, he's fast, powerful, and loves to make tough metres. Even if Scott improves his game, he's not going to have those kinds of attributes.
ACT Government issues COVID health warning over Lang Park social distancing shambles
The ACT government has warned Canberrans who went to Suncorp Stadium on Friday to be alert for coronavirus symptoms and to keep an eye on Queensland Health alerts.
An ACT Health spokesperson labelled the scenes at the Canberra Raiders' preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm in Brisbane as unfortunate and a timely reminder we needed to be vigilant in practising social distancing.
What a debacle. Players are made to travel up on the day of the game - despite being in a bubble for months and Canberra being Covid free for months. But fans are able to come and go as they please and then this complete **** up at the entry point.
greeneyed wrote: ↑October 18, 2020, 5:47 pmACT Government issues COVID health warning over Lang Park social distancing shambles
The ACT government has warned Canberrans who went to Suncorp Stadium on Friday to be alert for coronavirus symptoms and to keep an eye on Queensland Health alerts.
An ACT Health spokesperson labelled the scenes at the Canberra Raiders' preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm in Brisbane as unfortunate and a timely reminder we needed to be vigilant in practising social distancing.
I think that health warning from ACT health is an absolute disgrace. They want people to take these warnings really seriously and the Chief Health Officer even has the legal authority to instruct ACT citizens to self isolate if they have been to high risk locations.
Whilst clearly there were a lot of people close together, and that is not ideal, there is no evidence what so ever that anyone in that crowd was infected and there is next to no community transmission in Queensland.
If they want people to take these warnings seriously, they need to use them only when necessary such as following the transmission in the club at Batemans Bay or the Crossroads Hotel where it was really important for those who were there to do something.
Otherwise, just keep saying that anyone with symptoms who has been anywhere should get tested.
It becomes Boy who cried wolf if these things keep coming out.
-TW- wrote: ↑October 18, 2020, 9:12 pm
Barely anyone cares about this stuff anymore anyway.
If you go to a Westfield or a DFO on a weekend you'll see that.
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I am not saying you shouldn’t take COVID seriously, you should, but I don’t think it does anyone any good when the health authorities issue warnings for incidents where there may not have been social distancing but no evidence of any cases.
-TW- wrote: ↑October 18, 2020, 9:12 pm
Barely anyone cares about this stuff anymore anyway.
If you go to a Westfield or a DFO on a weekend you'll see that.
Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
I am not saying you shouldn’t take COVID seriously, you should, but I don’t think it does anyone any good when the health authorities issue warnings for incidents where there may not have been social distancing but no evidence of any cases.
The reason for that would be that it can be transmitted without symptoms.
Bay53 wrote:
Otherwise, just keep saying that anyone with symptoms who has been anywhere should get tested.
It becomes Boy who cried wolf if these things keep coming out.
The issue is the incubation period and asymptomatic carriers. There can be a significant delay in finding out there was someone in the crowd with COVID. By which time it’s already potentially in numerous pockets of the community and before you know it you have a big problem.
In cases like this where some of the protections broke down it’s best if those who attend limit their interactions for a period.
Getting upset at this as boy who cried wolf doesn’t help. Say it only turns out to be a problem at 1 in 20 events, it’s still the right warning and precautions to take. Warning after a case is confirmed may be too late and people should stop sooking about it.
4. Canberra Raiders (3)
I thought the emotion of their week two finals win over the Roosters really took it out of them. And then they had to play the Storm in Brisbane, travelling up on game-day, and that was probably reflected in their start.
After Canberra settled they looked like the team that we all know and love, but it was hard to watch that first 20 minutes in such a big game.