Reds thrash Force 40-10 in Perth -SMH report

[shasta]

now we are making him the playmaker in the worlds toughest provincial comp, lets be real for a team with a struggling backline we need someone with the real goods.

We'll agree to disagree then.

Well not really as I'm not saying they should pick Stannard over a noted 5/8. "We" are not making him the playmaker. Ripia's betrayal left him standing there and it seems he's getting a shot. One thing I liked was his willingness to take the line on. Maybe your right and the oppo hung off as they just expected him to catch and pass. The next few weeks will tell. I'll predict a better showing with Sheehan starting. If I'm wrong we're probably screwed before the season starts again.

But it's not like there's any choice......Well there might be. I've said for years I'd like to see Shepherd given a try. But seeing as neither of our coaches has tried him and the money games are now on, we won't be likely to see that.

We go thru this every year and the only bright spot was the SOS to David Hill. Maybe, just maybe, going with what we have will go OK for once.

[BDAVEY]

I am glad I put my $425x2 (my sons) into upgrading Foxtel after last nite. They were still doing their training drills. Reds were up qick over the av line.
Get a number 10 .......and big number 13 quick!!!!

[BDAVEY]

Emirates Western Force Starting XV
1. Pek Cowan.........whole front row struggled at times
2. Nathan Charles
3. Salesi Ma’afu........big but too big.... for the modern day rugby
4. Sam Wykes........ played well I thought great gathering from set piece
5. Toby Lynn ......... Sharpie
6. Matt Hodgson.............quiet
7. David Pocock (Captain)...........Not too sure Captaincy my affect hisgm I feel
8. Ben McCalman ........ Browny
9. Justin Turner ......... Sheehan
10. James Stannard..............needs to ply his natural game there must be abetter number 10?
11. Napolioni Nalaga ???????? .........Nick
12. Rory Sidey.........better 13
13. Winston Stanley.............missng in action
14. Sam Wara.......actually thought he went ok
15. Cameron Shepherd........too slow

Phoenix Battye, Angus Cottrell, Gene Fairbanks, Tetera Faulkner, Kieran Longbottom, Alfie Mafi, Salesi Manu, Ben Seymour, Brett Sheehan, Elvis Taione, Ben Whittaker

[travelling_gerry]

Old meatworks saying " If you have an itchy arse, scratch it, don't tear it to shreds with your knife!"

[blue]

I thought Turner was too slow at giving the ball. He was tracking across field too far before releasing, thus allowing the defence to apply more pressure to Stannard and the outside backs.

Stannard's delivery to the outside was good, and he ran well with the ball. His kicking game in general play was terrible, one an across field kick which only gave Qld so much space and a resulting try.

Ball security in the contact was terrible, giving the opposition the ball in broken play only resulted in a couple of tries.

No of these things are unfixable, do not despair just yet.

[GIGS20]

Emirates Western Force Starting XV
5. Toby Lynn ......... Sharpie
8. Ben McCalman ........ Browny
10. James Stannard..............needs to ply his natural game there must be abetter number 10?
11. Napolioni Nalaga ???????? .........Nick
12. Rory Sidey.........better 13
14. Sam Wara.......actually thought he went ok
15. Cameron Shepherd........too slow

some tough calls in the re Bill. Starting from the top....
Toby Lynn was Ok, at least third or better in the lock stakes. Looking at him play, I wonder whether it's wise putting him and Sharpie on together, because they both seem pretty similar, but not deserving of the hook.
Benny Mac was ok, but to rush back a bloke with no match fitness off a six month shoulder reconstruction, baby-bathwater, he'll do
Stannard, I thought he was playing his natural game, straight running with some distribution. I'm more concerned with the lines being run off him and the passing.......who's at fault there? It could be that the centres had no fuggin clue where to be and it was bouncing off their chest because they were overrunning and getting in the way of passes that weren't theirs, or it could be that Chucky was all at sea and everything sucked......I hope it was the former, because we have options at centre. If chucky sucks that bad we need to buy a ten today!
Nalaga.....Didn't play, I'd be reluctant to hassle an outside back off that performance anyway, they hardly saw any ball, when they did they were being monstered by gangs of Queenslanders due to having no momentum....nick would make a better 13 than wing ATM
Wara, was ok but quiet, you're thinking of Alfi Mafi
Shep, give the guy a break, I saw him get about three clean touches, each of which he did something good with.........defense was a bit tentative, particularly looking for balls to hit the line when he could have returned them one on one....I wonder about his confidence?

I thought Turner was too slow at giving the ball. He was tracking across field too far before releasing, thus allowing the defence to apply more pressure to Stannard and the outside backs.

Stannard's delivery to the outside was good, and he ran well with the ball. His kicking game in general play was terrible, one an across field kick which only gave Qld so much space and a resulting try.

Ball security in the contact was terrible, giving the opposition the ball in broken play only resulted in a couple of tries.

No of these things are unfixable, do not despair just yet.

I thought Turner started the game looking to play his natural game, which involves a lot of sniping around the ruck and challenges off that. If you're going to play that gama against a team that trains with Will Genia you have to be great at it....he wasn't, pushed into ineffective runs across the line by the fringe defense. It all went downhill from there. Bring on Sheehan who passes a lot more from the base, and only runs with power, rather than guile and it improved....lesson learnt

Stannard, it was passing IMHO, embarrassingly bad...it looked like me at 4th grade touch. See my comments above for possible causes.

Ball security was crap.....but sometimes, they weren't even catching it!!!!!

I think I've said it before, we need more bulk in the midfield and take some pressure off Chucky (because Seymour isn't ready) nick to 13 and whoever works best of Stannard to 12, probably Dellit but maybe Fairbanks.

[prop53]

We were simply out played (end of )

[Quins]

Must have been the greasy fingers from new McDonalds sponsorship that lead to all the knock-ons!

[James]

Probably why Ma'afu struggled to bind as well.

[WF1964]

Must have been the greasy fingers from new McDonalds sponsorship that lead to all the knock-ons!

Probably why Ma'afu struggled to bind as well.

Yep, they were lovin' it!

[NTT]

Hodgo was yellow carded for Elbowing Horwell in the head...the reason for this action you ask...Horwell had Hodgo in a choker hold for a very long time atleast 3 phases so to break it hodgo wacked him around the head, and then the Touchie in all his wisdom said its was all Matts fault hence to yellow.

I didnt realise i went to a WWE wrestling match.

horwill deserved every elbow he got, i counted 7

[BDAVEY]

But a big BUT.......just may give hem a wake up call.... I would rather see them get beaten (not by that much) than win easily as they could well think they are something they are not...wk up call this week I hope.
Gee I hope Wykes is ok..... Lyn is ok but short temper and seen him do some dumb tings which has binned him for 5