Western Force v Moana Pasifika 15/03/2024

[jargan83]

I've got no problem with what the Coach said, he's not the one out there dropping balls with the nearest defender 2 or 3 metres away and zero pressure on the ball carrier.

[shasta]

humiliating them in private last week did not work,lol

True; but the last couple of weeks they played well but fell short of winning - again. . So he probably didn't let rip. This week they were short on effort and concentration. Part of the coach's role nowadays is doing the presser. I'd rather a blunt assessment to a cliche laden word salad. They won't get off as lightly in this week's video session.

[Garry Owen]

Sad to say it but we need the rebels to fold so we can build a competitive squad, that is our only hope of getting better. Since our inception we have been competing with max 3 wallabies in our squad and then journeymen or shute shield off cuts

[AndyS]

I think Cron should sit them down and tell them, as with any legal system, if you break the rules you get punished.
3 penalties in the first 4 minutes. FFS

Sure, that would be just four of them. But doesn't override all the fumbled basic skills, inaccuracies, poor kicks and panicked passes. ALL of them cost, not just any one. And all of them need to be worked on; should already be better at this point of the season.

[wjm]

What was the crowd attendance ?

[WFDom]

I think Cron put Williams in an awkward position in the presser. He was inadvertently blaming the lack of leadership from a captain that he appointed. If he is unable to lead the team in the right direction without his deputy’s on the field he should not be Captain.
Bad man management there.

[shasta]

This team has a lot of issues just now. Jeremy Williams is not one of them. I didn't think Cron was saying that either.

[Tazzmania]

Putting the hurt aside I think the main issue is lack of game time that our players get.

Without a third tier Super rugby does not give players enough games to learn and acquire game nous.

While we have all been focused, and rightly so on our teams performance, credit needs to go to Moana.

Due to most players playing in the NPC as well as three seasons now in Super rugby their game nous and IQ was far better than ours.

They played well, decisively and were able to read the play far better.

I think the negatives have been well documented, articulated and discussed at length so its time for a few positives.

The backline moves in the first half looked really good and were great to watch, unfortunately they did not come off, but the foundations are being built.

Donaldson, White and Harris have been great buys we just need to supplement them with a few class tight fivers next year and we will get more competitive.

The front row managed to hold a few scrums, their core job.

I will post the stats shortly

[Tazzmania]

Defence stats first up.

Anstee very solid.

Harris, Horton, Franklin and Tizzano good.

Coxon again very busy in defence.

Stewart again featuring

[Tazzmania]

Attack stats:

Donaldson and Stewart good.

Burey, Anstee, Franklin, and Harris also did well.

Tizzano, Princep, Potter and Tiatia decent efforts.

[jargan83]

What was the crowd attendance ?

Didn't hear it announced but u assume it was smaller than the opening fixture.

[blueandblack]

Just spotted on GAGR forums:



No sources listed. Have to wait and see if true.

[shasta]

Didn't hear it announced but u assume it was smaller than the opening fixture.

Someone mentioned here that ticket bar codes are not always scanned properly. I can say for sure that my & my grandson's weren't at entry. When I went to my car at half time it was the same going out and back in. So who knows for sure?

[bootsetal06]

For all the sins documented…2 missed penalties and a butchered certain try ( on another day all taken) and we’re right there …..

[Burgs]

For all the sins documented…2 missed penalties and a butchered certain try ( on another day all taken) and we’re right there …..

Yeah agreed, though sounds like I'm going to get howled down here, but I think there is a massive overreaction going on, particularly by Cron.
Yes, I'm pissed at the result and 0-4, but guess who else is 0-4?
And yes, likely not going to get a better result next week.
But the best of what these blokes do is as good as any other team.
They have come along enormously in Attack.
Ironically, the bit that I was really encouraged about against the Cheetahs, the Defence, has fallen away in the season proper.
The Front Row issues are well documented, but was a great improvement on last week.
I continue to be impressed by Coxson, in fact all of the stopgaps appear to have worked out to varying degrees.
The reality is the other teams don't stand still waiting for us to catch up, they will continue their own development trajectory.
Sam Carter would be a good pick up and may be eyeing on last attempt at the Wallabies under new Coaching.