Force do (not) it again!

[Jambooi]

That was a good year. Now they can go out and enjoy the last two games. They reached their goal of winning a few and not ending last on the ladder. Lets just hope the draw is better next year and they do not have all the difficult games at the end.

Tell Cam we pray his injury is not to bad.

Next year is another chance - but they are running out of steam!

Question: Not having the priviledge of Fox TV why were the two yellow cards awarded. Or does my evil mind smell conspiracy?

[Greydemon]

At least one yellow card was a ridiculous decision, and I didn't see the other one. I am more interested in finding out what the Touch judge saw that deserved a penalty in the dying minutes. I watched the replays in ther pub but couldn't heasr the commentary.

[Sagerian]

They were told about a billion and one times to stay onside and the ref told Sharpe that the next one is a card.. Sharpe happened to be the next one. Then 10 minutes later, cross was offside. The second one was over the top.


-EDIT-

It was a late tackle apparently, I didn't see it either.

[frontrow]

I smell something, possible conspiracy...

[Thequeerone]

Last penalty has me confused to thought we had the win

[kingy]

great defensive display, i thought outstanding games by some but surely the time has come for fava to be dropped. watch his game. L.D done more in 15 min. S.F missing on defense, too many mistakes going forward if he makes the advantage line, too many games now. i love the force but it has to be said!!

[prop53]

yes some questions must again be asked on the ref?. Foxtel was more interested in showing the pretty boy in the white boots for the Brumbies instead of the game. Thought Henjack had a good game again as did Pocock what a talent.
GO THE FORCE

[Burgs]

Righto, short and sweet(ish).
A sensational turn around in a week for the Force to only let in one TMO try.
Any contest between equals that sees one team reduced to fourteen men for twenty consecutive minutes will be virtually impossible for that team to win however, they nearly did it.
Neither Yellow Card was a YC offence however the Ref had drawn the line.
Unfortunately he didn't square it up in the second half when the Brumbies were let off with murder, for one I believe Gerrards was an offside offence also?
I agree with kingy re Fava, too many vital errors in too many matches now, he needs some splinters.
It appeared to work for a vastly improved Brown.
Henjak made a huge difference in defence and fully illustrated his benefit over O'Young.
Pelesasa as last week and per Kafe's Chalkboard discussions earlier today.
Bring Stanners off the Wing and use the perfectly capable Sare if Shepherd is out injured. Also could see Stapleton given a debut taste off the bench against the Cheetahs.
Pocock, sensational and deserved a win for his Monday birthday.
Would have got my man of the match but that needs to go to the one who had the greatest influence on the outcome of the match, so therefore;
Man of the Match: Stuart Dickinson

[Shaun]

You would have Sare ahead of Ioane Burgs?

[Burgs]

Well, yes actually but it probably shouldn't have read that way.
Was assuming Ioane in for Shepherd and then Sare (or Stapleton) to replace Stanners' vacant Wing when he moved to #12.
I know you think the sun shines out of Digby's poop chute but, well it just doesn't...
It may well do one day but he and Junior both have huge areas of development required in defence.

[jazza93]

well said burgs thats pretty much it.

i wouldnt blame fava all he did was go in the rucks and malls he only got the ball a few times and he did well in the rucks. gits contained larkham well and that tackle was great.

once again 1 mistake in the last minute lost force the game.

even though pocock did that late tackle i think he was man of the match.

[Egan]

We are not the same Force we where since last time we played, we had little flair, little creativity and was to scared to run in case they would open up the defence. I suppose our season has been beyond expectations, but last nights game showed how much we still have to learn. It will be good when the confidence is back.

P.S - Newport Hotel in Freo is a top location to watch Sport in, heaps of room and two big screens up.

[inactive]

its tai isnt it not pocock

[Darren]

I neither watched nor listened last night, but from all reports - lats nights game was the exact sort of string defensive game they probably should have played after the tries conceded over the previous 2 games.

They ran in 5 tries against the Chiefs proving their attack, and held off wave upon wave of attack against the Brumbies proving their defence. Put it it all together and hone it for the Cheetahs match, and then spank the Blues in the last game of the season - which happens to fall on the International Day of the Force - May the 4th. "May The Fourth be With You"

[shasta]

I think expectations of some, including my own, have grown faster than the teams development really. I thought last night was among the best few games the boys have played. Apart from Mortlock, ACT had their best players available and were in winning form. To be still in the match at the end after playing the most critical 20 minutes, before and after the break, a man down was a herculean effort IMO, especially in defense. It was relentless pressure that Forced those ACT handling errors which kept the boys in the game and millimetres from stopping their only try.

I thought all backrowers were great with the exception of Fava. OK in defense but his ball carries have been bad enough to make the coach look for a different option for the future. Vedelago had his best game for us to date and was just shaded by Pocock for mine.

Staniforth HAS to come in to 12. Injuries may save Cross but not Junior. Mitchell still took enough wrong options to earn some splinters and Hilgendorf should be 15.

I don't like blaming the referee and I think both yellow cards were warranted.
But he fell into the trap of only refereeing one side as far as offside went. There were times he was so focussed on whether the boys were infringing that he couldn't possibly have refereed the ruck as well. "Last feet" decisions need to be made the responsibility of the touchies IMO. Some have said the second was over the top but it was not for offside, I thought. Wasn't it for Cross playing the ball off his feet with ACT in a possible try-scoring situation?

Lastly, it was the cruelest loss since the Crusaders last year. To have it ripped away at the death like that was a bitter blow. The two main things our boys need to take from this year will be to learn to nail shut the close ones when they are winning, especially the home games and to learn to play well in NZ. The first may be easier than the second.