Will we make the 8?

[milanja]

You will be supporting Souths next ... Won't make the 8 ... idiot

Thing is, going by history of the top 8, by round 10, the top 8 is close to decided, with only 1 or 2 teams sometimes changing a spot.

[bondi-boy]

With the way we defend, why don't we just keep getting field goals whenever we are in the opposition 30?

What you mean, like the Dogs did tonite?...all organised for the kick too.

Dogs kick easy field goal, Dogs win.

Like we don't have any 40-20 specialists, we don't have field goal specialists...and we certainly don't seem to have any idea about being organised to kick them like the Dogs did.

[bondi-boy]

Calm down lads, plenty of time for all our Origin stars to put in a big show for selection.

The big issue is not those guys, though I agree Maloney is off the pace. The big issues are that;
1. Our lack of line speed in defense means the opposition is marching us down the field with ease,
2. In attack the pigs are making 6m a run on average, meaning a bomb is our only option without a piggy back penalty.

In short, we are losing the forward battle.

They look unfit to me, maybe a different approach to pre-season? In a couple matches we will start to see the fitness levels lift, tails will come up a bit, and then the talent will shine.

TIT.

Yes, and our players don't have enough bulk about them to stop the marching.
We need bigger forwards...bigger players.

[bondi-boy]

I'm not confident.

I've predicted losses the past two weeks. We have no attacking confidence and little desire.

With 3 games during Origin without key players and a tougher comp I think we'll struggle.

The way things are going our "Origin stars" will be "former Origin stars"...there are better players than them on offer at present.

Our desire doesn't seem as great as last season.
Maybe, no matter how hard the boys try, it's a subconscious thing.
Defending a title is no easy task.

Trouble is...opposition teams have worked SBW, Maloney, Pearce and others out.
Last year SBW was new, something different, other teams were taken by surprise...but not this season.
Also, other teams have bought new players and improved, ...some have new coaches.

Coach Robinson said earlier this year that whatever we did last season won't be good enough this year.
At present we're not even doing what we did last season, let alone more/different/better.

[milanja]

What you mean, like the Dogs did tonite?...all organised for the kick too.

Dogs kick easy field goal, Dogs win.

Like we don't have any 40-20 specialists, we don't have field goal specialists...and we certainly don't seem to have any idea about being organised to kick them like the Dogs did.

We take the two, and field goal is taken out of the equation.

Out of curiosity, how many 40/20 have been kicked this year in total? I can count on one finger how many I remember. It is not an issue, because they are generally flukes.

[Ray Stehr]

It's obvious the team is in a slump with suspensions proving damaging but once the team fixes things and they will they will still finish top 4. They're too good a side.

[bondi-boy]

We take the two, and field goal is taken out of the equation.

Out of curiosity, how many 40/20 have been kicked this year in total? I can count on one finger how many I remember. It is not an issue, because they are generally flukes.

About time someone made them non-flukes.

Hire Freddy to head the 40/20 training squad.

[Game Fowl]

Start has been a bit dusty for sure, with World Cup and WCC and rule changes , Trent has taken a slow approach to the start of the year , I think we will turn it around at about the 6 game mark , this side is too good .

We will be in the top 8 , from there anything can happen.

[Darkone]

Yes, and our players don't have enough bulk about them to stop the marching.
We need bigger forwards...bigger players.

We beat the biggest pack for the minor premiership last year, we beat the best back line for the premiership last year.....

We still have the same team but one.

This thread is premature jerky...

I cannot believe the panic merchants on this forum, as I write (rnd 5), the top eight teams are on 6 points, the leading team (Titans) has a negative diff for Christ sake!!!!!!

The comp has not started........yet.................

[Tommy Smith]

Well I was laughed at last week for this post but it's looking a decent bet now.

We look awful. Our tries are either Moa barge overs or flukey long range efforts.

2-4 and zero sign of improvement.

Top 8 will be a coin flip but we'll be cannon fodder for the likes of Souffs and Manly anyway.

[Guest]

I think the Roosters will make the 8 for sure, I don't know about the top 4 though. I have given them no chance to win back to back but I thought that even before a ball was kicked off this year.