Tweet
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...416-1dj0t.html
Phil Gould
April 17, 2011
On a wet night in driving rain, and with a strong, cold southerly wind blowing straight down the ground, this was always going to be a difficult slog - and a real test of patience and perseverance.
Mind you, if you're going to play an outdoors winter sport, you know full well there will be days like these. As a professional you need a game and an attitude to deal with these conditions. How strong was the breeze? Well, Darren Lockyer drop-kicked the ball 78 metres from his line with the wind at his back. A few minutes later Braith Anasta struggled to drop-kick it 30m into the wind. It was blowing.
Just as a sideline here, the best wet-weather footballer I ever saw was the great Terry Lamb. He was impossible to beat in the wet. Lockyer is a genius as well. His leadership and calmness under pressure win a lot of games.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Lockyer's game last night was brilliant in its simplicity. The right pass, the right kick, the right words - always at the right time. It was a pleasure to watch. Anyway, given that the Broncos kicked off to start the contest, I assumed the Roosters decided to run into the strong wind in the first half. That's a common choice when looking to upset more-fancied rivals. The aim is to play controlled football in the first 40 minutes, keep it tough and tight in the forwards, maintain discipline to keep penalties out of the equation and complete all your allotted sets of six. It is also to kick low and straight with enthusiastic chasers to gain every inch you can out of your kick-chase, or kick into touch to slow the game and reduce the amount of football being played as you wear down the clock. Into the wind you must keep the scores as level as possible until half-time, and then steam home with the wind at your backs in the second half.
That's generally the plan. I got the impression the Roosters knew what they had to do - they just couldn't do it. They were again plagued by ill-discipline last night. On some sets of six they were intent on just playing smart. However, the seemingly irresistible urge to keep the ball moving sideways kept rearing its ugly head.
The Roosters are skill junkies. They can't help themselves. They forced risky, unnecessary passes that resulted in errors and a surrendering of possession. They attempted plays that just weren't possible with a slippery ball on a wet surface.
The Roosters have more incomplete sets of six than any team in the NRL. They are also one of the most penalised teams in the NRL.
The Roosters conceded a soft penalty in the first two minutes of the game in front of their own posts that gifted the Broncos two points. They conceded another soft penalty two minutes from half-time that led to a Broncos try and a 12-0 deficit.
With the wind assisting them in the second half, the Roosters were in a quandary. They had to kick long to take advantage of the conditions; but they needed the ball in hand to score tries and chase down the Broncos' lead. The conundrum was too difficult for the Roosters to handle.
While the Sydney team confused itself into a downward spiral of errors and disappointment, the Brisbane boys exuded confidence and knew exactly what they were doing. Actually, Lockyer knew what he was doing. His loyal soldiers just followed their general's lead. Whether they ran with the wind or against it, the Broncos' demeanour did not change.
The forwards toiled away in their tradesman-like manner, churning out the tough metres. Ball retention was a priority. They were head-down-and-bum-up until Lockyer called for the ball and came up with the perfect kick for the occasion.
The visitors simply played the disciplined, waiting game and allowed their opponents to come up with the errors. Despite running into the elements in the second half, the Broncos soon turned their 12-0 lead into a 24-point lead and the game was over. The Broncos' defence is getting better all the time. There is a commitment and spirit in this team.
The Broncos have now won five from six. The Roosters have won only two from six. That seems about right given what we saw in this match last night.
Phil Gould
April 17, 2011
On a wet night in driving rain, and with a strong, cold southerly wind blowing straight down the ground, this was always going to be a difficult slog - and a real test of patience and perseverance.
Mind you, if you're going to play an outdoors winter sport, you know full well there will be days like these. As a professional you need a game and an attitude to deal with these conditions. How strong was the breeze? Well, Darren Lockyer drop-kicked the ball 78 metres from his line with the wind at his back. A few minutes later Braith Anasta struggled to drop-kick it 30m into the wind. It was blowing.
Just as a sideline here, the best wet-weather footballer I ever saw was the great Terry Lamb. He was impossible to beat in the wet. Lockyer is a genius as well. His leadership and calmness under pressure win a lot of games.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Lockyer's game last night was brilliant in its simplicity. The right pass, the right kick, the right words - always at the right time. It was a pleasure to watch. Anyway, given that the Broncos kicked off to start the contest, I assumed the Roosters decided to run into the strong wind in the first half. That's a common choice when looking to upset more-fancied rivals. The aim is to play controlled football in the first 40 minutes, keep it tough and tight in the forwards, maintain discipline to keep penalties out of the equation and complete all your allotted sets of six. It is also to kick low and straight with enthusiastic chasers to gain every inch you can out of your kick-chase, or kick into touch to slow the game and reduce the amount of football being played as you wear down the clock. Into the wind you must keep the scores as level as possible until half-time, and then steam home with the wind at your backs in the second half.
That's generally the plan. I got the impression the Roosters knew what they had to do - they just couldn't do it. They were again plagued by ill-discipline last night. On some sets of six they were intent on just playing smart. However, the seemingly irresistible urge to keep the ball moving sideways kept rearing its ugly head.
The Roosters are skill junkies. They can't help themselves. They forced risky, unnecessary passes that resulted in errors and a surrendering of possession. They attempted plays that just weren't possible with a slippery ball on a wet surface.
The Roosters have more incomplete sets of six than any team in the NRL. They are also one of the most penalised teams in the NRL.
The Roosters conceded a soft penalty in the first two minutes of the game in front of their own posts that gifted the Broncos two points. They conceded another soft penalty two minutes from half-time that led to a Broncos try and a 12-0 deficit.
With the wind assisting them in the second half, the Roosters were in a quandary. They had to kick long to take advantage of the conditions; but they needed the ball in hand to score tries and chase down the Broncos' lead. The conundrum was too difficult for the Roosters to handle.
While the Sydney team confused itself into a downward spiral of errors and disappointment, the Brisbane boys exuded confidence and knew exactly what they were doing. Actually, Lockyer knew what he was doing. His loyal soldiers just followed their general's lead. Whether they ran with the wind or against it, the Broncos' demeanour did not change.
The forwards toiled away in their tradesman-like manner, churning out the tough metres. Ball retention was a priority. They were head-down-and-bum-up until Lockyer called for the ball and came up with the perfect kick for the occasion.
The visitors simply played the disciplined, waiting game and allowed their opponents to come up with the errors. Despite running into the elements in the second half, the Broncos soon turned their 12-0 lead into a 24-point lead and the game was over. The Broncos' defence is getting better all the time. There is a commitment and spirit in this team.
The Broncos have now won five from six. The Roosters have won only two from six. That seems about right given what we saw in this match last night.
Comment