Battle of the Halves

[Guest]

Thought I start a separate thread to the match thread as I'm focusing on the playmakers.

The forward battle is probably where the game will be won and lost but what if both packs end up roughly even Stevens?

This is where the halves/playmakers come into play.

We have the best 7 in the world and probably the most lethal 6 in the comp imo. He may not be the absolute best 6 in the comp but he sure is the most dangerous one.

I think Cronk with his control and habit of coming up with the big plays when required will get us home. It was evident last weekend that Melbourne missed Rooster Cronk. Keary, should he get opportunities to attack and then is unable to unleash his outside men will be too hot for the Knights who are playing well but leaking a few points.

Pearce is a solid to very good NRL half, great long kicking game, strong defender and very good passing and support game. But is known to go quiet in big moments of big games, but he did get the Knights home in round one. Watson a very good footballer but not in Keary's class and is prone to making some unforced errors due to his exuberance.

Ponga is a threat and will make up for some of the other two's short comings but we also have Teddy who from last week looks to be syncing in with Rooster Cronk, etc.

Should be an exciting game.

Go the Chooks.

[Guest]

Good analysis, Coach.
My take is that every game Cooper plays with us he will keep improving. And improving those around him.....if they let him. My only concerns are our lack of depth in the 3/4 line and....Jake. For mine he is still the plug in the pipe. Needs to be addressed if we are to see the best out of this team.

[Guest]

It is really different watching Easts play with a master half with a lot of smarts. Honestly, we have been a dumb team for a long time. Cooper got us home last week and I am confident he will do it again. Also Keary has been going under the radar a bit this week with the focus on the 7s. Look for Luke to have another big one.

[Guest]

Good analysis, Coach.
My take is that every game Cooper plays with us he will keep improving. And improving those around him.....if they let him. My only concerns are our lack of depth in the 3/4 line and....Jake. For mine he is still the plug in the pipe. Needs to be addressed if we are to see the best out of this team.

I agree Floggy. Nice name by the way Cooper will just keep getting better as the team fall in with his style and expectations.

[ism22]

It is really different watching Easts play with a master half with a lot of smarts. Honestly, we have been a dumb team for a long time. Cooper got us home last week and I am confident he will do it again. Also Keary has been going under the radar a bit this week with the focus on the 7s. Look for Luke to have another big one.

Keary will more than likely demonstrate why we were not willing to pay Watson the same coin as him. Meanwhile, this year Radley will make it clear that Watson really shoulda stayed as a bench utility under the wings of Cronk and Keary.

[The Axe]

Anyone feel the Baptiste will play?

[4 the all in brawl]

Hope Friend will do his bit and his service improves.

I felt he was solid and tradesmanlike last weekend. Definitely plays better when having less minutes.

Gotta give Cooper some credit, I noticed Roosters structures were a little different last week than last year. Still obviously a Trent Robinson coached side but some subtle differences including a slightly flatter attacking structure and at times the defensive line speed was quicker than in recent years. Although Cronks kicking game not quite as long as Pearce's, his kicks tend to land in slightly better areas. Noticed no 7 tackle sets but I would like to thank Friend for not kicking either lol.....

Pearce will definitely be up for this game and Guerra will pose a danger running off his passes close to the line. I never thought I would imagine saying Guerra and a danger in the same sentence.


As for 5/8s in Keary verses Watson, the master verses the apprentice.

[ROC181]

This will be like colonel Hogan vs colonel Klink, I hope

[Johnny Tobin]

I love Cooper but think JT shades him as the best in the world. Pearce is way behind both of them.

[Bondicigar]

The danger man for the chooks is ponga without a doupt.

[The Brain]

The only danger to the Chooks is themselves .Either they turn out to play or they dont.Halves mean nothing if the forwards dont do their job well.
They must be out of the woodwork for this game .Apparently ticket sales are up 40%.

[ism22]

I think the Roosters will be our only serious danger. The Knights do not pose a threat other than the novelty of being a POS team that grabbed all our drop-outs (and paid $1M a season for a young FB with a youthful step... RTS anybody?)

If we calm the fark down and defend well, the Knights should not score any points.

[Mad_Rooster_in_GraceLand]

I think the Roosters will be our only serious danger. The Knights do not pose a threat other than the novelty of being a POS team that grabbed all our drop-outs (and paid $1M a season for a young FB with a youthful step... RTS anybody?)

If we calm the fark down and defend well, the Knights should not score any points.

Knights got pongs for about 600k a season man.

Ponga will be better than RTS, don't worry about that.

[Guest]

I love Cooper but think JT shades him as the best in the world. Pearce is way behind both of them.

Ahh my bad, for some silly reason I had him pegged as a 5/8th as he is for the Kangaroos and the Maroons. Yes he is still the best, probably a few years ago at the same level as Johns at his peak.

You are spot on about Pearce, even though every man and his dog (pardon the pun), raves about Pearce like the second coming of Christ at the Knights. He is not in the same postcode as Thurston and Rooster Cronk.

[Guest]

Knights got pongs for about 600k a season man.

Ponga will be better than RTS, don't worry about that.

I think he is a more rounded footballer already.

His defense, and defusing of attacking kicks, though a lot more sample size due to only 10-15 NRL games played, suggest to me he will probably become a better player than RTS. At about 600-700k a season for the next 5 years he will probably end up a bargain and the best $3-3.5m dollars you can spend in the NRL especially considering I'm led to believe his contract runs to 2022.