I was going to go to this game, geez I am glad I didn't. Had a feeling we were more likely to get belted than win.
The two sides were not as far apart as the scoreboard says. We just fail at executing our plays and taking our chances. We bombed about 8 good scoring chances and came away with nothing. No points, no repeat sets. You can't win any game with that sort of scoring chance conversion rate.
Brown did better with rotation of the bench this time, at least.
Pearce for whatever reason lets himself get tackled so we have no option on the last. I don't see that from other teams anywhere near as much. He is struggling and needs a second play maker to take some heat off him.
Ponga needs to learn if it's the first tackle, or early in the count, don't risk a kick through the line. Vast majority just give the ball back to them and robs us of a good full set at them.
Bottom line is we create all the pressure on ourselves. We don't convert scoring chances, and then don't get a repeat set any time so apply zero pressure to them. Gift the ball back to them and put ourselves under pressure.
If we could have converted a few more of those chances, got a repeat set or two that game becomes a very tight contest.
Mann, should not be in 1st grade. He isn't good at any position. I've said it before and I'm saying it again. Lino is the 5/8 we need to stick with if Ponga is to stay at 5/8. He has much better potential than Mann there. Gavet to be dropped. Watson at hooker for 80 worked well enough.
I figured this was going to be one of our two losses we could afford, but I was hoping for a better showing than this.