Finals Week 2 vs Warriors - 4:05pm Sunday 20th of September - Eden Park

jamesgould said:
Warriors have played six, lost five at Eden Park. But haven’t played there since 2014, so it’ll be a bit of an unknown for both sides.

Crowd is a long, long way from the action at that ground though. I really don’t rate it as a venue.
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I've sat in the nose bleeds there and it's fine. Get your mob over and enjoy.
 
Warriors deserve to start favourites.
The home advantage alone should make them favourites, let alone they have been better than us all year.

Having said that, their recent form and injuries and our plucky attitude means we are in with a chance at causing an upset for the second week in a row.
 
I trust Holbrook explicitly to iron out issues in our team, latest evidence being our right side defence (Gags) doing a brilliant job on Souths last week. As Harv pointed out after our match a couple of weeks ago, we need to get a lot of numbers around their catchers when they put those kicks up in to no man's land for their edges to catch. Take those points away from them and we are every chance.
 
Owey said:
I trust Holbrook explicitly to iron out issues in our team, latest evidence being our right side defence (Gags) doing a brilliant job on Souths last week. As Harv pointed out after our match a couple of weeks ago, we need to get a lot of numbers around their catchers when they put those kicks up in to no man's land for their edges to catch. Take those points away from them and we are every chance.
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Not only get our players around their catchers but also to position ourselves to be able to intercept the bat back..... Crossy executed that positioning to perfection late in the souths game.
 
Owey said:
I trust Holbrook explicitly to iron out issues in our team, latest evidence being our right side defence (Gags) doing a brilliant job on Souths last week. As Harv pointed out after our match a couple of weeks ago, we need to get a lot of numbers around their catchers when they put those kicks up in to no man's land for their edges to catch. Take those points away from them and we are every chance.
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Big question is how we stop them putting on an Oscar-worthy penalty-pulling performance with their cynical dives if we do manage to keep them away from a clean contest on the ball.
 
Looking at the stats from the Warriors Dolphins game, Wahs were off the charts for grubber kicks, dummy passes and they're normally prolific offloaders.

That'll be how they beat us, if they do, maximum pressure through the middle hoping that second phase and rolling the dice by kicking in behind can stick.
 
JOJO82 said:
Not only get our players around their catchers but also to position ourselves to be able to intercept the bat back..... Crossy executed that positioning to perfection late in the souths game.
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Crossy doesn’t get near the recognition he deserves. If we didn’t have him and his tenacity there’s no way in hell we are within a bulls roar of the 8.

Sneaky tries and little grubbers to assist, his 40/20’s are an example of his awesome eyes up football and an absolute tackling machine. He didn’t run the ball last week but what, made another 50 tackles and just 2weeks out from knee surgery? Absolutely love the guy and optimises the old school Newcastle battler mindset and attitude.
 
MBQLD said:
Crossy doesn’t get near the recognition he deserves. If we didn’t have him and his tenacity there’s no way in hell we are within a bulls roar of the 8.

Sneaky tries and little grubbers to assist, his 40/20’s are an example of his awesome eyes up football and an absolute tackling machine. He didn’t run the ball last week but what, made another 50 tackles and just 2weeks out from knee surgery? Absolutely love the guy and optimises the old school Newcastle battler mindset and attitude.
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He wasn't there when we played the wahs with 12 either. He will stiffen up the middle of the park considerably for us from that performance.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Big question is how we stop them putting on an Oscar-worthy penalty-pulling performance with their cynical dives if we do manage to keep them away from a clean contest on the ball.
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I thought I was the only one who notices that? The guy with the bleached blonde hair gives me the s***s with that kind of rubbish. Also palms to the face to get himself up off the ground to his feet using all his weight after the tackle. I’ve always hated that stile of covert grubbiness.

Just play the damn football and stop being a toss.
 
jamesgould said:
Feel like DWZ has been an underrated big out for you guys. Like Dom for us, he brings a lot of metres, speed and bit of X factor to the side. He can score where others get shut down, and you needed that extra attacking weapon vs the Dolphins.
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All true.
Especially Dallins kick returns.
Our halves cannot kick long, so no Dallin is a big handicap.
Listening to Webster, he and Leka are far from likely starters. Sounds very much like a case of name and hope for a miracle. Dallin supposedly the more likely of the two.
I see you chaps are largely relieved you avoided Gee. Same over at the Warriors. Klein might not be the best around but Gee has an attitude problem, he has to make games about him.

I have this game at 50/50. Pretty good odds for both sets of fans going into any final. I thought Newy were better than us last week (even though the Rabbits had nothing after losing Walker and with Latrell handing the game to the Knights) even with those little things taken into account, the Knights are clicking beautifully, whereas we are clunky and flat.

I might be a bit generous giving the Warriors a 50% chance, on form you would say more like 40% at best, however we all know these games are not won easily, neither team will lie down. Been a great year for both clubs in that regard, fans able to have some pride in previously beat down outfits. Respect to all who stuck around for the worst of it.
 
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