31st May 2023
Origin Blues
This weekend was our first origin period outting with our SOO stars as we took the field without Mitchell, Murray, Campbell and Arrow. Throw in a few forwards still out or recently returning and we struggled up the middle. This was compounded further with second rower playing as a makeshift centre. In a competition that is extremely close, advantages like this made it very difficult in the end. But through all of that adversity we still led the game with 10 on the clock before letting in two late tries, as we dropped out of the Top 4. Still 6 more wins to qualify for the finals. We are now off to the Gold Coast who are sitting just outside of the 8 looking for a win during the origin period.
Keaon & Shaq return
With all of the injury issues in recent weeks, it was good to see Koloamatangi and Shaq Mitchell make their return to the paddock. Keaon had a big game playing 80 minutes right across the park as second row, lock and prop at times. While Shaq made his presence felt from the bench. We are looking forward to them returning to their early season form.
Hawkins finds his kicking bootsIts been a while since Dean Hawkins was the regular kicker in a game, due to his hamstring injury, but with Taaffe stepping up into first grade he took back kicking duties, and this week hit hit form kicking 5 from 5 and notching up 300 career points in the process.
New faces
We will see three new faces across the grades this weekend. William Swann a prop who has comed via Bears, Roosters abd Blacktown. Also in reserve grade we see Kaylen Miller a Fiji International second rower who has made his way here via the Dragons and Mounties. While in Flegg we see Ethan Ferguson debut. He is a centre from Taree with family connections to the Mitchells, and has been playing NSW Cup with the Knights. Welcome to all 3 players and lets hope they can make their market in the red and green.
Euro Championship Cancelled
On the back of the RLWC fiasco, the European RL have cancelled the regional championships in Europe, in the Americas and Africa, as they wait for the replanning of the RLWC 2025 to happen. It is is disappointing that such important regional events on the Rugby League calender can be thrown into disarray so easily. It would have been better to continue with these regular regional events, as they have great benefit to the regions involved. Then adjust the 2024 regional calenders.
Round 13 - Stat Attack
Statistically it was a average game. Completions improved to 89% from 70% last week. Errors improved to 3 from 11 last week. We gave away 4 penalties and 2 6-again calls from 7 last week. Souths Effective 1st tackle dropped to a average level of 27.4m from 39.4m last week. Our missed tackles dropped to a poor level of 31 from 29 last week. Opposition offloads improved to 7 from 18 last week.
Looking at our left side defence - Johnston-Tass-Walker-Host/Koloamatangi (0-0-1-5) was steady at 6 again this week. On the right side Milne-Cartwright-Ilias-Koloamatangi/CheeKam (0-3-5-3) dropped to 11 from 10 missed tackles last week. Ruck defence Tatola/SulukaFifita-DCook-HSele/SMitchell-Knight/Kolomatangi/Duncan (3-3-4-2) dropped to 12 from 9 missed tackles last week.
Our go forward dropped to 1514m from 1558m last week. Tatola, H.Sele, Knight and Cartwright made 10+m per run. Tatola, Koloamatangi, Suluka-Fifita, H.Sele, Tass and Cartwright made 100+m in the match. Defensively D.Cook was our best in the tackling raking up 52 tackles. Knight, S.Mitchell, Tass, Johnston and Milne didn't miss a tackle.
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Rd11 Wests-Tig StAu W 20-0 Rd12 Parramatta SFS2 L 16-36 Rd13 Canberra StAu L 26-33
Rd11 Newcastle NISC L 16-4 Rd12 Canterbury StAu L 18-20 Rd13 BYE
2020 Rd05 WSS W 32-12 415 M.Cecchin 2021 Rd07 Robi W 40-30 17,383 C.Sutton 2021 Rd22 Robi W 36-6 4,117 A.Gee 2022 Rd14 Robi W 30-16 14,290 A.Gee
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