Treble Winners v Scummiest Scum To Ever Scum

[pjennings]

Agreed, this was pointed out by people around me too. Fitness levels have dropped off a cliff. We're gassed early and a key strength from last year finishing games strong is now the complete opposite.

It's been said a lot but really, Brice leaving his S&C post has been as big a loss as any from last season's successes.

I agree to some extent. That is we always played strongly until the end last season. But this is not last season's (as well as not having last season's fitness team).

This was our GF side last season - only Tappy from the starting XI could not be described as a long term player that should have a bank of fitness. I remember Monty coming back from injury and he basically ran around the training field at Tuggerah for over two hours without a break while the rest did their training. i.e. he worked harder than anyone that day - just with no contact - that is a bank of fitness.

GK 20 Australia Danny Vukovic (c)
LB 18 Australia Jacob Farrell
CB 3 Vanuatu Brian Kaltak
CB 23 Fiji Dan Hall
RB 15 New Zealand Storm Roux
LM 7 Australia Christian Theoharous
CM 6 Australia Max Balard
CM 26 Australia Brad Tapp
RM 2 Brazil Mikael Doka
CF 4 Australia Josh Nisbet
CF 9 Australia Alou Kuol '

Substitutes:
GK 30 Australia Jack Warshawsky
MF 16 Australia Harry Steele
FW 17 Australia Jing Reec
FW 22 Brazil Ronald Barcellos
DF 33 Australia Nathan Paull
MF 39 Australia Miguel Di Pizio
FW 99 England Ryan Edmondson

Last night we started with Faisal whose ALM career spans after yesterday spans 572 minutes and Eames a 16 year old with 516 minutes.

De Lima a 17 year old has played 310 minutes. Kuz - although a bit older has only player 475 minutes after his ACL injury.

Even our captain has not played for a considerable amount of time.

TBH we were very lucky over the last two seasons in avoiding to a large extent ACL and broken bones. Our fitness guys did amazing work. But this is not the hardened squad of last season and we no longer have our previous fitness team.

 

[midfielder]

My reading of the Tea Leaf's and Taro cards...

We miss Danny V, a lot, its becoming more obvious each week he organised the defence... both goals were the result of poor nay terrible decisions made by our two experienced centre backs...

The first goal Brain did not step when others did and left a player either side of him onside.... the second gaol ... you don't put an 18 yo kid with about a dozen games under that pressure with hospital passes on his wrong foot ....

To me its becoming more obvious as the weeks pass, Brain K is not great at organising those around him... he can follow instructions... he is brilliant but leading the backs is not his greatest strength...

Doka should have scored and that would have put the game to bed....

On the bright side the kids are playing beyond expectations and we will have a great season next year...