Magic RD 2024 Storm v parramatta

[Scooter]

I’m sorry I know Bellamy is the master coach and all but I’ve got to call him out, carrying Anderson, a winger by trade on the bench ahead of true utilities like Garlick and Howarth is just laughable, what is he thinking?

Well, that aged well . . .

Maybe we need to trust Bellamy to know what he's doing!?

Yeah, Bellamy knew Coates would go off with a HIA, he just knew right?

As for Warbrick, does scoring one decent try undo all the bad he brings every single week?

Of our back up wingers / centres who is clearly better than Warbrick- Anderson (Although he played well today), Ieremia, Seve, Tonumaipea .. may have missed one or two. I couldn't say any of them are definitely better.

[Ray Traylor]

Any chance of a non-square Parramatta marker being penalised.

I’ve been saying that all game. The ref either doesn’t care or doesn’t understand

It happens every game - Harry is too good at exploiting the markers and more often than not the refs just refuse to acknowledge it....like it's somehow his fault that they aren't square. I thought the call against him passing into the defender was a bit rough too, it's fair to assume he was looking for it - but the defender made no attempt to get out of the way, he actually stood up and started heading back as Harry was looking for a pass.

But it's hard to be too upset about it after a win and overall team performance like this one.

[Mattpoet]

Pass was also going straight to Munster, a kicker on tackle 5...

[TC]

Great footage of Paps comforting Munster in the sheds.

[TC]

I’m sorry I know Bellamy is the master coach and all but I’ve got to call him out, carrying Anderson, a winger by trade on the bench ahead of true utilities like Garlick and Howarth is just laughable, what is he thinking?

Well, that aged well . . .

Maybe we need to trust Bellamy to know what he's doing!?

Yeah, Bellamy knew Coates would go off with a HIA, he just knew right?

No, but he did know that:

- Sua has had lower leg/ankle issues and is probably not 100%,
- X has just come back from a hammy,
- Remis may have a niggle in his knee or upper calf (watch him over the last couple of weeks after he has a run), and
- Munster has been seriously struggling with his groin.

And planned accordingly.

[Papenhuyzen23]

I was pretty happy with the utility value Anderson provided, actually looked pretty sharp in the centre of the park, with the rotten injuries we are having this year you are probably right, almost need a back specialist on the bench, can’t afford to carry 4 forwards with our luck in hindsight.

[Mattpoet]

Bradley is probably worth a decent look in the role. He covers wing and centre but can also play second row so gets minutes regardless. Also runs hard.

[yourhero]

Great second half.

After Harry scored 10mins into the second half and Reimis scored less than a minute later, it broke the will of the Eels and IMO, they completely switched off. Our attack looked sharp but I genuinely would put it more down to the Eels going to sleep, so wouldn’t be getting too excited with that scoreline.

Katoa once again our best (IMO). Love everything about the way he plays his footy. Has the brute strength and power running game, but also has silky skills.

Sua was constantly a threat. That pace - it’s beautiful to watch.

X and King also with solid performances.

Anderson put in a good effort playing on the edge. His skill to get outside his man and look to ball play was unexpected. Defence wasn’t great, but did his best given the unfamiliar role and circumstance.

[yourhero]

Harry is so interesting. He can tear you apart, be scheming at DH and find the right option, particularly when the ruck is on a roll BUT, he can be a real liability at times as well…

His first half (besides the try) wasn’t great in my view, despite Ennis going on about him. He gave away a couple of Penalties/6 agains and even when he didn’t, he was called offside at least half a dozen additional times by the ref - and this is not irregular. It opens up a lane for the opposing forward to hit and create momentum.

Not complaining too much - I don’t think you can with a player of Grant’s quality in your side. More of an ongoing frustration when you know what he can do.

When the game is tight and the ruck is a dogfight, those little errors hurt bad.

[nacho]

Blore and Katoa are our best back row combination in a decade. You can't change my mind.

[Mattpoet]

They certainly create a lot of opportunities with those hard runs and all the offloads

Edit - just looked on nrl website and they have 35 for the year between them (Blore 20, Katoa 15), that's a lot of second phase

[blazza18]

Harry is so interesting. He can tear you apart, be scheming at DH and find the right option, particularly when the ruck is on a roll BUT, he can be a real liability at times as well…

His first half (besides the try) wasn’t great in my view, despite Ennis going on about him. He gave away a couple of Penalties/6 agains and even when he didn’t, he was called offside at least half a dozen additional times by the ref - and this is not irregular. It opens up a lane for the opposing forward to hit and create momentum.

Not complaining too much - I don’t think you can with a player of Grant’s quality in your side. More of an ongoing frustration when you know what he can do.

When the game is tight and the ruck is a dogfight, those little errors hurt bad.

Spot on mate. You hope he can kinda slow down mentally as he ages but going all out is how he plays so you've gotta take the good with the bad I guess? I just wish he'd play smarter sometimes. He doesn't need to try and draw the markers offside literally every time he runs the ball.

[yourhero]

Definitely needs to slow down and not try and score from every single play. Especially on the opposition try line.

Yeah, the running directly at the markers thing - even if he is right and the markers aren’t square, we aren’t getting the calls so he needs to put that play into the back pocket unless it is absolutely clear cut.

It’s an attempted shortcut and sets a poor example for the rest of the team that you can get an easy way out of tough situations.

I hope he finds the balance. Stay onside, don’t try and milk penalties so often and trust your halves to create.

/armchair advice to the Australian hooker.

[Bullucked]

Definitely needs to slow down and not try and score from every single play. Especially on the opposition try line.

Yeah, the running directly at the markers thing - even if he is right and the markers aren’t square, we aren’t getting the calls so he needs to put that play into the back pocket unless it is absolutely clear cut.

It’s an attempted shortcut and sets a poor example for the rest of the team that you can get an easy way out of tough situations.

I hope he finds the balance. Stay onside, don’t try and milk penalties so often and trust your halves to create.

/armchair advice to the Australian hooker.

I feel like Grant's biggest problem (other than his over enthusiasm) is, he is, for whatever reason constantly in the cross hairs of the referrees, they are constantly looking at him (just as Trent is - but not without some justification)
That pass from DH that hit the Parra player was a dud call from the ref, but, Harry had already made a rod for his own back by previously throwing the ball in to the man laying on the ground. (Different game) BUT, the defender getting back onside should be penalised, it happens so often, they are nothing more than cynical disruptors blocking the play.

[yourhero]

I thought he intentionally threw the ball at the Eels player. It was dumb, especially when he has been pinged for it multiple times before.

Having said that, the Eels player should not have been there. Standing between the hooker and primary kicker on the last… there has to be some onus on the defender to get out of the way.

If it wasn’t so blatantly directed at the Eels player, we may have got the penalty.