2014 ANZAC Test

Hiku has been rubbish. Fringe first grader at best id say

 

Well that was nerve-racking. Kiwis played a lot better than I thought they would. Their forwards were quite strong. Ours were really quite ordinary for most of the game. Really couldn't get any sort of rhythm or dominance on the ground. And mainly for the reasons below.

Sheens needs to be dumped. I swear to god we look like we put more effort into trick-shot scrum plays than actual defence. Our defending was honestly some of the worst I have seen for years. Really, really poor. Total lack of communication, nomination and co-operation through the middle. How a Kiwi side with that offence scored 18 points in one half I have nfi. Two soft barge over tries. Sheens coached sides have never been renowned for their defence but it honestly looked like he'd made some of our strongest tacklers worse during the week he had them. And despite keeping the Bros to nil in the second half the defending really didn't improve all that much. I think NZ's lack of quality in key creative positions shone through more than us turning our defensive game around.

Cordner was shit in the first half but had a better second 40. Josh Morris needs to fuck right off. Gillett should've been brought on much earlier than he was. DCE too. Kiwis left edge was abysmal in defence. Beale was caught short and left Nightingale posted every time the Aussies went right.

Pretty underwhelming performance by the Kangaroos.

 

I thought Brett Morris was very good.

 

Sam Moa is such a fucking gun. Ran like a freight train all night and kept going after the head knock.

Gallen and Scott were good and Tamou made some strong carries from the bench. Myles was solid too.

I still can't believe that penalty to Whare. Not only was it not stripped, the cunt passed off the ground. Had to be Australia's penalty.

 

How good was that tackle by Whare on Inglis? Wow.

 

It almost felt like the penalty count was keeping Australia in the game in the first half. The missed kick for touch from Johnson was a real turning point. Terrible error to make when you're 6 up and you know the Kangaroos are going to be coming after you for the full 80.

 

Thought Slater played okay apart from his high ball fumbles. Can't understand why the Kiwis didn't bomb him every chance they got.

He threw some good passes that needed to be thrown and made some good calls in the in-goal.

 

lol and Thurston won MOTM..........again. He was good in the first half but pretty quiet in the second. I'd have given it to Scott or Gallen. Maybe Moa even.

 

Thought Hayne had a Barry Crocker. Some of his calls were absolutely terrible. He gives two pathetically soft high shot penalties but then doesn't give the one landed right on Smith's snout.