Pfitzy
George Gregan (70)
Happy Tuesday peons. I was out most of Monday so only sat down to watch the game yesterevening.
My blow-by-blow / stream of consciousness here i.e. notes I took during the game:
You can tell our defence coach is from league because we leave acres of fucking space on the wings.
Portugal's backs have great hands and run great lines.
Fuck me it's ironic that the TMO's first name is "Joy" because every time I've seen them in the booth, they do everything they can to suck all the joy out of the game
Wallabies' first try good example of how to put your key ball runners into your first two phases. Bell crashes in, recycle to Valentini, luckily Arnold holds the pop
Try #2: good touch finder from Donaldson. Good lineout from Porecki. Good maul from the pack. Good finish from the skipper.
Porecki's strengths are set piece. Best lineout thrower we've had for a while and can scrum
Try #3: silly kick from Portugal 9, and we actually decide to counterattack. Fuck didn't appreciate how fast Foketi is.
Nearly goes to shit but Bell cleans up, then we're smart enough to use hands instead of going straight into contact. Funny how you can cover your rucks in time when you play on your feet, offloading early, rather than doing it in a tackle.
You're not stopping Bell from there. Best prop we've had in so long. Wish we had Ala'alatoa there with him
Frost's early knee injury looked like MCL to me. He's not well
Foketi looks fucked as well.
Great break from Perese
Kelleway is class. Cleaning up shit at the back, try saving tackles. Sensible on attack
Lol koroibete killed a guy.
Not sure that's a legal strike by Portugal at the scrum following - only front rowers can strike at the ball?
Portugal's 9 is an angry little cuss. Love it
Gotta say that tackle by the Portugal 2 on Pone is borderline illegal. Front on it becomes a cannonball. Side on its a different story
That said, Pone is dumb for pushing the opposition prop on a subsequent kick chase
McReight having his best game in some time
Lost our scrum on 56:30. Why the fuck is Arnold packing behind the loosehead? He should be the big lump on the right
Followed by a dumb late shot from Foketi and a dumb shoulder from Kerevi. Why? Just hold the fucking line and tackle low.
Aaaand the dumbest shit from Faessler. Deserved yellow.
TBH I have no issue with the knock on from Portugal 2. Ball goes forward into an opponent
Kerevi done for his troublesome forearm. What a goose.
Koroibete just hits too hard to wrap sometimes
Scrum shits itself again for Portugal's 2nd try. I had another look and here's the issue:
Why IFL kicks away turnover ball - even with the game in hand - shows where we are
Last minute. Better scrum.
Ref says "tackle" multiple times. Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) just did not listen. Facepalm.
Kemeny gets a token few minutes. Genuine shame - he deserved more chance to show his wares.
IFL kicks away. Again. We're honestly about 8 on 3 + a cover defender on our 22. Game won. Have a crack!
And another kick from the reserve halfback. What the fuck???
Farcical ending to that game. Mostly from us.
Jesus wept
SUMMARY: Basically dominated first half and shat parts of the bed in the second. Never really threatened by Portugal TBH - 3 quick tries around the 20 minute mark put paid to that.
My blow-by-blow / stream of consciousness here i.e. notes I took during the game:
You can tell our defence coach is from league because we leave acres of fucking space on the wings.
Portugal's backs have great hands and run great lines.
Fuck me it's ironic that the TMO's first name is "Joy" because every time I've seen them in the booth, they do everything they can to suck all the joy out of the game
Wallabies' first try good example of how to put your key ball runners into your first two phases. Bell crashes in, recycle to Valentini, luckily Arnold holds the pop
Try #2: good touch finder from Donaldson. Good lineout from Porecki. Good maul from the pack. Good finish from the skipper.
Porecki's strengths are set piece. Best lineout thrower we've had for a while and can scrum
Try #3: silly kick from Portugal 9, and we actually decide to counterattack. Fuck didn't appreciate how fast Foketi is.
Nearly goes to shit but Bell cleans up, then we're smart enough to use hands instead of going straight into contact. Funny how you can cover your rucks in time when you play on your feet, offloading early, rather than doing it in a tackle.
You're not stopping Bell from there. Best prop we've had in so long. Wish we had Ala'alatoa there with him
Frost's early knee injury looked like MCL to me. He's not well
Foketi looks fucked as well.
Great break from Perese
Kelleway is class. Cleaning up shit at the back, try saving tackles. Sensible on attack
Lol koroibete killed a guy.
Not sure that's a legal strike by Portugal at the scrum following - only front rowers can strike at the ball?
Portugal's 9 is an angry little cuss. Love it
Gotta say that tackle by the Portugal 2 on Pone is borderline illegal. Front on it becomes a cannonball. Side on its a different story
That said, Pone is dumb for pushing the opposition prop on a subsequent kick chase
McReight having his best game in some time
Lost our scrum on 56:30. Why the fuck is Arnold packing behind the loosehead? He should be the big lump on the right
Followed by a dumb late shot from Foketi and a dumb shoulder from Kerevi. Why? Just hold the fucking line and tackle low.
Aaaand the dumbest shit from Faessler. Deserved yellow.
TBH I have no issue with the knock on from Portugal 2. Ball goes forward into an opponent
Kerevi done for his troublesome forearm. What a goose.
Koroibete just hits too hard to wrap sometimes
Scrum shits itself again for Portugal's 2nd try. I had another look and here's the issue:
Why IFL kicks away turnover ball - even with the game in hand - shows where we are
Last minute. Better scrum.
Ref says "tackle" multiple times. Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) just did not listen. Facepalm.
Kemeny gets a token few minutes. Genuine shame - he deserved more chance to show his wares.
IFL kicks away. Again. We're honestly about 8 on 3 + a cover defender on our 22. Game won. Have a crack!
And another kick from the reserve halfback. What the fuck???
Farcical ending to that game. Mostly from us.
Jesus wept
SUMMARY: Basically dominated first half and shat parts of the bed in the second. Never really threatened by Portugal TBH - 3 quick tries around the 20 minute mark put paid to that.
