Fair to say we got lit up by the Raiders. 26-12 doesn't sound that bad, but the Raiders scored 6 tries to 2, and it was shite kicking from Sanders that kept things relatively close.
Though Payten his the nail on the head in the post game presser. The Raders ran harder & tackled harder for the 80 minutes. And that's all about the mental side of the game: effort, intensity, etc.
As a result we now sit mid-table, in something of a sea of clubs who I think are good but not great. The Panthers and Warriors (who sit in first & second) are next level, while the Roosters, Knights, Sea Eagles, Souths, the Fins, Sharks, Cowboys, Tigers, Broncos, Raiders & maybe the Storm are in that good but not great pool: very capable on their day, but not great when they are off the bit.
It's actually interesting to look at the worst defeat each of those clubs has suffered this season:
- Roosters 4-40
- Knights 12-44
- Sea Eagles 16-36
- Souths 10-32
- Fins 10-52
- Sharks 10-38
- Cowboys 6-38
- Tigers 10-52
- Broncos 12-42
- Raiders 6-48
- Storm 16-48
I think though it does underline how hard it is for clubs to be up for the fight and switched on for the whole season. There's some pretty decent coaches running this lot (I'm thinking of Bennett, Bellamy, Robinson, Maguire) and they still haven't found the secret sauce.
Getting players up for the big games - finals, local derbys, magic round, SOO - I'm thinking that's relatively easy. The challenge lies in those run of those bog standard round games, when the finals still feel a long way off, the crowds are fair rather than great, perhaps you're away and there aren't many of your fans there, I can understand that it happens.
But we cetainly got lit up by the Raiders. Hopfully the team bounces back strong vs the Fins.
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