End Of The SSFC Tour
I described following Souths like being in a toxic relationship. One minute you feel like walking away. Feel like you have been treated so bad you just want out. You then realise no matter how hard you try you can’t walk away. You keep coming back for more punishment.
The highs are the best. Yet the lows have you feeling terrible.
Nothing could best describe those feelings than the last couple of weeks.
The Sharks
Firstly the Sharks game.
It was a not so short trip across the country to Perth. Expectations were high. In many of our eyes this was where we make our statement and run for an all important top 4 spot. Results were going our way. Win this and we would be just 2 points behind the Storm who were in 4th spot.
Sadly it didn’t take long for that excitement to fade. We found ourselves down 26-0.
Frustration set in amongst the fans. Even when they made some sort of comeback it was hard to get excited. The damage had already been done.
There was a poor attitude out there. Efforts weren’t there. You could see the difference in attitude between us and the Sharks. They were winning every effort area. Quite simply they wanted it more.
Even at 26-0 down we were somehow not out of the game. We were a bit unlucky with the Campbell no try. It didn’t take long for us to get back to 26-16. There was still time left.
No Support
A break from the kick off by Tallis Duncan and pass to Murray had us away. But where was the rest of the support? All we needed was one more player there backing up and it was going to be another try.
Still we had them on the back foot. A try was still on offer. Unfortunately like the most of the game poor handling let us down and a miraculous come back was killed off.
Had we scored there who knows what would have happened?
Even just before half time we cut them open. A quick play the ball and we needed to spread the ball left. We had a 5 man overlap. Put the ball through the hands and we score.
Sadly the wrong option was taken and Keaontried to barge over where they actually had defenders.
In the end a poor attitude, discipline and a lack of effort really hurt us.
Heads Held High
Two players who could really hold their head high were Isaiah Tass and Tallis Duncan.
Leaving the ground feeling down about the result. Questioning whether we will play finals footy or not. Asking how we found ourselves in this position.
Next morning the feeling was still there. I don’t know about everyone else, but it does take a few days to get over a loss. Sometimes up until the next game.
Straight To Cairns
Still it was time to head to the airport and head straight to Cairns where it will be home for a week.
It didn’t take long to get over the loss. Discovering what Cairns has to offer. Trips out to the Rainforests of the Atherton Tablelands. Visiting several waterfalls including the Milla Milla Falls.
A trip to the Herberton Historical Village then to the Barron Falls. The week was full of adventures. Even managed to visit my friends farm in Mareeba. It was great having friends up there to act as a tour guide.
I was able to repay the favour by taking them to captains run. They were able to get to meet the players and get photos and autographs with them.
Jai Was Playing
The most pleasing thing for me was to see Jai Arrow complete captains run. He was playing. We really needed him with all the middles we had missing.
Game day was finally here. There was a strong wind mostly blowing across the field. Plenty of rain during the week, but the sun was out today.
I had been sucked right back into this toxic relationship. A game we needed to win. Lose this and it was hard to see how we make the finals.
It didn’t take long for us to score. Who else but Alex Johnston! It looked like we were going to open them up again only to be called back for a forward pass.
We soon extend the lead to 8-0 through a penalty. You could see the effects of the wind with the short drop out by the Dragons.
One minute that wind worked in our favour and the next worked against us. We failed to get the ball from the kick off. From the scrum a poor one on one miss by Isaiah Tass and the Dragons are able to get their first try.
Too Many Errors
We kept shooting ourselves in the foot with errors. Getting good field position only to hand it back over. We weren’t able to build pressure.
Although there was much to like about the attitude in defence. Lachie’s kicking game was much better as well. The kick chase another feature that had improved on the previous week.
Second half and finally we made the Dragons pay for an error. Again it showed the difference when we compete for the ball off a kick. Straight from the scrum and Campbell Graham gets a try.
Once again after points we turn the ball over and they make us pay through an early kick. Errors were keeping them in the game. Lucky for us they were struggling themselves.
Murray To Duncan
We looked to break them through a beautiful pass by Cameron Murray to Tallis Duncan. It was going to be a try, only to be called back for a forward pass. Looking at the replay and it wasn’t even a line ball. That pass went backwards.
Only last week we had a couple of tries scored against us from forward passes. Now they are calling passes that went back?
It didn’t take long for us to hit back. Once again competing for the all off a kick. Latrell with a beautiful catch and pass as he was falling to the ground. Who was there in support? Who else but Cody Walker.
At the ground we couldn’t hear what was happening through the bunker. There seemed to be some doubt. Our only view of the replay was a small screen up the other end of the ground. Soon it came through that we were lucky to score. Replays suggesting that Latrell was in front of Ilias. Although it has been since defended that they got that call right.
Still this made up for the call of forward pass just minutes beforehand.
We looked to have control of this game. Just needed another try to break them open.
A poor minute from a couple of players they wish they could have back had the Dragons back in the game.
Firstly a poor pass to Lachie behind Keaon. He was able to chase the winger down though. But then Taane coming in off his wing on the last finding himself in no man’s land. A kick through by Hunt and it was now 20-14.
Game In The Balance
The game was on knives edge now. A short kick by Hunt then another by Sloan. Then from nowhere AJ read and was able to beat Sloan to the ball. The play of the game. The turning point.
Who knows what would have happened had we let them in there? Momentum is a funny thing is this sport.
From there the try of the game. Spread it wide. AJ back into Tass and Tass back to AJ for another career double. That moves him a step closer to this all time record and in reaching distance of surpassing Billy Slater in 2nd of all time.
From there the Dragons never looked like getting back in the game.
We finished with a couple of disallowed tries. The Ilias try has me scratching my head. Especially when seeing other tries given over the weekend. When points differential could be all important this is a big call.
Still it was a win and an important 2 points. Nowhere near our best, but there was effort and the attitude was much better than the previous week.
We really need our completion rate to be much better. The other day it was at 63%. Not good enough and you would usually lose games with that sort of completion rate.
Defence Was Strong
Overall I thought defensively we were strong. A few individual errors in defence cost us.
Despite his poor read in defence for the Sloan try, Taane was quite strong for us. Running out of trouble. Shaq put his hand up to keep his spot as well. Cook seemed to trouble the Dragons all day. Ilias also had a much improved kicking game. Especially in that wind.
What we need is our star players to be at their best. Right now the likes of Cody and Latrell are well below that. Get them in the form they were in earlier in the season and there is no reason we can’t compete with the best.
That was a wrap of the tour. From Sunshine Coast, Tamworth, Perth and finally Cairns. It was time to head home. Going to be weird waking up in my own bed next Sunday to head to a game.
Next week is a tough one. The Knights on a 6 game winning streak. They have turned their season around. Win this and you can just about guarantee a finals berth. Hopefully a few troops return.
Play to our potential and we should win this. Play to the level we have been and we will be leaving Newcastle with our heads down.
End Of The SSFC Tour.
By Josh Kemp for Bunnies TV.
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