I dare say that if Myler or Briers would have been defending those kicks the results would have been similar.
I have not watched the whole game back but what is noticeable is that when Wilkin was on the pitch in the warm up Gidley gets Hughes, Evans and King together and gives them a pep talk. Their communication in defence was very good and it appeared that everybody knew their job.
One of the Sneyd kicks was almost in touch (IIRC) and I think it was Ratchford who challenged for it. It looked like the kind of kick that you should leave and mark up on the players because the winger would have been drilled into touch if he landed with the ball in his hands. . Instead there was a minor drop in concentration and a bit of panic.
One of the disappointing things was Ratchford not making it to the 40/20. Easy for me to say but he fields that kick and the game was over. He wasn't that far away from it. Good kick though.

I would have expected both Sandow and Gidley to run the show for us they didn't, yes Sandow got a 40/20 and an interception, but that's all, just very disappointed with the halves. It was a great spectacle and sad for one team to lose but hey onwards to OT, but only if the halves start to dominate with the ball in hand.

Gidley stays on the field and doesn't go off injured and this conversation never happens.

Would agree that he's not been as good since his injury, however.

When we look at Sandow,his size dictates that he is a half back ,but with a bit more size & a more complete tackling technique he may have made a game breaking full back. Whatever,he isn't a conventional scrum half but a maverick with flashes of brilliance & flaws that may never be ironed out.

TS has said that Chris Sandow will miss the Catalans game because of a Knee Medial strain. Also Bennie out for the season

So no Gidley or Sandow this week, that will be an interesting squad selection on Thursday.

Patton and ratchford. unless he's gonna go with patton and currie at 6

Ratch and Dec.
Penny back in.

Fullback?
Penny or Johnson?

Cox replacement for Bennie, or Philbin?

Russell
Penny
Evans
Atkins
King / johnson
Ratch
Patton

Now that news of Sandows injury has come out can I assume that his critics in this post will be issuing their apologies?

I've checked back on my posts and am content with what I posted as an accurate reflection of his performance in the final. None of my posts could be considered offensive so no need to apologise.

If he plays Currie at 6 I just don't understand the selection strategy at all. Currie is a near world class 2nd rower, why move players out of positions. Play the understudies for the injured players.

Assume all that you want Silver but, as far as I'm concerned as I'm not a trained medical practitioner I don't think that I can comment as far Sandow's health and fitness is concerned

At the start of the season Sandow was in great form. Getting involved in many attacking plays.

However he got a bad injury and occasionally enjoyed a moment or three of that period socially if rumours and pics tell a tale.

In his return he hasn't, hit the form he was in at season start. Perhaps he hadn't fully recovered from that injury?
Perhaps its psychological and he's being cautious?
Or perhaps he is revealing he's not a 80 min player?

He goes hiding for me for periods and when he is involved during that period his form is suspect, almost like he was daydreaming?

After near a year of watching him, I'm already thinking about a replacement in oppose to extension. I'd swap him for George Williams. I'd prefer a back that plays 80mins a game, every game.

He is a player I like to watch but he doesn't have a great engine and definitely fades in the second half of games. Not sure that will ever change.

And he still fails in his defensive duties.

Undecided if he is worth retaining particularly in light of the size of his contract. If we win the Grand Final that might make such a decision easier!

I thought Sandow played well in a very tough stamina sapping game with all the players having to draw on energy reserves, before going off with a knee injury and playing with a strapped thigh and not everything coming off he gave 100%

We were very close to a very good side and for that I can't knock the players or Smith or his selection as it almost came off but I hope he has a rethink.

You mean you're not disappointed he is not running at the line all the time making 40/20s everytime his ball hit his foot and smashing the oppositions in defence and that he is not single handedly winning the games all on his own?

If only he was doing that, but he isn't. He can do it but chooses when to apply it.

Exactly, not disappointed at all I'd be more disappointed if he did all those things every time who else would I watch? LOL I'm happy with Sandow he varies his game has taken the line on at times and scored comes up with some great plays and kicks I'm sure he will again,Saturday wasn't his or the teams day.

It's such a key position for us and the heartbeat to how a side plays. We need him at full fitness. The pre injury Sandow was unplayable at times,

It's a team game and he obviously shines when the team are playing well, we're being critical that his performances have not been the same as early season but the same can be said for the whole team

I too was not disappointed with his performance yes I'd have loved him to have created more or a piece of magic to win the game but it wasn't to b, but to infer that he chose not to is not fair and probably not true either and a disservice to the opposition defence also.

Half backs look great behind a dominant pack and a team full of confidence going forward, bit also they struggle to take control of the game behind a dominated pack, he was clearly tired and injured too and the conditions would have amplified the effects.

Its no coincidence that he was the stand out hb in the first half n Sneyd in the second half, he is not playing to his full potential try but to make out he is a bad signing and not worth extending his contract is nonsensical he his by far the most exciting half back in superleague, get back to our early season form and we can still win silverware this year and sandow will be key to that.

No doubt about his talent.
Doubt about sustaining it throughout 80 mins.

He'd still be playing in the NRL if there was a different coach at Parra and if he'd decided to wait until the end of the season another NRL club would have picked him up. He was 4th in the Dalley M table at the time he left Aus and was the second highest half back.