Where the game was won and lost
The scoreboard only I think. I thought it was a really hard-fought game in very taxing conditions for both teams. I thought we were full of running at the end of the game which was testament to our performance staff and the players for buying into what we've done to prepare for tough conditions.
To be honest, it was disappointing that the game stopped so many times for medical checks that didn't result in interchanges. We stopped the game twice, one for a head knock, which was replaced, and the other a serious ankle injury. Other than that the stoppages weren't down to us.
Goal-line defensive efforts
They scored a couple of tries on the edges which can happen but we defended brave. We've had tonnes of experienced players pull out in the week then just before kick-off, another one.
Those young kids in there, they're brave young kids and the senior players stepped forward. It was a good, hard game of footy and I'm nothing but proud of that group in there.
Overall thoughts
I need to do a better job of getting our team to flow when there's a few experience halves not there, I need to do more there. But overall, we kept asking them to turn up and all the way to the end we kept turning up. We couldn't be prouder of the efforts.
Good ball frailties
There was a pass in the first half which was forward when we had momentum, the second half we poked holes then turned the ball over. As I said, there was a lot of stoppages. It's a difficult situation for the refs in such trying conditions. I wondered what a lot of the stoppages were for and they weren't replaced on the back of it. I was disappointed we couldn't go end-to-end more.
Do you think play-acting is in the game?
The way we're coaching our young players is if you can get up, get up. I think if other coaches are commenting on it it's an issue in a game. We want to see attrition and the ball in play. Even if it's one out carries but going end to end that's what people love to see. We didn't see enough of that tonight and the same has happened in other games, for sure.
When did Liam Sutcliffe pull out?
Pretty much when we put the team sheet in. He's been battling illness, he wanted to give it as long as he could but in that heat you're not going to get better.
Max Simpson
He's some kind of lateral ankle injury. They can be nasty or not as bad as first thought so we'll get that checked out. But what a tough performance from that kid. He's pretty much played off the back of not much prep, that's an incredible effort from that young kid. For those kids to step up on short prep, to step in and step forward, it's a performance you can only be proud of as a Rhinos fan.
The young lads
I just said to them in there that tough conditions they kept turning up, were full of running at the back end of the game, what more can you ask of kids based on limited prep of reserves and 18s. They're great young men first, they want to wear the badge and give their best. I'm proud of those guys but proud of all of them.
It's not a negative day for the club, for sure.
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