We actually looked a well-coached side for a good proportion of Saturday's game - in control of field position and able to build pressure. Some good individual performances and the Gower-Bailey combo looked good. But there ends the good news.
To my mind, it was the selection/use of players that was the major problem. 3 centres used - Lovell, JOC and Channing; 2 of those probably won't ever make it at centre, the third is a decent prospect but needs easing into an established playing structure. Like someone else said, the use of JOC at left centre made no sense when Howell was available. (Just on JOC - he has been appalling and he looks shorn of any belief. He could still be a good winger/FB but he needed taking out of first grade at least 12 games ago).
So, no surprises that we eventually get battered via the centre/3rd man in channels.
Re. forwards. I don't understand why Channing came on at right centre and Lovell got moved to left second-row when Gower left the pitch. Surely - surely - the sensible move would have been Bolger on and not Channing. Don't think Bolger got any game time. And I don't understand the (under-)use of Krasniqi. The kid comes on and makes a line break with his first carry and then hits the ball up a couple more times; about 8 minutes on and then off, not to reappear. He looked devastated when hauled off. The kid is a coach's dream. Runs hard, PTB quickly, mobile, aggressive defender. If I could be arsed, I'd pull up his stats and compare them with Bryant and Wheeldon - he makes more metres per carry and is a better defender than both. I don't get it.
EDIT: Haha. Just realised Bolger was 18th man.
Still Bolger on the bench before Channing would have made more sense.