I liked the efforts of Blakey and Hughes, although Blakey did look very one-sided. I do see the need to jump to the defence of Ibbo, however.
With no Elvis McPharlin and having the silky-smooth Johhno out of the team, Garrick Ibbotson is playing on the opposition's tall forwards. He's just 80 kg and 6' 1" tall and he is asked to be a key backman. That has never been his role in past years. His job has been to intercept and receive the out-coming handball to then run and deliver the ball down field. This year, he has to scrap it out with the big forwards and, not surprisingly, he is being beaten more often than not. And when involved in the defensive scrap, he hasn't been on the outer and able to take the relieving handball.
It isn't Ibbo's fault that we are undermanned in the back line.
