Barba, Ennis and Dog

[bad boy bubby]

This is a thread about what's gone missing this season and what has been the main concerns for the team. Add your thoughts.

1) Barba
That party line and the subsequent mis-management has hurt us the most as far as I'm concerned.
I was hoping that Humph would stand up and make the spot his own but alas he is way too predictable for fullback, however he is still a very good winger.
Barba's extra flair took the pressure off Jim and Chad and we've seen the ramifications with the lack of spark.

2) Ennis
His leadership is what has been missed most.
Brails 1 has done a very admirable job. It was a shame we didn't have a decent back-up when fatigue started to hit the young fella and when his injury occurred. Playing wise, Soggy is bordering on disaster, we played much better with Paulo as back-up.
Frenz hit it on the head for next year, Brails 1 and 2, Soggy to reggies.

3) Dog
This is about A-Fi.
Ever since he's joined the huddle of Dog lovers that bit of Santa in him has gone missing.
The lad has been trying to improve himself, as he wants to embark on a career after football in helping underprivileged kids, and I congratulate him on that, but this is first grade footy and he is our main weapon in the forwards.
I've seen it before when others have found their Dog, they lose that bit of meanness.
I think it's time to let a little bit of old Santa back in to wreak some havoc.

 

[Card Shark]

The dog needs to run straight & get up & play the ball without the penalty pulling theatrics!

 

[Ads]

I think if we had Barba we would be easily the 2nd best team. With him we could have coped with the loss of Ennis.

 

[Snoop Shark]

Barba is the most obvious loss here but how many try assists did Ennis have last year from dummy half? That in my opinion is our biggest loss. No disrespect to Jayden but Ennis was like an extra half

 

[Frenzy.]

Barba is the most obvious loss here but how many try assists did Ennis have last year from dummy half? That in my opinion is our biggest loss. No disrespect to Jayden but Ennis was like an extra half

Try assists 2016 - 89
Try assists 2017 - 57
Deficit 32

Barba plus Ennis in 2016. 30 TAs between them.

Doesnt tell a whole story but goes a long way into chapter 1

 

[bluefox68]

Great posts...
We've correctly diagnosed the problem...
But, how do we fix it?

1. Barba... Almost irreplaceable... However, what if we DO have a superstar in the 20's? We need to really be on top of retaining talent.

2. Ennis... Brailey IS our first rising star. Honestly, Brails 1 & 2 for 2018 - they can be up there with Cam Smith...

3. Dog... I think this one is more about Desire... We did the impossible last year, and now... A loss this year MIGHT bring back the mongrel next year - but the whole team needs it back...

 

[Defer to the coifed]

Cant disagree with any of that.
But where did it all go wrong? Forget the fact Benny pharqud up .forget everything. There is 1 thing that has quite possibly ruined or made our year & we will find out in the next few weeks.
Halving Barbas salary. DUMB beyond comprehension in my books.

 

[snout]

What ennis bought you may not see again for 20 years.

An attitude of mean-spiritedness towards anyone that opposed the BWB.

He didn't care if it was media darlings like Cameron smith or a bunch of would be Vikings happy clapping - he went at it hard.

Oh Boo hoo...don't say that Michael the boffins cried.

The more they cried the more they all did it......Gal, Feefs, Wade, Lewie, Bird.

That element is gone and we cannot replace it. We're trying.

So we need to identify what is our new culture. Because you cant replicate or fake that one.

I am VERY concerned about new signings Aaron Gray and Dugan.

This is our future??...

These guys are NOT winners. Not at all. Not even close.

Dugan is a rep player...but his win'loss percentage across all his teams would be low. He's mentally challenged and his hypochondria will cause division.

If you saw Mary talk about him at the presso yesterday you could see the open disdain on his face. Obviously cannot stand the bloke.

From Barba and Ennis to Dugan and Gray in 2 seasons means we have lost our way in recruitment somewhat.

 

[Eion]

1) premiership hangover
2) Ennis
3) barba

 

[Frenzy.]

What ennis bought you may not see again for 20 years.

An attitude of mean-spiritedness towards anyone that opposed the BWB.

He didn't care if it was media darlings like Cameron smith or a bunch of would be Vikings happy clapping - he went at it hard.

Oh Boo hoo...don't say that Michael the boffins cried.

The more they cried the more they all did it......Gal, Feefs, Wade, Lewie, Bird.

That element is gone and we cannot replace it. We're trying.

So we need to identify what is our new culture. Because you cant replicate or fake that one.

I am VERY concerned about new signings Aaron Gray and Dugan.

This is our future??...

These guys are NOT winners. Not at all. Not even close.

Dugan is a rep player...but his win'loss percentage across all his teams would be low. He's mentally challenged and his hypochondria will cause division.

If you saw Mary talk about him at the presso yesterday you could see the open disdain on his face. Obviously cannot stand the bloke.

From Barba and Ennis to Dugan and Gray in 2 seasons means we have lost our way in recruitment somewhat.

Well there's a big issue. After 49 years of being losers we all thought that culture was gone after winning it. Not that I think we have reverted back 100% to the "old" culture but there is rust in the club IMO

Might be Bird's antics. Might be BBQs salary issues. Might be whatever has Capt America out of favour. Might of been Keogh. Might of been the Barba decisions.

There's a lot to be unsettled about John st on what we see.

 

[Card Shark]

Winning starts off the field & we've had our dramas!

 

[RUBIKS]

I actually think Ennis is the biggest loss.

I think Brails is going fine however unfortunately he's being overcalled. Players like Gal getting in the way or Maloney wanting the ball all the time. With Ennis we had a personality big enough to play what he saw first and could hear who needed the ball when.

Also, part of why Barba was so good is because of his relationship with Ennis. I don't think Barba would be half as good this season without Ennis.

 

[Card Shark]

He probably wouldn't be half as good for the same reason the team hasn't been as good....premiership hangover / loss of motivation.

He was ordinary @ the dogs/Broncos when he lost his motivation.

 

[Special K]

Ennis drove the car last year. He decided between Maloney and Townsend who got the ball and when - hence the issues early in the season when Maloney wasn't getting ball on plays he was calling. Losing Ennis has been huge. Barba made a massive difference though and I think we could of got over losing Ennis if we still had him.

I never thought I would miss Barba so much.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

I know most players in the side are no where near the form of last year.

But Fifita's runs have so little fear in them these days.

Hope he gets his mojo back in the Semi's. We need him to be at his destructive best.

 

[Card Shark]

He got it back in the first half V the Cowboys & it was simply by running straight.

He is hard to tackle at the best of times but when he's crabbing sideways, defenders get a good shot at his legs instead of having to contend with his rampaging knees.

Speaking of running straight, it was good to see Matt Prior do some bullet straight runs V the Roosters. He's so effective when he plays that game...makes good metres & plays the ball relatively quickly.

 

[Generalzod]

If we had the likes of Barba and Ennis still playing I would of said that going back to back was a possibility, Like who have the Melbourne Storm lost other than Procter and Hampton, the majority of their team is basically the team that was in the Grand Final last year..

 

[carcharias]

If we had the likes of Barba and Ennis still playing I would of said that going back to back was a possibility, Like who have the Melbourne Storm lost other than Procter and Hampton, the majority of their team is basically the team that was in the Grand Final last year..

Add slater

 

[Card Shark]

& Munster gone to another level in a new spine position.

 

[Generalzod]

With all these stars and still the Storm where able to afford to get Nate Myles