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F.O Andrew Webster

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,864
Yeah, it isn't the be all and end all. We have players that are capable and preferable to play big minutes- AFB, Egan, Barnett, Harris- and we have players that Webster seems to want playing big minutes- Ford and Capewell- so there just aren't enough minutes to go around for 4 players on the bench
 
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16,852
Webster hasn’t been able to adjust. Teams have figured out our attack near their line and Webbie has no variation

Webbie is still better than what we have had before. Atleast we aren’t getting thrashed and are competing in most of the games.
Better because of 1 season making finals
Or how he speaks well to the media?

While he shouldn't be judged on 1 season, I'd say 3 gives you an idea, so he better figure something out for 2025.
 
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2,615
If we are to scold Webster then we need to scold the senior players as well.
Tohu should be dropped after that performance then
The scolding of Webby is justified if we continue to see his bench play be as crap as it has been this year.
There is no excuse for our plan to have one attacking play with our sets. That's all on the coach.
The discipline is on the boys they need to clean that crap up. That's on Tohu to get them in line. Drop him though? That wouldn't be wise due to our lack of stock and available bodies.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,864
I'm sure he was.

Tohu still has that Storm wrestle wrap in him, it's amazing they haven't pinged him more this year or his career for that matter.

I would imagine it has been coached into him so much that it can’t be coached out of him.
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,317
After about thirty minutes of sludge he stood up and shouted into his radio.

'Enough of this garbage! Stick to the bloody plan!' Or something like that.
 

Meth

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
34,864
After about thirty minutes of sludge he stood up and shouted into his radio.

'Enough of this garbage! Stick to the bloody plan!' Or something like that.

didn’t seem to work
 
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16,852
So when players start to go against the plan do you still have the locker room?
If your not seeing results do players think the plan isn't working?
Do some start to think RTS needs to be at the back?
Do they trust the system?
 

Big Marn

Juniors
Messages
2,432
So when players start to go against the plan do you still have the locker room?
If your not seeing results do players think the plan isn't working?
Do some start to think RTS needs to be at the back?
Do they trust the system?
Its a tough one. RTS isnt a power back along the likes of Bradman Best or Moses Suili, but he is also not beating people with his feet. I think hes only had the one clean linebreak all year? I wouldnt be against him going to 6 as he might be able to do a similar support role to Metcalf and maybe get more one on ones against forwards rather than opposing centres. Opposing teams dont rate TMM to provide anything on attack and they may even be stacking the other side to blunt our sweep play. If RTS was there, they might think twice about leaving his side lightly defended.

I still like CNK at the back. He might be less effective at another position, and hes a guy you want playing in your team.
 
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16,852
Its a tough one. RTS isnt a power back along the likes of Bradman Best or Moses Suili, but he is also not beating people with his feet. I think hes only had the one clean linebreak all year? I wouldnt be against him going to 6 as he might be able to do a similar support role to Metcalf and maybe get more one on ones against forwards rather than opposing centres. Opposing teams dont rate TMM to provide anything on attack and they may even be stacking the other side to blunt our sweep play. If RTS was there, they might think twice about leaving his side lightly defended.

I still like CNK at the back. He might be less effective at another position, and hes a guy you want playing in your team.
Agree its worth a cracking.
1 loss doesn't bode changes but we are up to 4 games in a row without a win.
Websters ego is about to be tested.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
38,306
didn’t seem to work
Well to be fair they tightened things up after the first 20 minutes which was diabolical. That period was so bad that “stop dropping the ball and stick to the gameplan” was probably the right advice at that point. But it needed more than that after half time.
Did Newcastle win the toss and choose which way to run? They definitely made the best of the weather which was a significant advantage to them in the decent half. We got pinned in our half by that headwind after the penalty that made it 8 all.
in the first half the conditions definitely weren’t as bad. We lost the game in that awful first quarter, we needed to be ahead at half time with the wind against us in the second half.
I think modern fans and commentators aren’t as good as they used to be at taking weather conditions into account in games, I hardly remember it being mentioned in last years grand final, when it was actually probably the deciding factor. The popular picture is that Nathan Cleary just decided to engage god mode and single handedly take control in f the game and win I for the panthers, but the Panthers comeback coincided exactly with a southerly change hitting Sydney which changed the wind from a strong tailwind favouring Brisbane to a howling gale at Penrith’s backs. I was working outside at the time and monitoring it, and I’m sure the coaches and smarter players knew about it too.
 
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Manu Vatuvei

Coach
Messages
16,825
I honestly think RTS is slightly past his physical peak and is not going to be the game breaking ball runner he gets made out to be. He’s still good, he just used to be a 10/10 on the ‘hard to tackle’ scale and now he’s a 7/10.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
38,306
I honestly think RTS is slightly past his physical peak and is not going to be the game breaking ball runner he gets made out to be. He’s still good, he just used to be a 10/10 on the ‘hard to tackle’ scale and now he’s a 7/10.
My issue with him isn’t so much his physical attributes (he’s probably lost a yard of pace but he looks bigger and stronger now) but that I’m not convinced his skill set suits centre.
I’m seeing a lot of trying to beat players with footwork but not enough hitting gaps at the right angle or setting up his winger.
 

Manu Vatuvei

Coach
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16,825
Playing outside TMM and inside Montoya I just don't think he has had, or will get, many situations where passing to Montoya is more likely to lead to a try than Montoya getting bundled over the sideline.
 
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