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The Problem

macavity

macavity

Referee
Messages
20,350
17632189_1480184458660066_8592504447429495596_o.jpg


45 less than the next worst. 151 worse than the best.

Just how bad is Hodko?
 
Hawkins

Hawkins

Juniors
Messages
1,993
that is a very pretty image. Not the numbers really, sorry bout your knights, but I mean the team badges.
 
otori

otori

Juniors
Messages
1,456
Anyone able to provide a breakdown of that from Levi, Hodko, Lamb and Elliott/Phythian/Pete?

Also, I reckon if you did that analysis with second rowers, wed be the league leader thanks to Buhrer and Barnett with their deft kicks
 
K

K-Man

Bench
Messages
3,115
I also think this has a bigger impact on our overall performances than just the breaks we don't make and tries we don't score. It's a cumulative effect where not taking advantage of a purple patch of good possession and field position really works against us. Our forwards might give it their all and actually do their job, but they never get the rewards of the spine controlling the game for them.

Put it this way, have our forwards only matched it with the opposition twice in the last 28 games? No way. We've been in the contest a lot more often. But we simply don't have anyone making it count, earning repeat sets, pulling off a big play, building pressure. And in the end it costs the whole team and it looks like we're running out of gas.

But I think a lot of it comes back to the fact we have to work twice as hard as the opposition because our spine is half as effective.
 
S

Spot On

Coach
Messages
13,902
K-Man said:
I also think this has a bigger impact on our overall performances than just the breaks we don't make and tries we don't score. It's a cumulative effect where not taking advantage of a purple patch of good possession and field position really works against us. Our forwards might give it their all and actually do their job, but they never get the rewards of the spine controlling the game for them.

Put it this way, have our forwards only matched it with the opposition twice in the last 28 games? No way. We've been in the contest a lot more often. But we simply don't have anyone making it count, earning repeat sets, pulling off a big play, building pressure. And in the end it costs the whole team and it looks like we're running out of gas.

But I think a lot of it comes back to the fact we have to work twice as hard as the opposition because our spine is half as effective.
Click to expand...

I totally agree here K-Man. I wouldn't say we've had the best pack over the last long while but I will say we've had enough to do better than we have. Our spine has been shite for a long, long time.
 
Yosh

Yosh

Coach
Messages
11,323
Surely the team and the coaching staff see that and have to fire up... Looks utter like crap...
 
Mr_Knightside

Mr_Knightside

Juniors
Messages
2,195
Wow that stat is absolutely damning isn't it!

Considering that Hodko has been the only constant in our spine since the start of 2016 I think the blame needs to be quite squarely on him. Also because he's the only guy in our spine who's actually played a lot of first grade and therefore should be able to step up and steer the ship and show the young guys what to do.

Our forwards aren't great but they're good enough to at least put us in a position to win a few more games than we have and our lack of creative spark costs us time and time again. I can think of several games last year when this was glaringly obvious. The game at home v Parra is the clearest example for mine, we were camped on their line for most of the second half and all we came away with was a couple of penalty goals and they scored up our end of the field with relative ease when the possession finally evened out.

I think Levi is looking really sharp and Ponga will no doubt provide more from the back than we've had in the last few years. So I'm happy with our #9 and our future #1... I'm also happy to give Lamb more time to develop because he's still had less than 10 games in the top grade. If he plays out the year in first grade then I think we'll know by the end of this season if he can cut it or not. We're obviously stuck with Hodko for another year after this one and given that Brown has made him captain I don't think he'll be getting rid of him during his contract. But there's no way that he should be re-signed after 2018 so we need to hit the market next year for a good halfback for 2019 onwards.

If we can land Bird in the meantime then I'll be stoked! He's the key target imo and I don't care if we have to pay overs for him we need a player of his talent badly!

This could be our spine next year:

1. Ponga
6. Bird
7. Hodko/Lamb
9. Levi

That at least looks decent to me, plenty of potential at any rate.
 
macavity

macavity

Referee
Messages
20,350
People rightly rubbish the dogs for having all the spine creativity of a potato

Still nearly double us
 
K

K-Man

Bench
Messages
3,115
If those stats were about the forwards, Brown could do a Flanagan and fire them up. But unfortunately you can't give a rev up that goes "Now get out there and show people how creative you are, Trent!"

Is it an exaggeration to say we have the worst 1, 6 and 7 in the competition? Not just collectively (because obviously), but on an individual basis as well? I can't think of any other permanent 1, 6 or 7 I would not immediately do a direct swap for.
 
perverse

perverse

Referee
Messages
25,982
K-Man said:
Is it an exaggeration to say we have the worst 1, 6 and 7 in the competition? Not just collectively (because obviously), but on an individual basis as well? I can't think of any other permanent 1, 6 or 7 I would not immediately do a direct swap for.
Click to expand...
Not even slightly. Levi is the only guy in our spine worth feeding based on current output.
 
perverse

perverse

Referee
Messages
25,982
macavity said:
And even he is bottom 25% in position at present
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was going to comment something to that effect... but after going through last weeks teams, there's quite a few blokes that I would take him over purely on current output without even regarding his continued potential. He's around middle of the pack I think - he's alright, our Danny. He gets a pass from me thus far... if he was putting Matt Scott or Jason Taumalolo over the advantage line, he'd look a million bucks and be running a lot more.
 
Mr_Knightside

Mr_Knightside

Juniors
Messages
2,195
K-Man said:
If those stats were about the forwards, Brown could do a Flanagan and fire them up. But unfortunately you can't give a rev up that goes "Now get out there and show people how creative you are, Trent!"

Is it an exaggeration to say we have the worst 1, 6 and 7 in the competition? Not just collectively (because obviously), but on an individual basis as well? I can't think of any other permanent 1, 6 or 7 I would not immediately do a direct swap for.
Click to expand...

I think collectively we do, but I would still rate Hodko over a couple of halfbacks running around. I'd rather have him than Josh Mcrone and I would argue that he's got more going for him than Luke Brooks who doesn't do much in attack and in addition to that he can't tackle either. Still Hodko is bottom 3 at best...
 
P

Pedge1971

First Grade
Messages
5,898
The big thing with Hodko is there is no upside. With Levi and Lamb u can look at it and say yes bottom of the pile but with anfee more games under the belt they will improve to at least good first grade players, maybe more.

Hodko has reached his peak and is on a downhill slide. It won't get better but you can be sure we have not seen the worst.
 
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