Round 3 v Broncos

[Johns Magic]

But who do you drop? Cartwright and Peachy both played 80 minutes and unlike Taylor made 100+ metres and also made line breaks and offloads. I can't see how you would drop Merrin based on his first two games. You can add to that the fact that we have Yeo who can play in his position and play 80 minutes and make more metres. I love ET, but I'm not sure how he fits in any more. And I mean that in the sense that he is on a marquee players wages and so will want to get a new contract at a similar salary level and I don't think Penrith can afford that. Who do we let go to keep him? Grevsmuhl is here next year as well. What a brilliant dilemma to have. Beats the hell out of worrying whether Newton and Ciraldo are going to drop the ball in our own 20m zone.

I'm a fan of Elijah so will just point out - he made more metres per minute than both of them last night.

He threw a good ball for TMM's first line break.

He later put TMM over for the match winner.

All in 33 minutes, while making 22 tackles.

He is no bash and barge guy but he is a smart footy player with good hands.

Griffin has showed in the past that size is his focus. It was the complaint of the whole Broncos club when he was there - players being forced to beef up. ET doesn't suit his style.

Lo and behold Bennett turns up, tells them all to trim down, and they go much better for it.

ET is not a Michael Luck or Dallas Johnson clone just because he racks up tackles.

He should be looking for an immediate release I guess because being given 33 minutes only even with Merrin out and Yeo in the back line shows his papers have been stamped IMO.

 

[Panther Pete]

I agree. Even in the two losses we played with spirit. A good sign.

That's true but I also think they played with spirit under Ivan.

 

[betcats]

I'm a fan of Elijah so will just point out - he made more metres per minute than both of them last night.

He threw a good ball for TMM's first line break.

He later put TMM over for the match winner.

All in 33 minutes, while making 22 tackles.

He is no bash and barge guy but he is a smart footy player with good hands.

Griffin has showed in the past that size is his focus. It was the complaint of the whole Broncos club when he was there - players being forced to beef up. ET doesn't suit his style.

Lo and behold Bennett turns up, tells them all to trim down, and they go much better for it.

ET is not a Michael Luck or Dallas Johnson clone just because he racks up tackles.

He should be looking for an immediate release I guess because being given 33 minutes only even with Merrin out and Yeo in the back line shows his papers have been stamped IMO.

ET is a very good player but he isn't a meter maker, he does all his work in defence. He used to regularly play 80 and rarely made more the 60m. I would like to have him in the team playing 80 because he is the hardest worker I have seen and is skilled but I can't complain with how our forwards have been going, they have been our strong point.

 

[franklin2323]

I agree. Even in the two losses we played with spirit. A good sign.

I like the fact he has been moving players around and trying new things. Unlike Cleary who just expected things to come good.

 

[franklin2323]

I'm a fan of Elijah so will just point out - he made more metres per minute than both of them last night.

He threw a good ball for TMM's first line break.

He later put TMM over for the match winner.

All in 33 minutes, while making 22 tackles.

He is no bash and barge guy but he is a smart footy player with good hands.

Griffin has showed in the past that size is his focus. It was the complaint of the whole Broncos club when he was there - players being forced to beef up. ET doesn't suit his style.

Lo and behold Bennett turns up, tells them all to trim down, and they go much better for it.

ET is not a Michael Luck or Dallas Johnson clone just because he racks up tackles.

He should be looking for an immediate release I guess because being given 33 minutes only even with Merrin out and Yeo in the back line shows his papers have been stamped IMO.

I think he's waiting to see where Ivan ends up. Sadly his time with us is up.

He and JFH will make way I reckon. I think Merrin still puts TMM away and more so with he's offloads. Yeo also had a hand in the TMM try. So sadly for ET we have others that can do the same thing

 

[Pomoz]

I'm a fan of Elijah so will just point out - he made more metres per minute than both of them last night.

He threw a good ball for TMM's first line break.

He later put TMM over for the match winner.

All in 33 minutes, while making 22 tackles.

He is no bash and barge guy but he is a smart footy player with good hands.

Hello Johns Magic, thanks for your comment and good to see the Knights play well to get a draw. I am a fan of ET too and he has done a brilliant job for us when we were really struggling. However, you can't use one game where he gets an assist as the basis to infer he does it all the time. That's one of his problems, high tackle counts are his main weapon. If he has the ability to ball play, create assists and make high metres, he has managed to keep that hidden well so far at Penrith at least. It will be interesting to see whether he is used differently by Hook so that other aspects to his game get a chance to shine.

He is a model professional so it would be great if we keep him, can Gus pull a third party agreement out of his ear to make it worth his while to stay? He should call the Eels and ask them how its done.:whistle

 

[Pomoz]

Johns Magic got me thinking about ET and was I being unfair? I had a look at his 2015 stats which were based on 20 appearances. He averaged an incredible 48 tackles a game and missed only 3 per game. Highly impressive. He also averaged 9m every hit up.

Then we get to the heart of the matter. although he averaged 9m a run, he averaged only 53m a game and made only 6 offloads and 3 line breaks in the entire season.

Anybody looking at this objectively would say that ET has got himself in a rut where he just runs around tackling everything and then sits back, probably exhausted. His running game suffers because he has no energy left to run. Although its good to have a tackling machine in the club, we are better served if the workload is spread and we have a few more all rounders who tackle and also run.

Shaun Fensom at the Raiders averages 44 tackles a game, misses 1.5 tackles and then averages 114m a game! Matt Gillette, 99m a game, 40 tackles a game.

There are other players in the NRL who have a similar profile to ET (for example, Ryan Hinchcliffe at the Storm. Lots of tackling, not many metres, offloads or line breaks), so clearly there is a place in the NRL for tackling machines, even at proven winners like the Storm and the Broncos. I think the problem is as simple as this. ET is paid as a marquee player and the club can't afford a marquee tackling machine.

 

[betcats]

Yeah there is a wave of talent to hit this side over the next few years that doesn't look like stopping the way our 20s have been playing. Whether Griffin can put it all together to deliver a premiership is another question but we will certainly have an embarrassment of riches to work with in putting together the puzzle.

The other thing about all the kids we have is they all seem to be very good people off the field. If you look at the guys who have come into the team from our lower grades the last couple years Moylan, Bryce, RCG, Yeo Dallin, Waqa...they are all very humble and good kids personality wise. Never had any trouble from any of them and I would be surprised if we ever did. From the media interviews afer the game and yesterday TMM seems very humble and fairly well spoken kid as well. We have been very lucky in that regard imo.

 

[chrisD]

He was and is our best prop by far. 22 tackles, none missed, and 17 runs for 178m in 28 minutes. People can rant and rave all they want, but he puts in a shift and for someone so young he is fighting well above his weight.

No he didn't do all that in 28mins. But I know that's what the NRL stat page says, and as I said before the thinking doesn't go beyond that.

 

[abpanther]

Any word on Merrin? Is he just out for a week or has he got glandular fever and will miss multiple games?

 

[martielang]

I watched ET closely that first 20. The amount of 'clean up tackles' he makes up the middle (that go unnoticed) is phenomenal. Without him I truly believe Brisbane would of been out of sight by half time with the amount of line breaks that would of made.

It is a hard one. I want him in the team but have no idea who to punt.

 

[betcats]

A prop getting stepped by Milford on the same blade of grass multiple times with a full defensive line behind him for no gain is the same as a prop getting shrugged off the back of a half with the line open. Pretty much what I expect. I doubt you merkins really pay attention to the quality of hit ups, who is making middle passes and what momentum is being generated from where. RCG makes a lot of vanilla hit ups so he's visible then you look up the stats after the match and he's made meters. So obviously he's killing it.

Oh yes Chris I sit there and watch the whole game with my eyes closed and then just check the stats to find out how it went . You are only one here who actually pays attention and understands the game, I wish I had your deep level of insight into rugby league. :sarcasm:. Ive recently heard Sterlo and Fitler rave about RCGs performances but they must be morons for rating him and have nothing on the great footy mind of ChrisD! Lol get your hand off it mate, we disagree about RCG which is fine but don't sit there and act like it is because you understand the game better than everyone else because that is just arrogant crap mate.

 

[franklin2323]

Any word on Merrin? Is he just out for a week or has he got glandular fever and will miss multiple games?

They said yesterday they expect him back. So good signs must just be a virus

 

[abpanther]

Sterlo seems to love ET

 

[abpanther]

They said yesterday they expect him back. So good signs must just be a virus

Who said that?

Thanks mate

 

[betcats]

Sterlo seems to love ET

Yep he really does, you can see why ET is a player you would love playing with.

 

[MrBlack]

Missing Segyaro, Moylan, Whare, Merrin
Playing the favourites for the comp
Down 22-6 approaching half time.

Amazing spirit and tenacity to get the win.

We just need some stability in the starting side and we will go on a good run of wins. Was always going to be a slow start to the year but our losses have been good ones, playing well.

RCG and Cartwright could easily come into State of Origin contention at this rate.

Well done Griffin (so far)

 

[betcats]

Missing Segyaro, Moylan, Whare, Merrin
Playing the favourites for the comp
Down 22-6 approaching half time.

Amazing spirit and tenacity to get the win.

We just need some stability in the starting side and we will go on a good run of wins. Was always going to be a slow start to the year but our losses have been good ones, playing well.

RCG and Cartwright could easily come into State of Origin contention at this rate.

Well done Griffin (so far)

Id rather it didn't happen for another year. RCG wont crack the front row rotation this year but Bryce will be getting some calls for selection but hopefully they wait.

 

[chrisD]

Oh yes Chris I sit there and watch the whole game with my eyes closed and then just check the stats to find out how it went . You are only one here who actually understands the game, I wish I had your deep level of insight into rugby league. :sarcasm:. Ive recently heard Sterlo and Fitler rave about RCGs performances but they must be morons for rating him and have nothing on the great footy mind of ChrisD! Lol get your hand off it mate, we disagree about RCG which is fine but don't sit there and act like it is because you understand the game better than everyone else because that is just arrogant crap mate.

"Arrogant", and yet I'm the one who actually argues and backs up a point rather than "RCG is good, nuff said". How about you try proving it's crap and make a post to suggest you do something other than watch the whole game with your eyes closed and then just check the stats to find out how it went. Or just ignore me like you said you would when it comes to RCG, it's not like anything would be lost if you did, people can check stat pages themselves.

 

[Pomoz]

Id rather it didn't happen for another year. RCG wont crack the front row rotation this year but Bryce will be getting some calls for selection but hopefully they wait.

Being selfish, I hope it never happens. Your players come back busted and exhausted and demoralised because QLD have stuffed them again (won't change until we have a new coach and selector).

On the plus side, they play for Penrith so Bozo and Daley are highly unlikely to pick them.