"I don't think we're too far off tonight" - Kearney, Round 12 Press Conference

[Eels Dude]

I agree with Kearney we are getting closer to some decent form. We were close against the cowboys except for the last 15 or so minutes and the cowboys are towards the top of the table. And we only lost by 2points last night due to a pretty rough penalty against Fui. If I didn't know the score from last night and only read the posts on the forum over the last 24 hrs it would seem we would have been flogged by 40. 2 Points is all we lost by people it could have easy been a win.

While in essence what you say is true you can look at it from another angle and say we should never have lost the Cowboys game, and were quite lucky to win our previous game against them and also our win against the Titans. from 11 games this season there's only been two performances where we've been switched on the entire time (Warriors and Sharks games) and i'm not taking into account just our performances but our ability and attitude to play for 80 minutes.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

While in essence what you say is true you can look at it from another angle and say we should never have lost the Cowboys game, and were quite lucky to win our previous game against them and also our win against the Titans. from 11 games this season there's only been two performances where we've been switched on the entire time (Warriors and Sharks games) and i'm not taking into account just our performances but our ability and attitude to play for 80 minutes.

But have a look at our side we have;

Poor halves - this makes it very hard to control a game
Inexperience back rowers in horo and Laslo. Then add Mitchell and Allgood
Poor quality and inexperienced back line. Loco, Morgan and Akitns have not played many games in the top grade.

Over all we lack the quality of players to be switched on for the full 80 mins. It is not at that the side isn't trying, it is just that the inexpereince players in our side go missing at times which is expected with rookies - this will come with experience. Now this is where quality halves can help an experienced side. The know how the side is going what has to be done. How many times do you see a thurston, a Prince etc kick the ball out to slow the play down or try to speed up the game.

Looking at our side only:
Hayne
Burt
Walker
Hindmarsh
Smith
Fui
Mcguire
Keating

can really be considered experienced players. Most of these players have been pretty good. Walker / Keating /smith have had some poor games but overall they go alright

 

[Eels Dude]

SK said he cant understand some of the players Parra has let go. He said he's going to fix that.

I wonder if he'll do it "Melbourne Style".

In all seriousness this and while I know you're taking the piss like usual this is the first time Stephen Kearney has to work within a salary cap as a coach in any capacity so those are rather silly comments on his behalf.

 

[Suitman]

I wonder if he'll do it "Melbourne Style".

In all seriousness this and while I know you're taking the piss like usual this is the first time Stephen Kearney has to work within a salary cap as a coach in any capacity so those are rather silly comments on his behalf.

It's no wonder ME takes the piss.
In all seriousness.

Suity

 

[Maroubra Eel]

I wonder if he'll do it "Melbourne Style".

In all seriousness this and while I know you're taking the piss like usual this is the first time Stephen Kearney has to work within a salary cap as a coach in any capacity so those are rather silly comments on his behalf.

I reckon it's a big call SK's made. It's very easy in hindsight to say we should have kept this player and that player. I guess time will be the judge.

 

[Eels Dude]

But have a look at our side we have;

Poor halves - this makes it very hard to control a game
Inexperience back rowers in horo and Laslo. Then add Mitchell and Allgood
Poor quality and inexperienced back line. Loco, Morgan and Akitns have not played many games in the top grade.

Over all we lack the quality of players to be switched on for the full 80 mins. It is not at that the side isn't trying, it is just that the inexpereince players in our side go missing at times which is expected with rookies - this will come with experience. Now this is where quality halves can help an experienced side. The know how the side is going what has to be done. How many times do you see a thurston, a Prince etc kick the ball out to slow the play down or try to speed up the game.

Looking at our side only:
Hayne
Burt
Walker
Hindmarsh
Smith
Fui
Mcguire
Keating

can really be considered experienced players. Most of these players have been pretty good. Walker / Keating /smith have had some poor games but overall they go alright

I agree our roster is poor but I don't buy the fact that "not switched on" comes from inexperience. It's something that is coached just coached in training sessions and at reserve grade level also. You look at the strong sides in the comp like the Dragons and Storm and their younger and less experienced players play for 80 minutes simply because they are coached that way. And you rely the senior players to mentor them. It's a mental thing not an experience thing.

Our new halves combo will certainly improve things, but attitude has to as well so I really hope for our club's sake Kearney has the temperament to do that but it's yet to be seen.

 

[Eels Dude]

I reckon it's a big call SK's made. It's very easy in hindsight to say we should have kept this player and that player. I guess time will be the judge.

That's exactly what I mean. It's disappointing juniors go but when you have a large junior nursery and a salary cap to work under well you have to face the fact you're going to lose a lot of players. Something SK isn't used to. So I think now he's head coach he'll realise that it's not as easy as he thinks it is.

 

[Suitman]

That's exactly what I mean. It's disappointing juniors go but when you have a large junior nursery and a salary cap to work under well you have to face the fact you're going to lose a lot of players. Something SK isn't used to. So I think now he's head coach he'll realise that it's not as easy as he thinks it is.

You have extraordinary wisdom.
I think that you should seriously consider putting your name forward for a consulting position.
I'm not joking.

Suity

 

[Eels Dude]

You have extraordinary wisdom.
I think that you should seriously consider putting your name forward for a consulting position.
I'm not joking.

Suity

Thanks I'm sure you won't mind providing me a reference.

 

[bartman]

Next year's 2nd hooker?

Robson ;-).

(Since SK seems to have flatly refused to be open to the idea Mortimer getting back in teh 17 as a dummy half.)

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Next years 2nd hooker has me beat too.

All we know is it's not Morts/Mitchell/McGuire.

 

[Suitman]

Thanks I'm sure you won't mind providing me a reference.

You shouldn't be needing one considering your astute and strategic knowledge of the game.

Suity

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I agree our roster is poor but I don't buy the fact that "not switched on" comes from inexperience. It's something that is coached just coached in training sessions and at reserve grade level also. You look at the strong sides in the comp like the Dragons and Storm and their younger and less experienced players play for 80 minutes simply because they are coached that way. And you rely the senior players to mentor them. It's a mental thing not an experience thing.

Our new halves combo will certainly improve things, but attitude has to as well so I really hope for our club's sake Kearney has the temperament to do that but it's yet to be seen.

yeah but Melbourne has the best spine in the comp and it took Bellamy from 2003 to 2006 to build a squad to get to the grand final. They were not world beaters in the first season under Bellamy, and he had a very good squad

Dragon were crap before Bennett took over. And he had the following players to build side around;

Boyd
Cooper
Nightgale
Gasiner
Morris
Soward
Hornby
Jemery Smith
Neville Costigan
Cregan
Weyman
Young
Fien
Scott

Fair enough Bennet has improved a lot of these players. But he had a very good base to build a squad around. On the dragons squad - not hard to get your side playing for the full 80 mins with those players. It is very easy to bring in a rookie with those players around you at the dragons. Has Kearney had a squad like what Bennett has had with the Dragons ? no he has not but everyone is expecting him to perform miracles.

I think we need to be a little fair on Kearney give him some time to build a side.

 

[Eels Dude]

You shouldn't be needing one with your astute and strategic knowledge of the game.

Suity

I know. But when using a referee, someone with your appealing and likeable personality, as well your friendly manner of addressing and communicating with people, just must be the icing on the cake for landing me that role.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

So what are you saying? Bennett turned a crap team into a great team?

 

[Suitman]

You shouldn't be needing one considering your astute and strategic knowledge of the game.

Suity

I know.

Sounds like you've got the job and won't be needing my help then.

Good luck.

Suity

 

[Eels Dude]

yeah but Melbourne has the best spine in the comp and it took Bellamy from 2003 to 2006 to build a squad to get to the grand final. They were not world beaters in the first season under Bellamy, and he had a very good squad

Dragon were crap before Bennett took over. And he had the following players to build side around;

Boyd
Cooper
Nightgale
Gasiner
Morris
Soward
Hornby
Jemery Smith
Neville Costigan
Cregan
Weyman
Young
Fien
Scott

Fair enough Bennet has improved a lot of these players. But he had a very good base to build a squad around. On the dragons squad - not hard to get your side playing for the full 80 mins with those players. It is very easy to bring in a rookie with those players around you at the dragons. Has Kearney had a squad like what Bennett has had with the Dragons ? no he has not but everyone is expecting him to perform miracles.

I think we need to be a little fair on Kearney give him some time to build a side.

You do make some good points.

Firstly, it was Bennett himself who did recruit a lot of those players you've mentioned (Boyd, Gasnier, Smith, Costigan, Weyman, Fien). Despite being coach of the Dragons in 2008 he was in charge of recruitment for 2009 and he chose to recruit those players to build a side around. They did have a core group of players better than what SK was left with.

I agree SK needs time to build a side, but while you give coaches like Bennett that responsibility it comes with confidence. With Sk... well while he could become a very good first grade coach down the track it's very risky placing a rookie in charge when you're trying to rebuild, unless of course that rookie has experience with the current playing roster and coaching setups and structures within the club.

 

[Eels Dude]

Sounds like you've got the job and won't be needing my help then.

Good luck.

Suity

Thanks Suity. Always pleased to have you on my side.

 

[Suitman]

Thanks Suity. Always pleased to have you on my side.

No probs. It was nothing really.

Suity

 

[fanool]

Good post. Good thread. Pity about suitman and Eels Dude.

SK should know better.

2003 and 2004 were rough but this year reminds me of the early nineties.

It's really hard to stomach.

I dunno how much more I can take.

At least Hagan had the cattle. To say we are not far off is a sick joke.

I am depressed.