Eels Appoint Brad Arthur as Head Coach (Part Deux)

[Maroubra Eel]

Don't think our forwards can perform to the best of their ability until the halfback starts firing.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Don't think our forwards can perform to the best of their ability until the halfback starts firing.

Yeah, but our halfback is waiting for the forwards...Damn it, we are well and truly f**ked.

 

[Avenger]

Don't think our forwards can perform to the best of their ability until the halfback starts firing.

I just want him to get a repeat set. Watch the forwards fire then.

 

[Chipmunk]

I will be interested to see if this 'attacking style' works. You would have to say that what we've been doing for the past 3-4 years hasnt worked for us so we might as well try something different.

I absolutely believe that we need to come up with a specific game plan that suits the players that we have in the team, not try and fit the players we have in the team around a specific game plan that suits the coach, which unfortunately is also what I think we have been trying to do for the last 3 years.

 

[Avenger]

I will be interested to see if this 'attacking style' works. You would have to say that what we've been doing for the past 3-4 years hasnt worked for us so we might as well try something different.

I absolutely believe that we need to come up with a specific game plan that suits the players that we have in the team, not try and fit the players we have in the team around a specific game plan that suits the coach, which unfortunately is also what I think we have been trying to do for the last 3 years.

Great point. Do you know that before he was sacked Brett Finch approached Anderson and suggested we play everyone behind the line of the halfback, less flat, more deeper and less structured? Anderson didn't agree with him, sacked him but adopted it anyway in the second half of the season. That was in 2009. The Dogs played a similar style two years ago when they made the GF and the forwards were offloading more with Kasiano playing like a second half.

 

[ParraSteve]

I hope our support play picks up. Its been virtually non existence the last few years. Many a times a player has stood in a tackle and would have been able to offload it as long as someone was actually near him.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

I reckon we should just start with holding the ball - we couldn't even do that last year

 

[Freak2]

Our forwards get a fair bit of unfair critism IMO. Lets recall the game plan under the SK time. 1 out hit ups from Dummy half, get to your kick and play boring no mistake football and then Ricky placed all his energies into development and continued to play down our rosters ability. This clearly didnt work and he is now elsewhere.

I believe BA comes with a different approach and with a pack that Sticky has at least got some game time into. I think you will see a far more confident pack that will work well for each other this year and it will be interesting to see if Peats can give them good steer and good ball from marker, this will make a huge variation in the ability to get over the advantage line. Will also be interesting to see if we go back to 2nd phase play football. (I hope so) With the backs at our disposal our 2nd phase play should work well. Would love to see Loko in the forwards when back from injury. His ability to break the line and to offload is exceptional and we need to work with our strong points.

 

[The Elephant In The room]

I will be interested to see if this 'attacking style' works. You would have to say that what we've been doing for the past 3-4 years hasnt worked for us so we might as well try something different.

I absolutely believe that we need to come up with a specific game plan that suits the players that we have in the team, not try and fit the players we have in the team around a specific game plan that suits the coach, which unfortunately is also what I think we have been trying to do for the last 3 years.

I hope we try to defend.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Surprising he's leaving sandow out (by all accounts). At a guess sandow would be more suited to 'parra ball' and Kelly to a more structured style.

I disagree. The playmakers are there to provide what the rest of the team doesn't. That's why our chaotic style of 2009 worked with a couple of dullards like Robson and Mortimer.

With a highly structured style you need your halves to play what they see (and be able to do that effectively) because they might be your only chance of generating linebreaks and tries.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I hope our support play picks up. Its been virtually non existence the last few years.

This.

 

[Avenger]

Give me that chaotic style anyday.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Give me that chaotic style anyday.

As fans we'd all prefer to see fast, high-risk footy, but the rules of the game have driven defensive methods that discourage it. When was the last time we saw it implemented successfully?

I feel like the game is on the cusp of some major rule changes. Or at least, it should be.

 

[hineyrulz]

I hope we try to defend.

Well that would be something new.

 

[BennyBoy]

Well that would be something new.

So true, but it is a new year and just like every other year I am excited and have high expectations.

Most years it lasts about 3 rounds until reality sets in but this year will be different, again

 

[Avenger]

As fans we'd all prefer to see fast, high-risk footy, but the rules of the game have driven defensive methods that discourage it. When was the last time we saw it implemented successfully?

I feel like the game is on the cusp of some major rule changes. Or at least, it should be.

Hey Pou, do you get the all behind the halfback theory? I think they call it playing behind the line. It was explained to me by a lower grade coach. It has merit.

 

[God-King Dean]

Granted, he's no Ricky Stuart, but I think he'll go well.

 

[spiderdan]

As fans we'd all prefer to see fast, high-risk footy, but the rules of the game have driven defensive methods that discourage it. When was the last time we saw it implemented successfully?

I feel like the game is on the cusp of some major rule changes. Or at least, it should be.

is it the rules of the game that have driven defensive methods or the mind set of coaches to worry about consequences of errors?

the thing that has changed though is the coaching paradigm to shift attacks from deep set back lines, decoy runners, players in motion to a more simple one out runner with a flat attack line. the reason for it is because if you do make an error that results in a quick turn over a flat attack line where only one or two players are out of position takes less time and effort to set than the other things i mentioned.

i don't think the lessening in risk of attacking footy really has anything to do with rule changes. tigers are probably the last team to play that freestyle of footy and win the comp but i think the reason we haven't seen more sides do it is because most teams with rosters capable of winning are coached away from playing that kind of style most of the time.

take a look at the way storm played in 10 after they were excluded from finals. they would have killed it playing like that in september.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Hey Pou, do you get the all behind the halfback theory? I think they call it playing behind the line. It was explained to me by a lower grade coach. It has merit.

Dunno anything about it mate. Can you elaborate?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

is it the rules of the game that have driven defensive methods or the mind set of coaches to worry about consequences of errors?

I think turning over possession genuinely isn't worth the risk of chasing an advantage by using the ball.