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Why do we suck? #emothread

League_God

Juniors
Messages
1,504
  • Rochow and Houston aren't first graders.
  • Jeremy Smith, Kurt Gidley, Willie Mason, David Faalogo and Wayne Bennett are over the hill.
  • We have two 5/8s in Mullen and Roberts.
    • Our fullback is an absolute f**king princess.
    • Our style of football is the most non-expansive boring and predictable shit i've ever seen.
    • Oh and our best player goes missing at key moments (Mullen)
 

perverse

Referee
Messages
25,947
Yes to all pretty much, although I wouldn't say Mullen went missing tonight. The main times he didn't have the ball were because Derpius was trying something that wasn't at all on.

Also feel that Willie has been pretty bloody good this year.

Not sure if Bennett is past it, or whether he's stuck in an awkward position with us with blokes like Gids. The roster clearly needs work, but I don't think he's used to not being able to sign whomever he wishes.
 

Swarzey

Bench
Messages
4,165
Mullen was there when he needed to be. He had some shit moments he'd like to forget, but f**k, to put any blame on him tonight is simply a knee-jerk reaction.

I really can't think of anything else except for two blokes: Gidley and Boyd. Houston gets a break this week for the fact we played well up the middle.

Fullbacks need to be catching it on the full, screaming it back and doing their best to start the set further up the field. What Boyd does is force us to start it on the 20 when he could easily advance it to the 30 or even 40 in some cases. He's letting them bounce and I really don't know why. He's putting pressure on the forwards to work that extra 10m. It might not sound much, but when you consider how often it happens, it adds up.

And Gidley has zero play making logic. Runs the ball when it's not needed (was unlucky twice tonight though), passes it to the wrong side of scrums and some of his service is just poor. Granted he starts well, but slowly he tries too hard and constantly does the wrong shit that puts us under pressure.

Overall though, like I said last week, we look flustered every time we look like we're about to go on an attacking spree. Gagai and BJ are getting the ball too close to the touch line, the defence is right up in our face time and time again.

We'll be fine eventually. We'll come through even though we look complete shit. It's hard being in this position because our game hasn't been woeful. I watch teams week in and week out play worse and get the points. Why? No f**king idea. We'll come good...eventually.
 

perverse

Referee
Messages
25,947
I do actually agree with that last sentiment. I see a lot of teams every week play worse footy and get the points. I don't think we're playing horribly... which is probably the most frustrating part of it... But we're at 2-6 now and the excuses have to end. Surely Wayne has to wield the axe soon... it's just not working at all and I can definitely make some suggestions to him on a few high profile under performers.
 

Swarzey

Bench
Messages
4,165
Mamo to fullback, Boyd to wing, Clydsdale the 9 to start at least.

I think that would solve a lot IMO.
 

Allstar Knights

Juniors
Messages
2,165
I thought Rochow was quality tonight.

I know this may be an unpopular opinion but I just don't really rate Gagai anymore. For a guy his size, he gets driven back and smashed regularly while carting it up. Also, it's been a while since he's beat his opposing centre with footwork or speed. Hardly ever uses his winger anymore, either.
 

perverse

Referee
Messages
25,947
Gagai hasn't again reached the form he had when he first got here, for mine. Seems to be going backwards. Tonnes of effort, though... he's trying.

Hooray for effort.
 

Joker's Wild

Coach
Messages
17,894
"For a guy his size" ? Dane is not a big player so Im not sure where that comment has relevance

I honesty think Danes form is a symptom of our one dimentional attack. He gets little space to work with because oppositions defence can easily number up on our outside men. The guy is forced to go looking for ball too and is clearly frustrated

Bigger issues in our side than Dane right now
 

Allstar Knights

Juniors
Messages
2,165
"For a guy his size" ? Dane is not a big player so Im not sure where that comment has relevance

I honesty think Danes form is a symptom of our one dimentional attack. He gets little space to work with because oppositions defence can easily number up on our outside men. The guy is forced to go looking for ball too and is clearly frustrated

Bigger issues in our side than Dane right now
Sorry, wording was very poor there. I meant to say he seems to get driven back a lot compared to others his size. Someone like McManus for example is handy at carting it up out of our own end.

Effort is always good though. Can't fault him for that.
 
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Noname36

First Grade
Messages
7,067
It's just been a messed up year. Anything bad that could have happened on or off the field has and absolutely nothing has gone our way. I'm devastated that it's only round 8 because all I really want is for the season to end at this point.

It's really hard to watch because other than the NQ game, we haven't been that bad. We just can't get the wins on the board and that's bloody hard, especially tonight when IMO we were the better side for the most part.

Can't fault the effort I suppose (minus Boyd). I don't think our attack in general play is too bad (we were giving the Bulldogs a lot of headaches tonight) but we have too many blokes that make dumb decisions attacking close to the line. The main culprits are Gidley and Boyd and the positions they play are too important for those constant f**k ups. At least Gids has a go on top of his f**k ups which is more than I can say for Boyd. Bennett has got a huge issue on his hands here considering Gidley's relationship with the club and his own relationship with Boyd. Like others have mentioned, they're holding us back a lot more than they're helping us.
 
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Jobdog

Live Update Team
Messages
25,696
At least the Holden Cup boys are playing well.

Maybe we should all turn up early and then leave before First Grade, least we're a chance of actually winning on a weekly basis :lol:
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,339
If Joseph Tapine doesn't get a go soon then honestly I don't think he ever will, the kid can not do anymore, he's a beast, they literally can't handle him in NYC. It's not like we have great players in front of him either
 

1qaz

Juniors
Messages
513
I'm Dane's biggest fan, but tonight wasn't one of his best games.
He's a very frustrated player atm.
He never gives away penalties but tonight he gave one away on the 4th tackle at a crucial time.
He is the least penalized Knights player.
He took a good bomb, but then pushed a pass in his own 20 trying to create something for Mamo.

In saying that, he still made a good run leading up to the McManus try.
He still made 143m tonight, most out of any Knights players, and 6 tackle busts, most out of any player on the field.
Overall his stats for the season are pretty damn good. He averages close to 150m game, most out of any Knight player and has ran the most meters as well.
Therein lies the problem.
He's a strike centre, not a backrower/prop. He shouldn't be wasting his energy doing all the donkey work. He shouldn't be taking hitups all game but that seems to be the only way he can get himself involved.
What happened to Mullen's right to left? Why aren't the Knights trying to get him and BJ both one on one with their opposite number with some room with early ball?
Tonight Roberts was continuing hitting the front man Rochow all game instead of going out the back to BJ. They were hitting Houston the previous week
Same thing is happening over ther side with Mullen continuing hitting Scott.
Knights have two of the best strike centres in the game but they aren't using them as centres
 

Noname36

First Grade
Messages
7,067
If Joseph Tapine doesn't get a go soon then honestly I don't think he ever will, the kid can not do anymore, he's a beast, they literally can't handle him in NYC. It's not like we have great players in front of him either

Tapine needs to at least move to NSW cup. Every time I watch him it's blatantly obvious that he's way too good for NYC level. I know rushing forwards straight into FG can be bad for their development but leaving him in a comp that's not challenging him isn't helping him either.
 

Joker's Wild

Coach
Messages
17,894
100%

I feel its a bit of a false dawn with Tapine. Dominating other kids in NYC is one thing, doing it at NRL level is another. He needs time in NSWCup before even thinking about an NRL debut
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,339
100%

I feel its a bit of a false dawn with Tapine. Dominating other kids in NYC is one thing, doing it at NRL level is another. He needs time in NSWCup before even thinking about an NRL debut

I don't really buy this oh he needs time in NSW cup stuff, NSW cup isn't what it use to be, guys like Josh Papalii, Tohu Harris, Aaron Woods, Trent Merrin, Boyd Cordner, Kelepi Tanganoa, David Klemmer, Jesse Bromwich, Jared Waerea Hargreaves, and Josh McGuire are just a examples of forwards who made the step up with very few to no NSW cup experience. Tapine isn't a young 18 year old kid, he's 20 years old and was playing against grown men in Bartercard cup when he was 17. If we had good genuine edge forwards ahead of him then I can see why he wouldn't be in the team, but we have players who shouldn't even be in 1st grade ahead of him in that left edge backrow spot.
Tapine isn't just playing good football, he's absolutely unstoppable at the moment, he's scored some like 9 tries in 4 games
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,339
Name me just one of those so called things?
The case for promoting him is overwhelming:
*Not a teenager
*Experience against grown men (Bartercard cup in 2012, NSW cup last year)
*Form is off the charts
*Full off season training with 1st grade squad
*is a genuine specialist fringe backrower

People make out we have Sonny Bill and Boyd Cordner ahead of him, we don't, we've had 3 different blokes play on the edge this year and none have been impressive at all.
 
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