Line speed

[aqua_duck]

Aside from the absolute plethora of brain explosions at the end the most obvious difference between the two teams was line speed, I know dragons were close to offside all night but that was only really obvious as their line speed was phenomenal and really halted our forward momentum, us on the other hand line speed was non existent, in fact we didn't even come up as a line at the end when the game was on the line and territory was crucial.
Is it a fitness thing? Strategic? Attitude? Makes zero sense.
Also on the topic of attitude the kick pressure was also non existent, where as Pearce was always under pressure when kicking the ball.

 

[Burns]

We have been dominated every game in it. The ball didn’t make it past Lino to Ramien/SKD evacuee of how fast the Saints were up.

 

[aqua_duck]

We have been dominated every game in it. The ball didn’t make it past Lino to Ramien/SKD evacuee of how fast the Saints were up.

I think that's a result of how flat we play but our own line speed even against one out hit ups is poor

 

[macavity]

From where I was sitting the massive difference was movement. The Dragons had 4-5 moving on nearly every play. We had 1 moving almost every play.

We couldn't rush as they made us make decisions, even on forward hit ups. They could rush us as every play was telegraphed. Our only creativity came off forced second phase.

 

[Apey]

I think at the end it was fitness. But also what Mac said re: 1 out hitups.

 

[perverse]

Yep, others have summed it up. We are playing too 1-dimensional and getting exhausted, which is leading to a massive disparity in line speed across the the length of a game. It's frustrating to watch.

For some reason our team doesn't seem to see a repeat set as a positive result, either. We have no clue about building pressure. The only times we ever get more than 5 tackles with the ball in hand is if the opposition makes a mistake.

 

[Old dog]

It was pedestrian could see who was getting the ball and dragons defence honed in, we had no variation, we got the ball under extreme pressure.

 

[Yosh]

So it's not a talent thing but a coaching thing? Or is it.a fitness thing? The players weren't conditioned properly?

Hopefully it's something we can fix with a bit of tweaking.

 

[Pedge1971]

The refs wont penalise for offside and holding down in the ruck. Everyone else is doing it so why arent we? Agree 100% re line speed but it helps when you have a yard or 2 start before the ball had cleared the ruck.

Also agree we are standing too flat in attack and running 1 out.

 

[Knight Vision]

Is it a fitness thing? Strategic? Attitude? Makes zero sense.

surely it cant be fitness. Before yesterday I was thinking attitude....it has to be strategy but what is the strategy ? As you say it doesnt make sense.

Our attack- stands flat , under pressure, no room to create. I never once saw Levi shape or look to go one way and then turn and go the other. Blind Freddy could see where we were going next. We create no uncertainty in the oppositions defensive line.

Our D - slow line speed, waiting for the ball carrier to run or decide where he'd like to pass, the kick chase gets to a point and stops, waiting for the ball carrier to come to them and giving up another 15 mtrs in the process. No pressure on their kicker.

I find myself screaming "hit the bastard ffs" ......all game.

 

[Yosh]

What is up with Levi doing nothing anymore? He literally picks up the ball and just passes it to the closest runner... Even I could do that...

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

In the press conference Brown commented on very tired players. It seemed to be in relation to them holding us down a lot but I can't see a connection other than that we had to work harder.

Fitness might be a part but we are getting ourselves to the point that we have no momentum to roll on with. There was supposed to be work done off the ball last week - we need more. More depth, better player positioning

 

[Knight76]

Fitness can't be the issue. We just spent all off season seeing how they had the best off season, players were the fittest they had been etc. All sides would prepare in a similar fashion and enter the season around the same fitness and pick up match fitness as they play.

Unless our squad is inherently lazy which comes back to attitude then I don't see it.

And if it's an attitude problem, that comes back to Brown.

 

[Spot On]

So far, the thread title issue raised is no different to the past 3 yrs.

Defensive technique still an issue.

Up side is the defensive coach has only just started. Give him 3 yrs or so before judging.

 

[Knight Vision]

Defensive technique still an issue

whilst not perfect our D is the least of our worries. Attack is quite obviously our issue at this point. If our attack was as good as our D we'd be 4th on the ladder.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

whilst not perfect our D is the least of our worries. Attack is quite obviously our issue at this point. If our attack was as good as our D we'd be 4th on the ladder.

One of the questions at the team launch today was whether we have focused too much on D during the pre-season to the detriment of our attack
The response was that could be argued but the basis is that top teams get the defense right first and keep that up
I thought after our first game that if we kept up the D with the hit ups we had we'd go a long way then polish the attack
I think what is letting us down is that slacking off at times. Mention was also made today that we aren't according to the stats just a one out hit up team. Instead we divert to that at crucial times during the game It's the mental attitude that needs fixing. Or we need a Butts to stir us back into action .

 

[aqua_duck]

After today's game I'm starting to think the team is coached not to come up in defence, Titans forwards were making 10-15m every hit up in that first half

 

[Haffa]

After today's game I'm starting to think the team is coached not to come up in defence, Titans forwards were making 10-15m every hit up in that first half

Yet during that 5 minute spell when it looked like they were fighting back they were flying up as a line. I’d say it’s part attitude part coaching. Yesterday just seemed to be a collective tools down.

 

[Knight Vision]

After today's game I'm starting to think the team is coached not to come up in defence

I've been thinking it must be a strategy to not open any holes in defense and over time they work on increasing better line speed.

Yet during that 5 minute spell when it looked like they were fighting back they were flying up as a line

indeed they were playing like they should of been playing in every game this year. It was like they got an injection of energy from somewhere.

 

[Old dog]

Funny how we complained of Sione rushing out of the line and now it’s a case of everyone to slow, something is wrong either way we need them moving up together and hitting hard.