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Euan Aitken

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
There is currently an article on Foxsports about backline spots opening up for NSW and Qld this year. Aitken didn't get a mention.

No surprise to me! If people were fair-dinkum, Aitken would also not feature in the selection SGI 13. For me it is very hard to cop the idea that Mary will be extended and that Aitken is at right centre no matter how bad he performs.

I am not sure what it will take for our Board of Management to start to address the poor decision making rife in our Club. This point in time in SGI history will go down as one of the worst times in the history of St George Rugby Leagues Club. I see nothing but deuteriation on and off the field. Oh how our great Club has fallen!
 

LINESPEED

Juniors
Messages
1,551
doubt he will now that ship has sailed he’s nowhere near origin

His only claim to fame was that he once palmed an unfit & out-of -form Inglis

His ‘Inglis moment’ FFS

Otherwise he’s a straight line windup doll with no skills who is holding up the development of our backline attack’s capacity to score points -

all because of his fawning personal relationship with his careerlong & talentblind benefactor
 

Water11

Juniors
Messages
31
For me, Aitken has potential and some talent. He just has a moron who's anti-developing him. One of many unfortunately.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
Aitken looks muscle bound and very awkward in his running style which may contribute to his woeful passing game.
He has poor lateral movement and is a straight line runner so his options are severely limited in respect of feeding support players with any worthwhile ball.
He will murder far more tries than he will ever score or set up.
 
Messages
4,002
His only claim to fame was that he once palmed an unfit & out-of -form Inglis

His ‘Inglis moment’ FFS

Otherwise he’s a straight line windup doll with no skills who is holding up the development of our backline attack’s capacity to score points -

all because of his fawning personal relationship with his careerlong & talentblind benefactor
Bit harsh! But I agree
 

maestro1

Bench
Messages
3,708
There is an article (foxsports I think) where Aitken actually thinks he is in good form and he puts it down to him thinking he had lost his centre spot to Lomax and it has motivated him to play better. He is deluding himself. He isn't in good form and his defensive reads are atrocious. Him thinking he is in form probably explains why he isn't improving. Someone is telling him he is going good. This is really worrying as it means that McGregor has not communicated to him that he needs massive improvement in his defensive reads and in setting up his winger/ supports. If the coach has not identified a problem in these 2 key areas of centre play.........then we are well and truly f.....cked
 

avocado

Juniors
Messages
1,265
84 First Grade Game .... 6 Try Assists
This got me doing a bit of stat research.

Searching just a few, since 2015 the try assist stats for Chambers, Croker, Leilua, Morris, Takairangi, Walker, Lafai, Mitchell, Hurrell, all make Aitken’s 6 from 80 look totally embarrassing.
 

TruSaint

Referee
Messages
20,093
For me, Aitken has potential and some talent. He just has a moron who's anti-developing him. One of many unfortunately.

Mate the majority here would agree that Mary's player development is poor. I get that.
This is not a case where I can blame Mary.

Other than selecting Euen week in week out.

Euen is strong runner of the ball, can have his moments, but his defensive decision making in the line, and his inability to pass a decent ball to his winger has been there to see for years. Who would want to be outside him ?
 
Messages
3,582
There is an article (foxsports I think) where Aitken actually thinks he is in good form and he puts it down to him thinking he had lost his centre spot to Lomax and it has motivated him to play better. He is deluding himself. He isn't in good form and his defensive reads are atrocious. Him thinking he is in form probably explains why he isn't improving. Someone is telling him he is going good. This is really worrying as it means that McGregor has not communicated to him that he needs massive improvement in his defensive reads and in setting up his winger/ supports. If the coach has not identified a problem in these 2 key areas of centre play.........then we are well and truly f.....cked

What really irks me is that Mary was a centre and should know better than anyone what is required to play the position
 

Water11

Juniors
Messages
31
Mate the majority here would agree that Mary's player development is poor. I get that.
This is not a case where I can blame Mary.

Other than selecting Euen week in week out.

Euen is strong runner of the ball, can have his moments, but his defensive decision making in the line, and his inability to pass a decent ball to his winger has been there to see for years. Who would want to be outside him ?
I do agree. His defence is not where it should be. Absolutely. I’m just assessing his natural talent and where that should be headed,which it’s not progressing in that direction and I blame who’ and is responsible for his improvements and addressing that for the team by dealing with it by dropping him for another talented soul.
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
There is an article (foxsports I think) where Aitken actually thinks he is in good form and he puts it down to him thinking he had lost his centre spot to Lomax and it has motivated him to play better. He is deluding himself. He isn't in good form and his defensive reads are atrocious. Him thinking he is in form probably explains why he isn't improving. Someone is telling him he is going good. This is really worrying as it means that McGregor has not communicated to him that he needs massive improvement in his defensive reads and in setting up his winger/ supports. If the coach has not identified a problem in these 2 key areas of centre play.........then we are well and truly f.....cked
I'm not defending Aitken, I'm on the record calling him unsuitable for the right centre position as Lomax would be a far better option. One has to ask the question, why does Aitken do what he does and why do most wingers outside him look like the fool in most games. I'd say the answer all revolves around Mary's instructions to Aitken and his compress defensive structure. What if Mary is saying, 'run up and in and cut off the attack' and the instruction to the winger 'when Aitken runs up and in, you need to come in and fill the space in the defensive line'. The problem with this has always been, our winger is exposed to the long ball and kick overhead. Basically his opposition player is their unmarked with advantage of having no one marking him.

Last year when Lomax was on the right wing, these problems did not occur. Lomax was able to slide in or out as needed and his defence was sound.
 
Last edited:

Como Connection

First Grade
Messages
5,909
I'm not defending Aitken, I'm on the record calling him unsuitable for the right centre position as Lomax would be a far better option. One has to ask the question, why does Aitken do what he does and why do most wingers outside him look like the fool in most games. I'd say the answer all revolves around Mary's instructions to Aitken and his compress defensive structure. What if Mary is saying, 'run up and in and cut of the attack' and the instruction to the winger 'when Aitken runs up and in, you need to come in and fill the space in the defensive line'. The problem with this has always been, our winger is exposed to the long ball and kick overhead. Basically his opposition player is their unmarked with advantage of having no one marking him.

Last year when Lomax was on the right wing, these problems did not occur. Lomax was able to slide in or out as needed and his defence was sound.
Also didn’t occur when Mann filled in.
CC
 

j0nesy

Bench
Messages
3,747
I'm not defending Aitken, I'm on the record calling him unsuitable for the right centre position as Lomax would be a far better option. One has to ask the question, why does Aitken do what he does and why do most wingers outside him look like the fool in most games. I'd say the answer all revolves around Mary's instructions to Aitken and his compress defensive structure. What if Mary is saying, 'run up and in and cut of the attack' and the instruction to the winger 'when Aitken runs up and in, you need to come in and fill the space in the defensive line'. The problem with this has always been, our winger is exposed to the long ball and kick overhead. Basically his opposition player is their unmarked with advantage of having no one marking him.

Last year when Lomax was on the right wing, these problems did not occur. Lomax was able to slide in or out as needed and his defence was sound.

I agree that it’s a tactical symptom in part but Aitken well and truly over plays it at times. To be fair to aitken he does more often than not come up with the tackle and often a crunching tackle. But when he misses it looks spectacularly bad, opens up a lot of space and puts his winger under a lot of pressure. There’s pros and cons to the old umbrella defence. But I don’t mind the tactic. I’m not sure we played that way against Brisbane last year (could be wrong) but I think we played a sliding defence for most of that game.
 

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,988
I'm not defending Aitken, I'm on the record calling him unsuitable for the right centre position as Lomax would be a far better option. One has to ask the question, why does Aitken do what he does and why do most wingers outside him look like the fool in most games. I'd say the answer all revolves around Mary's instructions to Aitken and his compress defensive structure. What if Mary is saying, 'run up and in and cut of the attack' and the instruction to the winger 'when Aitken runs up and in, you need to come in and fill the space in the defensive line'. The problem with this has always been, our winger is exposed to the long ball and kick overhead. Basically his opposition player is their unmarked with advantage of having no one marking him.

Last year when Lomax was on the right wing, these problems did not occur. Lomax was able to slide in or out as needed and his defence was sound.
Even if it is a coaching thing it just goes to show the difference in the way Aitken & Lomax execute it.Lomax just seems to be able to defend naturally without the panic in the centres compared to Aitken who seems to rush/panic.Some on here have stated in the past that Aitken played in the back row coming through the grades & if so maybe this has something to do with his "rushing" moments.Lomax just comes across as a natural. If so why can't L plate see this.
 

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