Old Timer
Coach
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Ok the comp is about to kick off and you pick your team out of the squad we have minus JDB as no guarantees he will be available.
Give some logic why you pick the players and what you expect to them to deliver and what you will do if after 4 weeks there are issues that are so apparent they won't go away.
FB:- Dufty he either has it or doesn't and if not he is gone forever replaced by Sailor. Expect Dufty to run off the hips of all the ball players and sniff around broken play and to have steely determination in defence.
Wingers:- Saab and Sailor. Pace and agility and to be persevered with as the other options are shit. Both need to have a roaming commission in attack ala Blacklock. If Sailor goes to FB elevate the fastest tall man in CC.
Centres:- Lomax as IMO it is his natural position and he has loads of skills, Ravalawa as he is lost on the wing but shows some natural ability and worth experimenting with and will be better defensively when not exposed to defending kicks. He has a great pass on him and can be utilised. If Rava doesn't stack up then our latest centre signing with Aitken and Lafai to be never picked again unless a swathe of injuries.
5/8:- Norman who is to play expansive football. If not working swap with Hunt.
Half:- Hunt who is to play instinctive what's in front of you footy. Must learn to use wide running forwards correctly by understanding the lines they run rather than just passing it to them willy nilly expecting a result. If not working swap with Norman and or Clune.
Lock:- Frizz as he is not a natural ball playing or hole running back rower and IMO is our best option to cover off JDB.
2nd Row:- Tariq who is hopefully full fit and injury free but needs to have support runners on his right hip to give greater options than just trying to bust the line. Host who has shown glimpses and is again another who has either got it or see you later. A natural hole runner but Hunt needs to improve the service to the back rowers to ensure they can run the correct lines. IMHO our RHS back row suffer from poor service from the halves. If Host doesn't make it then Ford starts and elevate Lawrie or Blacker and push Korbin to back row rotation.
Props:- Vaughan & Kerr 2 big boppers from the get go. Vaughan to bring the offload to his game and utilise little men supporting him. Kerr yet another who has either got it or be gone forever player. A big body with skills but unaware of the lateral requirements to be a good defender but not a skill that is beyond him. If Kerr doesn't work out then replace with Lawrie or Blacker.
Hooker:- Mc Innes who just needs to have freedom to play a more expansive game and again needs to have support going with him from dummy half.
Bench
K Sims:- part of prop rotation and to be looking for support players and not just run head long into the opposition trying to bust them on his own.
Merrin:- An out and out prop with natural ball playing skills who needs Dufty, Norman, Sailor, Saab looking for opportunities off him.
Ford:- Deserves a crack and needs to be a hole running impact player. Must be persevered with to ensure we find out in a short period of time what he has rather than taking 2 years and still not knowing.
Lawrie & or Blacker:- Both are in the need to know if they have it category so maybe rotate them in and out. Lawrie for mine is a little bit short of 1st grade and his body shape / size a little concerning as I honestly haven't seen him really bust the opposition. Blacker in the same boat as Ford let's find out now rather than have all that guess work for the next 2 years.
Game Plan:- Is rather simple, play attractive football and support our creative players. No more 1 out running for 4 or 5 tackles utilise the width of the park (the ball moves quicker than the man) and make the opposition defences do all the running. Thats what all the good sides do and it seems to work for them.
Never to be selected unless injuries mount up
Graham as we will not be contenders this year and he will be gone (fingers crossed) next year so use the opportunity to find out about players who have some years ahead of them.
Aitken & Lafai as they have long proven inadequate.
Luke unless Cameron is injured or needs resting. Resist the temptation to make him or Mc Innes the lock at any given point in the game.
Kaufusi who is an injury plagued plodder.
Give some logic why you pick the players and what you expect to them to deliver and what you will do if after 4 weeks there are issues that are so apparent they won't go away.
FB:- Dufty he either has it or doesn't and if not he is gone forever replaced by Sailor. Expect Dufty to run off the hips of all the ball players and sniff around broken play and to have steely determination in defence.
Wingers:- Saab and Sailor. Pace and agility and to be persevered with as the other options are shit. Both need to have a roaming commission in attack ala Blacklock. If Sailor goes to FB elevate the fastest tall man in CC.
Centres:- Lomax as IMO it is his natural position and he has loads of skills, Ravalawa as he is lost on the wing but shows some natural ability and worth experimenting with and will be better defensively when not exposed to defending kicks. He has a great pass on him and can be utilised. If Rava doesn't stack up then our latest centre signing with Aitken and Lafai to be never picked again unless a swathe of injuries.
5/8:- Norman who is to play expansive football. If not working swap with Hunt.
Half:- Hunt who is to play instinctive what's in front of you footy. Must learn to use wide running forwards correctly by understanding the lines they run rather than just passing it to them willy nilly expecting a result. If not working swap with Norman and or Clune.
Lock:- Frizz as he is not a natural ball playing or hole running back rower and IMO is our best option to cover off JDB.
2nd Row:- Tariq who is hopefully full fit and injury free but needs to have support runners on his right hip to give greater options than just trying to bust the line. Host who has shown glimpses and is again another who has either got it or see you later. A natural hole runner but Hunt needs to improve the service to the back rowers to ensure they can run the correct lines. IMHO our RHS back row suffer from poor service from the halves. If Host doesn't make it then Ford starts and elevate Lawrie or Blacker and push Korbin to back row rotation.
Props:- Vaughan & Kerr 2 big boppers from the get go. Vaughan to bring the offload to his game and utilise little men supporting him. Kerr yet another who has either got it or be gone forever player. A big body with skills but unaware of the lateral requirements to be a good defender but not a skill that is beyond him. If Kerr doesn't work out then replace with Lawrie or Blacker.
Hooker:- Mc Innes who just needs to have freedom to play a more expansive game and again needs to have support going with him from dummy half.
Bench
K Sims:- part of prop rotation and to be looking for support players and not just run head long into the opposition trying to bust them on his own.
Merrin:- An out and out prop with natural ball playing skills who needs Dufty, Norman, Sailor, Saab looking for opportunities off him.
Ford:- Deserves a crack and needs to be a hole running impact player. Must be persevered with to ensure we find out in a short period of time what he has rather than taking 2 years and still not knowing.
Lawrie & or Blacker:- Both are in the need to know if they have it category so maybe rotate them in and out. Lawrie for mine is a little bit short of 1st grade and his body shape / size a little concerning as I honestly haven't seen him really bust the opposition. Blacker in the same boat as Ford let's find out now rather than have all that guess work for the next 2 years.
Game Plan:- Is rather simple, play attractive football and support our creative players. No more 1 out running for 4 or 5 tackles utilise the width of the park (the ball moves quicker than the man) and make the opposition defences do all the running. Thats what all the good sides do and it seems to work for them.
Never to be selected unless injuries mount up
Graham as we will not be contenders this year and he will be gone (fingers crossed) next year so use the opportunity to find out about players who have some years ahead of them.
Aitken & Lafai as they have long proven inadequate.
Luke unless Cameron is injured or needs resting. Resist the temptation to make him or Mc Innes the lock at any given point in the game.
Kaufusi who is an injury plagued plodder.