2017 Auckland Nines

[hindy111]

Its just 9s
Gutho was out wide in centres most the time.
BA isnt a great tactical coach. JT is. But who would you rather?
I dont think bennet has great tactics either.

 

[The Phelan Folly]

Yep, thats it. We're f**ked.

 

[Basil Brush]

I'm not meaning to come across as giving him crap, because at the end of the day it's a preseason tournament and we did very well and look in good shape. I'm just concerned that maybe he's not suited to a playmaking role.

IMO he's a natural fullback and could be very good there. He has some of the skills to make a solid 6, but does he have the actual game for it?

Yeah it wasnt aimed at you. I think we are all disappointed with Gutho.

However, i still look at what he did at the end of last season and hold confidence he can be a half.

 

[Happy MEel]

We made 45 hit ups in a game of nines. FMD

 

[emjaycee]

We did better than 12 other teams.

Happy if we get to September 2017 and beat 12 other teams on the ladder.

 

[Twizzle]

decent start to the season for mine, bring on Round 1

 

[Eelementary]

Guys, just remember:

* Gutherson has trained for 1 off season to play 6;
* we were missing our main half;
* Fogarty has not played at this level before.

Disappointing to lose, but we performed pretty well, imo.

Not to mention that Edwards is a beast in 9's, and we were missing him.

I think winning the 9's is great, but it's also a great opportunity for BA to tinker with the possible line-up for round 1.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Matagi always looked like he would be a good buy as a barnstorming runner, but his defensive efforts have been very good in this ... i known its only 9s, but 9s takes alot of ticker to keep going when you are tired and he's shown it

His defence has surprised this merkin.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

These reserve graders arent bad from penrith. Funny the duke bagged the whole 9s concept, sent a c grade squad and their into the final.

It probably proves his point.

 

[Happy MEel]

His defence has surprised this merkin.

This merkin as well. Based on the last two days I'd probably have Mannah and Matagi starting with Brown and Vave off the bench.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Too many forwards on the field.

Teams have been going with five forwards (including dummy half) every since the year the Cowboys won it. The Nines is all about defence.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

BA told us before the game that we were gonna go up the middle. At least they listen to the coach.

Here's a little secret most fans and commentators haven't picked up on: going up the middle means unstructured. Sweeping plays to the edges requires a lot of structure.

So when teams go up the guts it means they are just going for a quick play-the-ball and then give it to a playmaker to 'play what's in front of him'. That's why halves like Sandow and Ben Roberts are best suited to an unstructured game plan that focuses on forwards trying to generate quick play-the-balls.

Unfortunately when the forwards aren't able to consistently win quick play-the-balls, to the fans it looks like 'one out shit up the middle'. Without such forwards you need smart halves able to direct the ball wherever the defence is thin, and try and get your quick play-the-balls that way. Like we do with our edge forwards.

Moral of the story, if your squad isn't good enough it doesn't matter what your game plan is like. Though if you're shit, less passing should at least lead to fewer turnovers.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Player of the tournament last year was a playmaker....I don't expect Gutherson to be Norman, but he needed to offer something as the chief playmaker. We didn't need him to be a star, just to be a playmaker and make use of Semi and French against a short defensive line with plenty of holes and he showed nothing unfortunately.

Hopefully he learns from it.

The thing about Norman is that he's a running playmaker. In attack he's better suited to fullback than the halves. He has low LBAs for a half, especially compared to his LBs and TAs.

 

[Noise]

I'm liking the new buzz words 'running playmaker'. I think it may overtake 'middle half' in 2017.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Is King only a backup? By all reports he will be our starting hooker this year, and I'm very worried about that. He is very ordinary.

'By all reports'. It's just typical footy fan wishful thinking that a bloke they've never/hardly seen play will be a better option than the incumbent they don't like because he's not flashy enough.

'By all reports' Fogarty is a chance of being our 9 as well. :gapinganus;

 

[Poupou Escobar]

This merkin as well. Based on the last two days I'd probably have Mannah and Matagi starting with Brown and Vave off the bench.

I reckon Brown and Fritchard. Vave in Wenty.

 

[hineyrulz]

I'm liking the new buzz words 'running playmaker'. I think it may overtake 'middle half' in 2017.

Pou is always ahead of the times.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'm liking the new buzz words 'running playmaker'. I think it may overtake 'middle half' in 2017.

It's to denote a playmaker that needs a bit of space to play his best. The top playmakers like Thurston aren't 'running playmakers' in the sense that they don't need a lot of room to be creative.

 

[emjaycee]

'By all reports'. It's just typical footy fan wishful thinking that a bloke they've never/hardly seen play will be a better option than the incumbent they don't like because he's not flashy enough.

'By all reports' Fogarty is a chance of being our 9 as well. :gapinganus;

Not by all reports.
Maybe by some reports, but definitely not all of the reports I have read.

Mind you I haven't read alot of reports.

 

[Basil Brush]

The thing about Norman is that he's a running playmaker. In attack he's better suited to fullback than the halves. He has low LBAs for a half, especially compared to his LBs and TAs.

So Pou, can i ask you if you dont rate either Norman or Gutho as halves?

If so, we may be screwed.