2020 team

[Knight Vision]

Hoy will definitely get a First Grade debut this year but starting him in a position that he hasn’t played much of would be unfair on him.

Joey probably isn’t the best judge on it either considering he’s best mates with his old boy.

I agree, throwing him into first grade in an unfamiliar position could do damage to his confidence and be a career killer.

 

[Old dog]

No rush with Hoy, Mann is likely 5/8 and probably get more than a few weeks especially if winning so until Crosslands back and fit Hoy could play reserves 5/8 then if Crosslands is preferred then back to f/b ready to cover for Ponga when SOO is on. Like that we have 5 or so covering 6 & 7

 

[NK Arsenal]

Hoy will definitely get a First Grade debut this year but starting him in a position that he hasn’t played much of would be unfair on him.

Joey probably isn’t the best judge on it either considering he’s best mates with his old boy.

Has Hoy played much juniors at centre or wing? Perhaps his best opportunity to make first grade is to debut in one of those position once injury/suspension/bad form strikes and try and keep a spot in first grade from there

Maybe he could take the 14 spot if there’s an injury to Watson as well

 

[mozza91]

Has Hoy played much juniors at centre or wing? Perhaps his best opportunity to make first grade is to debut in one of those position once injury/suspension/bad form strikes and try and keep a spot in first grade from there

Maybe he could take the 14 spot if there’s an injury to Watson as well

He’s played pretty much only fullback as a junior and abit of 5/8 as he’s got older.

 

[Old dog]

So who has been playing 5/8 in teams Tex was in over past few seasons, should we be looking at him/them?

 

[Frederick]

So who has been playing 5/8 in teams Tex was in over past few seasons, should we be looking at him/them?

...why?

 

[Spot On]

... here we go.

 

[Old dog]

...why?

Just thought it was a fresh topic for discussion, no need to join in if not interested

 

[slotmachine]

Crossland will get a run at 5/8 before Hoy.

 

[Knight Vision]

So who has been playing 5/8 in teams Tex was in over past few seasons, should we be looking at him/them?

wouldnt that be Simi Sasagi ?

 

[Old dog]

Don’t know, that is why I asked, if someone has kept Tex at f/b or other positions other than 5/8 then where or who is he. If Tex is seriously a consideration for 5/8 then surely whoever they are might be considered, for all I know it could be Sasagi, Crossland or someone no longer playing.

 

[Spot On]

I would have thought most understood what you meant OD. It is a valid question too especially as this will be the fifth season in a row we have gone without an NRL standard 5/8. Now we are stuck with a utility back (at best) who was brought here to play hooker (????) and now gets a start as our 5/8.

Sure, it is possible the blokes in reggies who have been playing 5/8 might not be much better but it is also possible their rate of improvement could be ten fold over what Mann is now capable of.

Time will tell, the spin coming from the club is that Mann need not do much creatuve stuff which is a worry for Pearce who is not up to doing it all himself.

Obu must have some decent structures in place with the 1 and 9 being allowed to do more in attack (kicking as well) than in the Brown era? Forwards being allowed to pass and offload??

 

[Knight Vision]

Obu must have some decent structures in place with the 1 and 9 being allowed to do more in attack (kicking as well) than in the Brown era? Forwards being allowed to pass and offload??

Something has to change and I agree Pearce isnt up to it by himself.

Some of our worst stats last season are crucial ones and suggest our sets werent getting off to a good start ( our back 3 are not powerful runners of the ball ) no second faze play, little ground up the middle ( other than Klemmer and our forwards were shit at making mtrs ) and pressure on Pearce's kicking game. ( lack of an alternative kicking game )

16th in runs
15th in run mtrs
16th in offloads
15th kicks
15th kick mtrs
14th long kicks
14th attacking kicks
13th forced drop outs
16th kick returns
14th kick return mtrs
15th line engements

 

[Yosh]

Something has to change and I agree Pearce isnt up to it by himself.

Some of our worst stats last season are crucial ones and suggest our sets werent getting off to a good start ( our back 3 are not powerful runners of the ball ) no second faze play, little ground up the middle ( other than Klemmer and our forwards were shit at making mtrs ) and pressure on Pearce's kicking game. ( lack of an alternative kicking game )

16th in runs
15th in run mtrs
16th in offloads
15th kicks
15th kick mtrs
14th long kicks
14th attacking kicks
13th forced drop outs
16th kick returns
14th kick return mtrs
15th line engements

Screams "fundamentals" to me.

There is no reason a team with Pearce and Ponga should be last for kick metres, long kicks and forced line drop outs.

If everyone runs and tackles that little harder, I'm sure all of those above stats will improve.

Pressure opposition kickers more, easier kicks for our back three to field.

Back three run back harder, make oppositions work for it and should open more gaps for Ponga to exploit early in the set.

Middle forwards runs harder and off a better platform set up by our outside backs, have the opposition on the back foot, easier kicks for the play makers, more metres, opposition on the back foot to start their set.

Rinse and repeat.

I feel our coach seems to value the fundamentals over other aspects which is exactly what we need.

 

[Bartwah]

Don’t know about you lot, but Jesus Christ I’m keen for next Saturday. Optimism is an amazing thing, until the warriors put 40 on us

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Don’t know about you lot, but Jesus Christ I’m keen for next Saturday. Optimism is an amazing thing, until the warriors put 40 on us

We'll put 40 on them

Pretty sure they won't even have RTS

 

[PhilGould]

Last time I was this confident of a good win I drove 2 and a half hours to Campbelltown to watch the Tigers put 50 on us

 

[Knight Vision]

Screams "fundamentals" to me.

Pressure opposition kickers more, easier kicks for our back three to field.

Back three run back harder, make oppositions work for it and should open more gaps for Ponga to exploit early in the set.

The top 4 in kick return mtrs last year were Roosters, Storm, Raiders, Rabbits ( we were 2nd last ) . Our wingers just arent particularly powerful or fast.

In terms of run mtrs Ponga was last among fullbacks last season.( Tedesco and Nicoll-Klokstad were top 2 ) Ponga retrieves the ball, pauses and then passes it on ( almost every time ) giving the opposition valuable time to march up field. He hands it to a winger who just gets smashed and often driven backwards by a defensive line that was given plenty of time. ....I hope that changes this year as much as anything else.

Pointless having the skill of Ponga if we cant make it to the opposition 20, we had the 4th least tackles in opposition 20 last season. - no field position.

 

[Knight76]

Screams "fundamentals" to me.

There is no reason a team with Pearce and Ponga should be last for kick metres, long kicks and forced line drop outs.

If everyone runs and tackles that little harder, I'm sure all of those above stats will improve.

Pressure opposition kickers more, easier kicks for our back three to field.

Back three run back harder, make oppositions work for it and should open more gaps for Ponga to exploit early in the set.

Middle forwards runs harder and off a better platform set up by our outside backs, have the opposition on the back foot, easier kicks for the play makers, more metres, opposition on the back foot to start their set.

Rinse and repeat.

I feel our coach seems to value the fundamentals over other aspects which is exactly what we need.

I would rate Ponga's kicking game average to poor. Vast majority of the time the kicks on the last go to Pearce, especially clearing kicks where we need that second option the most. It's all too obvious that on the last, the ball will go to Pearce and opposition teams just need good kick pressure on him to get rewards.

Though, we rarely put effective kick pressure on their kickers, often with Dsaf being the only one out there and you don't want your big forwards doing that. And if they do happen to get a charge down they are not mobile enough to do anything with it and often results in a knock on and handing the ball back to the opposition anyway.

Our forwards, and especially the safs need to stand up this year or it will be another poor year. Klemmer is the only forward that can hold his head high, the rest are bludging. I get tired of seeing Dsaf receive the ball standing still and only after the ball has hit his chest does he start to move costing valuable momentum.

Mann, what premiership hopeful goes in to the season with a 5/8 that is "not expected to do much, just have a go"!

Maybe maloney is not enjoying England and would want a lifeline?

 

[Spot On]

I would rate Ponga's kicking game average to poor. Vast majority of the time the kicks on the last go to Pearce, especially clearing kicks where we need that second option the most. It's all too obvious that on the last, the ball will go to Pearce and opposition teams just need good kick pressure on him to get rewards.

Though, we rarely put effective kick pressure on their kickers, often with Dsaf being the only one out there and you don't want your big forwards doing that. And if they do happen to get a charge down they are not mobile enough to do anything with it and often results in a knock on and handing the ball back to the opposition anyway.

Our forwards, and especially the safs need to stand up this year or it will be another poor year. Klemmer is the only forward that can hold his head high, the rest are bludging. I get tired of seeing Dsaf receive the ball standing still and only after the ball has hit his chest does he start to move costing valuable momentum.

Mann, what premiership hopeful goes in to the season with a 5/8 that is "not expected to do much, just have a go"!

Maybe maloney is not enjoying England and would want a lifeline?

I haven't run through all the clubs/teams but would there be another that has only 1 decent kicking option in the comp other than us???

It is baffling that we have failed to develop any NRL standard spine players in eons.

Any team that does not have a hooker with the ability to attack with running or kicking is already way behind.

Hopefully Obi is the coach we have needed all along. A bloke with the ability to recruit what we really need in the squad and develop our juniors while continually improving every player on the roster, year after year.