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All over red rover

C

Craigshark

First Grade
Messages
6,880
Disappointing loss last night. Was probably more disappointed with last weeks loss as we had done enough to win, but was more disappointed with the performance last night. Really lacked effort and were out enthused and saved our worst for last. Hopefully the players learnt a lesson and are better for it. Hopefully players were playing injured as mentioned elsewhere, so it sort of explains some of the woeful defensive efforts.

fitzy looked absolutely gutted in the press conference. Think he was blind sided and didn’t see that coming. Not so much the result but the overall performance. Crucial errors and poor defensive efforts caught up to us in the end and a better team made us pay. Losing Talakai really hurt us as we missed his 200+ metres out of our end.

fitzy has done a great job so far with what we have. I don’t think we need wholesale changes. I agree we probably need another big forward on top of Kafusi already coming. Talakai moving in to the forwards would help this along with williams returning from injury.

I hope Dykes can put some serious pressure on Kennedy in the off-season because I can’t see us winning anything with Kennedy as our fullback. He is a solid first grader, but has too many deficiencies and really lacks in a lot of areas. If Talakai moves to the forwards, I’d give Iro a shot in the centres.

I’ve seen some suggestions of us needing an x-factor type player. Completely agree with this. I’ve seen David Fifita hanging around the past week or so with a few of our players in cronulla. His form hasn’t been great and there’s no way I’d pay anywhere near what he is on, but could fitzy get the best out of him? Definitely has the x-factor and we could have a number 12 jumper up for grabs?
 
DJDL

DJDL

First Grade
Messages
5,445
I agree with pretty much all of that.

Pondering over where we fell short, post-game, I couldn't help but feel we need improvement in two key areas:

1. Muscle
2. Strike

Our pack, while serviceable, lacks a genuine enforcer.
And, to be honest, I don't see that changing much next year.

Toby works his ass off and gives it his all, but for the most part seems to be paying a one man show.

I'd really hoped my man Royce would complement him on that front.
He started to show signs of it towards the end of the year, but I'd like to see him step it up a level or two next year.

BHU showed signs of it at times as well, but also needs to step it up.
As pointed out elsewhere, his lack of effort in defense at times is a concern though.

Both of those guys need massive pre-seasons if they're to fill the role we need.

We've got Kaufusi coming in. I haven't seen a lot of him but, from what I have, he is not the one to strike fear into opposition packs.

Finucane and Williams are both workers.

As much as I like Colquhoun as a player, I don't see him being an enforcer either.
Nor Hazleton for that matter.

So how we fill that void I don't know.

As for strike, Ramien, on his day, is capable.
But we saw far too little of it, particularly at the back end of the season.
I think it's down to the lack of grunt up front providing room him and others to move.
We're definitely way too sideways.

Iro can maybe provide something, but his defense is questionable by all reports.
I'd be inclined to start him on the left wing and move Ronnie in one.
Sifa goes back to the bench and plays in the middle.

Agreed on Dykes putting pressure on WK.
Will was great last year and early this year but, post injury, has been nowhere near his best.
Maybe part of that is also down to not having a solid platform to work from.
From what I've seen of Dykes though - admittedly only highlights packages - he could be the x-factor we're missing.

Miller? Mehller more like it.
Career Jets / Tigers / Dogs / Knights player.

Tracey? Likewise.

Anyway, it was fun while it lasted.
But I don't see us being a genuine threat next year either at this point.
 
C

Craigshark

First Grade
Messages
6,880
Ramien is a hard one.. he needs to really step it up next year or I don’t want to see him re-signed unless it’s for a lot less then what he’s on. He has been around first grade long enough to cut those stupid errors out of his game like the offside on the kick and the penalty for dragging johnston in to touch. Ffs seriously
 
DJDL

DJDL

First Grade
Messages
5,445
I hear you on Ramien.
That dragging penalty was always going to be a penalty.
And it's the third or fourth time he's been pinged for it this year.

His lack of smarts at times negates everything else he brings.
Very frustrating player.
 
Frenzy.

Frenzy.

Post Whore
Messages
51,342
Ramien. Won't be able to wait and see if he steps up next year as He can talk to anyone from November 1. Can only cut the cord or take the leap of faith.

I also tend to look at him the opposite way DJDL. His good outweighs his bad. We won a GF in 2016 with Sosaia Feki in the team who had as many brain farts as Ramien in different ways and wasn't half the player. Was also a regular first grader by the name of Gerard Beale.

You can't have everything. Ramien is ok for mine
 
DJDL

DJDL

First Grade
Messages
5,445
Frenzy. said:
Ramien. Won't be able to wait and see if he steps up next year as He can talk to anyone from November 1. Can only cut the cord or take the leap of faith.

I also tend to look at him the opposite way DJDL. His good outweighs his bad. We won a GF in 2016 with Sosaia Feki in the team who had as many brain farts as Ramien in different ways and wasn't half the player. Was also a regular first grader by the name of Gerard Beale.

You can't have everything. Ramien is ok for mine
Click to expand...

I'm torn on whether to offer him an extension or not.
I really like him but think we mostly don't play a style to unlock his strengths.
Throw in the brain farts and it's a hard one.

Don't think I'll be disappointed whichever way they club chooses to go.
 
Stake Removed

Stake Removed

Coach
Messages
10,834
Move Kennedy on, let Miller and Dykes fight out fullback next year.
Clubs will take Kennedy.

Use that money and what we have left to get maybe Klemmer if has right attitude.

Iro starts in centers, Talakai off bench to give pack some starch
 
Frenzy.

Frenzy.

Post Whore
Messages
51,342
Stake Removed said:
Move Kennedy on, let Miller and Dykes fight out fullback next year.
Clubs will take Kennedy.

Use that money and what we have left to get maybe Klemmer if has right attitude.

Iro starts in centers, Talakai off bench to give pack some starch
Click to expand...

And Fitzgibbon. Don't forget to move him on too huh?

No one cares what you think anyway. You did your dash last night so go away

The Village at sharksforever needs an idiot. I'll give you a reference
 
Inferno

Inferno

Coach
Messages
18,329
Frenzy. said:
Ramien. Won't be able to wait and see if he steps up next year as He can talk to anyone from November 1. Can only cut the cord or take the leap of faith.

I also tend to look at him the opposite way DJDL. His good outweighs his bad. We won a GF in 2016 with Sosaia Feki in the team who had as many brain farts as Ramien in different ways and wasn't half the player. Was also a regular first grader by the name of Gerard Beale.

You can't have everything. Ramien is ok for mine
Click to expand...

Ramien does some amazing things but generally speaking for everything amazing he does he does something dumb. Like giving a penalty away, or being half a step offside or getting suspended.

He's on decent coin and one of the few that hasn't really progressed this year under Fitz like plenty of others.

He's certainly been outshone by Sifa who is probably on half his wage.

I won't be disappointed in the slightest if Ramien goes but we certainly need to go to market or manufacture a centre.
 
BWNB

BWNB

First Grade
Messages
7,971
Card Shark said:
We need a halves combination, players with different attributes, not 2 the same.

Trindall at half running the show, Hynes to chime in with his magic.

Talakai must go back to the forwards.

Kennedy will be fine, he improved out of sight last year but injuries hampered him this year.

Ronnie to Centre & Miller / Dykes on the wing…we need more speed!
Click to expand...
Iro to centre, Sifa to the forwards
 
fizman

fizman

Bench
Messages
3,506
If the discussion is around winning the Premiership, there needs to be a couple of changes for sure.

The addition of Klemmer would be a good start.

This won’t go down well with the faithful, but I would be training McInnes at 9 in the off season. Brailey doesn’t have the skill set required to go to the next level.

The starting pack I would want for next season would be

8. Klemmer
9. McInnes
10. Finucane
11. Kafusi
12. Rudolf
13. Nikora

14. Talakai
15. Braden-Uele
16. Hunt
17. Wilton/ Williams

Flog the backs in the off season so they run the plays at speed blind folded.

Drill in discipline and game management.
 
Thick Skinned Shark

Thick Skinned Shark

Juniors
Messages
1,343
Had a meal at the local RSL today -seated in front of a big screen replaying the game (not my choice!)
f**k we should have won that for all the opportunities we had that ended in dropped balls, missed tackles or penalties, and as is the case the 50-50 calls never seem to go our way
 
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