Are we playing finals in 2021?

[Jono078]

I'd like to see that squad Burwood, although I'd keep Saifiti starting and Sue on the bench, but I would like to see the bench get more impactful minutes. Bring them on at the 25th minute and let them provide some impact.

 

[Burwood]

I'd like to see that squad Burwood, although I'd keep Saifiti starting and Sue on the bench, but I would like to see the bench get more impactful minutes. Bring them on at the 25th minute and let them provide some impact.

Yep, it was nice for 12 months seeing our starting front rowers play the entire first half and making big metres, but that hasn't worked since the opening round against a reserve grade quality Bulldogs. Should definitely be looking for intensity over workload from now on.

 

[Jono078]

I just don't know if AOB understands the dynamics behind a bench and what it achieves mentally and physically.

You tell Klemmer and Saifiti they're coming off at the 20-30 minute mark and I'm sure they'll go that little bit harder knowing they have that time to make their impact.

And at the same time you are boosting the excitement of the bench player knowing they are coming on to improve our momentum or help pick it up for us in the time they get.

What does bringing a Brodie Jones or Saulo at the 60th minute achieve? The game was over, they're not going to be able to do anything when the whole team is shot at that point. I don't care if you don't rate the benchies, you're just losing the whole dynamic of it when they're not used properly.

This week I'd like to see AOB say Klem you have the first 22 minutes and then Saulo you are on. Guarantee you'll see Klem go harder and you'll have a more pumped Saulo come on and try and press his claims.

 

[Yosh]

How about dropping all the starting forwards. They need a kick up the bum. Only Connor and Sue can hold their head up high.

 

[Yosh]

How about dropping all the starting forwards. They need a kick up the bum. Only Connor and Sue can hold their head up high.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

It's getting congested at 6 points so we will struggle to make the 8 unless there's a huge turn around.
I keep thinking Klem looks a bit soft and then I look at his stats.
We actually showed a few glimpses of getting our attack together.
Shifting the ball, players running onto the ball with momentum, turning it back.
They were only glimpses though, the rest was garbage.

 

[Old dog]

We need to be cleverer with our player management on game day, use our bench better as it is ridiculous to play some for huge minutes and others for little or no minutes it also means we lose the impact. Impact by starting props especially knowing the have say 25 minutes to do the damage then rest for 30-40 minutes including half time.
I think that is part of the problem, we lack a plan with no one seeming to know what there job/task is.

 

[Rod]

In terms of finals footy, the good news is that there's a decent chance there's 11 teams who are as bog average as we are. The Dragons and Warriors are currently in 6th with one more win than us and we should have beaten both.

Whether we deserve it or look likely to do it is another story, but mathematically speaking we are still easily in touch with the 8. It would require a few wins without Pearce to stay in touch though.

 

[Jono078]

This thread is not ageing well.

If we are honest with ourselves, this is our season;

Uninspiring win over the Bulldogs in round 1, a team who is considered to easily have the worst roster and their round one was almost an entirely new backline.

Round 2 saw us play low percentage football to go toe-to-toe with the Warriors and we would've thrown the game away if it weren't for some Best magic.

Sharks was similar to the Warriors, Ponga magic kept us in the game and won it for us in the dying moments - up against a team in turmoil where their coach had been sacked during the week.

Then the Raiders, our most recent "win". Up against another club with all sorts of issues, if it weren't for their iconic second half collapses and Ponga magic again the could have been another loss.

Basically we have one legit win this year where you can say ok, we were convincingly better than the opposition and deserved that win for the way we played.

We are right back in spoon territory if we don't fix whatever is wrong at the club.

Final prediction - we finish 13th.

 

[perverse]

In terms of finals footy, the good news is that there's a decent chance there's 11 teams who are as bog average as we are. The Dragons and Warriors are currently in 6th with one more win than us and we should have beaten both.

Whether we deserve it or look likely to do it is another story, but mathematically speaking we are still easily in touch with the 8. It would require a few wins without Pearce to stay in touch though.

I don't care about finals footy this year anymore. I'd take missing the finals but finding some real solutions at the club over limping into the finals and papering over the cracks that are obviously there.

 

[Burwood]

I don't care about finals footy this year anymore. I'd take missing the finals but finding some real solutions at the club over limping into the finals and papering over the cracks that are obviously there.

Very quickly getting that way for me too. I'm almost hoping for another 2-3 performances like that in the coming weeks so O'Brien is forced into making some changes.

 

[Yosh]

Very quickly getting that way for me too. I'm almost hoping for another 2-3 performances like that in the coming weeks so O'Brien is forced into making some changes.

Surely he needs to make some changes after tonight. Literally got hammered by the worst club in the league...

 

[Apey]

I reckon Dogs are the only team worse than us atm. I'd tip the Broncos to beat us.

 

[Jono078]

This thread should have no legs, BUT...

We are 2-wins in a row away from being in the top 8 as of tonight..

We are also 2-losses in a row away from being second last.

Is this the weakest comp in NRL history?

 

[Burwood]

Souths are a top 4 side, have conceded 50+ points twice this season and it’s only round 11. This is a season like no other.

 

[Jono078]

1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Edrick Lee
3 Bradman Best
4 Kurt Mann
5 Hymel Hunt
6 Jake Clufford
7 Mitchell Pearce
8 David Klemmer
9 Jayden Brailey
10 Daniel Saifitii
11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12 Tyson Frizzel
13 Mitch Barnett
--
14 Conor Watson
15 Suaso Sue
16 Jacob Saifiti
17 Brodie Jones

Is this the strongest team we could potentially field some time in June or July? Surely that's a team that is good enough to make a mini run and play finals football.

 

[ryana87]

I

1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Edrick Lee
3 Bradman Best
4 Kurt Mann
5 Hymel Hunt
6 Jake Clufford
7 Mitchell Pearce
8 David Klemmer
9 Jayden Brailey
10 Daniel Saifitii
11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12 Tyson Frizzel
13 Mitch Barnett
--
14 Conor Watson
15 Suaso Sue
16 Jacob Saifiti
17 Brodie Jones

Is this the strongest team we could potentially field some time in June or July? Surely that's a team that is good enough to make a mini run and play finals football.

You would think Lodge will take Sue or Jones's spot...... And hopefully Hodgson gets a shot at centre and Mann gets out back to NSW cup

 

[Yosh]

1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Edrick Lee
3 Bradman Best
4 Kurt Mann
5 Hymel Hunt
6 Jake Clufford
7 Mitchell Pearce
8 David Klemmer
9 Jayden Brailey
10 Daniel Saifitii
11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12 Tyson Frizzel
13 Mitch Barnett
--
14 Conor Watson
15 Suaso Sue
16 Jacob Saifiti
17 Brodie Jones

Is this the strongest team we could potentially field some time in June or July? Surely that's a team that is good enough to make a mini run and play finals football.

I don't know if I want Sue to be dropped. Why sign a middle forward when our clear weakness is left backrow? I hope Barnett is moved back to the left and Lodge comes onto the bench with Fitzy going to reserve grade. Can't see any other way we fit in Lodge.

 

[Old dog]

Left 2nd row isn’t near as serious as right centre or a winger assuming we have 5/8 soon to be fixed

 

[Joel-22]

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Starford To'a
3. Hymel Hunt
4. Bradman Best
5. Enari Tuala
6. Jake Clifford
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Matt Lodge
9. Jayden Brailey
10. David Klemmer
11. Tyson Frizell
12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon
13. Mitch Barnett

14. Conor Watson
15. Dan Saifiti
16. Jacob Saifiti
17. Sauaso Sue

I think this side can play finals this year.

I think unleashing the brothers and Watson at the same time could be f**king devastating.