Areas where frankly we let ourselves down, time and time again...

[Iafeta]

Discipline - penalties galore generally. Sure, I think the referees are knob jockeys and blind as bats, but still over a whole year we were dreadful.

Making the effort to get back to marker - disappointing to see how many sets a little winger could make 15 metres out of marker and get out entire defence screwed over.

Defensive line speed - was a joke all year long. Typified yesterday, the Dragons set where Drinkwater got the field goal, our blokes seemed happy to allow them to roll 15 metres up field.

Dominate the collision - we are pathetic at hitting, sticking, and driving the man to the ground.

Kicking game - we have IMO the worst kicking game in the NRL. It consists of mid field bomb, then a mid field bomb, and for variation another mid field bomb. Then there's the problem that poor old Lulu is deadest lucky to be able to kick it 10 metres in the air.

Basic handling errors - look, I don't mind if we are trying to create an opportunity and under pressure we drop it. But we, time and time again, drop it as an unforced error.

Todd Lowrie - bloke is deadest a no hoper who loves a penalty, a dropped ball, and little else. Absolute pea heart. Must have dirty pictures of Elliott with Wayne Scurrah's mistress or something to keep getting picked.

Feleti Mateo - "son, put the offload away please", must have been the conversation he had recently. He was kidding himself with his lack of offence recently.

Kevin Locke - dude has lost speed big t. Its like watching Paul Atkins at fullback.

 

[playdaball]

Drop kicks from dead ball areas are very short. We used to have the likes of inu and villisanti kicking to around the halfway line.
Tompkins???

 

[MKEB...]

Run out or throw the ball out on 1st tackle plays, ...annoyo-metre to maximum

 

[Mike0070]

Panthers beating manly drops us to 11th , where did we finish last year , I thought it was 13th ??

 

[vvvrulz]

Panthers beating manly drops us to 11th , where did we finish last year , I thought it was 13th ??

Regardless of how close it looks on the ladder we are light years ahead compared to last year.

 

[ozbash]

we wernt a team, way too many individuals..

was seriously impressed with TL's progress over the year.
there is still a huge clash of wills/ego in the playmaking roles.

 

[spear tackle]

How many time do we hear that, they were embarresed to lose and will make amends only to find them returning back to old habits. I get the impression theres a bit of rot somewhere thats needs pruning.
Still it is an improvement on 2012 and hope to see a lot of furthur improvment next year, it looks like some of the new recuits will want a starting spot and don't mind who they push into the vulcans

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Im going to say leadership. Who are the players in the leadership group??? and why wernt they pumping everyone up yesterday in a must must game. The leadership group should of taken control on that game but they were invisable

Also todd lowrie must be one of the worst signings in history, sure hes won a premiership but f**k me the storm didnt win it becos of he bought to the table

 

[TheDMC]

Club culture?

Same shit year after year - must be the club culture

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Feels like we've been a comfort zone since we made the gf, expecting that things will just come naturally from then on. Wake up call, it hasn't and now were a few more years off another gf.

 

[Blair]

We used to have the likes of Inu...kicking to around the halfway line.

On the whole though I think we got over* Inu this year. Probably because he hasn't fired for the Dogs, unlike last season. Having two, geniune centres helped us move on from him too.

*I'm well aware more than a few people 'got over' him while he was still with us!

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Im going to say leadership. Who are the players in the leadership group??? and why wernt they pumping everyone up yesterday in a must must game. The leadership group should of taken control on that game but they were invisable

Also todd lowrie must be one of the worst signings in history, sure hes won a premiership but f**k me the storm didnt win it becos of he bought to the table

I'd assume leadership group is Mannering, Friend, Manu and TL for the 80min players. Maybe Johnson, but he can't seem to organise attack in the 20m so not sure.
Mannering seems to be a lead by example kinda guy.
Friend again a lot like Mannering and only just completing his 2 year with the club.
Manu, far to nice a guy, more likely to pat you on the back than kick you in the a$$.
TL, first year back, to much on his plate carrying Johnson?

I think leadership is something we are lacking at the club, but this hasn't always been the case.

What is Wiki saying from the trainers jersey? "Shoulders Shoulders boys"

 

[vvvrulz]

Mannering seems to be a lead by example kinda guy.
Friend again a lot like Mannering and only just completing his 2 year with the club.
Manu, far to nice a guy, more likely to pat you on the back than kick you in the a$$.
TL, first year back, to much on his plate carrying Johnson?

I think leadership is something we are lacking at the club, but this hasn't always been the case.

We need someone a bit more vocal towards the boys, at the moment there are too many guys who's headspace just goes wondering. Leuluai seems to be trying to get them organized on the field, but the rest sort of just amble on and do their own thing.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Club culture?

Same shit year after year - must be the club culture

And this is a hard thing to change, it takes time, a strong leadership group, depth in talent, consistency with coaching staff, structures and method.

As mentioned in the Tomkins thread (way off topic) I hope its not an acting white, tall poppy syndrome, not wanting to make a bro look bad by out playing him or taking his spot?

 

[Philip_Smith007]

We need someone a bit more vocal towards the boys, at the moment there are too many guys who's headspace just goes wondering. Leuluai seems to be trying to get them organized on the field, but the rest sort of just amble on and do their own thing.

We need the Dean Bell, Kevin Campion and Steven Price style leadership at times to rev the guys up behind the posts.
Don't think we have anyone like that currently in the squad?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

FMD, so apparently the problem is still that Simon Mannering doesn't do enough shouting behind the goal posts?

Jeez, give someone else a go then. Let Simon go back to being our best player without being blamed for our failures.

 

[tangalife]

Im gonna say two things:

Professionalism
Maturity

Professionalism:
It's obvious just in the way they travel - hoodies, jandals, backward hats. I'm not in no way against this but it does seem strange for a professional sporting team to be travelling dressed like that? When I see other footy players turning up to the stadium or injured players on the sideline they're dressed in a full suit?

Maturity:
Just have to follow some of these guys on twitter or whatever. "G" this and "dox" that. Hell I even saw talk about bloods and crips on Sione Lousi's page once.
Also Sione and Sam Lousi still living at home sharing the same one room... Hurrell blowing kisses to his mum... The ehuhuhuhuhe behaviour.

 

[Meth]

Regardless of how close it looks on the ladder we are light years ahead compared to last year.

We're ahead. I wouldn't say light years ahead though.

Basically, we had a terrible start to the season and I'm willing to excuse that. New coach, and all.

My big disappointment is the days that they just don't show up- and foremost on my mind are Rounds 21 and 23 (at home ffs) and Round 26. Everything to play for, and they just don't show. So, in my mind, the problem is much the same as last year- attitude and unprofessionalism.

 

[vvvrulz]

We're ahead. I wouldn't say light years ahead though.

Basically, we had a terrible start to the season and I'm willing to excuse that. New coach, and all.

My big disappointment is the days that they just don't show up- and foremost on my mind are Rounds 21 and 23 (at home ffs) and Round 26. Everything to play for, and they just don't show. So, in my mind, the problem is much the same as last year- attitude and unprofessionalism.

Agree that we have an attitude and professionalism problem, but lets not forget last year we close to spoon material losing games like 46-4 at home to Cronulla. While things haven't been all rosy this year its still a very long way ahead of this time last year.

 

[tangalife]

We are twice team we were last year. Matt now just needs to work on our head game. He now has a full off-season to implement something to get us head strong.

I think there still some great positives out of this season.

1) Manu back to being his best on the wing when we all thought it was time for him to make a move infield.

2) Johnson improving, but still things he needs to work on.

3) Thomas Leuluai.

4) Emergence of Ngani Laumape and ME's abillity to break him in slowly and surely. Also the emergence of fringers like Matagi and Gubb.

5) Glen Fish now looks comfortable on the wing.

6) Recruitment went and targeted some big names and have recruited well for next year.

7) Hurrell's defence improving (still needs work).