Around the Grounds

[Knight Tales]

Unbelievably we are still the second best defensive side in the competition right now. Imagine if we had an attack! Is it fair to say we have put so much effort into our defensive systems that we have sacrificed basic attack shapes?

 

[Yosh]

Our defense is class. Whenever we throw caution to the wind and just throw the ball around early, we are class. We only suck when we stick to AoB's game plan.

 

[Woody90]

Unbelievably we are still the second best defensive side in the competition right now. Imagine if we had an attack! Is it fair to say we have put so much effort into our defensive systems that we have sacrificed basic attack shapes?

I don't think that's it. I think it's more we make so many errors and force ourselves to do so much defence it saps any attacking energy out of the side. Losing so many forwards hasn't helped either. Can't remember seeing any forwards in motion at all in attacking positions on the weekend.

I feel like attack is a lot easier to fix than defence but this side is clearly down on confidence. It's OK to say just throw the ball around but I'm not sure they have the confidence to. They try to throw it around in their own end but it breaks down in try scoring positions when there's more pressure to score. I actually think that's an area Dylan Brown will really help us. He makes mistakes but it doesn't seem to bother him or affect his confidence. Compare that to KP who made some crucial errors early on against the Titans and we've not seen him again since...

I feel like we go through periods of this every year where we just can't get things going in attack and the whole side is playing nervous with the ball (this period seems worse though). They keep going back to saying it's a mental thing. I'm not sure what the answer is to be honest.

 

[Knight Tales]

If anything I want to see the defence go up a gear first before the attack improves. Cos I still believe we are trying to turn defence into attack. The right direction to be headed. But the end result will test our mental resolve. How long can we stick at our defence. I think the Sharks were in a similar boat about a decade ago pre premiership. They were losing games by less than six points on average. Cos their attack was lacking. But Gallen pushed them to defend well first. Cos he knew where they were going. It is a long game mentality.

it is frustrating but we need more adept attacking players. Dylan Brown’s signing
Is looking wiser by the week. A great defensive half first. But good enough to create points in tight games. He was
Never fixing that shit they dished up against Canberra. Nor would have Moses. Raiders are physically impressive this season. Very fit. I see them top four if they can lose the looseness they still have. We are almost identical as clubs IMO.

 

[Rod]

The Raiders are similar to us in that every year people tip them to finish bottom four and then they end up sniffing around the bottom half of the 8. Them being favourites for the spoon before the season started was lunacy.

 

[Lynoman]

I guess the Tigers just proved to Galvin why he was right to knockback their offer.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

The Raiders are similar to us in that every year people tip them to finish bottom four and then they end up sniffing around the bottom half of the 8. Them being favourites for the spoon before the season started was lunacy.

In thought Dragons and Dolphins were equal spoon favs at the start of the season

 

[Knight Tales]

It beggars belief a bunch of players who have been brought into the Tigers from another club, can be there 5 mins and start bullying a 19 year old kid for being honest. Marshall should be stronger and listen to why the issues are there to start with.

 

[Zoidberg]

It beggars belief a bunch of players who have been brought into the Tigers from another club, can be there 5 mins and start bullying a 19 year old kid for being honest. Marshall should be stronger and listen to why the issues are there to start with.

Have you seen the ego on the new players?

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Have you seen the ego on the new players?

Newsflash mate, footy players have had massive egos for decades

 

[Knight Tales]

Have you seen the ego on the new players?

Yes. My point. Their arrogance has remained unchecked. As much as I admire Ivan Cleary he let it go far too long. It brought much success. So I guess that is the cost.

 

[TooheysNew]

Galvin is being a little bitch.

 

[Rod]

We thought the Brown contract reset the market but my prediction is this Galvin situation is the true tip of the iceberg before we see considerable change in this space in our game. Player managers have always been scummy to a degree and players have always agitated for releases but this Galvin one feels different, for a combination of a few reasons: there is now real life-changing money at stake - a talented 19 year old can set himself up for life in an instant, plus there are new teams and a new TV deal in the near future. Add social media and player egos to that mix and I don't see this slowing down any time soon.

The other factor which makes it very unusual is how early this has all played out. It was probably inevitable that it would happen at some point after they changed the rules around the November signing date - now naturally it's led to a player saying they're not re-signing 2 whole years before he's due to take the field for another club.

 

[Yosh]

Is Galvin's manager AOB's manager?

 

[Woody90]

Is Galvin's manager AOB's manager?

Yes. POS too. Moses basically manages half of the comp. A heap at the Knights, both staff and players are managed by Moses…so much so that it gets mentioned on NRL 360 regularly lol.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Could the Tigers potentially be in trouble by the RLPA if they keep Galvin in reserve grade just because he plans on leaving?

 

[TooheysNew]

For what? They're paying his contract. He's just not been selected.

 

[Woody90]

It beggars belief a bunch of players who have been brought into the Tigers from another club, can be there 5 mins and start bullying a 19 year old kid for being honest. Marshall should be stronger and listen to why the issues are there to start with.

Yeah nah. Galvin’s a little prick. You want to criticise your coach publicly like that you’re fair game.

 

[Burwood]

For what? They're paying his contract. He's just not been selected.

That didn’t stop them becoming involved when Brown told Tapine he’d be playing NSW Cup after signing with Canberra.

 

[TooheysNew]

That was 10 years ago. I'd be fairly certain the contracts have changed since then.