Blake Ayshford

[The Rosco]

I've always enjoyed watching Ayshford go around. He isn't the biggest, fastest, or best stepper.
Yet he mostly busts, or half busts the first line of defence. He is deceptively effective at threatening the line.

Against Melbourne, he was wrapped up every time. His attack was the worst I can recall.
Is he playing injured, annoyed at being a benchie, or is it just one of those things ?

 

[Ron's_Mate]

Dunno, but I also noticed he didn't do much in attack.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

Credit to Melbourne - they've been a noted defensive team for years now and wrapped up Ayshford pretty well.

He had a quiet game, but it was just one game - I'd not be too concerned.

Mitch Brown could be accused of having quiet games - and I rate him as a big loss. He never set the world on fire and yet rarely made a mistake under the bomb, with handling or calls in defence. If Ayshford can do this, then great - every team needs this!

 

[Pie_Man]

I've always enjoyed watching Ayshford go around. He isn't the biggest, fastest, or best stepper.
Yet he mostly busts, or half busts the first line of defence. He is deceptively effective at threatening the line.

Against Melbourne, he was wrapped up every time. His attack was the worst I can recall.
Is he playing injured, annoyed at being a benchie, or is it just one of those things ?

Blakes a confidence player who's lost form, it happens. It's up to him now to get his regular spot back, lucky for us we have the Depth in our bacline to cover him.

I'm certain he'll regain his form and I dont hink it has anything to do with an injury. :roll:

 

[Tiger05]

I think he was pretty poor at the start of the year but he is looking okay now.

Still he lacks speed and we have a lot of players in the backline who lack speed.

 

[macnaz]

You can throw Lawrence in as well for playing below par, altho he is improving. His ofloads are friggin terrible lately, i noted one he threw to Lote where he had all the time in the world to set for the pass, but it hit Lote on the hip which slowed his momentum for a.fraction allowing him to be ankle tapped.... A good pass and that would have been a sure try .

 

[BuffaloRules]

Lawrence & Ayshford are both struggling....

I think the hamstring injury Lawrence got towards the end of last year has really slowed him down and affected his confidence....

I cant remember anytime this year when he has ran longer then 20 metres.

 

[benched tiger]

That hip injury surely has slowed Lawrence down,in the past he just ran away from players when in the clear now he just looks to pass.Benji is the same,if you watch high lights from the semi's to GF in 2005 you will notice how lively and fast he was compared to now.

 

[Magpie Tragic]

That hip injury surely has slowed Lawrence down,in the past he just ran away from players when in the clear now he just looks to pass.Benji is the same,if you watch high lights from the semi's to GF in 2005 you will notice how lively and fast he was compared to now.

"if you watch high lights from the semi's to GF in 2005 you will notice how lively and fast he was compared to now."

He was also 7 years younger & probably 15-20 kilos lighter back then

 

[Tigers Tale]

I have been scratching my head with these two as well. Both Marshall and particularly Lawrence are down on pace. I don't know if the dislocated hip is to blame or the hamstring but he never wants to stretch out as he once did....

As for Ayshford, I think one or two really good games will bring back his confidence. The uncertainty of his selection in the team and what position he is playing from week to week can't be helping him.

 

[benched tiger]

Carrying injuries usually leads to a drop in confidence which is most likely the issue with Lawrence and Ayshford,hopefully they will come good.

 

[The Rosco]

Yeah, I have been noticing Lawrence's season as well. But at least you can point directly to the major injury for his reason.

Let's hope that Blake's issue is a confidence thing, and that he gets back to his tackle busting best real soon.

 

[tumblingdice]

Yeah, I have been noticing Lawrence's season as well. But at least you can point directly to the major injury for his reason.

Let's hope that Blake's issue is a confidence thing, and that he gets back to his tackle busting best real soon.

But if everyone recalls, he amazingly to his credit did come back last year from this injury, killed it, made the Kangaroos, and everyone said he should be playing Origin prior to season start.


Im so :?

 

[N.C.]

But if everyone recalls, he amazingly to his credit did come back last year from this injury, killed it, made the Kangaroos, and everyone said he should be playing Origin prior to season start.

Been thinking about this.

Coming back in just in time for the finals, then a run in the Four Nations etc, means you don't have time to stop and think... You just grab the ball and run.

Then there's the off-season.

... then there's another 26 weeks of grueling footy.

I dunno - I'm not a professional athlete. But I reckon it's possible to come back from injury and kill it at the end of the season, only to let it plague you for the next 6-12 months. It will be awhile before we see the best of Lawrence again.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Its not the hip injury for Lawrence.. he came back from that last year and played well...

He doesnt seem to be the same since he did his hammy versus St George last year...

His finals form and Four nations were not at the same standard, nor his form( and pace) this year...

 

[dumpy]

Virtually the whole team is slower this year than last year. Are previous injuries only cause or in off season, players have got stronger to the detriment of pace. I vividly recall Lawrence putting after burners on and blowing away Billy Slater - cannot wait for it to happen again.

 

[benched tiger]

The one distinctive flaw to our backline out wide is a lack of pace,sooner or later it is going to hurt us.

 

[moller]

Not sure pace is such an issue for Lawrence - watch that break from last week that we made from our own line (Sironen half bust, off load to Lawrence). He gapped them rather quickly when he put the foot down, it was just the pass to Lote that let him down.
Confidence issue more than anything. Will be back and firing by September.

 

[madunit]

Lawrence, Marshall and Ayshford more noticeably have all bulked up in the past 3 seasons.

Ayshford went close to putting on 10 kilos in the offseason, and while he now busts tackles more regularly, his lateral movement has become very poor.

Benji did a lot of upper body work after his shoulder injuries which bulked his torso up, and over ensuing years he's focussed mroe on his legs, look at him in 2005 compared to now, all his limbs were pretty thin.

Lawrence hasn't put on much weight recently, but his second and third years he did a lot of bulking up, which was to do more with giving him confidence in defence (in my opinion, and it worked)

 

[leoc]

Sadly both Blake & Chris are terribly out of form. When Curtis gets back we should look at putting the pair in the lower grade. Maybe try and get some confidence back because they offer very little in their current form.