Does Brad Arthur deserve the hype?

[eels_fan]

We'll smash Brisbane - always do.

Newcastle however....

 

[hineyrulz]

I don't think that should be a concern. We just make do. The same way the Tigers would have to if Farrah gets injured, the Broncos if McCullough goes down etc.

Yep, does that mean we have a reserve back and halfback as well in the 17?? Injuries happen and you have to make do. Doesn't mean you pick your side just in case something may happen.

 

[IFR33K]

so lets say we drop both degois n seffa off the bench ... what do we do if peats gets injured or can't be useful for the full 80?

I think 'twas Brian smith that first carried a hooker on the bench in the early 2000's. There was no wrestle or slowing down the ruck, in the manner it is slowed down today. It made sense to do so.

The game has changed since then. You need big fast merkins that can dominate in the middle. Peats is an 80 minute player but is useless as a back rower. Same can be said about de Gois. Paulo isn't skilful enough to be a half. Poor passing and no running game. Can't even kick. He's also to weak and small to be a back rower. Of course the rest of our pack will struggle with these three players on at the one time.

For mine we carry a bench full of big strong forwards. No reason to run out of puff like we did in the tigers game.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I'm inclined to agree but Arthur's knows what he's doing. Sometimes you need to stick to your guns.

We have led at the 50 minute mark in five out of six games this year. We are getting run down due to errors, but are those errors unforced (and therefore in our control to fix) or are the errors themselves a symptom of something else that either can't be fixed or can only be fixed by changing how we play?

Hopefully we find out.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I can understand having *either* De Gwah or Seff on the bench, but not both. Have Isaac on the bench against some teams may not be as dumb as it looks, if the plan is to use Peats as backrower for 20 minutes. But, having both on the bench means we are down at least one mongrel.

 

[Noise]

I don't get why we need Peats as a backrower? We have backrowers that are better at being backrowers...

 

[hineyrulz]

I don't get why we need Peats as a backrower? We have backrowers that are better at being backrowers...

Spot on, and i really think peats game is suffering as a result of being pushed into the back row. It's just dumb as far as i'm concerned.

 

[IFR33K]

I'm inclined to agree but Arthur's knows what he's doing. Sometimes you need to stick to your guns.

We have led at the 50 minute mark in five out of six games this year. We are getting run down due to errors, but are those errors unforced (and therefore in our control to fix) or are the errors themselves a symptom of something else that either can't be fixed or can only be fixed by changing how we play?

Hopefully we find out.

You agree with me???????

 

[IFR33K]

I'm inclined to agree but Arthur's knows what he's doing. Sometimes you need to stick to your guns.

We have led at the 50 minute mark in five out of six games this year. We are getting run down due to errors, but are those errors unforced (and therefore in our control to fix) or are the errors themselves a symptom of something else that either can't be fixed or can only be fixed by changing how we play?

Hopefully we find out.

Quite possibly these errors are due to fatigue considering we are carrying Nuffies on the bench. We can't expect the forwards to continue to dominate other packs with 20 minutes to go, because we offer nothing with peats de Gois and Paulo on at the backend of games.

Fix this up, and we be able to compete last quarter.

 

[eels_fan]

I don't think De Gois has any value on our bench. Given we will persist with Paulo, he can cover hooker if Peats cops a knock. A bench of

Wicks
Terepo/Lussick when Jnr Paulo returns.
Paulo
Pauli

Is a hell of a lot stronger than what we've been trotting out

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

I don't get why we need Peats as a backrower? We have backrowers that are better at being backrowers...

I didn't say that we *need* him as a backrower. But, I can understand why, against some teams, a coach might fancy the idea of a small backrower with ball skills running at the line late in each half. I wouldn't do it every week, and the way things are playing out with the ruck speed, I probably wouldn't bother.....but I can see why a coach might like the option on the bench. You just can't afford that option if you also have Seffa on the bench

 

[Gazzamatta]

Im a BA man all the way. I just hope my confidence is well founded. I must say a few things do concern me though:
* Continually selecting Smiley Paulo
* I saw an interview with Mr Peats after game 2 or 3 where he reflected on how he wants to be the 80 minute man. From the next game, even when De G comes on, Peats stays at hooker. This was not the case previously which seemed to work far more efficiently. Tail wagging the dog?
* Falou V Roberts yesterday. This was never going to end well.
* Persistence with Hoppa at fullback. No no no no no.
* If completion rates are the only problem, look for an answer to the problem and fix it. Thats the coaches job.
Im impressed with the Dragons. Why can they perform and our side cant?

 

[hindy111]

I don't think many of you know how to build a team.
You need balance. You can have a centre who is tough but than the other one needs skill and speed.Same as your wingers.
In the forwards you need a mixture but balance is important. I will use the bulldog pack which is close to the benchmark

8-graheme - hard worker-leader-aggressive-ball skills
10tolman - hard worker mannah like
11trex - tackle- buster
12jackson hard worker who busts tackles
13eastwood - hard worker who can make a break and pass

15Frankie - busts tackles
16klemmer Busts tackles-impact
17kasiano - busts tackles & ball plays

Not to many guy there who dont break tackles.We have in our team from Saturday - Manu, who can make a bust and has ball skills. Wicks can also bend line.Rest are just workers.
Pauli-Tepai - jnr Paulo - fa'asso-terepo are our most powerfull ball runners.
Lussick-gower-watmough-mannah-seph-degois- have no leg drive IMO.Im not saying to drop them all but its about balance. You need a few workers but we have too many.

If your big guys are pushing hard up the guts you will wear the other team out. Gower plays well and so does manu but they aren't powerfull big guys.Its more there nifty foot work that makes them yards.There not taking energy out of the other team with hard runs .This is why we are running out of puff end of games and other teams are running over u.They still have a lot of energy.

 

[hindy111]

dogs 57% possession and 79% completion.
dragons 43% and 65% completion. hmmmm

 

[Parraren]

I'm inclined to agree but Arthur's knows what he's doing. Sometimes you need to stick to your guns.

We have led at the 50 minute mark in five out of six games this year. We are getting run down due to errors, but are those errors unforced (and therefore in our control to fix) or are the errors themselves a symptom of something else that either can't be fixed or can only be fixed by changing how we play?

Hopefully we find out.

My take is we are a team that still lacks any patience.

We don't know how to build pressure and just go set for set in a grind.

It's all or nothing. Has been this way for a long time. Parra ball.

 

[Avenger]

dogs 57% possession and 79% completion.
dragons 43% and 65% completion. hmmmm

Funny that. It's not all about completions. As I tried to explain yesterday. It's a robotic bullshit response to constantly think that it is all about completions.

 

[Avenger]

My take is we are a team that still lacks any patience.

We don't know how to build pressure and just go set for set in a grind.

It's all or nothing. Has been this way for a long time. Parra ball.

Do you know who builds pressure? A good halfback with a very good short kicking game that knows how to get a repeat set. Sandow ain't good at that shit. That is why we bought Foran. It's called composure and Sandow has none.

 

[Parraren]

Do you know who builds pressure? A good halfback with a very good short kicking game that knows how to get a repeat set. Sandow ain't good at that shit. That is why we bought Foran. It's called composure and Sandow has none.

Spot on.

I actually put it down to a combination of our halves and our so called 'leaders'.

I think we hsve too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Or the Indians lack confidence in the chief so they take it upon themselves to just make shit up on the run....see Watmough and Paulo brain explosions on Saturday.

Someone needs to take the team by the balls and direct the bloody ship and you're right, traditionally that's the 7's job.

 

[eel01s]

and that will be Foran's role next year. On what I have seen, Norman should be running the show, with Sandow injecting himself into the attack at opportune times. Too often we look like headless cooks in the opposition 20.

 

[Avenger]

and that will be Foran's role next year. On what I have seen, Norman should be running the show, with Sandow injecting himself into the attack at opportune times. Too often we look like headless cooks in the opposition 20.

From where will Sandow be doing this? The bench? Sandow is surplus to requirements. He should be let go.