Eels Roosters game day thread

[Poupou Escobar]

And if you're going to dominate possession you're better off doing it in the first half because the opposition's fatigue will carry over into the second half. Roosters had 65% possession at half time.

 

[Stagger eel]

And if you're going to dominate possession you're better off doing it in the first half because the opposition's fatigue will carry over into the second half. Roosters had 65% possession at half time.

Being blown off the park in the first 10 minutes doesn't help.. Sunday showed how vital it is to start well

 

[Chipmunk]

Interestingly we had 40% of the ball and only completed at 65% and let in 8 tries

The storm also only had 40% of the ball and only completed at 63% and they let in 7 tries.

And the storm didn't lose two backs for the last 20 or so!!

Shows no matter how good you are or how good your forwards are, holding the ball and completing your sets is extremely important, if you don't you risk a flogging!!

The Storm still scored 6 tries with only 40% of possession and really shouldn't have lost the game...which probably says more about the Titans than the Storm.

So far this season:
Raiders had 41% of possession against the Cowboys, completed at 70% and let in 4 tries and scored 3 - beaten in Golden Point
Sharks had 42% of possession against the Broncos, completed at 70% and let in 4 tries and scored 3
Manly had 42% of possession against Parra, completed at 70% and let in 3 tries and scored 2
Storm had 43% of possession against Tigers, completed at 66% and let in 2 tries and scored 4
Knights had 43% of possession against Sharks, completed at 75% and let in 3 tries and scored 3
Storm had 42% of possession against Panthers, completed at 74% and let in 1 try and scored 5

Of course there are other instances where teams have had the same sort of possession and got flogged, but none of them are likely to challenge for the title.

Incredibly the Storm have only won the possession statistics on 2 out of 10 occasions this season, yet they're still good enough to lead the comp.

What this says is that if you're good enough you won't get flogged even with limited possession and if you're really good it probably won't affect the result. Parra is in neither of these categories.

 

[carson]

The Storm still scored 6 tries with only 40% of possession and really shouldn't have lost the game...which probably says more about the Titans than the Storm.

So far this season:
Raiders had 41% of possession against the Cowboys, completed at 70% and let in 4 tries and scored 3 - beaten in Golden Point
Sharks had 42% of possession against the Broncos, completed at 70% and let in 4 tries and scored 3
Manly had 42% of possession against Parra, completed at 70% and let in 3 tries and scored 2
Storm had 43% of possession against Tigers, completed at 66% and let in 2 tries and scored 4
Knights had 43% of possession against Sharks, completed at 75% and let in 3 tries and scored 3, beaten
Storm had 42% of possession against Panthers, completed at 74% and let in 1 try and scored 5

Of course there are other instances where teams have had the same sort of possession and got flogged, but none of them are likely to challenge for the title.

Incredibly the Storm have only won the possession statistics on 2 out of 10 occasions this season, yet they're still good enough to lead the comp.

What this says is that if you're good enough you won't get flogged even with limited possession and if you're really good it probably won't affect the result. Parra is in neither of these categories.

It might also highlight how good the Storm are at slowing down the play the ball. Opposition technically has the ball longer but can't do anything with it.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

Ok, so a lot of talk after the flogging is our pack isn't big enough, we lack some size.

Well our starting pack on Sunday was actually bigger then the Roosters:

8. Matagi 107
9. Pritchard 90
10. Mannah 108
11. Ma'u 105
12. Moeroa 111
13. Brown 107

Total - 628

8. Napa 108
9. Friend 92
10. JWH 116
11. Aubusson 98
12. Cordner 102
13. SST 101

Total 617

 

[Poupou Escobar]

We lack height in the middle though. Hence our poor lineout.

 

[emjaycee]

Ok, so a lot of talk after the flogging is our pack isn't big enough, we lack some size.

Well our starting pack on Sunday was actually bigger then the Roosters:

8. Matagi 107
9. Pritchard 90
10. Mannah 108
11. Ma'u 105
12. Moeroa 111
13. Brown 107

Total - 628

8. Napa 108
9. Friend 92
10. JWH 116
11. Aubusson 98
12. Cordner 102
13. SST 101

Total 617

Overall pack weight and average per player doesn't mean much if there is a significant outlier such as JWH. Especially one with his skill level.

 

[Kornstar]

Overall pack weight and average per player doesn't mean much if there is a significant outlier such as JWH. Especially one with his skill level.

Plus the other opposition players generally run harder than us, regardless of size.......

 

[Bazal]

Interestingly we had 40% of the ball and only completed at 65% and let in 8 tries

The storm also only had 40% of the ball and only completed at 63% and they let in 7 tries.

And the storm didn't lose two backs for the last 20 or so!!

Shows no matter how good you are or how good your forwards are, holding the ball and completing your sets is extremely important, if you don't you risk a flogging!!

That 40% is skewed by a late run of possession to be fair.

You're spot on, but realistically we had less ball than that when we needed it

 

[Bazal]

We lack height in the middle though. Hence our poor lineout.

And our scrummaging is abysmal...

 

[Twizzle]

so was our ruck and maul

 

[Bazal]

so was our ruck and maul

Maybe that's why people want us to sign Packer?

 

[Eelementary]

Ok, so a lot of talk after the flogging is our pack isn't big enough, we lack some size.

Well our starting pack on Sunday was actually bigger then the Roosters:

8. Matagi 107
9. Pritchard 90
10. Mannah 108
11. Ma'u 105
12. Moeroa 111
13. Brown 107

Total - 628

8. Napa 108
9. Friend 92
10. JWH 116
11. Aubusson 98
12. Cordner 102
13. SST 101

Total 617

I think most of the talk about size has come frome, and I guess I meant it mostly in height.

Mannah and Matagi are heavy, but relatively short.

The Roosters had Napa and JWH - both are tall, and heavy, and when they went nuts, we could not stop them.

I think it would have helped if we had someone with a similar body shape to JWH; a tall, heavy, yet mobile prop would help us in the wrestle.

I think we have a good pack, but they're all either short and heavy, or tall but not wide.

Kane Evans is tall, but he's not that wide.

I think someone like JWH, or James Graham would help us in the ruck.

 

[Bazal]

I think most of the talk about size has come frome, and I guess I meant it mostly in height.

Mannah and Matagi are heavy, but relatively short.

The Roosters had Napa and JWH - both are tall, and heavy, and when they went nuts, we could not stop them.

I think it would have helped if we had someone with a similar body shape to JWH; a tall, heavy, yet mobile prop would help us in the wrestle.

I think we have a good pack, but they're all either short and heavy, or tall but not wide.

Kane Evans is tall, but he's not that wide.

I think someone like JWH, or James Graham would help us in the ruck.

The problem with playes like that is that they cost the Earth and almost never come on the market. You have to poach them or develop them.

In some ways that's why I'm surprised we let Twal go. He's not a JWH style player yet, but at 20 years old he's 190cm and 103kg. Putting 10kg on that frame is not out of the question, and he'll be a weapon of he can do that. 190cm and 113kg is nothing to sneeze at

 

[strider]

James graham aint big

 

[Eelementary]

The problem with playes like that is that they cost the Earth and almost never come on the market. You have to poach them or develop them.

In some ways that's why I'm surprised we let Twal go. He's not a JWH style player yet, but at 20 years old he's 190cm and 103kg. Putting 10kg on that frame is not out of the question, and he'll be a weapon of he can do that. 190cm and 113kg is nothing to sneeze at

That's it - I was hoping we could develop Twal into a middle forward of that body shape.

Oh, well.

I could be wrong, anyway - maybe adding a forward with JWH's body type would do bugger all.

 

[Eelementary]

James graham aint big

Well, he's tall - listed as 188cm, and 108kg.

Our starting front row is Mannah, at 184cm and 104kg, and Matagi, at 179cm and 106kg.

They're both good front rowers, imo - but I feel we lack height in the middle.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Evans will add some height. And speed.

 

[Bazal]

Evans will add some height. And speed.

We just need to work on his involvement.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

His runs per minute this year are excellent, and in previous years his tackles per minute have been huge, meaning he could easily cope with longer minutes.