Eels V. Broncos: Live Game Thread

[Poupou Escobar]

Hard to say. If sk was still here, then no doubt but you never know with ricky

Three successive coaches have played Keating at 9. They rate defensive ability a lot more than the fans do, and Keating is an incredible defender.

This isn't ten years ago where nippy halves were being converted to hookers left, right and centre. Hookers need to be able to wrap up the ball and wrestle these days. Weak defenders are picked out in the line and monstered by modern attacks - like what happened to Nathan Smith early in the second half.

But I agree he offers more in attack than Keating. It would be good to use both of them in a game.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Keating is good defensively but Smith offers so much more than him in attack. Has Keating ever set a long range try up like Smith did tonight???

Don't forget Keating was our starting hooker in 2009.

 

[bartman]

Not just in the way he played. Look at his pre-match interview: http://www.parraeels.com.au/news-display/Rd21-Pregame-Video-Arthur-Maitua/60504

Hadn't seen that! No-one's come out and said anything directly, and everyone is handling those type of questions with dignity and respect. But you can suspect/tell the change has been a massive boost for the lads...

 

[yy_cheng]

Don't forget Keating was our starting hooker in 2009.

yes, but players can go backwards too.

Keating thinks he is a Cam Smith or Farah but he is nowhere near that and holds the ball too long which reduces the time that the playmakers get with the ball.

If he just gave crisp service out of dummy half, I would have no issues.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Nathan Smith/Parra 13+.

$10 @ 510-1.

That is all.

 

[ParraSteve]

How much has Ryan Morgan improved in the last couple of months.

That was sandows best game for us all year, he was outstanding, was also great to see burt contest the bombs for once. Smith gets us on the front foot thanks to his speed, something that keating needs to work on badly.

Mullaney had a mixed game but there's potential there

When it got to 30 18 I thought not again but they held their nerve and recorded a great win

 

[whall15]

Brilliant match.

Arthur showed more passion in that one game at half time when we were ahead than Kearney ever did.

 

[Gronk]

Loved our enthusiasm.

Brisbane missed 54 tackles: We played so good that it forced them to miss tackles ? OR they missed so many tackles that it made us look really good ?

I think for a change we played a team that did not slow down the ruck. Our play the balls were fast and Smithy go the ball away fast.

If we can keep that mindset, the Tigers are doable as they miss a heap of tackles every week and play a similar style as the Broncos.

 

[The Elephant In The room]

Loved our enthusiasm.

Brisbane missed 54 tackles: We played so good that it forced them to miss tackles ? OR they missed so many tackles that it made us look really good ?

I think for a change we played a team that did not slow down the ruck. Our play the balls were fast and Smithy go the ball away fast.

If we can keep that mindset, the Tigers are doable as they miss a heap of tackles every week and play a similar style as the Broncos.

Only Beau Ryan. He's dreamy :hg:

I think you're right though Gronk. The Tiges are certainly a team than you can dominate and force them into a lot of missed tackles. Trouble is they can also score a bucket load of tries themselves IF they click.

Parra by 18 (46-28)

 

[spiderdan]

was against a depleted broncos but winning like that and without hayne.....

wow. just wow.

 

[natheel]

With Nathan smith playing like he is he offers more in attack from dummy half than mk but mk is a solid defender. If mk bulked up could he be in the second row? His defence when hindy is gone will be valuable

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

Read through this thread this morning, its like re-living the game over again haha. Great read.

 

[oldmancraigy]

With Nathan smith playing like he is he offers more in attack from dummy half than mk but mk is a solid defender. If mk bulked up could he be in the second row? His defence when hindy is gone will be valuable

No. Just No.


There's something to be said for realising that players have certain limitations which you either need to live with, or cut and run from.

MK is quite slow - and has a small frame. At 91kgs, he's on the light side, and every KG he added would impact his speed and agility in a negative way. He's too slow to be a running forward as it is.
Just let him go!


For what it's worth, currently he'd be one of the best defensive hookers in the comp, and he's outstanding in the wrestling department and in making one on one tackles. But his service has been horrible for years now, and he's a "slow passer" - not just in that he takes too many steps, but also in that he can't pass the ball very quickly.
He's also fairly inaccurate with his passing, at least once every 2 weeks he'll throw a dead set shocker that forces a knock on.

We're stuck with MK next year, but hooker and backrow are the 2 positions we could use a significant upgrade in for next year. Young Smith goes alright in attack (nothing too flash), but defensively he's wobbly.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

was against a depleted broncos but winning like that and without hayne.....

wow. just wow.

We had a few players out too

 

[The Elephant In The room]

No. Just No.


There's something to be said for realising that players have certain limitations which you either need to live with, or cut and run from.

MK is quite slow - and has a small frame. At 91kgs, he's on the light side, and every KG he added would impact his speed and agility in a negative way. He's too slow to be a running forward as it is.
Just let him go!


For what it's worth, currently he'd be one of the best defensive hookers in the comp, and he's outstanding in the wrestling department and in making one on one tackles. But his service has been horrible for years now, and he's a "slow passer" - not just in that he takes too many steps, but also in that he can't pass the ball very quickly.
He's also fairly inaccurate with his passing, at least once every 2 weeks he'll throw a dead set shocker that forces a knock on.

We're stuck with MK next year, but hooker and backrow are the 2 positions we could use a significant upgrade in for next year. Young Smith goes alright in attack (nothing too flash), but defensively he's wobbly.

I agree that MK is not a front line backrower but I do think that it is possible to use MK in a "Dean Young" type role. Take the heat out of the game at hooker, have a rest bringing on the livewire (in this case Smith) and then slotting into the back row rotation. I think it makes more sense than having 2 props and 2 back rowers on the bench.

 

[strider]

I agree that MK is not a front line backrower but I do think that it is possible to use MK in a "Dean Young" type role. Take the heat out of the game at hooker, have a rest bringing on the livewire (in this case Smith) and then slotting into the back row rotation. I think it makes more sense than having 2 props and 2 back rowers on the bench.

This is exactly what happened in 2009 - MK starts, Kingston came on to replace him, then later MK came back on with Kingston still on aswell

infact you could say, Dean Young has been playing a MK type role the last few years

 

[spiderdan]

We had a few players out too

yup including the one with the most attacking spark that i mentioned. never would have picked us to beat brisbane without hayne on the road by that much (did get the eels and overs double though).

like i said. wow.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Eels and overs double. That's all nice and stuff but it's still chump change...

 

[oldmancraigy]

I agree that MK is not a front line backrower but I do think that it is possible to use MK in a "Dean Young" type role. Take the heat out of the game at hooker, have a rest bringing on the livewire (in this case Smith) and then slotting into the back row rotation. I think it makes more sense than having 2 props and 2 back rowers on the bench.

Why would you bring him back on?

Early this year SK was playing McGuire as a backrower.
It makes very little sense to have 2 hookers on at once if you actually have a backrower you could use instead.
The slim occasions where it might possible work are situations where the opposition has a hefty, but slow, forward pack. In essence you're picking 2 hookers to drive yardage out of dummy half and speed the game up to wear out the big opposition pack.

Having said that, such a tactic rarely ever works.

 

[spiderdan]

Eels and overs double. That's all nice and stuff but it's still chump change...

depends on the initial investment.