Four from Eleven, Griffin is a dead man walking.

[billypilgrimnz]

But end of the day...imo we are lacking confidence and aggression across the board at the moment

Which is a coaching issue, I think. From an outsider looking in, I can't imagine a less inspiring figure than the dour Griffin, but I assume he can show passion behind closed doors. Unfortunately, there is not much evidence of that out on the field.

 

[Big Mick]

Which is a coaching issue, I think. From an outsider looking in, I can't imagine a less inspiring figure than the dour Griffin, but I assume he can show passion behind closed doors. Unfortunately, there is not much evidence of that out on the field.

I'd agree with that.

I like the fact that Griffin isn't afraid to give young guys a go....but he doesn't seem to be inspiring them to their best at the moment.

That may change...but we need an attitude adjustment and quickly.

 

[Big Mick]

Overall but...I don't think there is reason to panic.

If we lost 2 of the next 3....then yeah maybe then we can start to panic....

I think we are on track to finish around 5th-6th and then hopefully make a run from there if we are healthy.

I'm still hopeful about this season.

 

[betcats]

Well I'm asking you what TMM has done to deserve to be dropped though? If, as you think, Moylan is a better five-eight...what has TMM done to deserve to be dropped? Moylan may well be a better five-eight. But right now I wouldn't have him there. He is a liability defensively and his attack would be impacted by defending there.

Moylan has been ordinary this year to be honest. In every game aside from the Tigers one. Even Newcastle he wasn't great.

Moylan got trampled for a try on the goalline last year in origin and had SOO capable defenders inside and outside of him. I don't see how that game can be used as proof he can defend?

This year has continually not put his body on the line. We can whinge about the Roosters forward pass...but if Moylan had done his job properly....it wouldn't have been a try anyway. Another case was the Ross break. After the kick was put in Moylan had chance to stop Ross in the in-goal but instead just watched him go by. Who was there busting a nut chasing and got there? TMM.

His positional play this year has been awful as well. i.e. Cleary getting back to clean up a grubber 2-3 times this year already.

For mine he has been way down on form this year aside from one flukey pass against the Roosters and a good game against the Tigers. He has looked lost. If he can't throw a long pass then he is just moving sideways and has been zero threat running the ball so the defense is just waiting for him to pass because they know he's not a threat. TMM has at least shown to be capable to taking the line on and has been solid in defense.

I don't know 100% if Moylan isn't a better five-eight as TMM. I never said I knew 100%. It was just my opinion that TMM was a better pure five-eight right now.... Moylan should have been given a shot at some point last year...but they have trailed it in pre-season and TMM seems to have won out so I guess that means he's better all round five-eight right now, no? Moylan as such is able to float around acting like a five-eight without the defensive load...so I guess it's a perfect situation for him, no?

If we are just talking passing....then yeah...Moylan is a better five-eight - of course...but there is more to being a five-eight than that...and in those categories...I'd give the upper hand to TMM...defensively and running the ball and being a foil for Cleary....TMM fits those categories better than Moylan in my opinion.

But hey...it's all just my opinion...just like yours is yours.

But end of the day...imo we are lacking confidence and aggression across the board at the moment despite what commentators blow up our ass on a weekly basis.

His positioning is actually very good, FBs can't be back there all the time. Tedesco was caught out against us twice, Slater has been caught out of position a few times this year, it happens, expecting them to be in position all the time is silly, part of their role is filling gaps in the line especially when we are defending our own line which is the only time it happens with Moylan. Tmm was back resting(his own words) on the twenty when Moylan put that kick in goal. TMM is a better ball runner but moylans vision and the time on the ball he has put him well ahead imo. The best our attack has looked for as long as I can remember was last season after Moylan stepped up and started playing as our dominant playmaker. Now we are struggling again with the ball. As I've said numerous times I'm willing to persist with the setup because I can see the potential if they can get it right, but without Moylan there to direct a lot of the traffic and take pressure off the halves they are just too young and inexperienced to get it done.

 

[franklin2323]

We were 2/4 last year and fell 2 points out of the 8. We are better off this year then we were last year. So no reason to not see us doing a similar run

 

[betcats]

We can go a run there no doubt about that, but can we win when we are not in great form? Can we grind out close wins? We lack that hard edge that good teams have, and that edge cant be found overnight imo.

 

[PANTHERMIKE]

I think this is all a direct result of our cheerleaders not wearing the latex catsuits anymore....

The boys will get over it eventually, and we shall succeed to great hights

 

[betcats]

Agree with you 100% mate. I could understand last year after Round 6 some of the hate for RCG but imo this year he's been aggressive.

He put Napa on his ass and proven his status as fake tough guy. RCG has been good this year imo.

The issue in the forwards has been Merrin looking a shell due to poor fitness and Latu taken a step backwards....but that could be down to poor bench rotation from Griffin...I am not so sure.

CHN and Yeo have been very effective on the edges....both running great lines.

I don't think the issue has been so much getting metres but what we do with it down the other end. Against the Dragons/Roosters/Storm...if the ad hoc, throwing it around shit doesn't work we seem incapable of doing anything. We looked good against Roosters/Storm when he played direct, at the line and had great lines run off that...but for some reason we revert back to unstructured crap all the time. I don't get it.

Yeah rcg has been very aggressive this year both defensively and offensively really getting after it. Only Sitaleki runs harder in our forwards and he's a madman.

Yeo is the unsung hero of this team, honestly I have been so impressed with since the day he debuted, it was just a matter of time before he physically developed and really started to make an impact like we are seeing this year.

 

[franklin2323]

We can go a run there no doubt about that, but can we win when we are not in great form? Can we grind out close wins? We lack that hard edge that good teams have, and that edge cant be found overnight imo.

Were we in great form last year? remember Manly were smashing us until we cameback. We have players to comeback atleast. I would be concerned if we were full strength playing like rubbish

 

[Big Mick]

The best our attack has looked for as long as I can remember was last season after Moylan stepped up and started playing as our dominant playmaker. Now we are struggling again with the ball. As I've said numerous times I'm willing to persist with the setup because I can see the potential if they can get it right, but without Moylan there to direct a lot of the traffic and take pressure off the halves they are just too young and inexperienced to get it done.

This I agree with. But I think we rely on Moylan far too much and unfortunately think defenses have worked him out right now.

He needs to be a threat running the ball to be honest. Only then will our attack start to spark again. That was when we looked good last year...when he was a threat to throw a dummy and run. This year he's just been doing his best Luke Rooney side to side impression. Needs to be more direct.

 

[Frankus]

I think we are over complicating the problem. We are not playing smart. Simple, hard running with options for ball players at speed is where we need to start to get our confidence back. It is working a treat for the Dragons. They are playing very simple footy and absolutely rolling teams.

Tough game this weekend against the Sharks. Lets see how we respond with a near full strength side.

If we are still sitting on only 2 wins at the end of round 9 which is a real chance of happening (Eels and Broncos away the following 2 weeks) then Griffin needs to go.

 

[Panther Pete]

I think we are over complicating the problem. We are not playing smart. Simple, hard running with options for ball players at speed is where we need to start to get our confidence back. It is working a treat for the Dragons. They are playing very simple footy and absolutely rolling teams.

Tough game this weekend against the Sharks. Lets see how we respond with a near full strength side.

If we are still sitting on only 2 wins at the end of round 9 which is a real chance of happening (Eels and Broncos away the following 2 weeks) then Griffin needs to go.

Even if we do end up 2 from 9 I can't see Gus punting Griffin. Who would replace him?

 

[tripster]

Am I the odd one out in thinking we've just been a bit unlucky at the start of the season and that the wheels haven't fallen off?

We lost to the Roosters as a result of bad refereeing. That game could easily have gone the other way. We lost to Souths by one point with our star playmaker out. If that hadn't happened we'd be 4 from 6.

I am having trouble on my mobile filtering the NRL ladder by points for and points conceded but when I did it on the weekend I recall we were something like 5th in attack and 6th in defence?

Surely that's a better indication of where we stand at the moment?

I also don't think we should underplay the results against the Tigers and the Knights - we blew them away and they've been far more competitive in their other matches.

The only real shocker so far has been the game against the Dragons

 

[Bob]

Am I the odd one out in thinking we've just been a bit unlucky at the start of the season and that the wheels haven't fallen off?

We lost to the Roosters as a result of bad refereeing. That game could easily have gone the other way. We lost to Souths by one point with our star playmaker out. If that hadn't happened we'd be 4 from 6.

I am having trouble on my mobile filtering the NRL ladder by points for and points conceded but when I did it on the weekend I recall we were something like 5th in attack and 6th in defence?

Surely that's a better indication of where we stand at the moment?

I also don't think we should underplay the results against the Tigers and the Knights - we blew them away and they've been far more competitive in their other matches.

The only real shocker so far has been the game against the Dragons

Nope, I agree with you

 

[umina panther]

Am I the odd one out in thinking we've just been a bit unlucky at the start of the season and that the wheels haven't fallen off?

We lost to the Roosters as a result of bad refereeing. That game could easily have gone the other way. We lost to Souths by one point with our star playmaker out. If that hadn't happened we'd be 4 from 6.

I am having trouble on my mobile filtering the NRL ladder by points for and points conceded but when I did it on the weekend I recall we were something like 5th in attack and 6th in defence?

Surely that's a better indication of where we stand at the moment?

I also don't think we should underplay the results against the Tigers and the Knights - we blew them away and they've been far more competitive in their other matches.

The only real shocker so far has been the game against the Dragons

We lost to the roosters because Moylan is lazy and far too relaxed at fullback

 

[mxlegend99]

Am I the odd one out in thinking we've just been a bit unlucky at the start of the season and that the wheels haven't fallen off?

We lost to the Roosters as a result of bad refereeing. That game could easily have gone the other way. We lost to Souths by one point with our star playmaker out. If that hadn't happened we'd be 4 from 6.

I am having trouble on my mobile filtering the NRL ladder by points for and points conceded but when I did it on the weekend I recall we were something like 5th in attack and 6th in defence?

Surely that's a better indication of where we stand at the moment?

I also don't think we should underplay the results against the Tigers and the Knights - we blew them away and they've been far more competitive in their other matches.

The only real shocker so far has been the game against the Dragons

We have only beaten the 2 worst teams this year. Or until last week anyway.

2 wins against 15th and 16th. Sure we COULD be 4 from 6. But we arent and things need to improve immediately. Our roster this year is much better than last year. But we look worse than we did last year. Even with the same wins and losses. Last year we were in every game.

 

[franklin2323]

Am I the odd one out in thinking we've just been a bit unlucky at the start of the season and that the wheels haven't fallen off?

We lost to the Roosters as a result of bad refereeing. That game could easily have gone the other way. We lost to Souths by one point with our star playmaker out. If that hadn't happened we'd be 4 from 6.

I am having trouble on my mobile filtering the NRL ladder by points for and points conceded but when I did it on the weekend I recall we were something like 5th in attack and 6th in defence?

Surely that's a better indication of where we stand at the moment?

I also don't think we should underplay the results against the Tigers and the Knights - we blew them away and they've been far more competitive in their other matches.

The only real shocker so far has been the game against the Dragons

such a reasonable response has no place on this forum

 

[Fangs]

No don't panic.

Close loss to the roosters, could argue we were robbed. 1 point loss to the Rabbitohs with Moylan, Peachey, Blake, Hiku, James Fisher-Harris and Cartwright out of the side.

We could easily be sitting in the top 4 right now.

Its a very long season. We will be there end of year.

And just look at that ladder...things are going to change.

 

[Fangs]

Am I the odd one out in thinking we've just been a bit unlucky at the start of the season and that the wheels haven't fallen off?

We lost to the Roosters as a result of bad refereeing. That game could easily have gone the other way. We lost to Souths by one point with our star playmaker out. If that hadn't happened we'd be 4 from 6.

I am having trouble on my mobile filtering the NRL ladder by points for and points conceded but when I did it on the weekend I recall we were something like 5th in attack and 6th in defence?

Surely that's a better indication of where we stand at the moment?

I also don't think we should underplay the results against the Tigers and the Knights - we blew them away and they've been far more competitive in their other matches.

The only real shocker so far has been the game against the Dragons

Can I like a post twice?

 

[umina panther]

Its more that we are playing horrible football with zero attacking structure than the results.