Game Day: Rd2 Eels v Sharks @ Commbank Mar 10, 2023

[Chipmunk]

So the Sharks scored in these minutes:

• Briton Nikora 14'
• William Kennedy 18'
• William Kennedy 36'
• William Kennedy 55'
• Ronaldo Mulitalo 60'

The Sharks scored two tries in the first 18 minutes ffs! Should we have dipped into the interchange before the 20 minute mark? Then when Kennedy scored his third, RCG was off and Paulo had just come onto the field. Where's the fatigue damage on the scoreboard? Fatigue in the final 20 minutes didn't see us concede at all. In fact we were the only team to score in that period (Moses in the 72nd minute).

Last 5 minutes of first half, Hodgson, RCG and Hopgood had all played the entire half. Fatigue from our middles obviously played a role.

Mulitanos try was scored in the 60th minute, because we allowed the Sharks to have 55 easy metres in 5 tackles, and then they're allowed to put a pin-point kick with no pressure on the try line. So they could get into a position to put a kick over to Militano to easily score due to our fatigued middle defence allowing them to go 55 metres to get into that position.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Last 5 minutes, Hodgson, RCG and Hopgood had all played the entire half. Fatigue from our middles obviously played a role.

Mulitanos try was scored in the 60th minute, because we allowed the Sharks to have 55 easy metres in 5 tackles, and then they're allowed to put a pin-point kick with no pressure on the try line. So they could get into a position to put a kick over to Militano to easily score due to our fatigued middle defence allowing them to go 55 metres to get into that position.

So only two tries out of five we conceded. The fact is we controlled the ball poorly and therefore defended poorly. Last week we did both things well.

It's not long minutes that hurt middle defenders, because they recover while their team has the ball. It's sustained periods without possession that hurt defences. Last week we completed at 80%. This week it was 66%

 

[Chipmunk]

So only two tries out of five we conceded. The fact is we controlled the ball poorly and therefore defended poorly. Last week we did both things well.

It's not long minutes that hurt middle defenders, because they recover while their team has the ball. It's sustained periods without possession that hurt defences. Last week we completed at 80%. This week it was 66%

Yet statistically no one in the NRL era has had any success by playing starting middles for the time period we're making them play.

Why would a team suddenly have success now by doing so?

The Storm weren't good, either we're the Sharks. If a team puts it together we're no hope with this strategy.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Our three middles played close to 200 of the 240 available minutes for 3 players.

No other team has done that in the NRL era with any kind of success.

Whatever makes our coaching staff thinks it will bring success?

Because we have four quality middles capable of it.

 

[Chipmunk]

Because we have four quality middles capable of it.

There are plenty of teams that have the same, it still doesn't mean they over play their minutes, because their coaching staff know it won't lead to success.

No one will convince that any of those players wouldn't be better if they played less minutes.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yet statistically no one in the NRL era has had any success by playing starting middles for the time period we're making them play.

Why would a team suddenly have success now by doing so?

We've been having success for years. Since 2019 we've won over 60% of our games ffs. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Losing two early season games by a combined eight points proves nothing. After 80 minutes in both games we had scored as many tries as the opposition ffs. Both games were a toss of the coin. Put the razor blade away.

The Storm weren't good, either we're the Sharks. If a team puts it together we're no hope with this strategy.

The Storm were good. They controlled the ball and defended well.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

There are plenty of teams that have the same, it still doesn't mean they over play their minutes, because their coaching staff know it won't lead to success.

No one will convince that any of those players wouldn't be better if they played less minutes.

Which other teams have three quality middles capable of long minutes? I think only Paulo plays too long. Matterson, Hopgood, RCG are all toilers.

 

[Chipmunk]

We've been having success for years. Since 2019 we've won over 60% of our games ffs. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Losing two early season games by a combined eight points proves nothing. After 80 minutes in both games we had scored as many tries as the opposition ffs. Both games were a toss of the coin. Put the razor blade away.

The Storm were good. They controlled the ball and defended well.

Exactly, if it aint broke dont fix it.

We've not had our three starting middles on the field for this combined long at any stage between 2019 and 2022. Why the f**k start now?

We're also trying to make a player play 9 for 80 minutes, who's never played 80 minutes most weeks his entire career. If ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Chipmunk]

Which other teams have three quality middles capable of long minutes? I think only Paulo plays too long. Matterson, Hopgood, RCG are all toilers.

Moat players are capable of long minutes if needed. But if they're better if they play less minutes, then why bother. Why bother even trying. The Panthers middles can all play long minutes if needed, but if you can split the time between two for better output across 80 minutes, then that makes far more sense.

We no longer have the battering rams (Papalii, Niukore and Kaufusi) to take enough off the pressure of our starting middles to do most of the grunt work now.

RCG is knackered. If he played 10 minutes a game less he'd probably have the same output.

Hopgood clearly benefited from the break this week.

The club chose this strategy. It's a strategy that will no longer work given the changes in personnel.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Exactly, if it aint broke dont fix it.

We've not had our three starting middles on the field for this combined long at any stage between 2019 and 2022. Why the f**k start now?

It's two f**king games ffs, during an injury crisis.

We're also trying to make a player play 9 for 80 minutes, who's never played 80 minutes most weeks his entire career. If ain't broke, don't fix it.

He hasn't played 80 because he hasn't had to. He also isn't required to run the ball in our structure.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Moat players are capable of long minutes if needed. But if they're better if they play less minutes, then why bother. Why bother even trying. The Panthers middles can all play long minutes if needed, but if you can split the time between two for better output across 80 minutes, then that makes far more sense.

We no longer have the battering rams (Papalii, Niukore and Kaufusi) to take enough off the pressure of our starting middles to do most of the grunt work now.

RCG is knackered. If he played 10 minutes a game less he'd probably have the same output.

Hopgood clearly benefited from the break this week.

The club chose this strategy. It's a strategy that will no longer work given the changes in personnel.

We have played two games against teams from last year's top five, and averaged 19 points for and 21 against over the first 80 minutes. It's too soon for you f**king whingers to shit yourselves. Just stop.

 

[Bandwagon]

Go through every try assist there in that video and that he set up for Semi etc (Hint, when he left the replacements couldn't even make Semi score) and let me know how they make him shit. What makes a career as an eels player, tell me. Do you make and break their careers? You're just some guy sitting on a lounge or PC talking about other people. The question is actually if he stayed at the Rabbitohs would he have been better off? The answer is yes, and at the end of the day you are just typing on a forum. He had a good few number of years and the Eels teams he ended up in teams that were hopeless. But keep talking crap online, you will never do what he did.

Ok Mrs Sandow.

 

[hineyrulz]

Yep I bagged him last week too. His passing is shit. His defence is crap. And he has no running game.

To be fair under a Bea Arthur has any of his dummy halves ever really ran??? That said it’s hard to run in a zimmer frame.

 

[hineyrulz]

Maybe. Blake needs something to change. He's been garbage for ages. He must be playing injured.

He’s played with an injured brain his whole career.

 

[hineyrulz]

If only the team could defend like Pou ffs!!

 

[Noise]

We have played two games against teams from last year's top five, and averaged 19 points for and 21 against over the first 80 minutes. It's too soon for you f**king whingers to shit yourselves. Just stop.

And none of those teams have had a full strength spine. At our home ground. There’s a good chance Manly will have their preferred 1,6,7,9 at Brookvale.

 

[Jake the snake]

We have played two games against teams from last year's top five, and averaged 19 points for and 21 against over the first 80 minutes. It's too soon for you f**king whingers to shit yourselves. Just stop.

here comes the spin

 

[Jake the snake]

If only the team could defend like Pou ffs!!

If our coach only had the same passion that @Poupou Escobar has about the coach himself. We would have won 3 comps by now.

Wake up Pou and put your deluded defending of our clueless coach to other worthwhile causes. BA is devoid of tactical / motivational skills. He has no game plan. The fact he hired an attacking coach who has no idea shows he has no idea.

HIRE FLANNO!

 

[hindy111]

The Storm won a grand final with only 16 players. But also if Matterson and Lane were playing I'm sure our bench players would be getting more minutes.

Firstly you always have injuries during the season. Suggesting our plan is if we have some then we don't use the bench is ok. That's a poor excuse.

What we are seeing right now is huge flaws on recruiting. We needed a utility in 2022. We also had 18mths to sign a hooker.
The question is of everyone on here who knows the age of Hodgson and injury history would you have gone into the season not only expecting him to be fit for 27 games but to play 80mins in them?
Hodgson signing I would of seen as high risk due to both these things and I would of made sure we went for a capable back up or atleast utility so he isnt playing more than 55mins a week and has the odd game off also to rest.
Last night he wasn't good. Alsomin 2 games he has yet to make 1mtr which is a concern. I'd bag Reed for making only 35mtrs.

 

[the phantom menace]

Why would they need to be used more if we had better players back in the team? You still think the key to winning is to give your worst players more minutes? lol bartlogic

No, the key is to give your best players a breather when they need it, so that they can continue to contribute at their best level when the team needs it - rather than at nuffie level when gassed.
lol #blindtrust