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Game Day vs Rabbit Stew

coolumsharkie

Referee
Messages
26,722
You guys are not recognising the real role Nicho is playing, and how Fitz is playing him.

Fitz is growing a halves pairing.
That means Tricky has more responsibility than he has before.
The only way he can get that is if Nicho takes a back seat.
It's for the whole season, not one game.
Problem I have with Nico, is getting caught with the ball more than he does something with it mid set. Starting to really bug me. Just pass the ball along the line ffs, or run the line and pass it. It just creates more indecision and lacks cohesion in attack. Trying to do something fancy every play is not working.
 

glenmoresharkie

First Grade
Messages
8,130
I have all the time in the world for Nicho but Jesus Christ he’s starting to shit me he trying to over complicate things. Can’t manage a game with 6 minutes to go when we’re up by 10 or so points, instead throws a shitty forward pass or puts in an outrageous cross field kick. Needs to be worked on or let Tricky control the game towards the end
 

Weaponhead

Coach
Messages
10,237
I have all the time in the world for Nicho but Jesus Christ he’s starting to shit me he trying to over complicate things. Can’t manage a game with 6 minutes to go when we’re up by 10 or so points, instead throws a shitty forward pass or puts in an outrageous cross field kick. Needs to be worked on or let Tricky control the game towards the end
Yep. Frantic Nicho hasn't yet developed the skills to ruthlessly close out games consistently.
 

Ozzi_78

First Grade
Messages
6,422
Injury and subs bias is a real thing from refs. If they lose 3 players stuff shit. Part of the game. They should run out of steam.
 
Messages
14,338
Problem I have with Nico, is getting caught with the ball more than he does something with it mid set. Starting to really bug me. Just pass the ball along the line ffs, or run the line and pass it. It just creates more indecision and lacks cohesion in attack. Trying to do something fancy every play is not working.
I definitely do not think he is trying to do something fancy every play, moreso the exact opposite.
He's been playing a more controlled game.
Those runs he does do look a little useless but they do make metres and gets the team to their next *point in that set play.
 

Craigshark

First Grade
Messages
6,495
The nothing runs he does normally make 12-15 metres at the very least. He must be hard to put down, he rarely gets put on the ground. We also don’t seem to be a very good support player team. It’s not his fault sometimes he is a play or two ahead and see’s something and takes off and no one is with him, so he has to submit to the tackle.
 

Craigshark

First Grade
Messages
6,495
Why Kennedy wasn’t sniffing around the ruck the end of the first half and the entire second half begs belief. We were ripping them to shreds through the middle at times and a lot of half breaks not capitalised on due to no support.
 

txta2

Bench
Messages
4,926
The nothing runs he does normally make 12-15 metres at the very least. He must be hard to put down, he rarely gets put on the ground. We also don’t seem to be a very good support player team. It’s not his fault sometimes he is a play or two ahead and see’s something and takes off and no one is with him, so he has to submit to the tackle.
Be careful there's some real Nico snowflakes in here , criticism won't be tolerated.
 

Frenzy.

Immortal
Messages
48,663
You guys are not recognising the real role Nicho is playing, and how Fitz is playing him.

Fitz is growing a halves pairing.
That means Tricky has more responsibility than he has before.
The only way he can get that is if Nicho takes a back seat.
It's for the whole season, not one game.
Yes, yes, yes and he mentions it in every presser. Tricky let slip that he's working on a low KPI in his interview yesterday as well.

I have a very high threshold for tolerating how the team is going and probably will have till August, September or maybe even into 2025. Everyone wanted the deficiencies of 22 & 23 addressed and they are being addressed. The thing is though, you don't need to replace the bricks to do a rebuild. You can renovate. That's what is happening and it will take time.

It's also not just about propagating a new halves pairing. The team has to work on the other areas that have been deficient. There's been some really obvious omissions from the game play which have hardly, if at all, rated a mention in here since the season started. For example, why aren't we seeing the most successful backline play of the 2 previous years? The slingshot play. Simply because the different offensive pattern won't allow it is how I see it. Why are the traditional go forward guys averaging lower metres per game per man this year? That includes those who have been injured and those who have stepped up into those voids. Why is Nicho playing on the train lines mainly?

There's a lot going on when a deeper dive into the play is taken.
 

Quicksilver

Bench
Messages
4,037
You guys are not recognising the real role Nicho is playing, and how Fitz is playing him.

Fitz is growing a halves pairing.
That means Tricky has more responsibility than he has before.
The only way he can get that is if Nicho takes a back seat.
It's for the whole season, not one game.
You make it sound like it's actually a team sport!
 
Messages
14,338
Yes, yes, yes and he mentions it in every presser. Tricky let slip that he's working on a low KPI in his interview yesterday as well.

I have a very high threshold for tolerating how the team is going and probably will have till August, September or maybe even into 2025. Everyone wanted the deficiencies of 22 & 23 addressed and they are being addressed. The thing is though, you don't need to replace the bricks to do a rebuild. You can renovate. That's what is happening and it will take time.

It's also not just about propagating a new halves pairing. The team has to work on the other areas that have been deficient. There's been some really obvious omissions from the game play which have hardly, if at all, rated a mention in here since the season started. For example, why aren't we seeing the most successful backline play of the 2 previous years? The slingshot play. Simply because the different offensive pattern won't allow it is how I see it. Why are the traditional go forward guys averaging lower metres per game per man this year? That includes those who have been injured and those who have stepped up into those voids. Why is Nicho playing on the train lines mainly?

There's a lot going on when a deeper dive into the play is taken.
Yep. I was holding back the slingshot play and the lower metres in case a debate ensued.
People forget that Fitz is a relatively new coach as well. These plays, and changes, reflect on him trying things out, all to be inline for the end of season. Hopefully.
 

Frenzy.

Immortal
Messages
48,663
Yep. I was holding back the slingshot play and the lower metres in case a debate ensued.
People forget that Fitz is a relatively new coach as well. These plays, and changes, reflect on him trying things out, all to be inline for the end of season. Hopefully.
Oh! haha

I'm holding back more of what I am perceiving. It hasn't been obvious so have been watching for patterns. I think I see a few. I reckon you could be seeing what I see in how the offensive structure is actually totally different. In theory and in execution. Sacrifice versus reward may be at play
 
Messages
14,338
Oh! haha

I'm holding back more of what I am perceiving. It hasn't been obvious so have been watching for patterns. I think I see a few. I reckon you could be seeing what I see in how the offensive structure is actually totally different. In theory and in execution. Sacrifice versus reward may be at play
They are definitely playing more straight than previous years.
I watch the same way and look to where they are taking their plays to see what opens up.
Their plays working the edges are very different too, but I do suspect they may be foxing with that to be brought back later in the season. Teams had starting reading them pretty easy towards the end of last season.
 

Frenzy.

Immortal
Messages
48,663
They are definitely playing more straight than previous years.
I watch the same way and look to where they are taking their plays to see what opens up.
Their plays working the edges are very different too, but I do suspect they may be foxing with that to be brought back later in the season. Teams had starting reading them pretty easy towards the end of last season.
I'm seeing that they are straighter, but mainly through 1-5 and Mcinness until after the sting is out of the game. I reckon they are skirting the middle and playing across and back to tire out opposition middles with movement rather than pure a physical engagement. Then when the momentum changer, Williams comes on they are going up to the front door and trying to bang it down and get quick PTBs for Brailey who is noticeably starting to run more, especially after the initial onslaught. This all means having to quit the highlight plays of the last 2 years but like you, I have no doubt they have simply been parked. The approach also heavily depends on a massive defensive effort in the initial stages because it can lead to the other side scoring and anything more than 12-18 will be real hard to chase down. Any early score by the Sharks is a bonus.

It's a fatigue game they are applying to the opposition as far as I am seeing at least. I also think it is Nicho managing this which belies the belief he isn't game managing. He is. He just isn't creating right now because that's what the other fella is learning.
 
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