Go left, get points.

[Slackboy72]

A perfect illustration of our glaring weakness today. The worst right side defense in the game.

15th minute - Hunt runs out of the line, Aitken pulled in, Saab left to cover 15m of tryline. Titans try to Kelly.

37th minute - Saab not keeping a straight line leads to a clean line break for Brimson who runs for 60m before passing to Kelly who is tackled. Following play Proctor try for Titans.

49th minute - Defensive shape of the whole team goes arse over tit as Titans play hot-potato with some unstructured, broken play. Hunt leaves his spot in the line leaving large gap between Kafusi and Aitken. He runs back to defend that spot but Aitken is sucked in again leaving Saab with too much space to defend. Titans try to Phillip Sami.

62nd minute - Aitken gets isolated at marker and falls for dummy as Cartwright goes the blindside. Saab comes in to help Hunt with tackle leaving winger open for miracle ball. Titans try to Phillip Sami.

63rd minute - Early spread from deep in their own half with a decoy runner sees ineffective one-on-one arm grabs by Hunt and Aitken while Saab barely touches anyone. Titans try to Ryley Jacks.

Every try involved some good play from the Titans but also a lack of defensive discipline from the Dragons right edge of Hunt, Aitken and Saab.

20 games gone in the season and they still haven't fixed this combination.

 

[muzby]

I found it funny today the commentators were talking about the dragons leaking points down the right edge & how it’s been a problem for the last few seasons..

They were blaming it on the constant changes to the right side, different 2nd towers, different wingers..

Funny how they couldn’t make the connection to the one constant player we’ve had out there the last few seasons..

The guy celebrating 100 games..

 

[Slackboy72]

I found it funny today the commentators were talking about the dragons leaking points down the right edge & how it’s been a problem for the last few seasons..

They were blaming it on the constant changes to the right side, different 2nd towers, different wingers..

Funny how they couldn’t make the connection to the one constant player we’ve had out there the last few seasons..

The guy celebrating 100 games..

I know it makes it easy to reduce it down to one person but it's been the same when Lomax, Maranta, Pearson and Ravalawa have been out there.

 

[Warabrook saint]

I found it funny today the commentators were talking about the dragons leaking points down the right edge & how it’s been a problem for the last few seasons..

They were blaming it on the constant changes to the right side, different 2nd towers, different wingers..

Funny how they couldn’t make the connection to the one constant player we’ve had out there the last few seasons..

The guy celebrating 100 games..

If they can't see the inadequacies then they don't know the game they comment on, or they're making excuses just like their mate

 

[muzby]

I know it makes it easy to reduce it down to one person but it's been the same when Lomax, Maranta, Pearson and Ravalawa have been out there.

Didn’t Maranta play on our left?

 

[boardlumps62]

I know it makes it easy to reduce it down to one person but it's been the same when Lomax, Maranta, Pearson and Ravalawa have been out there.

And Nightingale. Could be this the coach is a dumb arse or its me. Try this the winger marks his man and the centre marks his man and they call out the players inside for cover. Should position second rowers inside to cover.

 

[Slackboy72]

And Nightingale. Could be this the coach is a dumb arse or its me. Try this the winger marks his man and the centre marks his man and they call out the players inside for cover. Should position second rowers inside to cover.

They need more than that.
Too often a player will run out of the line to try to snuff a play out but just ending up leaving a staggered defensive line. Defensive discipline is atrocious across the park. Add in juniors (like Saab, Pearson and Lomax) and small halves who need a minder (a'la Soward with Beau Scott) and this is a recipe for disaster.

They can all tackle. They can all defend. They just don't trust each other. They second guess their teammates when they should only be worried about second guessing the opposition.

Have a look at the hot potato try in the 49th minute.
Where the hell is Hunt going? He's off running to defend a potential break on the left leaving Aitken and Saab with 30 metres to cover. Everyone should be concentrating on keeping a straight line. Players are slacking off, players are rushing up, players are running to cover...
No discipline whatsoever.

If it was me I'd move McInnes outside Hunt to shadow him at all times.
I'd have the team work hard on a sliding defensive structure.
I'd have a fullback barking out orders on field like a drill sergeant.

Titans played some really good attacking football today but we gave them far more opportunity to do so than they earned the right to do with some uncoordinated, undisciplined, defence.

 

[Wittenberg]

A perfect illustration of our glaring weakness today. The worst right side defense in the game.

15th minute - Hunt runs out of the line, Aitken pulled in, Saab left to cover 15m of tryline. Titans try to Kelly.

37th minute - Saab not keeping a straight line leads to a clean line break for Brimson who runs for 60m before passing to Kelly who is tackled. Following play Proctor try for Titans.

49th minute - Defensive shape of the whole team goes arse over tit as Titans play hot-potato with some unstructured, broken play. Hunt leaves his spot in the line leaving large gap between Kafusi and Aitken. He runs back to defend that spot but Aitken is sucked in again leaving Saab with too much space to defend. Titans try to Phillip Sami.

62nd minute - Aitken gets isolated at marker and falls for dummy as Cartwright goes the blindside. Saab comes in to help Hunt with tackle leaving winger open for miracle ball. Titans try to Phillip Sami.

63rd minute - Early spread from deep in their own half with a decoy runner sees ineffective one-on-one arm grabs by Hunt and Aitken while Saab barely touches anyone. Titans try to Ryley Jacks.

Every try involved some good play from the Titans but also a lack of defensive discipline from the Dragons right edge of Hunt, Aitken and Saab.

20 games gone in the season and they still haven't fixed this combination.

Great summary and so true.

 

[hermidale1]

Hunt is the common denominator who is causing the right side to leak points. SuperCoach can’t see this, instead drops players who have nothing to do with it.

 

[18to87]

I know it makes it easy to reduce it down to one person but it's been the same when Lomax, Maranta, Pearson and Ravalawa have been out there.

I thought Lomax did pretty well last season when he was replacing Aitken. Maybe it was the poor opposition, but I tend to think that if given the same job security as Aitken, Lomax would go a long way to fixing the defence on that side.
If you believe the rumours, next season will be Lomax at #1 and Aitken will stay where he is and in all likelihood, continue to leak points.

 

[18to87]

Hunt is the common denominator who is causing the right side to leak points. SuperCoach can’t see this, instead drops players who have nothing to do with it.

I'm no footy tactician, but as I said in my previous post, Hunt defending well there last season with Lomax. Hunt also seems to defend well in Origin.

 

[FlameThrower]

Who is our defence coach- do we even have one. Our edge defence has been an issue for years now. We also can let in soft try’s near the posts when our players seem to fall asleep - matter of fact our defence is rubbish. Bennett fixed that up as one of his 1st goals and we frustrated teams into making errors. Now we can’t defend and struggle in attack also.
Widdop will be sorry missed next year as well.

 

[Efresh]

The whole edge is shot now because nobody has confidence in each other, but Aitken’s decision making has always been terrible. I remember when Kurt Mann would step in there on occasion there was an instant tightening of the edge.

Dropping Aitken now won’t fix it, but it will never be properly fixed while he is there.

 

[denis preston]

They need more than that.
Too often a player will run out of the line to try to snuff a play out but just ending up leaving a staggered defensive line. Defensive discipline is atrocious across the park. Add in juniors (like Saab, Pearson and Lomax) and small halves who need a minder (a'la Soward with Beau Scott) and this is a recipe for disaster.

They can all tackle. They can all defend. They just don't trust each other. They second guess their teammates when they should only be worried about second guessing the opposition.

Have a look at the hot potato try in the 49th minute.
Where the hell is Hunt going? He's off running to defend a potential break on the left leaving Aitken and Saab with 30 metres to cover. Everyone should be concentrating on keeping a straight line. Players are slacking off, players are rushing up, players are running to cover...
No discipline whatsoever.

If it was me I'd move McInnes outside Hunt to shadow him at all times.
I'd have the team work hard on a sliding defensive structure.
I'd have a fullback barking out orders on field like a drill sergeant.

Titans played some really good attacking football today but we gave them far more opportunity to do so than they earned the right to do with some uncoordinated, undisciplined, defence.

One of the first things Bennett did was take the squad on a 5 day camp where they did drills relying on trust .This was to train the defense to do their job, trust those inside & outside of you and don't attempt the hero plays.Hornby & Young would have been part of that week.

 

[Slackboy72]

One of the first things Bennett did was take the squad on a 5 day camp where they did drills relying on trust .This was to train the defense to do their job, trust those inside & outside of you and don't attempt the hero plays.Hornby & Young would have been part of that week.

Remember the white wall of 2009-11?
That had Soward in it. A supposed turnstile. Someone many here would consider too small to play anywhere other than half.
Bennett solved that problem with Beau Scott. Scott knew his role. Soward knew his role. They worked together and they worked together well.

Who's going to do the same with Hunt?

 

[muzby]

Who's going to do the same with Hunt?

Felice Kafusi.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

They need more than that.
Too often a player will run out of the line to try to snuff a play out but just ending up leaving a staggered defensive line. Defensive discipline is atrocious across the park. Add in juniors (like Saab, Pearson and Lomax) and small halves who need a minder (a'la Soward with Beau Scott) and this is a recipe for disaster.

They can all tackle. They can all defend. They just don't trust each other. They second guess their teammates when they should only be worried about second guessing the opposition.

Have a look at the hot potato try in the 49th minute.
Where the hell is Hunt going? He's off running to defend a potential break on the left leaving Aitken and Saab with 30 metres to cover. Everyone should be concentrating on keeping a straight line. Players are slacking off, players are rushing up, players are running to cover...
No discipline whatsoever.

If it was me I'd move McInnes outside Hunt to shadow him at all times.
I'd have the team work hard on a sliding defensive structure.
I'd have a fullback barking out orders on field like a drill sergeant.

Titans played some really good attacking football today but we gave them far more opportunity to do so than they earned the right to do with some uncoordinated, undisciplined, defence.

Doesn’t Frizell “shadow” Hunt?

 

[Wittenberg]

Who is our defence coach- do we even have one. Our edge defence has been an issue for years now. We also can let in soft try’s near the posts when our players seem to fall asleep - matter of fact our defence is rubbish. Bennett fixed that up as one of his 1st goals and we frustrated teams into making errors. Now we can’t defend and struggle in attack also.
Widdop will be sorry missed next year as well.

Yep all the Widdop knockers over the past few years probably now realise what he has meant to us. Imagine how he would have gone with a real coach and a quality and consistent halves partner. Over to you Corey........gulp

 

[boardlumps62]

They need more than that.
Too often a player will run out of the line to try to snuff a play out but just ending up leaving a staggered defensive line. Defensive discipline is atrocious across the park. Add in juniors (like Saab, Pearson and Lomax) and small halves who need a minder (a'la Soward with Beau Scott) and this is a recipe for disaster.

They can all tackle. They can all defend. They just don't trust each other. They second guess their teammates when they should only be worried about second guessing the opposition.

Have a look at the hot potato try in the 49th minute.
Where the hell is Hunt going? He's off running to defend a potential break on the left leaving Aitken and Saab with 30 metres to cover. Everyone should be concentrating on keeping a straight line. Players are slacking off, players are rushing up, players are running to cover...
No discipline whatsoever.

If it was me I'd move McInnes outside Hunt to shadow him at all times.
I'd have the team work hard on a sliding defensive structure.
I'd have a fullback barking out orders on field like a drill sergeant.

Titans played some really good attacking football today but we gave them far more opportunity to do so than they earned the right to do with some uncoordinated, undisciplined, defence.

And why doesn't our fullback start barking. Probably not feeling they have enough authority.

 

[Michaeldragonslife25]

And why doesn't our fullback start barking. Probably not feeling they have enough authority.

Who’s our fullback ? Norman ? Lomax ? Duffy ?