In Fitzy We Trust

[bad boy bubby]

I'm living in hope that an actual plan is going on.
Hope has replaced trust.

The plan?
To get the defence exactly right before the finals start.
This would mean dour footy that comes away with wins.
When it comes to playing in the the finals, for and against goes out the window. The best defensive sides always make it through.

I'm hoping this is true.
Am I an idiot?
Always have been, always will be.
#86 reporting for duty.

 

[Since 73]

Im no Fitz hater.
But bloke isn't as good as we all thought was.
Just find him dull.

Changes only comes when forced through injury.
The Atko selection each week is beyond the pale.
The persistence with the 6 and 7.
The bench rotation.
Sifa coming on for 1 stint of 10 minutes.

There were 3 next big things: Fitz. Ciraldo. Rules.
2 have their fans excited.
The other bloke is going backwards year by year.

I have zero confidence we can win it this year.
In fact I know we dont.
When he took over the team was ready to springboard to the next level. I believe we've

 

[Special K]

There were 3 next big things: Fitz. Ciraldo. Rules.
2 have their fans excited.
The other bloke is going backwards year by year.

I'd argue there was 4 - Payton. He even won coach of the year over Fitz in 2022 in his first real year as a HC. The buzz on him was high. Now nobody would touch him.

I don't think we have gone backwards year on year. 2024 was an improvement on 2023 and 2022. I expected a lot from us this year and we have f**ken flopped. Have we gone backwards vs last year? Yes. But the 2024 Sharkies smack the 2022.

The lack of changes in the period was a direct link to a lot of the best back up guys going down and needing match fitness when returning when we needed them. I keep going back to the Gabriel example. On all 4's and gassed in NSW cup after 60 minutes when people were screaming pick him in first grade.

BTW - Benji has more wins vs top 8 teams than Ciraldo this season go and look it up. Ryles is showing some good signs but so did Fitz year one. I am annoyed as f**k but not throwing the toys out. I can't stand the DA in 14 bullshit. I hate how we use our bench - we aren't perfect and need to improve. The roster is about to get a shake up based on reports. I want to be clear I don't think we will do shit this year. HOWEVER we have a real chance to ambush Canberra if we can jag 4th. Anything less than us heading into the finals is a fail and the fault of the multiple f**k ups and winnable games we threw away.

Make the top 4.

 

[bad boy bubby]

I'd argue there was 4 - Payton

5- Woolf?

Dolphins playing the best attacking footy.
Remember our attack in Fitz's first year, the slingshots etc. Media were talking of us revolutionising the attack force of rugby league.
Sound familiar with how the Dolphins are being talked of?
That type of play does not win finals. Fitz has learnt this.

This is why I have some hope, our defence is the focus. Score enough points to win, don't let the opposition score more.

 

[Craigshark]

I don’t get any goss or info, but I was told from a very reliable person, that Fitzy pretty much put it on the halves the week of the dolphins game to sort their shit out, that he had been taking all the heat for them by trying to remain calm in the public eye and backing them in public, but they needed to aim up and produce results or he’d change things up. Who knows what would have happened, but we’ve gone 4/4 since.

also was frustrated about the injuries to Iro and Hazelton, Rudolf etc and said how much that has affected them.

His bench use is weird. Atkinson is a strange pick, but I guess we don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes and if he thinks he needs him there as cover for someone more-so than the 10 minute bench forward role he plays.

 

[Since 73]

I'd argue there was 4 - Payton. He even won coach of the year over Fitz in 2022 in his first real year as a HC. The buzz on him was high. Now nobody would touch him.

I don't think we have gone backwards year on year. 2024 was an improvement on 2023 and 2022. I expected a lot from us this year and we have f**ken flopped. Have we gone backwards vs last year? Yes. But the 2024 Sharkies smack the 2022.

The lack of changes in the period was a direct link to a lot of the best back up guys going down and needing match fitness when returning when we needed them. I keep going back to the Gabriel example. On all 4's and gassed in NSW cup after 60 minutes when people were screaming pick him in first grade.

BTW - Benji has more wins vs top 8 teams than Ciraldo this season go and look it up. Ryles is showing some good signs but so did Fitz year one. I am annoyed as f**k but not throwing the toys out. I can't stand the DA in 14 bullshit. I hate how we use our bench - we aren't perfect and need to improve. The roster is about to get a shake up based on reports. I want to be clear I don't think we will do shit this year. HOWEVER we have a real chance to ambush Canberra if we can jag 4th. Anything less than us heading into the finals is a fail and the fault of the multiple f**k ups and winnable games we threw away.

Make the top 4.

By 'next big thing' I meant 2IC's who had been gaining gaining raps under Bellyache, Cleary and Robbo.
The RL world were waiting for these 3 ugly ducks to leave the nest and step out on their own.

Without going into games won over top 8 teams or other specifics, taking a broader view from afar, I look at where we are now - and more importantly - individual performances from when he took the reins, and I see us getting futher and further away from doing something.

Using the same broad view on Ciraldo - what hes achieved in a small time with a inferior roster is outstanding.

Ryles? Too easy to tell but he has certainly ticked some boxes that Fitz hasn't:
- Cleaned the joint out. Gutho. Brown. Cartwright, Lane, Matterson.
- Has most of the squad playing to their potential

I would argue many individuals in our side are - if not most - are in a dip in form this year...a slide that is the result of Fitzs stubbornness in regard to poor selections.

I haven't been impressed with a win since the Storm, which in itself is a bit of an outlier.
We beat a shit side yesterday. Cows have given up on payten and guys like ramien, BHU and nikora found their running game again against tackle shy opposition. I dont want to look for negatives...I like Fitz.
The guy is only in his first years of a cut-throat job.

My biggest issue with Fitz is the 7.

 

[bad boy bubby]

Ryles? Too easy to tell but he has certainly ticked some boxes that Fitz hasn't:
- Cleaned the joint out. Gutho. Brown. Cartwright, Lane, Matterson.

Before Ryles started he let Gutho and RCG go. The others have come later, and he wanted to keep Brown.
Before Fitz started he let Woods, SJ and Chad go.
Last year he let Hunt and Williams go. Metcalfe somewhere in the middle too (heard a tale as to why, the Club isn't to blame on that one despite the Sloths ramblings)
So far besides regular firsts- Hynes and AFB, and the lesser scale, Atko, and now H.Puru, all promotions have come from within the clubs systems and pathways.
Other clubs get applauded for working this way.

The Dogs have 4 of our Juniors in their firsts team, Tracey, Xerri, Hughes and Salmon. Gould is constantly at our Junior comps looking for players to take away, he's been doing it for years. They've bought ex Penrith players. Not too many from within their own ranks.

some things get lost in the wash.

 

[bad boy bubby]

My biggest issue with Fitz is the 7.

Don't watch 100% Footy tonight, he's on it hahaha

 

[Since 73]

Don't watch 100% Footy tonight, he's on it hahaha

Nothing against the bloke. I've seen him interviewed and hes more than a decent bloke. And good luck to him...so, wont go off on the negatives.
It's just an opinion.
Good old Frenz shared it and he knew his shit.
So someone said.
I'd love to see him running the ball up the park like he did at the Storm.
He's just not a 7.

 

[bad boy bubby]

He's just not a 7.

Funnily enough he just said he would have loved to have played No.6 for NSW outside Cleary.

For us I've said it many times that I would have liked to see Tricky playing a the traditional 7 role with Hynes chiming in when needed at No.6.
I do wonder if Tricky is up to the constant grind of that position, but right now we just don't know.

 

[Since 73]

Spot on.
Makes perfect sense. Tricky is a half.
Hynes a manufactured one who does not revel in pressure games, so hand the reins over.

A positive he actually voiced that because I believe a big problem with our side is his refusal to relinquish the 7 jumper. Every kid wants that gig. And I think he would see it as a failure to step back

He knows he is done in the SOO selectors minds as halfback, so wisely is saying Im available at 6.

The smart move now is to move there at clubland and start to run the bloody ball with some oomph, because Luiei wont get selected next year and Moses is a tad injury prone around that time.

Although Ethan strange has his hand up. And Burton. But if Hynes wants to wear the blue shirt thats his only chance. Won't happen this year this close to finals, but Ima say over preseason....

 

[Ozzi_78]

Well I don’t know about BT being a good 7, he might be a 7 though. Kicked dead and out on the full yesterday. I dunno.

 

[bad boy bubby]

Well I don’t know about BT being a good 7, he might be a 7 though. Kicked dead and out on the full yesterday. I dunno.

I'm in the same boat. He had flashes of good games last year, not so much this year. If anything Hynes has been the better half and actually looks more stable than Trindall.