Opinion Is Ricky Stuart the most overrated coach ever?

[Paullyboy]

You guys would have had a much better insight, but I don't think he's previously shown the sort of form he has this year.

I think it'd be safe to say that even the most optimistic dragons supporter couldn't have predicted how good he would be for us so far.

I, and many others, knew exactly what he could be if given the chance. He's exactly what you want from a front rower in the modern game - good work rate, fast enough to be a backrower but strong enough to play in the middle.

Paulo is not the problem at all, he's played very well and I'm not blaming him for a second, but it annoys me that we effectively let Vaughan go to bring him in.

 

[Glendale]

I reckon the Knights demonstrated pretty effectively how to beat the Raiders. And it really isn't a hard game plan to follow.

Bassically, stop Leipana you stop Raiders. The tactic Knights used to do this was kick the ball over the sideline on every single set of six, no exceptions. Making sure Rapana, Leilua and Cotric can't make carries out of their own end against a broken or tired defence. You get a scrum and you can have a break before having to tackle the outside backs. When this happens Paulo and Boyd are too fat to get back so Raiders have little up the middle from their forwards. When the Raiders aren't on top guys like Leilua will go for a dumb play. Very dumb team. Hindsight would be wonderful right about now in telling you how much better things would look not having Boyd and Paulo both upfront together, as both are bassically the same player. Vaughan was the man they needed.

And then you've got Austin and Sezer who are playing park standard footy right now. Serisously what's going on with them?

 

[Apey]

View attachment 13201

Knights fans go through that a couple of times a game

 

[Pete Cash]

I think Paulo has an underrated gas tank. He is f**king gigantic so obviously he isnt as fit as a Vaughan type but he is far from our biggest problem right now. He has been our best prop by miles.

BJ played good to start the season. He is in a form slump over the last 3 weeks and BJ out of form is laughably stupid. He is stupid in form. I just wish we had a first grade quality (not even good first grade) back to just have the stupid fat baby looking over his shoulder a bit.

A lot of it also comes down to coaches tactics. If i had to criticise Stuart outside of team management this year it would be his tactics inside the 20. There is no way in hell Hodgson has gone rogue and is just passing one off to a big prop to try and power their way over. He didnt play like that for England. It is clearly coaches orders.

Anyways we have never looked like a well structured team even when we were good last year. Its about spreading the ball around and hoping someone pulls off a miracle play. Right now teams are playing very smart football against us. Kick the ball out, wind us up, rag us in the ruck. Basically the strategy is two fold dont let the raiders get any momentum and make them frustrated because mistakes will follow.

So this is the test for Stuart. Come up with a plan B even if that is just getting us to play normal football. That is to say we play direct and structured and defend well. Not necessarily boring one off the ruck footy but normal football. If we have the ability to do this then teams will start to make mistakes in their strategy and then we can unleash plan A which is essentially let the mentalists run wild.

 

[DiegoNT]

 

[myrrh ken]

Who are they overspending cap money on?

 

[Pete Cash]

Who are they overspending cap money on?

We dont have heaps of third party money and guys like vaughan, fensom and lee would have been on good cash.

We might have got some good coverage on vaughan because he is a good player but i doubt the cowboys or sharks are paying 40% of fensom and lees contract respectively

I think we will have more room to move next year. We really just need depth and a decent third prop. The whole thing doesn't have to be burnt down. Just a better balanced squad

 

[Walt Flanigan]

Who are they overspending cap money on?

The 2.5k of second tier cap money?

 

[Pete Cash]

The 2.5k of second tier cap money?

Oh i didnt even realise that was what he meant. I thought he was talking about our depth.

The 2500 dollar breach was probably over playing clay priest so much

 

[El Diablo]

cheats

 

[perverse]

Who are they overspending cap money on?

Well, they're paying Joe Tapine $500k to look like a sleepy dope and smash KFC while injured.

 

[Pete Cash]

Joe tapine has been alright tbh but is a work in progress. 500k is a little overs but im not too fussed on that contract.

 

[myrrh ken]

The 2.5k of second tier cap money?

Coaltrains contract is worth about that

 

[Walt Flanigan]

Coaltrains contract is worth about that

Except he wasn't with us last year

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Ricky Stuart won a Grand Final in his first year as an NRL coach.

End of story.

 

[Haffa]

Ricky Stuart won a Grand Final in his first year as an NRL coach.

End of story.

So did Michael Hagan.......

 

[SBD82]

End of story.

If only it was.

 

[King hit]

So did Michael Hagan.......

Stuart's did more coaching first grade than that. Hagan's premiership was more the work of Joey than Hagan. Hagan never got close again.

 

[Noise]

Stuart's did more coaching first grade than that. Hagan's premiership was more the work of Joey than Hagan. Hagan never got close again.

And I think Freddy Fitler had a fair bit to do with Stuart's

 

[Meapro Ham]

I'll say one thing for Stuart he seems a lot more balanced and composed in the press conferences these days. Totally calm after the Knights game and made some good points about how they've lost the element of surprise this year and teams are better prepared for them.

Big change from the angry tirades about refs and penalties in the past.