Kearney

[forward pass]

Case-in-point: Taniela Lasalo. You all defended Kearney last year saying that he was forced to play Ben Smith and Horo in the centres. I pose this to you. With our supposed outside back problems fixed for next year, where does Taniela Lasalo fit in. If he honestly eeks his way into the team ahead of:

Hindmarsh
Horo
Smith
Maitua
Shackleton
Allgood

I'll do my 'nana

Last year he was given first crack at the second row spot. That was before our worries in the outside backs. I hope that the buck stops this year. I really do

Shacks and Allgood are frontrowers so not sure why you listed them as competing for Lasalos spot. And either way I honestly think Lasalo is a better player than both Shacks and Horo so I wouldnt be as surprised as you.

 

[HevyDevy]

What, so you think our playing roster wasn`t that bad this year? Would 30 points to 10 sound nearer the mark?

I think that our squad was poor, but to suggest that we should have lost every game by 50 is ridiculous.

For people to talk up our achievements in 2011 is idiotic. We almost won a heap of games? Every side in the history of rugby league that has missed the eight will look back at their year and think 'If only'. Unfortunately 'if only' doesn't get you anywhere. We finished 14th and had a shit season. End of story.

That said, there is much to be excited about in 2012.

 

[Eels Dude]

Shacks and Allgood are frontrowers so not sure why you listed them as competing for Lasalos spot. And either way I honestly think Lasalo is a better player than both Shacks and Horo so I wouldnt be as surprised as you.

Shacks has played most of his career in the backrow actually. It was just injuries to Poore and Webb which had him shift to playing mainly front row last year as he's one of those forwards versatile enough to play both front and backrow.

Have to agree with BigErn on Lasalo. Haven't really seen him do anything to prove he's a first grader let alone a guarenteed starter like he was all last season.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Shacks and Allgood are frontrowers so not sure why you listed them as competing for Lasalos spot. And either way I honestly think Lasalo is a better player than both Shacks and Horo so I wouldnt be as surprised as you.

Lasalo is competing with Maitua, Smith, Horo, Tautai and O'Hanlon for three spots in the 17 (left edge, right edge and bench).

He's a fair chance of picking up one of those spots, especially if Reni spends any time at 6.

Plus, at his age he should have improved since last year. He's already a better defender than Horo.

 

[forward pass]

Have to agree with BigErn on Lasalo. Haven't really seen him do anything to prove he's a first grader let alone a guarenteed starter like he was all last season.

Up until rd 26 I would have agreed but I saw a few things in the Titans match that showed me he has a bit of promise. (His little held up pass to Hayne for our first try to Sio was pretty impressive).

Lets wait and see but I think there is something there.

 

[lingard]

....... if the opposition`s strengths were weaker and our weaknesses were stronger, then our strength would be that we had stronger weaknesses than theirs and we would be able to exploit their weaker strengths by making use of our stronger ...... I`ll get it in a minute.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Suppose you could rate every element of a team out of 10 (to pick a number).

Some examples of the elements we would rate are:

Go forward
Kicking game
Edge defence
Ruck defence
Kick return
Kick defence (defending against attacking kicks)
Playmaker 1
Playmaker 2
Playmaker 3 (for teams that have one)
Offloading

blah
blah
blah

So for example we might look at Manly and decide that their strength is their edge defence, and we could rate it as a 10. Being the premiers they obviously have loads of strengths but edge defence is definitely one of them.

As for their weaknesses, they don't really have any. Maybe their weakest link (whatever it is) would be rated at about a 7 or an 8.

The Eels on the other hand, have great ruck defence - we'd be about a 10. Plus our primary playmaker (Hayne) is also a 10. Our weaknesses were our edge defence (once we were out of centres) and kicking game. They were both well below a 5. If a 1 is worst in the NRL then we'd be a 1 for kicking game and not much better for edge defence.

Therefore our weakness (kicking game rated at about 1 out of 10) is weaker than Manly's weakness (rated at about 8) even though our strengths (rated 10 out of 10) are as strong as Manly's.

So as I said, our weaknesses are weaker than everyone else's weaknesses. Simple really.

 

[half]

Suppose you could rate every element of a team out of 10 (to pick a number).

Some examples of the elements we would rate are:

Go forward
Kicking game
Edge defence
Ruck defence
Kick return
Kick defence (defending against attacking kicks)
Playmaker 1
Playmaker 2
Playmaker 3 (for teams that have one)
Offloading

blah
blah
blah

So for example we might look at Manly and decide that their strength is their edge defence, and we could rate it as a 10. Being the premiers they obviously have loads of strengths but edge defence is definitely one of them.

As for their weaknesses, they don't really have any. Maybe their weakest link (whatever it is) would be rated at about a 7 or an 8.

The Eels on the other hand, have great ruck defence - we'd be about a 10. Plus our primary playmaker (Hayne) is also a 10. Our weaknesses were our edge defence (once we were out of centres) and kicking game. They were both well below a 5. If a 1 is worst in the NRL then we'd be a 1 for kicking game and not much better for edge defence.

Therefore our weakness (kicking game rated at about 1 out of 10) is weaker than Manly's weakness (rated at about 8) even though our strengths (rated 10 out of 10) are as strong as Manly's.

So as I said, our weaknesses are weaker than everyone else's weaknesses. Simple really.

this post has asperger's written all over it

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That's what happens when you've gotta explain shit to merkins.

 

[BigErn]

Lasalo is competing with Maitua, Smith, Horo, Tautai and O'Hanlon for three spots in the 17 (left edge, right edge and bench).

He's a fair chance of picking up one of those spots, especially if Reni spends any time at 6.

Plus, at his age he should have improved since last year. He's already a better defender than Horo.

Why would reni spend any time at 6??? We have a gun signing in ben Roberts ???

Reni smith and horo are those three. Any injuries and it's o'hanlon or rory. Any more injuries and you shift Shackleton or allgood. Lasalo is not a better option than any of these.

Souths game. Enough said.

Why you even mentioned tautai is of real concern.

 

[84 Baby]

Why would reni spend any time at 6??? We have a gun signing in ben Roberts ???

Reni smith and horo are those three. Any injuries and it's o'hanlon or rory. Any more injuries and you shift Shackleton or allgood. Lasalo is not a better option than any of these.

Souths game. Enough said.

Why you even mentioned tautai is of real concern.

Completely agree. Also women shouldn't be allowed to vote

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Why would reni spend any time at 6??? We have a gun signing in ben Roberts ???

If Roberts or Sandow got injured there's a good chance Maitua would shift to 6.

Reni smith and horo are those three.

I reckon only Reni is guaranteed a start. Maybe Smith. Horo's defence isn't real good, but he hits gaps better than Lasalo.

Any injuries and it's o'hanlon or rory.

They were both behind Lasalo this year.

Any more injuries and you shift Shackleton or allgood.

Are you serious?!? Neither of them are edge forwards.

Lasalo is not a better option than any of these.

That's up to the coach to decide.

Souths game. Enough said.

That's one game. Plus the whole team had a shocker that day.

Why you even mentioned tautai is of real concern.

I mentioned him for the same reason we signed him - he's an option. Plus women shouldn't vote.

 

[BigErn]

That's up to the coach to decide.

Of course it's up to the coach to decide. That's the whole point of my argument. If Kearney picks Lasalo ahead of anyone, I won't be happy. Even a spot on the bench will tick me off. The argument was that we were very weak this year. The support behind the signing of 'fringe players at best' was that they were more for backup, and not necessarily starters. Lasalo is exactly that. That's the whole point of this conversation. Really, I'm just sitting and waiting for the start of the season because I'm almost certain that he will start Lasalo. He was ahead of everyone last year. He was the first backrower picked, probably even before Hindy. I just don't understand Kearney's obsession with this guy.

 

[Eels Dude]

Why would reni spend any time at 6??? We have a gun signing in ben Roberts ???

Reni smith and horo are those three. Any injuries and it's o'hanlon or rory. Any more injuries and you shift Shackleton or allgood. Lasalo is not a better option than any of these.

Souths game. Enough said.

Why you even mentioned tautai is of real concern.

I wouldn't call Roberts a gun signing. He's an adequate signing who could go either way. If his form continues as it has been the past couple of years then there's no Reni why wouldn't be putting pressure on him for the number 6 jersey. We have a lot more depth in the back row than we do in the halves. I actually wouldn't mind seeing Reni play there in one the trials to see how he goes outside Sandow.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I just don't understand Kearney's obsession with this guy.

Mate you're the one who seems obsessed.

Keareny obviously sees something in Lasalo. Remember it was Daniel Anderson who gave him his debut so there's two coaches who have given him a chance.

I thought Lasalo showed promise this year and if he keeps improving why wouldn't he force his way into next year's team? It's not like we've strengthened our back row for 2012. If it's any better next year it'll be because of young players improving, not because of any new gun signing we've made.

Hindmarsh and Maitua are the only certainties and it's only a matter of time before Ben Smith's knees shit themselves.

 

[BigErn]

Mate you're the one who seems obsessed.

Keareny obviously sees something in Lasalo. Remember it was Daniel Anderson who gave him his debut so there's two coaches who have given him a chance.

I thought Lasalo showed promise this year and if he keeps improving why wouldn't he force his way into next year's team? It's not like we've strengthened our back row for 2012. If it's any better next year it'll be because of young players improving, not because of any new gun signing we've made.

Hindmarsh and Maitua are the only certainties and it's only a matter of time before Ben Smith's knees shit themselves.

Anderson gave him one game:
Against Cronulla, off the bench, and I'm pretty sure during Origin week, and we lost 13-10 in one of the most dire games I think I've ever witnessed.
He woke up and saw the light, and quickly banished him back to Wenty.

We HAVE strengthened our backrow because we had two accomplished backrowers in the centres last year. We've fixed that problem and hence we've strengthened our backrow.
Using that as an argument to keep him there is silly.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Anderson gave him one game:
Against Cronulla, off the bench, and I'm pretty sure during Origin week, and we lost 13-10 in one of the most dire games I think I've ever witnessed.
He woke up and saw the light, and quickly banished him back to Wenty.

Lasalo was still playing NYC the year he debuted (2009).

Anderson also gave him two games last year - when we belted the Broncos away, and when we lost to the Tigers at home by 2 points.

He didn't miss a tackle in any of those three games.

We HAVE strengthened our backrow because we had two accomplished backrowers in the centres last year. We've fixed that problem and hence we've strengthened our backrow.
Using that as an argument to keep him there is silly.

Fair point that those two are now available for use in the back row, but I don't think either of them are necessarily better than Taniela Lasalo. Smith is better on his day, but he's a week to week prospect with his knees. Horo is overall no better than Lasalo, who is clearly a better defender.

Don't discount the likelihood that Lasalo will have improved even more over the off season, even if it's just an increase in his confidence. He's already got the speed and strength to be a good first grader, and he's shown he can play 80 minutes if needed.

 

[lingard]

Suppose you could rate every element of a team out of 10 (to pick a number).

Some examples of the elements we would rate are:

Go forward
Kicking game
Edge defence
Ruck defence
Kick return
Kick defence (defending against attacking kicks)
Playmaker 1
Playmaker 2
Playmaker 3 (for teams that have one)
Offloading

blah
blah
blah

So for example we might look at Manly and decide that their strength is their edge defence, and we could rate it as a 10. Being the premiers they obviously have loads of strengths but edge defence is definitely one of them.

As for their weaknesses, they don't really have any. Maybe their weakest link (whatever it is) would be rated at about a 7 or an 8.

The Eels on the other hand, have great ruck defence - we'd be about a 10. Plus our primary playmaker (Hayne) is also a 10. Our weaknesses were our edge defence (once we were out of centres) and kicking game. They were both well below a 5. If a 1 is worst in the NRL then we'd be a 1 for kicking game and not much better for edge defence.

Therefore our weakness (kicking game rated at about 1 out of 10) is weaker than Manly's weakness (rated at about 8) even though our strengths (rated 10 out of 10) are as strong as Manly's.

So as I said, our weaknesses are weaker than everyone else's weaknesses. Simple really.

I don`t get it.

 

[BigErn]

He didn't miss a tackle in any of those three games.

.

Where'd you find those stats?

 

[lingard]

this post has asperger's written all over it

Only someone with a personality disorder would make a comment like that.