Late Mail - Canberra Game

[Tiger05]

Insanity: the process of repeating the same task the same way but expecting a different outcome.

I'm not a huge fan of moving Moltzen to any other position because I think his underperformance in part last year was due playing in three different positions week after week, but if Sheens is willing to try something different in order to get the right result and it pays off I'm certainly not going to criticise.

I get where you are coming from but at the same time you aren't giving Moltzen in particular time to adapt to the halfback role. I also think you'd be better off moving Lawrence for instance to the no 1 position. I suppose though I hope that I'm wrong and Miller kills it. If so then he can grab the halfback role.

 

[super_coach]

Do you think all these so called changes are due to Farah being out or are they trying to revamp things. I mean why would you change three positions when you only need to change one. My guess Sheens has come to realize that his spine is broken and needs mending. Suppose we will not know till Farah is back but like others I say till the forwards start holding their own no no7 is going to shine

 

[N.C.]

Do you think all these so called changes are due to Farah being out or are they trying to revamp things. I mean why would you change three positions when you only need to change one. My guess Sheens has come to realize that his spine is broken and needs mending. Suppose we will not know till Farah is back but like others I say till the forwards start holding their own no no7 is going to shine

Well obviously you can't disagree with that... but I'd add that it's up to the halfback to read the game and do whatever can be done to try and get the forwards back into the game if they're getting creamed. You know, kick it long, find the grass, put it into touch... heck even try for a 40-20 if you're getting into the zone. Do something to take the pressure off - it doesn't always have to be about scoring points or breaking the line.

We've missed this aspect of halfbackery since Prince left us. Clearly Marshall and Farah are our key playmakers but that doesn't mean our halfback's role is always just to stand between the two of them and pass it along...

I'm pretty sure this has been said a million times before but it rings as true today as it ever did. Perhaps the issue is that we are trying to slot a relatively inexperienced player in between our two most dominant personalities, and they just get star-struck? I certainly think that was the case with Lui, although with Moltzen I think it's more just a matter of his style of play - he's more of a runner than a ball-player.

If Miller is not up to the task then we should look to buy an experienced halfback for 2013. Someone with enough runs on the board so that they can come straight in over the top of Marshall and Farah without giving a f**k about what either of them think...

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

Count the weeks on one hand before Moltzen is back in Number 7.

 

[Tiger05]

Count the weeks on one hand before Moltzen is back in Number 7.

So why swap positions. I get it if this is about Miller becoming the new no 7. If not this seems stupid. In a couple of weeks time we will have to have another reshuffle and work out the combinations again.

 

[madunit]

its a way to try something new while you have a genuine excuse (Farah being injured)

I think Moltzen at fullback while Farah is out is a much better idea. Miller is a better team organiser and general play kicker than Moltzen, and we need that with no Farah.

Even when Farah comes back I'd prefer to see Moltzen at 1 and Miller at 7, because Miller can take some pressure of Farah, which almost always leads to Farah playing a lot better.

Miller doesn't need to be brilliant, he just needs to organise the team and kick occasionally. Thats all we need from a 7.

Sadly, those two jobs are things Moltzen has shown he cannot do.

For once I actually like this reshuffle from Sheens. I just hope he sticks with it when Farah returns.

Three good general play kickers will help to ease the pressure off our forwards as well, as it can lead to kickers having more time to get a good kick away and allow the defence plenty of time to get down the other end and trap the kick returner deep in their own half.

Thats what our defensive game plan has always worked off. When our kicks are shit, our forwards struggle and we usually lose.

 

[gronkathon]

Agree MU.

That and Humble is ther perfect bench utility for right now. When we return to full strength he and Reddy most likely make way for Utai (not my choice) with Lote and Beau on the flanks

 

[Fordy20]

Marshall has been averaging about ten kicks per game, so I'd expect Miller to put in a minimum of six kicks in this game against the Raiders. More than six would be better, but six would demonstrate he can take pressure off Farah and Marshall. The kicks I'd be looking for are the long kicks for field position, ones either going into touch or finding space between the back three.

Assuming he does this and holds his own in defence, I don't think anyone has a case for moving Moltzen back to halfback when Farah returns, especially with Tedesco being out.

 

[madunit]

Fulton at Hooker

Round 5, 2008 - Lost to Canberra 24-30
Qualifying Playoff 2009 (Superleague) - Lost 2-15 to St.Helens
Round 8, 2010 - Lost to Roosters 8-12

the first time Fulton played at Hooker was the last time Canberra beat us.

 

[Ron's_Mate]

Fulton at Hooker

Round 5, 2008 - Lost to Canberra 24-30
Qualifying Playoff 2009 (Superleague) - Lost 2-15 to St.Helens
Round 8, 2010 - Lost to Roosters 8-12

the first time Fulton played at Hooker was the last time Canberra beat us.

Those are just statistics. Doesn't mean anything unless you can describe the game & pin the loss on mistakes made by Fulton at hooker.
I'd imagine the same stats would show that Benji was 5/8 for all three games.

 

[madunit]

Benji has never played for Huddersfield

 

[madunit]

Also, the 30-24 loss, Benji didn't play
The 12-8 loss, Benii was five-eighth, Farah was halfback

 

[37916319]

Got home late, watched 3 mins and Miller has already touched the ball more than Moltzen his last 2 games

 

[hutch]

Got home late, watched 3 mins and Miller has already touched the ball more than Moltzen his last 2 games

And kicked terribly and missed a few tackles, one of which just led to a try.

 

[37916319]

And kicked terribly and missed a few tackles, one of which just led to a try.

So your saying Moltzen has a better kicking game and would have made that tackle.

He's done nothing special but already looks like more of a Halfback than Moltzen. Moltzen only got 3 games and is bound to improve, however if either should get a chance to prove themselves it should be Miller, just looks more comfortable.

 

[madunit]

Still playing better at 7 than moltzen. Our defence is more worrying though. Beau Ryan is tigers player of the year so far.

 

[leoc]

Still playing better at 7 than moltzen. Our defence is more worrying though. Beau Ryan is tigers player of the year so far.

Totally agree MU but it wouldn't be hard too be!!