Match Discussion: Round 11 vs Bulldogs @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[Knight Vision]

The club seems to be extremely comfortable telling everyone he will be extended. That is a huge mistake

I agree.

They were even talking about life after footy for Pearce , which again is a huge mistake ( Tigers got done for that under the cap when negotiating Farah's last contract )

That Knights boss from Wests suffers from foot in mouth more often than not and should shut the f**k up.

 

[Seage]

Why don't we just put Bradman Best at halfback? The kid is good at everything else, how hard could it be!?

Now, I agree with the praise for Kurt Mann over the last few weeks. He has been wholehearted and generated plays for the team, but don't get carried away annointing him as the next immortal. It was only a few weeks ago he was a dumpster fire, gets tackled far too often and still has some derpy-ness in his game. Amazing recently, but I always have that nagging thought that him disappointing us is just around the corner. Hope not though, lord knows that plodder in the 7 isnt helping him out.

At least we will finally string two results together next week. Sure, it will be two losses, but its nice to be consistent.

 

[Spot On]

I'd just like to see Pearce kick the ball well - consistently. Pass the ball to those outside him. Have a bit of a 'footy brain' at times.

Nothing special to be honest. Just the basics from a million dollar half.

But the basics are a bridge too far, too often.

 

[aqua_duck]

In regards to Pearce I still think he can be a good halfback in the NRL but IMO he's the wrong halfback for this team. Pearce cannot be the primary playmaker and more importantly the primary kicking option, he played his best footy with a dominant 5/8th next to him in Carney and Maloney. Mann is a really good player but he's not and never will be a primary playmaker and neither will Ponga or Brailey.

 

[Knight Vision]

In regards to Pearce I still think he can be a good halfback in the NRL but IMO he's the wrong halfback for this team. Pearce cannot be the primary playmaker and more importantly the primary kicking option, he played his best footy with a dominant 5/8th next to him in Carney and Maloney. Mann is a really good player but he's not and never will be a primary playmaker and neither will Ponga or Brailey.

absolutely, not only is it essential to have another dominant half with Pearce but coupled with the fact he's in the twilight of his career, now is the time to partner Pearce with our next playmaker, the heir to the number 7 jersey.

AOB knows this, but for what ever reason the timing must not be right just yet.

 

[Alex28]

Unfair is the dumbest statement ever.

Guy can’t kick for crap and general playmaking is almost as bad.
1 million dollars is 800 too much. He is Ash Taylor with a decade more game time.

I mean, everyone is disregarding the weather, two playmakers going off injured in the first half and that the Dogs played pretty well, but sure, blame him solely if it makes you feel better.

No one really was able to get final kicks away yesterday - Ponga was just as bad, Foran continuously kicked direct to Ponga. It was tough.

Also, he’s not on $1M. Read yesterday’s Telegraph.

The team has an attitude problem. It has had one before AOB got here, before West’s took over - there is something about being a big fish in a small pond and the attitude that goes along with that. That has to change - the serve AOB gave them in the presser (and sounds like before it) is a start but he might have his work cut out for him.

 

[Alex28]

He is one of the teams highest paid players, its most experienced, the key play maker and most importantly its Captain.....yeh he gets a serve and rightly so.

Either way you want to cut,slice or dice it Pearce shares a more than very healthy portion of blame. He is not a leader of men this is self evident.

More to the point, are we expecting him to be more than he is? He has never played half without a genuine 5/8 next to him. Why should we expect him to do so now? How is he going to change after 15 years of playing as a genuine halves pairing now if he has never had to?

When is the last time a team won a premiership with a spud next to a genuine half? I can’t think of one after 2001...

Hopefully necessity leads to Crossland being brought in and we can give Pearce a genuine halves partner, because he needs it. He’s good, but not good enough to be the one last tackle option we have.

 

[Spot On]

That's good and well re the need for a 5/8 to be the dominant player in the halves pairing containing Pearce but... there is a salary cap and a 7 that requires that much support also requires a massive pay adjustment.

 

[Alex28]

That's good and well re the need for a 5/8 to be the dominant player in the halves pairing containing Pearce but... there is a salary cap and a 7 that requires that much support also requires a massive pay adjustment.

Well, let’s just ignore that and pretend Pearce can play with a spud as a partner, and get upset when he can’t.

The 5/8 doesn’t need to dominate - he at least needs to divert some attention away from Pearce on the 5th.

 

[Old dog]

Surely Ponga can fill that roll on 5th standing at 5/8 position with Mann standing at f/b position.
Don’t get me wrong I think we need some changes, Pearce has too much to do and either we give him assistance, playmaker 5/8, or we look towards future and develop a new half 5/8 combination, if that includes Mann and or Ponga so be it.

 

[aqua_duck]

Well, let’s just ignore that and pretend Pearce can play with a spud as a partner, and get upset when he can’t.

The 5/8 doesn’t need to dominate - he at least needs to divert some attention away from Pearce on the 5th.

I think you do have a point but my gripe is regardless of circumstances his short kicking game is diabolical not just for a top line halfback but for any 1st grade level spine player imo, in the 6 games I think I've count over 20 kicks that have gone dead or straight into the opposition, it may only be one aspect of the game but it means we don't have the ability to wear teams down and build pressure. The issue moving forward for Pearce is with age he's lost his speed and agility which were imo his best attributes when he was younger, he's nowhere near the ball runner he was before.

 

[Alex28]

I think you do have a point but my gripe is regardless of circumstances his short kicking game is diabolical not just for a top line halfback but for any 1st grade level spine player imo, in the 6 games I think I've count over 20 kicks that have gone dead or straight into the opposition, it may only be one aspect of the game but it means we don't have the ability to wear teams down and build pressure. The issue moving forward for Pearce is with age he's lost his speed and agility which were imo his best attributes when he was younger, he's nowhere near the ball runner he was before.

The problem is the defence knows if they target Pearce on the 5th, 90% of the time they shut us down. We aren’t getting it to Mann, Ponga gets it occasionally but not regularly, our Hooker options aren’t good enough to make a play. That’s why Pearce continuously kicked into players legs on the 5th yesterday - the opposition knew that’s all we had.

We need someone better at 6 to help him. All good halfbacks have another option beside him to give him some space to do his thing.

 

[slotmachine]

Also, he’s not on $1M. Read yesterday’s Telegraph.

Saw the headline that we want to re-sign him but didn't read the article, what did it say?

 

[Seage]

When is the last time a team won a premiership with a spud next to a genuine half? I can’t think of one after 2001

Shane Perry won a comp as Broncos halfback in 2006. He had a spud half next to him in Darren Lockyer.

 

[Rodney Rude]

This game just shows how mentally weak this team really is. As bad as the Bulldogs are, they are always giving it their all, same can’t be said for this mob.

You have to wonder sometimes as fans, why bother? Are they worth the constant stress and anger?

It’s always been the same no matter who you put at the club, mentally weak. I just can’t fathom how teams like Parra and Penrith, even Canberra can turn things around but this team can’t? Frustrating

 

[Tom155]

I mean, everyone is disregarding the weather, two playmakers going off injured in the first half and that the Dogs played pretty well, but sure, blame him solely if it makes you feel better.

No one really was able to get final kicks away yesterday - Ponga was just as bad, Foran continuously kicked direct to Ponga. It was tough.

Also, he’s not on $1M. Read yesterday’s Telegraph.

The team has an attitude problem. It has had one before AOB got here, before West’s took over - there is something about being a big fish in a small pond and the attitude that goes along with that. That has to change - the serve AOB gave them in the presser (and sounds like before it) is a start but he might have his work cut out for him.

People are disregarding it because it wasn't just yesterday, he's been poor for a while now yet you seem to be in total denial about it & the team in general just last week you were trying to paint others as bad fans for pointing out issues we had in the Souths game.

 

[Spot On]

The problem is the defence knows if they target Pearce on the 5th, 90% of the time they shut us down. We aren’t getting it to Mann, Ponga gets it occasionally but not regularly, our Hooker options aren’t good enough to make a play. That’s why Pearce continuously kicked into players legs on the 5th yesterday - the opposition knew that’s all we had.

We need someone better at 6 to help him. All good halfbacks have another option beside him to give him some space to do his thing.

Knights - 26 kicks with Pearce taking 15 of them.

Penrith - 24 kicks with Cleary taking 19 of them.

Manly - 24 kicks with Cherry taking 15 of them.

Why is it that Pearce is such a big target and people whine about it, yet clearly other halves shoulder as big or bigger load but they somehow arent targetted???

There is no more pressure on Pearce than the other million dollar halves. Facts are he is not up to that grade but we are paying him squillions and apparently want more of it with an extension.

 

[Alex28]

People are disregarding it because it wasn't just yesterday, he's been poor for a while now yet you seem to be in total denial about it & the team in general just last week you were trying to paint others as bad fans for pointing out issues we had in the Souths game.

Perhaps I’m realistic and not being over dramatic?

 

[Alex28]

Knights - 26 kicks with Pearce taking 15 of them.

Penrith - 24 kicks with Cleary taking 19 of them.

Manly - 24 kicks with Cherry taking 15 of them.

Why is it that Pearce is such a big target and people whine about it, yet clearly other halves shoulder as big or bigger load but they somehow arent targetted???

There is no more pressure on Pearce than the other million dollar halves. Facts are he is not up to that grade but we are paying him squillions and apparently want more of it with an extension.

Curious to know - did Cleary and Cherry-Evans play when 60mm fell during the game?

I mean, I might be looking for excuses, but there were some excuses. Over two inches of rain, 2 hookers injured...

 

[Rodney Rude]

Curious to know - did Cleary and Cherry-Evans play when 60mm fell during the game?

I mean, I might be looking for excuses, but there were some excuses. Over two inches of rain, 2 hookers injured...

Both sides had to play in the rain so that’s not an excuse.

Yes they lost 2 hookers but still should have put away the team running DEAD LAST at home, even the Broncos put them away easily.

This club has been living off excuses for many years now... enough is enough