Match Discussion: Round 16 vs North Qld @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[Yosh]

I think Jones has shown more quality in the shorter minutes that he has compared to Fitz. Less errors as well.

Minutes and selection doesn't always come down to ability. I'm sure Fitz has a much larger influence in the dressing room then young Jones at the moment. It's important to keep the influential players happy. I'm not suggesting Fitz would have thrown a tantrum if he didn't get big minutes but it might have upset him and that might have negatively affected the dressing room. Furthermore, the team was in the dumpster when he came back. It would have been a big ask for Jones (a rookie) to go out there and not let the team's form and score board affect his performance. Fitz has had a lot more experience and hence was in a better position to handle the pressure.

Fitz isn't a terrible player. However, for someone who doesn't offer much impact, he sure makes a lot of errors.

 

[perverse]

Someone please explain to me where the love for Jones comes from, I can't understand it. Other than he's a local junior who made a couple of impactful plays when he first came into grade. Love the effort, but he's very limited.

Easy, no problem. His effort areas are great, his defence is sound and he has a real knack for just doing the right things and being in the right place at the right time. I suppose you might say he has a great footy IQ.

 

[GidleyTwinz]

Easy, no problem. His effort areas are great, his defence is sound and he has a real knack for just doing the right things and being in the right place at the right time. I suppose you might say he has a great footy IQ.

I'm probably overly biased towards athletes rather than 'smart' but limited white guys, especially forwards. But it just doesn't sell me. Would love to be wrong, but I just don't see any real upside with Jones. Happy to keep him as a depth option.

 

[slotmachine]

Yeah I'd want to be aiming higher than Jones for a starting player.

Barnett was our best forward last night playing on the edge...

 

[perverse]

I'm probably overly biased towards athletes rather than 'smart' but limited white guys, especially forwards. But it just doesn't sell me. Would love to be wrong, but I just don't see any real upside with Jones. Happy to keep him as a depth option.

Well I mean, I don't think I'd be running around the forums saying we need to recruit a wide forward with a point of difference if I thought Jones was the answer as a starter either. Doesn't mean I don't like him. Great at filling a bench role and depth for mine. He's proven very reliable, not one to let the team down when called upon.

 

[Johns Magic]

Speaking of athletes over footballers…I hope Dom Young learns plenty in the next 12 months, because some of his errors and decisions worry me. Only 20 years old and all that I know, but there are some things I would hope he has already that I’m not sure he does.

 

[Jono078]

Speaking of athletes over footballers…I hope Dom Young learns plenty in the next 12 months, because some of his errors and decisions worry me. Only 20 years old and all that I know, but there are some things I would hope he has already that I’m not sure he does.

I think he's already shown he's a pretty quick learner. He might not get it all right or become a complete player, but I believe he's shown plenty of good qualities so far that we have been clamouring for in an outside back.

Absolutely worth persisting with IMO.

 

[Johns Magic]

He is very fast for a guy of that build. Seems to be able to jump. Poor hands. Some of his involvements looks like Bambi on ice. Defence looks pretty no man’s land a lot of the time.

I’m definitely keen on his potential but his issues are ones a lot of 20 year olds don’t hit first-grade with. Hopefully he can fix them now.

 

[Yosh]

I still think Barney is a ton better playing the link forward through the middle. Once Friz comes back, I think Barney should start at lock, Watson comes on for Fitzy and Barnett can shift to the left for a while until Fitzy comes back on. Front row rotation of Saifitis, Klemmer and Sue. King has been really good lately but he is the perfect back up middle forward.

 

[perverse]

He is very fast for a guy of that build. Seems to be able to jump. Poor hands. Some of his involvements looks like Bambi on ice. Defence looks pretty no man’s land a lot of the time.

I’m definitely keen on his potential but his issues are ones a lot of 20 year olds don’t hit first-grade with. Hopefully he can fix them now.

His defence definitely is the biggest worry. It will get tested against Melbourne if he gets a run, that's for sure. There's clearly a lot of upside there, though... and I do think he's coming along pretty quickly.

 

[Old dog]

Thought Young had a good game but seems a definite right side player, Hunt seems to have played mostly left so possibly a swap.
He looks better now than at start of season so the rest of this and next preseason might work out those problems

 

[Knight Tales]

Huge ask, but if we can cause the upset of the year in two weeks then we can start believing. However those small drop offs in concentration will be punished and then some. And the real issue will be The Fox down our right fringe. The one hope is we did manage to keep Turbo quiet a few weeks back. We also have two coaches who know that system inside and out.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

IMO this is the most complete performance we’ve had since AOB took over, it definitely helps that he’s got his first choice spine for the first time in ages.

We were good across the park and it was great that we didn’t let in any garbage time points once the game had been put to bed. That’s probably the most pleasing thing.

It was the cowboys so I’m not going to get too excited but if we turn up each week with that sort of intensity then we should be able to beat all those other teams around us as I think we’re a better side than they are. But obviously the issue is going to come down to whether we can show up like this every week.

By big concern at this stage is that we’ll get hammered by the Storm and Roosters away from home over the next couple of games and it will set us back again. Hopefully we can at least be competitive against the storm and not let the scoreline blow out too much. I’d settle for a performance like we had against Penrith earlier in the year.

The Roosters I think we could beat if we get our attitude right and if we use that thrashing at home earlier in the year as motivation. Time will tell.

 

[perverse]

I don't think a loss to the Roosters is set in stone at all. Beating Melbourne would definitely be a legitimate miracle, though.