Match Discussion: Round 19 vs Manly @ 4 Pines Park, Brookvale / Cammeraygal

[slotmachine]

On the discussion about Hastings .... Not sure if many of you notice but It’s honestly a joke how many times he goes short to KPP instead of out the back. I know our backs weren't strong this week but he does iit alll the time, goes short to KPPIt feels like he plays for himself a lot of the time instead of what's best for the team. I can cop the broken body and his limitations, but it's little things like that which annoy me the most.

Hitting the lead runner finally worked with 5 minutes to go when we were down 40!

 

[Apey]

On the discussion about Hastings .... Not sure if many of you notice but It’s honestly a joke how many times he goes short to KPP instead of out the back. I know our backs weren't strong this week but he does it all the time, goes short to KPP over and over. It feels like he plays for himself a lot of the time instead of what's best for the team. I can cop the broken body and his limitations, but it's little things like that which annoy me the most.

I mean Pearce did the same thing. Either we think we have Cronk passing to Crichton/Cordner or it's a page out of a halfback's book who has run out of ideas.

 

[Woody90]

On the discussion about Hastings .... Not sure if many of you notice but It’s honestly a joke how many times he goes short to KPP instead of out the back. I know our backs weren't strong this week but he does it all the time, goes short to KPP over and over. It feels like he plays for himself a lot of the time instead of what's best for the team. I can cop the broken body and his limitations, but it's little things like that which annoy me the most.

They were talking about this on the Bloke in a Bar podcast a couple of weeks ago. They’re convinced it’s a coached play so the defence doesn’t expect it when he finally goes out the back. It’s so bloody ineffective though.

Honestly it confuses me that there are so many calls for the likes of Green and McDermott to get FG coaching gigs. Nobody in our coaching staff should be getting any type of promotion currently.

 

[Bartwah]

He was shit but are you really criticising him for trying something in attack?

Criticising that it took him until the 79th minute to try something that wasn’t vanilla and expected

 

[mozza91]

Criticising that it took him until the 79th minute to try something that wasn’t vanilla and expected

Fair enough. When he’s tried short chip kicks earlier this year they’ve paid off. He should try them for often, when it actually matters like you said.

 

[Seage]

Cant looks decent with the ball. Defence is an issue today, but looks like he could be something in the future.

Did you watch the game? An undersized backrower that got manhandled and palmed off in defence? What exactly do you think he could be? A team like Manly unearths guys like Olokoautu, we find more undersized plodders.

 

[Old dog]

Was a very disappointing effort and result, can’t believe we were gone before quarter time, nothing seemed right and we had some very ordinary performances, our left side defence was terrible, mainly Cant and Marzhew, still not convinced with KPP, prefer Lucas, Hastings didn’t help. Sharpe isnt Ponga, Maps will do for Tuala but give Jenkins some thought. Pryce has something, keep him at it. Pack was ordinary, Crosslands is a 14 and Brailey a Cup player but they is what we have, Friz is showing his age, plays strong but not as consistent as was.
Lets hope our SOO players are ok but make suitable changes, Brailey to Cup Jones R to bench, Hetherington to Cup, Su’a or Bryan to ext bench or assuming Jones B out then bench.
Lets play Lucas left and KPP right 2nd row, Friz bench

 

[Woody90]

A team like Manly unearths guys like Olokoautu, we find more undersized plodders.

I assume you’re just referring to forwards, because to be fair, Cant is the only player we’ve debuted this year that hasn’t looked up to it (and AOB did him no favours picking him out of position). I wouldn’t call Sharpe, Armstrong and Pryce plodders.

 

[Seage]

I assume you’re just referring to forwards, because to be fair, Cant is the only player we’ve debuted this year that hasn’t looked up to it (and AOB did him no favours picking him out of position). I wouldn’t call Sharpe, Armstrong and Pryce plodders.

Yes, forwards only. Although says a bit for our roster managgement that we've got no big strong wingers, just wiry, fast fullbacks.

 

[aqua_duck]

Lucas and Sharpe get a pass. the other 3 were awful.

I really feel for Cant. Should never have been picked to play centre.

It was never going to end well, you’ve got Hastings who’s slower than most front rowers and Marzhew who’s got the agility and turning circle of a cruise liner against Turbo, Garrick and Saab.
My issue is that it was blatantly obvious that the edge trio just weren’t going to be able to offer any resistance but yet AOB didn’t try to change anything at all, I mean doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is pure insanity. I mean why didn’t he switch Lucas to left centre or switch Pryce to defend there? AOB had the mentality of WW1 general who kept sending their troops to charge the enemy’s trenches even though he knew they’d be cannon fodder

 

[Yosh]

Feel terrible for Cant. Got targeted all afternoon. Hopefully his next couple of NRL games go much better for the lad.

Forwards looked pretty good I thought. We have the worst kicking game in the history of the NRL. I just can't understand what's going on there.

Terrible team selection and game plan by AOB. Feel like poo after watching that game. Lucky I was busy during the day and watched the game late so go to enjoy my weekend. Feel sorry for you lads who watched that live.

 

[aqua_duck]

Yes, forwards only. Although says a bit for our roster managgement that we've got no big strong wingers, just wiry, fast fullbacks.

To be fair Moceidreke is a big, strong winger who unfortunately lacks all the other attributes required to be a first grader.
I’ve said this before but I feel a big issue in our pathways is that transition from aged based footy to NSW cup is where a lot of it is going to hell. The last 2 years we’ve been near the bottom of the ladder in NSW cup and closer to the bottom than the top again this year, the last time we had a decent nsw cup side was 2021 when we had guys like Dylan Lucas, Jacob Kiraz, Tex Hoy, Zac Hosking, Matt Croker, Simi Sasagi, Pasami Saulo, etc.
This year there’s been so much chopping and changing it’s hard to keep track of who’s who’s in that team, unfortunately it’s been that way for the past few years.
In the past few weeks a few of the junior reps who started the year in SG Ball and jersey flegg like Connor Votano, Logan Aoake, Jaxon Rahme and Jermaine McEwen have come into the side due to injuries and what not, those guys if they can hold their own than they should be left in nsw cup with a view to getting them ready for first grade and that should be the case for Cody Hopwood and Wilson Decourcey as well.

 

[Yosh]

Would have been awesome if we kept Kiraz, Hosking and Sasagi. Surely we should have at least that much depth in the 30.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Would have been awesome if we kept Kiraz, Hosking and Sasagi. Surely we should have at least that much depth in the 30.

I doubt they would have made much of a difference. None of them were really kicking on while they were here

 

[aqua_duck]

I doubt they would have made much of a difference. None of them were really kicking on while they were here

Hosking and Sasagi I agree but Kiraz I feel probably should’ve gotten a debut in 2021, he was playing NSW cup as a 19 year old and more than held is own. That year AOB was picking the likes of Kurt Mann and Brodie Jones in the centres instead of giving someone like Kiraz a go.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

watched this with the old man and both saw a beating coming in the first 10 min and went for a drive instead. Glad we did.

What we saw in the first 10? - no line speed, poor body language and a VERY poor ref performance.

 

[Knight Tales]

AOB with another blame them then blame me presser. When your coach provides open reasons why we failed, which are fundamental in nature, it really gives the players an out for the lack of effort.

 

[Alex28]

Did you watch the game? An undersized backrower that got manhandled and palmed off in defence? What exactly do you think he could be? A team like Manly unearths guys like Olokoautu, we find more undersized plodders.

Sorry champ - forgot there were literally Olokoautu’s everywhere for us to stumble over…

I’m not going to judge him on one game out of position. You on the other hand are going to compare him to an Origin back rower playing in position.

We find our fair share of decent back rowers as well. Giving up Lucas for many as a swap?

 

[aqua_duck]

Sorry champ - forgot there were literally Olokoautu’s everywhere for us to stumble over…

I’m not going to judge him on one game out of position. You on the other hand are going to compare him to an Origin back rower playing in position.

We find our fair share of decent back rowers as well. Giving up Lucas for many as a swap?

I think perhaps the point he was trying to make is if you compare the recruitment strategy of manly they’re clearly favouring athletes, you look at guys in their squad like Olaakauatu, Paseka, Talau, Garrick, Koula, Saab, Bullemor, Navale, etc all were recruited from outside the local junior system and are genuine athletes. I mean Manly have had probably the same amount of success as us over the past few years so not saying either approach is superior but just an observation