Our answer to replacing Shackleton

[mondoro]

Its only my opinion & everybody is entitled to have an opinion but we cant afford to have mediocre players in the team. If we do the opposition teams will be targeting them as they will be a weakness. I know that he is a local junior but that doesn't mean that he is up to first grade standard.

 

[forward pass]

Does anyone here think that Oake played any worse than Hindy?

I think some of you are being a bit harsh.

 

[JessEel]

Wenty's only played 2 games as well so far this season.. not in a position to say how anyone's form is at this early stage!

About Anderson showing his hand... i think what's going on now is working. I would say you'll still see Robbo at 7 and KK off the bench.

Our fresh legs at halfback were the difference between the two teams (IMO) yesterday... noone could keep up with KK. Even after his jersey got half stripped!!

 

[JessEel]

Its only my opinion & everybody is entitled to have an opinion but we cant afford to have mediocre players in the team. If we do the opposition teams will be targeting them as they will be a weakness. I know that he is a local junior but that doesn't mean that he is up to first grade standard.

no drama's dude!! Opinion away!
Remember, most replies here that don't agree with you are only the next person's opinion as well! ;-)

 

[Eelementary]

Mediocre player? Based on the game time he got, coming off the bench, onto a side that was getting smashed? :roll:

If anything, Oake is not a bench player - he isn't an explosive, impact-type of player. But that's certainly not his fault, and when your starting back row has Hindy, Smith (who has been tremendous the last 18 or so months) and Mateo, who do you drop? I'd say Mateo to the bench as an impact weapon - but then you run the risk of not getting off to an attacking start because he's benched.

Oake isn't the world's greatest player, but to judge him on one performance where EVERYONE played pretty poorly for 50 minutes is just harsh.

And I'd say Anderson has made the right calls vis-a-vis players thus far - he let go of Finch because he wasn't fitting in with our team (good call; he's perfect for Melbourne, but not for us), was happy to see Kelly go (good call)...So why question him now?

Oake deserves at least a full month before the knives come out imo.

 

[strider]

how has anthony mitchell been going? .... would we be able to start looking at getting him into first grade soon and switch MK to a lock type role?

 

[the_eel]

how has anthony mitchell been going? .... would we be able to start looking at getting him into first grade soon and switch MK to a lock type role?

Its interesting you raised that point Strides. I know its only early on in the season and I'm by no means crucifying the bloke but whats the go with MK so far?? He looks well off the pace IMO. I was hoping/and am still hoping that he could kick on quite a bit this year. Still may happen just disappointed with what i've seen so far.

 

[parra pete]

Its only my opinion & everybody is entitled to have an opinion but we cant afford to have mediocre players in the team. If we do the opposition teams will be targeting them as they will be a weakness. I know that he is a local junior but that doesn't mean that he is up to first grade standard.

Stick with your opinion mate. It doesn't matter how stupid it may be it is YOUR opinion.
The only ones to be frightened of on here are........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDc-1zfffMw

 

[hindy111]

Oake only played about 20 mins - lol
Give him 3 more games.I have seen him play a few good games.A few bad ones.But this may be his time to shine...

 

[Y2Eel]

It's round 2, and you're all on crack.

I know i usually wait till round 5!

 

[NorthShoreEel]

I dont know why people are bagging Matt Keating - the first two games, we have had zero possession (due mainly to the poor reffing, and Justin Poore's poor attitude). How is he going to be seen as effective, when the opposition forwards have had no work in defence, and the poor little bastard is trying to make darts from dummy half, but being smashed by these guys?

Wait until we have a game when we have our fair share of possession at the start, and then decide how he is playing.

 

[The Colonel]

I dont know why people are bagging Matt Keating - the first two games, we have had zero possession (due mainly to the poor reffing, and Justin Poore's poor attitude). How is he going to be seen as effective, when the opposition forwards have had no work in defence, and the poor little bastard is trying to make darts from dummy half, but being smashed by these guys?

Wait until we have a game when we have our fair share of possession at the start, and then decide how he is playing.

Reasonable point.

Until the forwards start winning the battle of the ruck we will continue to struggle early. The play the ball has been extremely slow because they are being 'turtled' more often than not.

Matt does have to drop the 1 step, 2 step, pass early on though.

The forwards need to be either playing alongside our halves as they were last year or they need to be creating the space early on to given them time to kick and get away a good pass.

 

[Suitman]

One other thing I noticed yesterday is that we seem to be playing the safety first bash and barge game that we started off last year with, and continued for around 15 rounds.
I think once the lads get there confidence up a bit, and we start to get the off loads going again, we will provide all sorts of problems. It will come with renewed confidence in handling, and yesterday in small doses, we started to show some of that. The off load game that we excelled so well at last year will come with that confidence, and will give us more space which in turn, will ease the pressure on our halves and hooker.

Suity

 

[Pazza]

give oake more time, he is just a fill in atm.

while he isnt ready, im loving the look of young o'hanlon. he has quite a bit of growing to do before he's ready for FG but the angles he runs off his 5/8 and the speed of which he hits the line is fui like. o'hanlon looks like he could strike up a good combination with Morts down that left hand side coming off the bench.

 

[forward pass]

One other thing I noticed yesterday is that we seem to be playing the safety first bash and barge game that we started off last year with, and continued for around 15 rounds.
I think once the lads get there confidence up a bit, and we start to get the off loads going again, we will provide all sorts of problems. It will come with renewed confidence in handling, and yesterday in small doses, we started to show some of that. The off load game that we excelled so well at last year will come with that confidence, and will give us more space which in turn, will ease the pressure on our halves and hooker.

Suity

yes - I would certainly like to know what in the hell has happened to our offloads?

 

[Pazza]

once we start doing the little things right such as hold onto the ball, not give away penalties, get good kicks away etc then the offloads will come. you have to earn the right to attack, we hadn't until half way threw the second half against manly. we were completing our sets and JP & Fui were getting a good roll on.

 

[The Colonel]

give oake more time, he is just a fill in atm.

while he isnt ready, im loving the look of young o'hanlon. he has quite a bit of growing to do before he's ready for FG but the angles he runs off his 5/8 and the speed of which he hits the line is fui like. o'hanlon looks like he could strike up a good combination with Morts down that left hand side coming off the bench.

I hope you mean growing out rather than up. He is 200cm tall..... :lol:

 

[PJ Marshal]

One other thing I noticed yesterday is that we seem to be playing the safety first bash and barge game that we started off last year with, and continued for around 15 rounds.
I think once the lads get there confidence up a bit, and we start to get the off loads going again, we will provide all sorts of problems. It will come with renewed confidence in handling, and yesterday in small doses, we started to show some of that. The off load game that we excelled so well at last year will come with that confidence, and will give us more space which in turn, will ease the pressure on our halves and hooker.

Suity

mate we play so much one off the ruck footy at times its ridiculous. Morts, Robson and Keating seem have phases where they dunno whats going to happen each attacking set, wether that be failure to communicate before the following play i dont know.

speaking of offloads have you noticed how late caylo has been letting his go, always to ground most times than not.

 

[Pazza]

I hope you mean growing out rather than up. He is 200cm tall..... :lol:

and a 104kg :lol: not a small kid

but O'hanlon could bulk to 108kg without effecting his mobility and speed, imo. he could do with that extra strength and size coming into FG.

 

[Bazal]

I like Oake, he tries his guts out...but IMO he's just too small to have an impact in the back row, and he doesn't have the ball skills to play as a ball playing lock/back rower. Horo is probably the better option long term, but he's not been in great form I believe. He'll probably get a run as soon as he hits form (if he does)