Our Weaknesses

[KniGhTs BaTTLeR]

If Mcmanus did take that Gidley pass, then Smith probably would have asked Jimmy why he was having a bludge out the back instead of being in the backline, it was atrocious.

 

[Karmawave]

Our biggest weaknesses come about in a few different areas, including some that rely indirectly on other underlying factors.

* Our reliance on having the "right ref" to allow for our style of ruck play in defence - or expect a caning in the penalties. Don't expect favourable results under Hayne/Archer especially.

* Lack of depth at hooker/fullback. Basically if Bedsy or Gidley miss any significant time - we are f*cked.

* A halves combination that while offers big improvement in coming weeks, is still close to the weakest in the NRL.

* Basic silly handling errors in the forwards. Naiqamas/Doogs ball retention in attack.

* James McManus in attack.

* Cooper Vuna in defence ( can't blame Doogs last weekend for his positioning )

* The tendency of relying on a kick play ( i.e. luck ) to score tries.

* Our outside backs ( especially McManus, Naiqama, Lulia ) letting Kurt Gidley do their work i.e. taking one out hit ups while working out of trouble deep on our own line. Gids is our playmaker - his job should not be one out hit ups.

* Danny Wicks defence in the middle when he starts to get tired. Good teams will target him ( like the Eels did ) if he is left on the field slightly too long by the coaching staff.

Apart from that - well we can win more than we lose if Gids and Bedsy play more than 20 games each.

While they go - the Knights go. If either goes down, it can be a long season.

 

[BG]

I agree also Patterson has to have more game time, I can't understand why Smith uses him so little

Would have to think it's niggling injuries. I recall reading that Patto had some minor off-season surgery and perhaps more pertinently was reported to have picked up a leg injury during the game against the Raiders. I'm only speculating, but we know how highly Smith rates him, and we also know that Smith will keep injury issues as confidential as possible.

 

[Karmawave]

I continue to be baffled why Patto was able to play 60+ minutes vs Manly, yet only 28 against the Eels.

 

[roopy]

I reckon Smith has had a rethink about the role of Pato during the offseason.

Last year he often played 80 minutes - but he really didn't work the house down when he was on the field. He would end up with a decent amount of tackles and hitups - but a lot of guys were getting just as good stats in 40 or 50 minutes.

He is a guy capable of turning a game when he gets stuck in, and he did that several times towards the end of games last year, but i reckon his role this year won't be to go out and bludge along for 70 minutes and turn it on for the last 10, but to go out and turn it on for 30 or 40 minutes. I think he is an impact guy in training.

 

[otori]

He is a guy capable of turning a game when he gets stuck in, and he did that several times towards the end of games last year, but i reckon his role this year won't be to go out and bludge along for 70 minutes and turn it on for the last 10, but to go out and turn it on for 30 or 40 minutes. I think he is an impact guy in training.

Which makes sense why Houston is starting but surely Patto would be able to do just as much as Ciraldo? If Simpson was playing then yeah I'd understand Houston Simmo and Taia in the back row but with him out why is Ciraldo getting a start over Patto

 

[League_God]

just randomly

8.royal
9.bedsy
10.cross

11.houston
12.corey
13.simmo

14.wicks
15.fa-aso
16.Sarge

that is a bloody good forward pack...particularly the back row..having said that i just looked at the roation of props that isnt bad either, and it will only get better.
f**k im officially Brian Smith's Number 1 Fan.

 

[Frederick]

Very heavy bench. I'd swap Royal out for Tolar, as Tolar can cover second row/lock if need be.

 

[League_God]

yeah true.
smith generally loves a heavy bench.
but you know id probably like to see

14.hilder
15.Wicks
16.Faaso
17.Taia/Bailey

..esp with new interchange rule.

 

[Coastbloke]

Our weakness is our inability to take a loss..

We think because we have taken a loss on Friday our campaign has fallen off the rails...

Last week we beat one of last years Grand Final teams by 1 point and this week we lost by 1 point to a team that quite a few think will be in this year's Grand Final..

Hello...?? Even the Storm have lost this year...

Don't sweat....It's all good...The boys are doing well....!!

 

[Coastbloke]

Does anybody prefer Corey at Lock and Simmo back in the 2nd Row..??

 

[BG]

Does anybody prefer Corey at Lock and Simmo back in the 2nd Row..??

There were two lengthy press articles in the off-season about the plan to play Simmo at lock. Smith sounded excited about it. Simmo himself sounded even more enthusiastic. That's enough for me to be keen as anything to see how it goes. They must be really disappointed to have not had a chance to put what sounded like a big part of the new offensive strategy into practice yet. I guess it's wait and see, but Houston on one fringe, Patto on the other, and Simmo popping up either side of the ruck as he chooses--it sure sounds imposing.

 

[Hanscholo]

Does anybody prefer Corey at Lock and Simmo back in the 2nd Row..??

No m8 i dont. Corey belongs on the left in the 2nd row at this point, later in his career it will be front row popping balls for runners, thats some time away though.

Patto doesnt work enough to play lock, its a defensive position with a high work rate imo and Patto struggles in that capacity. He will get caught out moving laterally too much. Simpson is much better hitting settlers from inside balls from our play makers close in to mid field, which is much better for a lock to do. Patterson is a hell of a handfull in the backline, i like the way smith has him working, id like to see a few more mins for him just so he develops faster but as i have said before i havent coached 600+ first grade games so ill bow to Smith's judgment with this kid for now.

 

[Hanscholo]

If i was to make a game plan to attack Newcastle i would probably do the follwing based on what i have seen thus far.

Id run hard runnimg ball players at Durean and Mullen with inside support. I would note when Royal, Tolar or Patterson were at marker and try and gain a penalty from it. I would bomb between Gidley and McManus with chasers. I would try and isolate Wicks with someone that had some good lateral speed. I would play long kicks and try to force errors. I would look to throw a long ball to a winger on Vuna's side out of the blue.

As far as i can see they are our glaring issues at this point. I wouldnt bother attacking our centres overly, we have a lot of strength and composure there.

To me we look like a really tough team to break down unless you can leverage the issues i have mentioned above or you totally roll us at the play the ball, then i think we will fold pretty poorly either thru penalties or clean breaks.

The key for us is that play the ball area, we have some lazy players at marker and it just hasnt clicked for us there yet for 80 mins. Its important because later in the year its that area that teams either go on to win a premiership with or they end up being also rans. I believe at this point the side has the right approach at marker, its just a few small issues letting us down.

All in all our problems are fairly small, i dont see any one on one defensive problems like we had last year, Taia and Co are dominating the oppositions ability to offload for the most part, its only the occasional play at either Mullo or Dureau being isolated that is hurting us. I think by using Taia a little more actively we can really help out Dureau, Mullo is good enough to start to handle it himself i think.

All good signs so far imo.

 

[Pika]

Patto does not have the work rate to play lock.

Simmo has both the running game and the defence.