Parra have the weakest defensive backline in the comp!!!!

[Bazal]

Errrr...what does last year matter when we are discussing our defence next year? If your best claim to fame for 2004 is beating us twice, I suggest that you need to raise your standards a little mate. We finished where we deserved to finish, we were easybeats. Bit like your mob when a finals berth was on the line

 

[Stagger eel]

...and we're still 6 weeks away from our first trial match FFS!!..can we atleast prove to our selves that we may or may not have problem in that area?

 

[simon says]

Look guys....you has issues in yer defense last year in the backline.Most of the offenders are still there.Burt,Peterson.....and Tahu have to be a worry for you guys.

If you have Burt and Peterson together...you have to admit that could spell real trouble.And Tahu,well my jury is out on him,but he is very prone to injury.....

PS.....I think you have a gun pack........but the backs leave me a bit cold.

Cheers.

 

[Bazal]

Tahu will go ok without Gidley outside him. Petersens only problem is the fact that he comes in too often, but hopefully that will be at least partly rectified by the time the season starts. Burt, well as I said he started out as a centre with huge wraps on him, and while he hasn't lived up to those wraps quite yet he showed us glimpses last year, both at fullback and centre, especially against the Roosters and Newcastle. Last year, we had issues in defence everywhere except where Hindy and Mckinnon were defending, and that put more pressure on the backs. They won't have to do as much defence next year due to our pack (hopefully) being much improved. I personally don't see our defence out wide being a major problem for us next year, knowing how each player is capable of playing.

 

[simon says]

So you dont see Burt's defense as a problem...issat what you are saying???

:shock: :shock:

 

[Bazal]

Not particularly, no. Unlike alot of other Eels fans I know, I don't forget how good a player is when they have a bad year. Burt had very few defensive problems before season 04, but his move to the centres, a position he hasn't played since juniors, meant he had to adapt to a different defensive style than fullback or wing. You'll notice his defense at fullback this season was good, but he was caught out in the centres a fair bit. And he was caught out less and less towards the end of the season. Besides, if his defense does turn out to be an ongoing problem, whack him back to fullback and put Wade in the centres! I'm sure he'd do great, he's just that kind of player, and we'd still get to use Burt's attack, which is pretty potent. It'd be worth a try, anyway, because I'm one of the people who sees something in Burt that alot of others don't. Give him time, and I'm sure we'll see his best.

 

[parra_princess]

Ya got nothing.
The 2004 Season has long gone and because we were beaten by you that is enough for your point to be validated? :roll: You didn't even make the finals! :lol: Granted neither did we, but at least we don't pretend like we're great ;-)

Shouldn't we wait and see how things go in 2005 before you start telling us how crap our backline is without them even having played a game. :arrow:

 

[eelsta]

it was a tigers fan who started this topic, so you dont just expect us to sit back and agree do you, comical you say well lets just wait and see shall we :mrgreen:

 

[eelsta]

So you dont see Burt's defense as a problem...issat what you are saying???

:shock: :shock:

why do you care !!!!!!! unless its to do a bit of shit stirring

 

[Jake the snake]

I see Burts defense as a major problem, Simon says raises some good points. The only player in our backline that has not got a question mark over him is Mckinnon.

1. Mckinnon- excellent
2. Peterson defensive probs
3. Burt defensive probs
4.Tahu- I'll make my judgemeny when I see him play in the 3/4
5. Good player but Injury prone
6. moriss might handle it but speed will be a problem for him
7. PJ is not a half and Tim Smith, blake Green are untested.

That looks like a very flimsy backline that would just be runover by the opposition. Burt should not be in the side he is too inconsistant and has major Brain Explosions. I would put a young guy in there such as Inu or delaney or even Ben Smith Peterson has improved alot but i would not mind seeing John Williams get a go.

 

[eloquentEEL]

Last 5 matches avg:

Luke Burt
Tackles 8.8
Offloads 0.2
Kicks 1.2
Try Assists 0.0
Line Breaks 0.8
Hitups 9.4
Metres 100.4
DH Runs 3.6
Errors 1.0
Mistackles 2.4

Timana Tahu (I believe most of these last 5 matches were played at centre)
Tackles 11.0
Offloads 0.2
Kicks 0.2
Try Assists 0.0
Line Breaks 0.8
Hitups 12.6
Metres 122.4
DH Runs 3.6
Errors 1.2
Mistackles 1.4

Willie Tonga
Tackles 9.0
Offloads 0.4
Kicks 0.0
Try Assists 0.4
Line Breaks 0.6
Hitups 14.8
Metres 128.4
DH Runs 2.6
Errors 1.4
Mistackles 2.6

Some of the Tiger's options for centre next year:
Halatau - 2.4 mistackles
Elford - 2.0 mistackles
Fitzhenry - 2.6 mistackles
Marshall - 3.0 mistackles
Wilson - 1.8 mistackles
Whatuira - 1.6 mistackles

 

[simon says]

Cheers Jake......good to see someone can play the ball and not the man.Why am I talking about the Eels??Well I love footy and I love yapping about everyones side.I dont see that my knowledge is only about the Tigers,I watched every game last year on Fox,and that includes all Parra's games.

I took special interest in Burt as I had him in a few of my online footy sides.I was very keen on him but wow that has changed.I dont know how many times Parra would be in the oppositions 20 and he would just stand there and watch....not even close to getting involved when you want him to get his hands on the ball.And his defense,well it is woeful.He is a GRABBER of the highest order, and believe me,you dont want one of them in the centres,they will get targeted big time.The Tigers know all about that having guys like Buddha and Lee Murphy play in that position.

You may have an awesome pack....close to the best in the comp if they fire,but if yer 6/7 plan doesnt work and yer backs cant tackle you could be in for a long year.

Smithy seems hell bent on making the perfect forward pack...he went beef last year,that didnt work,now he has skilled it up a bit.....but yer backs are stagnating IMHO.

Cheers.

 

[Jake the snake]

We have an excellent forward pack next year with alot of depth but there are big question marks on the backline. We need some of the younger players to come through for us.

 

[Eelementary]

Ahh we flogged you both games this year,finished higher than you in the comp.And you have the hide to make out like you are a great defensive unit.Please some sanity here.

Just for the record.....Points against for 2004...Tigers 534....Parra 626.

Wests Tigers v Parra 2004......33-6,18-2.

I think we are pretty good judges of your defense......9 tries to one last year fellers.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

PS.....Luke Burt is one of the lowest players I have ever seen in first grade,if he is in the centres with Tahu and Peterson,you guys will be in trouble,no matter how good your forwards are......Imagine th traffic headed towrds the wing with Burt/Peterson there.....its comical.

Cheers.

So....you beat us twice in one year for the first time in ages and you think you're a better judge of our team than the people who love the team the most?

You beat a team which ahd inner turmoil for most of the season and had issues and you think you know better?

Look - Burt and Petersen are not brilliant players. By any means. But the fact of the matter is, they are guns when they are fit and in form.

And with a strong forward pack, a solid dummy half rotation and good ol' Johnny at 5/8, there is no reason why they can't find their best form.

 

[Eelementary]

A house-keeping matter.

Brian's idea of bigger and meaner was hardly a failure.

If you notice our season, even in Round 1, the only forward who consistently made ground and looked dangerous was Cannings.

Tsoulos constantly put on big hits and made good metres before his untimely injury.

Stapleton was probably our best signing of the year alongside McKinnon.

The 'bigger is better' philosophy was hardly proved to be an incorrect tactic. Just because our 'big and ugly' forwards got injured doesn't mean that the experiment was a failure.

I think a combination with Cayless/Robinson/Vella together with Cannings/Tsoulos/Stringer is the perfect way to go - a skilful prop with a larger, more aggressive prop.

 

[Sterling]

Cheers Jake......good to see someone can play the ball and not the man.Why am I talking about the Eels??Well I love footy and I love yapping about everyones side.I dont see that my knowledge is only about the Tigers,I watched every game last year on Fox,and that includes all Parra's games.

I took special interest in Burt as I had him in a few of my online footy sides.I was very keen on him but wow that has changed.I dont know how many times Parra would be in the oppositions 20 and he would just stand there and watch....not even close to getting involved when you want him to get his hands on the ball.And his defense,well it is woeful.He is a GRABBER of the highest order, and believe me,you dont want one of them in the centres,they will get targeted big time.The Tigers know all about that having guys like Buddha and Lee Murphy play in that position.

You may have an awesome pack....close to the best in the comp if they fire,but if yer 6/7 plan doesnt work and yer backs cant tackle you could be in for a long year.

Smithy seems hell bent on making the perfect forward pack...he went beef last year,that didnt work,now he has skilled it up a bit.....but yer backs are stagnating IMHO.

Cheers.

how bout you look in your own backyard .. Benji Marshall, Hodgson? worst defenders in the league ..... this in combination with a pack of no hopers in the forwards = loooooong season ... simon says put money on them for the spoon .....are you going to listen to yourself simon says?

 

[Jake the snake]

I actually thought that go forward last year wasn't too bad, we made yards but it was the quality of players in our whole team that let us down they were just crap house. Brian Smith to his credit has got rid of some of them but there are few still left who we are wasting our money Burt, vella and wagon come to mind.

Simon says is spot on Our forward pack next year is excellent but we have a fair few holes in our backline which could haunt us unless some young guys step up.

 

[fish eel]

The go forward was OK.

I think Cannings was probably a big part of smiths plans last year, and his broken arm really hurt our go foward, especially when Nathan Cayless went down as well.

It should be better next year, better quality depth which will mean we can rotate and keep good go forward for a whole 80 minutes!!!

 

[eloquentEEL]

continuing the stats from my previous post:

Panthers centre options for 2005:
Lewis - 3.2 mistackles
Franze - 3.0 mistackles
Galea - 2.8 mistackles

Warriors:
Toopi - 3.8 mistackles
V Anderson - 2.6 mistackles
Mellars - 2.3 mistackles
Martin - 2.4 mistackles
Koopu - 3.4 mistackles

And a few more Eels:
Peterson - 0.6 mistackles
Smith - 0.7 mistackles
Anderson - 0.7 mistackles
Wagon - 1.0 mistackles
O'Dwyer - 1.6 mistackles
Graham - 0.6 mistackles
Grothe - 2.0 mistackles
McKinnon - 2.2 mistackles

 

[simon says]

Well if the stats say Petreson and Burt are good defenders,it must be true....

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: