Ravawala

[Wittenberg]

Hunt's look FMD he is speed hump and has nothing to look at other people for. Hunt is a big part of the RHS problem and he also loves to run up out of the line.
Lomax made a mistake so big deal others make them ad-nausium.
The big difference is Lomax will learn from them where the others have ignored them, failed to improve and get picked anyway.

I don't think Hunt is particularly poor in defence but he gets isolated too much. Dufty is improving slowly in his positional play but he always will have a big target on his forehead when teams are near our line. Aitken is pure and simply hopeless in defence and lacks positional smarts. Lomax makes the odd mistake but he is young enough to learn but Aitken has had plenty of time to work on his weaknesses. He hasn't and doesn't appear to have the ability to do so. The loyalty shown to him by Mary and one or two people on here is quaint but he simply is a liability. Rava has scored a try for us in a number of games but he has set up tries for our opponents in every game. We add Field to this mix and we have one of the most defensively exposed backlines in the comp. Lafai holds his own but there are too many holes to attack for other sides. Our hope in any game lies with us controlling the ball and minimising mistakes. We have not been great at that of late. We can score slashing tries against any opposition that are breathe taking but our defence is paper thin at times.

 

[Crush]

Wow crush ! and you used to be so positive ! .I think you will find that the truth in what you say is somewhere in the middle.

Sorry mate, Ive just had enough.
We lost to a bottom 4 team this week. Parra last week who are rubbish.
Even with JDB, Widdop, K. Sims, Norman we don't win the comp with these backs. They are literally the weakest in the competition.
Sorry again for the negativity, I will leave it at that for a while.
Cheers.

 

[West coast dragon]

One on one coaching!! And who the f**k is going to give him that!
No offense, i’m just wondering who on the coaching staff is qualified.

bit more personalized coaching back in the Reggie’s is what I meant

 

[blacksafake]

bit more personalized coaching back in the Reggie’s is what I meant

Maybe the Reggie’s coach can also coach our head coach

 

[possm]

I warned that the lack of experienced wingers would bite us collectively on the arse...many laughed at me.

I imagine they’re not doing it now.

But Millward is doing a great job!

 

[getsmarty]

There's a lot more to rugby league that casual observers like yourself will always miss.

Pointless explaining.

Lomax is a dud btw.

So again you can't explain the obvious...pretty much speaks for itself. Be in denial all you want...guys like fittler/Johns/Sterling know a lot more about footy than you or me and they rate Lomax highly...


NRL: Dragons legend Matt Cooper believes youngster Zac Lomax is a potential NSW Blues bolter.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/video/league/nrl/cooper-endorses-lomax!729946


Cue Gitano..saying he knows more than Coyne/Cooper/fittler/Johns/sterling etc

 

[West coast dragon]

Maybe the Reggie’s coach can also coach our head coach

He’s a coach not a miracle worker!!

 

[GC Dragon]

The fact is we have 4 genuine Reserve grade wingers , The worst in the NRL to choose from . Last year BMoz , Ferguson and Oates were on the market and we ended up with what we have .

When we let BMoz go he was still as good as any in the world and to this day have never come close to replacing him . A clever club like the Roosters lose Ferguson and replace him with BMoz . We lose McDonald and replace him with the likes of Ravalawa , Maranta , Pearson .

Oates is again on the market talking to clubs . Pay him what he wants and get rid of the plodders and useless centres like Aitken to cover the costs .

 

[getsmarty]

The fact is we have 4 genuine Reserve grade wingers , The worst in the NRL to choose from . Last year BMoz , Ferguson and Oates were on the market and we ended up with what we have .

When we let BMoz go he was still as good as any in the world and to this day have never come close to replacing him . A clever club like the Roosters lose Ferguson and replace him with BMoz . We lose McDonald and replace him with the likes of Ravalawa , Maranta , Pearson .

Oates is again on the market talking to clubs . Pay him what he wants and get rid of the plodders and useless centres like Aitken to cover the costs .

Don't forget the Roosters not only got B Moz, they also got the English winger who is currently out injured...somehow their cap just seems to stretch further ...

P.S we also allowed Herbert and Garrick to leave without giving them a shot at 1st grade...we know who is to blame for that.

 

[nontime111]

our thing is picking very marginal player expecting them to win us games with their rocks and diamonds approach, like Ravi and Aitken

all top teams pick a team, by understanding who overall are the best, most consistent players....then they STICK with that team for them to gel...its a tragedy our supercoach just doesnt get this!

overall our team all year ( when Normies back) should be this and they should be LEFT to play each week to form one unit

Dufty
Pearson
Lomax
Lafai
Periera
Norman ( Field until then)
Hunt

Luc
Frizz
Tariq
Jamma
Mcinnes
Vaughn

bench:

Lawrie
Timms
Kerr
Robson ( Field when Normie returns)

Aitken and Latts whould NEVER play for us again!

 

[Frank Facer]

our thing is picking very marginal player expecting them to win us games with their rocks and diamonds approach, like Ravi and Aitken

all top teams pick a team, by understanding who overall are the best, most consistent players....then they STICK with that team for them to gel...its a tragedy our supercoach just doesnt get this!

overall our team all year ( when Normies back) should be this and they should be LEFT to play each week to form one unit

Dufty
Pearson
Lomax
Lafai
Periera
Norman ( Field until then)
Hunt

Luc
Frizz
Tariq
Jamma
Mcinnes
Vaughn

bench:

Lawrie
Timms
Kerr
Robson ( Field when Normie returns)

Aitken and Latts whould NEVER play for us again!

I haven't seen Pearson play, but with the current players available, I would be picking exactly the same team as you just selected. I would play. Norman halfback though.

After seeing Field play in the trials and Saturday night, I am starting to think that we could even move Hunt to hooker, with Norman and Field in the halves. If we could keep Robson,I would even be considering releasing McInnes. There is a good chance that Hunt will be selected at hooker for Qld this year. If he is good enough to play hooker for Qld, then he should be good enough to play hooker at club level too.

I also agree with your last statement that Aitken and Latimore should never play for us again.

Great minds think alike. lol

 

[LINESPEED]

our thing is picking very marginal player expecting them to win us games with their rocks and diamonds approach, like Ravi and Aitken

all top teams pick a team, by understanding who overall are the best, most consistent players....then they STICK with that team for them to gel...its a tragedy our supercoach just doesnt get this!

overall our team all year ( when Normies back) should be this and they should be LEFT to play each week to form one unit

Dufty
Pearson
Lomax
Lafai
Periera
Norman ( Field until then)
Hunt

Luc
Frizz
Tariq
Jamma
Mcinnes
Vaughn

bench:

Lawrie
Timms
Kerr
Robson ( Field when Normie returns)

Aitken and Latts whould NEVER play for us again!

Mate you’re dead right

That’s so obviously the best team we could have on the paddock ATM!

Just run with that team for a month & we’d get back on track IMO
It’s the right mix & balance available

Timm, Kerr, Field & Pearson will end the choke because they have their chance & are prepared to bleed


But Waterboy will trot out Plod & Turnstile yet again, along with the mindless disruption of a 1:7 interchange ratio FMD & WTF


And are you listening Waterboy:

LATIMORE SHOULD NEVER PLAY FOR US AGAIN

 

[Carlton]

Mate you’re dead right

That’s so obviously the best team we could have on the paddock ATM!

Just run with that team for a month & we’d get back on track IMO
It’s the right mix & balance available

Timm, Kerr, Field & Pearson will end the choke because they have their chance & are prepared to bleed


But Waterboy will trot out Plod & Turnstile yet again, along with the mindless disruption of a 1:7 interchange ratio FMD & WTF


And are you listening Waterboy:

LATIMORE SHOULD NEVER PLAY FOR US AGAIN

Honestly, do you really think Latimore lost us that game?

He played 15 minutes and the tries scored against us were out wide.

As I have said, I think its time he was upgraded for a more dynamic forward but he is nowhere near our biggest problem.

 

[st.phil]

Really don't get the Rava hate, classic hill commentary of blame it on the winger. He and Jordan were two of our better performers

 

[Carlton]

Really don't get the Rava hate, classic hill commentary of blame it on the winger. He and Jordan were two of our better performers

He has put together a couple of really good plays, he has a big body and can bring the ball back. He also has surprisingly good vision in attack probably from playing sevens. I dont think he is there yet but he shows some good signs however, if he cant keep showing continual improvement a call needs to be made. I think he is worth a go so long as we dont keep the experiment going too long if its obvious he isn't up to it.

 

[possm]

The fact is we have 4 genuine Reserve grade wingers , The worst in the NRL to choose from . Last year BMoz , Ferguson and Oates were on the market and we ended up with what we have .

When we let BMoz go he was still as good as any in the world and to this day have never come close to replacing him . A clever club like the Roosters lose Ferguson and replace him with BMoz . We lose McDonald and replace him with the likes of Ravalawa , Maranta , Pearson .

Oates is again on the market talking to clubs . Pay him what he wants and get rid of the plodders and useless centres like Aitken to cover the costs .

I agree with your post. Everyone says that Millward is doing a great job but it appears to me that there is a salary cap imbalance in our squad. Expenditure on our halves seem to be the main problem however, if these salaries were made public, I think you would find that the forwards are being paid very well.

I have no problems with the fact that players are being paid well, I just have a problem with having approx. 2.8m a season being spent on halves and having an inexperienced back 3 that will struggle to hold their own when playing at their best.

It is clear to me that we signed Norman because Widdop gave notice he was leaving, otherwise why sign Norman when we had Field as backup. This was a very big mistake by Millward mainly because of the cap limitations placed on our Club meant replacing the likes of Dugan, Macdonald and Nightingale was not there. When Mary showed B Morris the door, the reason use was that the cap was out of balance and so we needed to address this problem. Same goes when Mary got rid of Merin.

However, at the end of last season, Millward made the decision to provide a rookie back 3 in favour of an excess of cap sent in the halves and a like for like spend in the forwards - K Sims for Ah Mau.

So the crises we are experiencing right now is of our own making and I believe there is more to come if McInnes is injured or selected for rep duties.

It's a mess.

 

[Slippery Morris]

I have no problems with the fact that players are being paid well, I just have a problem with having approx. 2.8m a season being spent on halves and having an inexperienced back 3 that will struggle to hold their own when playing at their best.

You know Saints are paying peanuts for Norman this season? I am pretty sure it is only 200k and Parra are paying the rest? Saints will then be paying 800k from NEXT season when Widdop is gone basically paying Widdop's money. Are you saying Hunt and Widdop are on 1.3 mill each? Or is your 2.8mil based on Widddop and Hunt on 1mill each and Norman on 800k? I am curious how you came up with this figure for the halves?

JDB is on 550k this year as per the court hearing details that came out which I think is a bargain. I thought he would be on heaps more. So I don't think the other forwards are on as big dollars as you think. I think Vaughney and Frizell may be the 2 high earners on 700k the rest would be below that. I think I read somewhere last year that Tariq re-signed for 600k a season for 3 years. I think that is a bargain as well.

As for the backs, they would all be on less than 350k.

 

[possm]

You know Saints are paying peanuts for Norman this season? I am pretty sure it is only 200k and Parra are paying the rest? Saints will then be paying 800k from NEXT season when Widdop is gone basically paying Widdop's money. Are you saying Hunt and Widdop are on 1.3 mill each? Or is your 2.8mil based on Widddop and Hunt on 1mill each and Norman on 800k? I am curious how you came up with this figure for the halves?

JDB is on 550k this year as per the court hearing details that came out which I think is a bargain. I thought he would be on heaps more. So I don't think the other forwards are on as big dollars as you think. I think Vaughney and Frizell may be the 2 high earners on 700k the rest would be below that. I think I read somewhere last year that Tariq re-signed for 600k a season for 3 years. I think that is a bargain as well.

As for the backs, they would all be on less than 350k.

It is not Norman's salary I am worried about, it is Widdop's salary. I hold the opinion he should have been granted the release on the condition that he leaves before the commencement of the 2019 season. I can guarantee that if these funds were coming out of Millwards pay packet, he would have let Widdop go.

So with the salary of Dugan, Widdop, Macdonald, Nightingale, we could have signed at least two good winger fullbacks and retained Garrick and Herbert. With Saab and Lomax ready to embark on the first grade career, we would then have enough quality backs to rely on.

In the forwards we needed to retain Robson and rotate Kerr and Timm through the bench. Young Ford is another young backrower who could be rotated through the bench to take the load off injured T Sims, Frizell and Lawrie.

 

[LINESPEED]

It is not Norman's salary I am worried about, it is Widdop's salary. I hold the opinion he should have been granted the release on the condition that he leaves before the commencement of the 2019 season. I can guarantee that if these funds were coming out of Millwards pay packet, he would have let Widdop go.

So with the salary of Dugan, Widdop, Macdonald, Nightingale, we could have signed at least two good winger fullbacks and retained Garrick and Herbert. With Saab and Lomax ready to embark on the first grade career, we would then have enough quality backs to rely on.

In the forwards we needed to retain Robson and rotate Kerr and Timm through the bench. Young Ford is another young backrower who could be rotated through the bench to take the load of injured T Sims, Frizell and Lawrie.

Exactly Possm

I don’t understand why the above isn’t bleeding obvious to everyone FFS
Your logic to me is unassailable

But then I remind myself of the 50% out there who see the world through conservative eyes

And unfortunately they’re entrenched in the management camp

So we wait
........crickets

PS
The early announcements of pending departures of top line players or coaches can be death to a team

Look at Bennett 2011!

 

[Slippery Morris]

If they let go of Widdop's salary for 2019, they would have spent it on Norman. They got lucky that Parra wanted him gone and gave him away so cheaply.

Host and Lawrie are doing well, not sure about Leilua. They should give Kerr and Timm a chance over Latimore. Lats offers nothing. Hey I would even throw in Mitch Allgood. Can't get worse than Lats. Saints forwards lay a good platform at the start only to turn to poo when the reserves come on so pretty obvious the bench is not doing it's job. They actually have to play when they come on the field not just make the numbers because that is what it looks like they are doing. None of them are going out there to make a solid contribution.

Garrick and Herbert are good but Lomax is better. Plus I think Pearson is also better than Garrick/Herbert but the coach obviously has this McCrone crush for Rava.