I believe Ivan is referring to intensity and more importantly attacking focus.
They’ve gone away from turning ball runners under and sending heaps of traffic up the centre corridor. They have gone back to more of the style we won the comp with last year.
Depends... the other week against Canterbury fish and leota had like 100m in the first 25mins...
Another masterstroke by ivan... he knew ciraldo or predicated ciraldo would come hard for our outside backs so just changed up the game plan... we went back through the middle heaps that game with under balls to a charging leota or fish
But he has talked about things that theyve kept in the bag... the critta try in the pf... the soro try in lasts years gf was a worked play where they went at gutho as they had identified he gets stuck at marker... nath shaped to pass out and kicked on the left to decieve Parras inside men from covering... crittas intercept in the gf was something they worked on all week...
All these and others he has talked about...
These are just a few examples of big big plays that they have watched throughout the year how the other teams play... reviewed hours and hours of video to find a weak point and plot against that...
He saved plenty of master strokes for the right time over the last few years.. there is no point pulling a big play when its not needed..
For example if nath had tried the soro try off the left foot earlier in the year or 3 or 4 weeks before last years finals teams wouldve atleast been aware of it and prepared...
He saved it for the big dance and iced it.. thats what makes him such a big game player but its also a huge credit to ivan and his coaches who no doubt put in 100s of hours of video reviews of not only penrith but all clubs...
Nsw cup has become a shitload more professional over the last 5 or 6 years... the increase in minimum wages has helped guys try do it as a full time gig and get to training and not be stuffed from being on the tools all day etc...
Certainly wasnt like that even 10 or so years ago... blokes rocking up after a big day of work...
I still remember a speech i saw ciraldo make at an awards night about leota in flegg when he won an award at the end of year... talked about how he always used to be the hardest trainer even though hed get to training after being up from 5.30am working 9hrs on the tools...
That used to be like that in cup but correct me if im wrong but i believe that is definitely changing to an extent.. Way more proffesional now where players even outside the top 30 get decent pay and can devote tome to training...
I doubt flegg and cup do hours on hours of video reviews every week of opposition teams tho? Maybe reviews of their own games to see where improvements are needed..
But nrl is a different beast and theres no doubt over the last few years the coaching staff have nailed a few big moments in big games with plays that have been saved for the right moment and not wasted practicing in an easy win...
I mean... im kinda just saying whats happened in the past and saying i think we are leaving a few tricks up our sleeve for the finals this year again... its literally just whats happened before.
Im not saying we are radically going to change our style or game plan at all...
I just think come the finals we might see a few different scrum plays we havent seen before... we might see a set play or two that is new.. and that is exciting...