I still think we are way to slow at the play the ball. We don't get up nearly quick enough and the better teams dominate us from there. A couple of weeks ago we had the slowest play the ball average in the NRL and I don't think we have addressed this yet. This is a very bad statistic to have hanging over your side. If you are playing a team that knows how to slow down the ruck judiciously and has a bee in its bonnet in defense, then you will get hammered, which for example is exactly what the Dragons did to us earlier this year.
In the finals, if anyone thinks that the ruck will not play a major part in the outcome of the games, is away with the fairies. The refs will try to make it a decent spectacle as to not offend the fans and journos, so will allow teams more leniency. We on the other hand suck when the ref allows teams more time. For our coaching staff to not have sorted this out by this stage of the season, (hell after how many seasons?) is another massive indication that BA needs a cleanout of his assistant coaches, but as loyal as he is to a fault, he will have the same freakin crew onboard unless changes are forced upon him.
Please MON, make it happen sooner rather then later. My sanity depends on it.