Rd19: 530pm EELS v Warriors GAME DAY THREAD @ Commbank Stadium 8/7/23

[JokerEel]

I think so too however given our poor start we will struggle to finish top 4 and history suggest you need to be top 4 to win.
Would have been nice to be a bit more competitive bit oh well on to next week

simos form is impressive and Lane will be better for the run

To be honest I don't think a top 4 team wins the competition this year.

 

[Chipmunk]

I can’t see us doing it but to be fair we’ve never had our best 17 on the field in any game so far this year. Maybe we just need some luck.

It has been one of those seasons since Matterson decided to keep his money in his pocket instead of doing what he's paid to do.

 

[Chipmunk]

To be honest I don't think a top 4 team wins the competition this year.

What makes you say that?

 

[JokerEel]

What makes you say that?

This is my prediction for the 4.

Doubt Panfers can win 3
Broncos Not this year
Sharks ,
Warriors

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That’s a lazy stat and takes no account for possession when on the field. That’s going to play a massive part in tackles per minute.

I agree it doesn't account for possession during those minutes which is why bigger samples are better. Over the long term it will come out in the wash. I am confident that in any given game that Ofahengaue's tackles per minute will eclipse Paulo's. Good luck finding one where it doesn't. Paulo's tackles per minute are low every single week, and I've been looking for years. Ofahengaue is a noted worker, so I am unsurprised at his high work rate this week, but I have only recently started watching his defensive involvement numbers. I assume it will remain much better than Paulo's every week into the future. I'll let you know if it doesn't.

But it does raise a good point about the circumstances of Hands' involvement this year compared to Hodgson's. Here's their most granular non-possession stats vs their most granular possession stats:

Merkin	Tackles	Touches	Tackles per touch
Hodgson	350	927	0.38
Hands	317	1017	0.31

This discrepancy paints a clear picture of how much ball we've had while the two were on the field. Until today Hands has enjoyed playing while we've had more ball than when Hodgson was on the field, and as we know, every spine player looks better when his team has the ball than when they don't. Hodgson has made 23% more tackles per touch of the ball than Hands.

 

[Eelogical]

It has been one of those seasons since Matterson decided to keep his money in his pocket instead of doing what he's paid to do.

For varying reasons we have never had our best 17 on the field this season. It’s quite extraordinary.

 

[the phantom menace]

I agree it doesn't account for possession during those minutes which is why bigger samples are better. Over the long term it will come out in the wash. I am confident that in any given game that Ofahengaue's tackles per minute will eclipse Paulo's. Good luck finding one where it doesn't. Paulo's tackles per minute are low every single week, and I've been looking for years. Ofahengaue is a noted worker, so I am unsurprised at his high work rate this week, but I have only recently started watching his defensive involvement numbers. I assume it will remain much better than Paulo's every week into the future. I'll let you know if it doesn't.

But it does raise a good point about the circumstances of Hands' involvement this year compared to Hodgson's. Here's their most granular non-possession stats vs their most granular possession stats:

Merkin	Tackles	Touches	Tackles per touch
Hodgson	350	927	0.38
Hands	317	1017	0.31

This discrepancy paints a clear picture of how much ball we've had while the two were on the field. Until today Hands has enjoyed playing while we've had more ball than when Hodgson was on the field, and as we know, every spine player looks better when his team has the ball than when they don't. Hodgson has made 23% more tackles per touch of the ball than Hands.

Thanks Rammy.

What's the TL|DR version - and have you owned up to Reed being a worse defender this year yet?

 

[Chipmunk]

This is my prediction for the 4.

Doubt Panfers can win 3
Broncos Not this year
Sharks ,
Warriors

It's fairly close between 2nd and 9th (although Panthers the 2nd most wins are very strong). If the Dogs get over Souths here the team who is technically 4th is only one win ahead of 9th with 1/3rd of the comp to be played. Who knows who will end up running in the top 4.

 

[Tiger5150]

Hard to win when you have half your salary cap on origin duty or suspended.

Tough night guys, but I was told here in this forum last week that having your entire first choice spine out is no excuse.......? Has that changed?

Rd18 2023: Non Parra games - Beanie for Brain Cancer Round

I actually disagree to a large extent. What Sheens is very good at, he is still very good at, and that is developing young players. I dont mean what most mean about developing young players which is simply finding them young, and pushing them through the lower grades. Sheens is good at actually...

forums.leagueunlimited.com

 

[Chipmunk]

For varying reasons we have never had our best 17 on the field this season. It’s quite extraordinary.

Maybe we'll start to get a bit of luck for the remainder of the season.

I just think it's one of those years though.

 

[Tiger5150]

We did have some middles out but yeah not sure why we signed him on a multi year deal. He’s a solid journeyman player who played Origin in a average QLD team.

I w as told he is a great middle and its just the way the Tigers were using him?

 

[Tiger5150]

Warriors would’ve done this to pretty much every team missing their whole spine. It’s just unfortunate it’s us.

DaveMc told me last week that it is not an excuse?

 

[Suitman]

Thanks Rammy.

What's the TL|DR version - and have you owned up to Reed being a worse defender this year yet?

And you continue to suggest others to not reply to you so as to end conversations. Yet you reply with stuff like the above.
You are seriously News Limited click bait personified.

 

[T-Boon]

It reflects defensive effort to get numbers into the tackle and (legally) slow the ruck. As an example, here's Paulo vs Ofahengaue right now (about the 72nd minute). One has chased the collision better than the other:

Merkin	Tackles	Minutes	Tackles per minute
Ofahengaue	26	36	0.72
Paulo	16	45	0.36

The fewer tackles per minute by a middle defender, the more space he is leaving for attackers to isolate other defenders, and make line breaks or get quick play-the-balls.

you are a good anal-ist.

 

[JokerEel]

It's fairly close between 2nd and 9th (although Panthers the 2nd most wins are very strong). If the Dogs get over Souths here the team who is technically 4th is only one win ahead of 9th with 1/3rd of the comp to be played. Who knows who will end up running in the top 4.

Very true I think us and the cowboys will win it

 

[Eelementary]

Penisini tonight justifying why he hadn't been in Freddy's conversations.

Because Bradman Best has been playing so much better than Will...

Will had a poor game - he's still in much better form than Best, and much more deserving of a go.

 

[hineyrulz]

Tough night guys, but I was told here in this forum last week that having your entire first choice spine out is no excuse.......? Has that changed?

Rd18 2023: Non Parra games - Beanie for Brain Cancer Round

I actually disagree to a large extent. What Sheens is very good at, he is still very good at, and that is developing young players. I dont mean what most mean about developing young players which is simply finding them young, and pushing them through the lower grades. Sheens is good at actually...

forums.leagueunlimited.com

You enjoyed posting that didn't you merkin??? Well it was well played unlike Parra tonight.

 

[hineyrulz]

I w as told he is a great middle and its just the way the Tigers were using him?

He is what he is, an average first grade middle. It doesn't matter how he's used.

 

[the phantom menace]

And you continue to suggest others to not reply to you so as to end conversations.

No, I don't continue... I did it once this week (and it was as a joke).

Yet you reply with stuff like the above.
You are seriously News Limited click bait personified.

If you don't like it, you know what to do...

 

[Eelementary]

The NRL should be bothered. They seem to be content with offering such embarrassing games like the one we just witnessed for the sake of their golden SOO egg. The Eels v Warriors clash should have been billed as a heavyweight game but all we got was a one sided shitfest. I absolutely feel for the fans who spent their hard earned on tonight’s game and other SOO affected games like it. It’s been going on since it’s inception but it’s become a glaring blight on the game, imo.

I agree.

It might seem like sour grapes - saying this off the back of a big defeat -, but I've always hated how teams can be decimated come Origin time, and still be expected to play club games.

We only had 3 players missing, but they happened to be our fullback, our halfback, and our starting prop - three key positions.

The NRL is a joke, and has been for a long time.

Anyway - on to next week.