Rd20: Parra v Roosters GAME DAY thread @ Mackay 29/7/21

[Poupou Escobar]

The next 6 weeks will be very telling. If we win 1 or 2 from 6 i think the decision needs to be made that the club and coach part ways.
Some of the selections eg Stone, Jarthur in particular, inept attack, yes inept attack as i mentioned last week despite people wanting to challenge through their blue and yellow eyes is alarming.
The players look tired and some busted.
The energy looks low, we look directionless and we can only score tries from kicks.
For the last 2 seasons we have barely scored a try on the right. We always look like we are about to run out of room. It beggars belief.
We have some of the tallest blokes in the comp and can't even nail that part when using our best attacking option, yep you guessed it, the kick.
I love it when we are in the opposition 20 and we turn the ball inside for a settler...
Sivo has the worst workrate of any winger in the comp...
Will Smith looked our most dangerous player but only gets bugger all minutes unless out of necessity.
Mahoney is not darting from dummy half.
Our play the balls are excruciatingly slow. Many players are guilty of this.
Our bench rotation sucks..
It's hard to fathom that without Moses we are just shockingly bad and his kicking game is that crucial to us that we are no hope if he isn't playing...
Effort effort effort..how about execution.
How about a game plan. Chase the collision, run hard and tackle hard is great for junior footy..
This is the NRL...it shows if you can't dissect the opposition with a defined game plan the better teams will win.

I think you're underestimating how important the kicking game is (especially to us) and how terrible ours was last night. Even then we were a merkinhair away from scoring a couple. It's a good tactic for our roster. Our first choice kicker is elite and we have some very good chasers. Don't forget we put five tries past the Roosters earlier in the year, including a couple from kicks. They are worth four points, no different to any other try.

 

[TheRam]

I think that’s just it…there is no Plan B. If we don’t absolutely dominate the middle, we have nothing else to fall back on. Surely that falls on the coaching staff and systems, and not just the players. The team isn’t always going to be firing on all cylinders so there needs to be contingencies in place for when things don’t go exactly to plan. I have seen zero evidence that we have a Plan B and so we pretty much just fold over and get exposed like you know what.

A bored fat house wife at a swingers party?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I can't see the squad being improved in the off season, either through recruitment or development, given the players we have signed already, if the coaching setup remains the same.

It will improve through natural development of the youngsters. Drown, Mahoney, Kaufusi, Papali'i, Greig, Dunster, Arthur, Russell and Penisini will all be better players after another pre-season. Some of them will be much better players. The only player in decline is Ferguson, and he won't be here next year. I think Will Smith turns 30 next year too.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Gutho made 12 TB's as compared to Teddy's 7 last night. In a night I reckon most agree he wasn't at his best.

Tupouniua missed 12 tackles last night, not by coincidence. Players are credited with a tackle break (and the defender a missed tackle) when they fly out of the line to put pressure on and they lay a hand on the attacker while they get stepped. If they didn't even get close enough to touch the player there is no tackle break or missed tackle.

But you're right, Gutherson is a strong runner. His problem is lack of acceleration/footwork.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What is it you believe our roster is lacking?

Because on paper, at least:

Matterson
Brown
Lane
Paulo

Are some of the most skilful forwards in the entire NRL.

Moses is - on talent alone - in the top tier of halfbacks in the NRL.

Gutherson is in a form slump, but at his best, we all know what he brings.

Mahoney is a borderline Origin-level hooker.

Waqa Blake is a dangerous attacking threat.

But the team plays...stupidly, I guess? No backup plans, no "eyes up" footy, and no instincts for the game.

I am a big believer in constructive criticism - I don't want to put shit on Brad just for the sake of it -; however, he is the Head Coach, and the team is not playing to their potential. The buck stops with him.

I don't for a minute believe we can win the Premiership in 2021, but by the same token, if this team was playing to their potential, then we would trouble the top sides, imo.

With a roster like the one we have, I am sure that an experienced, quality coach could squeeze some consistency out of us.

Credit where it is due - Brad got RCG, and Moses, to play career-best football.

But the rest of the team is not playing to their potential.

We may still have lost last night had Bennett/Hasler/Macguire/Bellamy been our coach, but I am sure we would have used our players to their potential a little better.

I am eternally grateful to Brad for picking us up out of the depths of despair when we needed it most, but a change is needed.

I don't want him sacked necessarily, but we need a change.

Making a decision after one game is the epitome of a knee jerk reaction.

 

[hineyrulz]

There are very few people in rugby league that are articulate. Have you heard that deadshit Bellamy talk?

 

[hineyrulz]

Pou in full damage control lol, the club should really look at given him a job he does it all for free.

 

[TheRam]

He’s not going to win us any games. With our halves pairing, decent back rowers, average wingers, I think we need strike somewhere. Someone to create something out wide. We’ve been inept in attack for years. Moses’ boot has created a false sense of hope. It’s no secret I want BA gone, but deep down inside I know he can salvage this season. Will he thou? We’re carrying too many plodders. Ffs we got beat by a second string raiders and rosters teams. He needs to make changes.

Imagine if we had JAC coming at our club next season instead of resigning some of the depth players that we have. If for example we sacrificed Opacic, Oldfield, Hipgrave, Stone, plus Fergo going.
We could fill all those positions with lower graders and probably afford him.

Addo-Carr signs four-year, $2-million contract with Bulldogs

State of Origin star Josh Addo-Carr will move to Belmore for the 2022 season after signing a long-term deal with the Bulldogs.

www.smh.com.au

Addo-Carr signs four-year, $2-million contract with Bulldogs​

State of Origin star Josh Addo-Carr will say goodbye to the Storm and move to Belmore for the 2022 season after signing a four-year deal with the Bulldogs.

The contract will see Addo-Carr at Canterbury through to the end of 2025 and is the latest signing in the Bulldogs' rebuilding effort. The deal worth more than $500,000 a season and makes Addo-Carr the highest-paid winger in the competition.

Or we could have been aware that speed is a major issue and jumped at the chance to take X. Savage when he was being offered to those other clubs at time.

Again a club staff that doesn't recognise the shortcomings of our squad when we are winning and then only over react when we start to lose.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I don't necessarily agree with this. Look at the players the Storm put into their system and how they play, even now without the likes of Slater, Smith, Cronk, etc..

George Jennings from our own system is a prime example. This is a player we were happy to loan out rather than give a game too. If Fergo and Sivo are poor, why would we not give this bloke a game ahead of them.

Nicho Hynes was unwanted by Manly and became Queensland Cup level. I think the jury is out on whether he will provide the same at the Sharks, time will tell.

The Tigers let Papenhuyzen and Addo-Carr go. Are they really that poor at talent identification or have these players just thrived in better environments.

Jahrome Hughes was in the Roosters system, and only a back up player at two other clubs. I'd be very surprised if Jahrome Hughes plays half back at any other premiership winning team at another club. I'd be surprised if he even makes most teams Top 17's. He would've struggled to get a game in our club.

Kenny Bromwich would struggle to make the starting 13 of many NRL teams.

Reimis Smith was probably always going to go better in a good team, but why didn't we look at him in a position we needed players?

Justin Olam likely never plays an NRL game unless he goes to the Storm.

Their bench most weeks at the moment is one decent player and 2-3 Qld Cup journeyman. Their first choice 1 and 9 have hardly played all year, yet they're breaking point scoring records.

On either talent, general performance or salary levels we have a better 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 15, 16 & 17 from their current team (Papenhuyzen and Grant not their current 1 or 9).

I'd argue the middle of Paulo, RCG, Brown, Niukore, Lane, Kaufusi has the potential as a group to be at least as good as Bromwich, Welsh, Finucane, Nelson, Tui, Qld Cup Journeyman of the day.

All these players you've mentioned are a point out of ten better than our equivalents across the board. Not much difference per player but in aggregate it adds up to considerable difference in quality between the teams. I have to say though that their recruitment is top notch, especially below NRL level. We need to poach whoever is in charge of their junior recruitment. They keep signing players other clubs/codes want to pay big money for.

 

[TheRam]

It’s what plenty on here asked for.

What bad coaching? I like to see you find the quote from anyone asking for that mate. Now you are just being ridiculous.

 

[Chipmunk]

At full strength we belted them.

We'll see what the result is when it matters.

 

[hindy111]

Making a decision after one game is the epitome of a knee jerk reaction.

Games against good sides.

Storm - WON - Start halves
Penrith - Close -Start halves
Manly - Belted - Arthurs
Souths -Belted - Arthur
Rooster -Won -Start halves
Rooster -Belted- Arthurs

Here are our 6 games against best opponents. 3 with our starting halves. We won 2 and lost by a missed penalty kick in other.
The other 3 times we where belted Arthurs played in halves.

Interesting statistic.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Pou in full damage control lol, the club should really look at given him a job he does it all for free.

Don't put too much emphasis on one game merkin. In recent weeks we lost to Canberra and the Roosters and wE cAn'T aTtAcK!!! We put 30+ on both teams this year ffs. Get some f**king perspective.

 

[TheRam]

Gagai and Brad Parker are better centres than Opacic.

Gagai hasn't been this season. The better backline as a whole has covered his deficiencies many times. He is not the player he used to be.

 

[Gary Gutful]

What bad coaching? I like to see you find the quote from anyone asking for that mate. Now you are just being ridiculous.

You are the one being ridiculous.

Go back and re-read the exchange. In particular the response that you replied to and hopefully you'll understand my comment better.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

What do want me to say?? The roster is no good?? We have overrated the squad and it’s not good enough to be a contender?? And if that’s the case why is the coach continually happy to pick lazy players and re-sign then???

And if it’s down to the squad not being talented enough you better tell BA because he signed and re-signed the lot of them and from the sounds of it this is pretty much the side we will be running out with next season. I think it’s BS I don’t think it’s as strong as the top 2 sides but with Roosters losing half the side I think it’s at least ahead of them and even with South’s or Manly.

The biggest difference in the top 6 is the quality of the coaches, as I said earlier if you think we are a well coached side I have a bridge to sell for you.

The difference between us and the rest of the top six is the quality of our best players. They are not as good as the stars at Penrith, Easts, Melbourne, Manly, etc. They never have been since 1986. That's why we always get f**k all players picked in Origin. And when we do have genuine stars they are either toxic personalities or they are so good they get poached by French rugby union.

 

[TheRam]

Does anyone need blame? At full strength there's teams who will beat us more often than not. That's not anyone's fault. There's also the fact that every team has bad games. Who gets the blame for that? Maybe everyone, as you say, but it's not a problem that requires a solution. You just go again next week and try to do better.

Ground Hog Day.

You were singing from the same song sheet last year too. So has the coach addressed those deficiencies that would help to bring us up to the likes of Storm, Panther or Roosters.

Not even referring to his inept coaching , but we still haven't got any real speed that can capitalise on our forward strength. What has he done to address it? You may argue that we couldn't get anyone due to salary/roster limitations(wrongly thought) but looking at what he seems to have planed for next year it means that he won't be addressing it until 2023 by the earliest. That is at least 2 years of doing nothing, when there have been many different options on offer that he could have gone with.

Relying on our juniors who are notoriously over rated is now just about to see him necked. May he rest in peace.

Dead coach coaching.

 

[hineyrulz]

 

[Chipmunk]

All these players you've mentioned are a point out of ten better than our equivalents across the board. Not much difference per player but in aggregate it adds up to considerable difference in quality between the teams. I have to say though that their recruitment is top notch, especially below NRL level. We need to poach whoever is in charge of their junior recruitment. They keep signing players other clubs/codes want to pay big money for.

They might be a point better in the way they are playing in the Melbourne team, but they would not be a point better if they were in another side. In fact if the players swapped teams and the Parra players were at the Storm and the Storm players were at Parra then:
- George Jennings is not any points out of 10 better than either Sivo or Fergo if they're all in the same team. In fact, I would say he is 2 points below both. This was proven because they were all in the same team last year, and Gennings was loaned out to someone else.
- Gutho would be better than Hynes
- Moses would be better than Hughes
- both Parra edge forwards combined would be better than Kenny Bromwich/Felise Kaufusi combined. In fact I'd say if Felise Kaufusi had gone to Parra instead of the Storm as a youngster he would now be in the UK Super League and never played an Origin game. Kenny Bromwich would never have played an NRL game if he had come to Parra as a youngster.

I'd be interested to see how Olam and Reimis Smith would go in the Parra team, and how Waqa Blake and Opacic would go in the Storm team. I think you could get completely the opposite out of these guys. Brenko Lee is a prime example there of the difference the Storm can make to a centre, as is Curtis Scott.

I'd also be interested to see how all those Storm middles would go at Parra and how those Parra middles would go at the Storm. On paper the Storm middles are individually better for sure, but would each of them be individually better if the terms were reversed? Jordan McClean is an example here.

Sure they have some superior players (Papenhuyzen at his best, Fox, Munster, Grant (when he is fit)), but swap the players and I think you see different players in both sides.

 

[Eelementary]

Making a decision after one game is the epitome of a knee jerk reaction.

I would generally agree - however, there have been indications of this form slump for some time.

I have nothing against Brad - I respect him enormously -, but I'm not sure that he holds the key to open up our superior performances.