Rd22: EELS v Storms GAME DAY THREAD @ Marvel Stadium 28/7/23

[Poupou Escobar]

I like hands but his running game is weird, he gets out of dummy half, tries to run, then doesn't know what he doing and submitted.

He really should watch some tapes on harry and Cameron out hodgo teach him some shit

Hands has the speed and strength, he is just a bit slow between the ears for dummy half.

 

[the phantom menace]

No, because I regularly watch gutho give the ball to our wingers and typically see them make about 2 metres. Thats largely down to execution rather than planning imo.

Shouldn't Gutho (or BA) be tearing our wingers a new one for not executing the plan to gain metres then?

Not so much fill-in guys like Russell and Dunster, but our first choice 17 merkins like Sivo and Blake?

 

[the phantom menace]

Well you just did. Asi moved to the halves as soon as we shitcanned Jake Arthur.

*Jake Arthur shitcanned us

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Again, very Pou-lite in your rebuttals. Do you think it's possible BA's planning for this year in terms of attacking structure for the year didn't emphasise our wingers as metre eaters, in favour of some not fully realised plan to steamroll the middles with the experience and skill of Hodgson?

Do you think we haven't scored enough points this year? Is that really where you see our failure? Very TheRam-lite in your analysis.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Shouldn't Gutho (or BA) be tearing our wingers a new one for not executing the plan to gain metres then?

Not so much fill-in guys like Russell and Dunster, but our first choice 17 merkins like Sivo and Blake?

Tbf none of us know what discussions are or aren’t occurring.

 

[the phantom menace]

Do you think we haven't scored enough points this year? Is that really where you see our failure? Very TheRam-lite in your analysis.

Again that's a very Pou-lite deflection. The discussion is about how our wingers don't make metre-eater yardage early in our count.

 

[lucablight]

Do you think we haven't scored enough points this year? Is that really where you see our failure? Very TheRam-lite in your analysis.

We are second in overall possession stats and 2nd in metres gained/1st in post contact metres so it would be very disappointing if we weren’t up there for points scored with our elite halves pairing. Interestingly enough we are dead last in sets completed.

 

[Gronk]

We are second in overall possession stats and 2nd in metres gained/1st in post contact metres so it would be very disappointing if we weren’t up there for points scored with our elite halves pairing. Interestingly enough we are dead last in sets completed.

Means nothing if Mitch kicked the goals that he was supposed to have kicked, and we didn’t throw away those games we should have won. Our players were suspended 22 weeks this year which is double the next club. Stats mean nothing if your not desperate to win games ah f**k I give up….

 

[Happy MEel]

Yep Ivor. Its things like this that keep happening that makes it difficult to keep the faith.
The thing is the game has changed considerably over the past 10 years. Big boppers that are slow and only contribute in attack are being found out. Its why middles like Cotter and Hopgood are so successful. Recruiting slow middles to play alongside each other appears to be for days gone by. Yes they have a place. An important place, but they must be supported by the newer more mobile middles. Smart clubs are dumping them and we're reeling them in.
So far as backs are concerned, Penrith have shown all clubs the blueprint. Most other clubs are trying to follow this yet we put little stock in the importance of having meter eater wings.
A complete rethink is needed. Our style hasnt proved sustainable.

100% this. The value of metre eating outside backs has been clear for all to see, except our recruitment committee it would seem. We need to reduce the emphasis on big metre eating forwards (who are poor defensively) and focus on outside backs who will take the first three tackles each set and make good metres.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Again that's a very Pou-lite deflection. The discussion is about how our wingers don't make metre-eater yardage early in our count.

If we had better wingers we would be weaker elsewhere in our roster. In that case I'm sure our game plan would be different. We had a great yardage winger prior to 2018. Whatever his faults, Arthur seems to be able to use the tools at his disposal. At the moment that doesn't include wingers capable of much go forward.

Edit: 2018 ffs

 

[Happy MEel]

As far as I’m concerned, if we catch the ball off a kick, BOTH wingers should be taking hit ups that set, as well as at least one centre. That should be the first 3 plays…pretty much EVERY time rucking it out from our half! That gives our middles time to get back, take a breather, share the 3rd or 4th tackle and get ready to rip in on the next set. It simply doesn’t happen enough. Our edge and middle forwards spend far too much time trying to ruck it out and that leaves them gassed to defend. We then are f**king rubbish around the ruck.

 

[Chipmunk]

If we had better wingers we would be weaker elsewhere in our roster. In that case I'm sure our game plan would be different. We had a great yardage winger prior to 2017. Whatever his faults, Arthur seems to be able to use the tools at his disposal. At the moment that doesn't include wingers capable of much go forward.

Ferguson provided good yardage when he was here.

 

[the phantom menace]

If we had better wingers we would be weaker elsewhere in our roster.

But if our wingers (Sivo and Blake) played better, then we wouldn't be weaker elsewhere in our roster. That's the point.

Whatever his faults, Arthur seems to be able to use the tools at his disposal. At the moment that doesn't include wingers capable of much go forward.

Using them and using them well (getting the best out of them) are two different things. That's the point being made re the top 17/first choice wingers.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

We are second in overall possession stats and 2nd in metres gained/1st in post contact metres so it would be very disappointing if we weren’t up there for points scored with our elite halves pairing. Interestingly enough we are dead last in sets completed.

Yeah agreed. Our attack is fine.

 

[Gary Gutful]

But if our wingers (Sivo and Blake) played better, then we wouldn't be weaker elsewhere in our roster. That's the point.

I agree with this. Sivo and Blake should be physically capable but are very poor when taking hit ups or rucking it out early in the tackle count.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

100% this. The value of metre eating outside backs has been clear for all to see, except our recruitment committee it would seem. We need to reduce the emphasis on big metre eating forwards (who are poor defensively) and focus on outside backs who will take the first three tackles each set and make good metres.

The Roosters provided this blueprint in 2018.

 

[yy_cheng]

Means nothing if Mitch kicked the goals that he was supposed to have kicked, and we didn’t throw away those games we should have won. Our players were suspended 22 weeks this year which is double the next club. Stats mean nothing if your not desperate to win games ah f**k I give up….

That's funny considering ba's focus on discipline

 

[Poupou Escobar]

As far as I’m concerned, if we catch the ball off a kick, BOTH wingers should be taking hit ups that set, as well as at least one centre. That should be the first 3 plays…pretty much EVERY time rucking it out from our half! That gives our middles time to get back, take a breather, share the 3rd or 4th tackle and get ready to rip in on the next set. It simply doesn’t happen enough. Our edge and middle forwards spend far too much time trying to ruck it out and that leaves them gassed to defend. We then are f**king rubbish around the ruck.

I think our centres usually take plenty of runs, especially Simonsson

 

[Eelogical]

We are second in overall possession stats and 2nd in metres gained/1st in post contact metres so it would be very disappointing if we weren’t up there for points scored with our elite halves pairing. Interestingly enough we are dead last in sets completed.

We're the best when it comes to offloads. Unfortunately that doesn't translate to player releases.

 

[Eelogical]

It absolutely shits me that Sivo isn’t a metre eater. He should be carving up from the back.

*karving