Round 13 vs The Green Machine

[franklin2323]

Our one loss this season came largely because he couldn't read the play in defence and put in a half assed effort on a bounce conceding a try. That and Crichton getting destroyed one on one. Difference is Critter has proven he canbe an asset. Aekins hasn't.

His safety is overrated by being nowhere to be seen frequently in try scoring situations where a Fullback should be. His hands under the high ball are good but that's about it. Cleary obviously isn't convinced aswell but won't give any other option a genuine run. He seems to want to but backs out. Burton never got a run. Laurie only got 5 minutes. Edwards is without doubt our best option. But Aekins is the only one who has had a shot at being our backup Fullback and stands out as not bring on par with most of the rest of the team.

Yep that. Watch the 1st try last week he falls over and that is where DCE goes

 

[franklin2323]

We could open up a little bit of a gap over the next 2 weeks. Storm have Roosters & the Eels without Smith and Munster, we have the Warriors and Sharks.

Not impossible we could be 5 points clear.

I think Sharks get Eels tomorrow. But either way Storm will beat them could be a gap build over the next month

 

[MugaB]

I think Sharks get Eels tomorrow. But either way Storm will beat them could be a gap build over the next month

Geez i hope, but if not, we play them in a month, it'll get decided then, hopefully critta vs waqa will be a highlight in our favour this time tho

 

[franklin2323]

Geez i hope, but if not, we play them in a month, it'll get decided then, hopefully critta vs waqa will be a highlight in our favour this time tho

He has improved since then. Not many defensive errors since

 

[The_Frog]

No one says to nessarily stop it. Just try to bat it back. Anything then just watch it roll

It was a good kick. He couldn't get near it. The winger needed to drop back on the last. A fullback cannot cover 40/20s on both sides of the field.

 

[MugaB]

It was a good kick. He couldn't get near it. The winger needed to drop back on the last. A fullback cannot cover 40/20s on both sides of the field.

So nadens fault?

 

[franklin2323]

So nadens fault?

It was over Naden's head. Aekins speeds up he takes the ball

 

[The_Frog]

So nadens fault?

Well if you aren't going to have your wingers dropping back on the last, you are going to get 40/20s against you. Maybe if Aekins was faster but it is well known how fast he is.

 

[Westernised Panther]

Only thing I’m concerned about with Aekins is if we needed him in the finals. You need to go up another gear for finals footy, I’m not sure he has that.

Touch wood Edwards will be right for the rest of the year.

Hopefully if we end up getting a nice gap between us and whoever is 2nd, then perhaps Dylan can have a night off and give Laurie a chance to play a full game at fullback

 

[WestyLife]

I’m over it. I’m going to bed. Was at the game, really great win against a tough, tough side and the best we can offer is to carve up Caleb. Nothing more from me you guys can Moan and complain for the next couple of hours. Very sad when all you can offer is to carve up against Caleb. Over and out front me.

I get it you want to be positive and on that I'll say that's the best win we've had in years. No way we want Aekins playing in a final though when the storm and Roosters all go up another level. We'll want our boy Edwards there.

 

[martielang]

We are potentially 1 injury from him playing in a semi. So not just a carve up for no reason

We currently really struggling with him at the back too... there’s absolutely no proof he’d do us a disservice in the finals. Sure we’d all rather Edwards but If he’s not available, Aekins has shown his capable & Cleary has shown he has game plans that suit - May playing fullback in the 20.

Coincidentally the same 2 or 3 guys on here that also think a 40/20 was some sort of error by the fullback despite the winger not dropping & Wighton hitting it perfectly are also the same 2 or 3 that have an agenda against the guy.... the boys be clutching.

 

[WestyLife]

We currently really struggling with him at the back too... there’s absolutely no proof he’d do us a disservice in the finals. Sure we’d all rather Edwards but If he’s not available, Aekins has shown his capable & Cleary has shown he has game plans that suit - May playing fullback in the 20.

Coincidentally the same 2 or 3 guys on here that also think a 40/20 was some sort of error by the fullback despite the winger not dropping & Wighton hitting it perfectly are also the same 2 or 3 that have an agenda against the guy.... the boys be clutching.

He's had multiple positioning errors over the year. Maybe it's just that he's not as fast but whatever the reason it's happening and will be exploited by the best teams in finals. This idea there's nothing to say he'd do a disservice in those games is wrong. Same as I wouldn't want May at centre but back to 14 with Naden and Crichton at centre and Staines/Mansour on the wings.

 

[Panther Pete]

I thought it was a weird game as the first half was near perfect footy against a good side but the second half was Penrith of old just making so many errors. If we held on to the ball in that second half we would have put 40 on them but perhaps it’s a good wake up call for the boys. Regarding Aekins, I think he has gone ok over the past few weeks but clearly last night was not his best game but I am not about to crucify the guy for one game. Having said that I would love to see what Burton or Laurie could do in our backline!

 

[martielang]

He's had multiple positioning errors over the year. Maybe it's just that he's not as fast but whatever the reason it's happening and will be exploited by the best teams in finals. This idea there's nothing to say he'd do a disservice in those games is wrong. Same as I wouldn't want May at centre but back to 14 with Naden and Crichton at centre and Staines/Mansour on the wings.

Last nights is not a positional error - wasn’t even whispered in the commentary box or by anyone else who isn’t OP, MX or Frank. It’s a great kick nothing more nothing less.

What other ones are we talking about? He’s also played 10 odd games, what first choice fullback hasnt made at least the same amount or more in that period of time.

The double standards are ridiculous. The obsession with every player needing to be all attack with little consideration of defensive & tough work is ridiculous. The whole ‘he’ll be found out by better teams’ line is ridiculous. You can’t base your whole argument on a hypothetical, we were up against a better team last night & he wasn’t found out. Granted, he dropped the ball once - as did several others.

Would we prefer Edwards? Absolutely. Who wouldn’t want their first choice over their back up.

 

[Black Magik]

It was a good kick. He couldn't get near it. The winger needed to drop back on the last. A fullback cannot cover 40/20s on both sides of the field.

Correct. The short side winger needed to drop back while the fullback covers the open side.

Caleb is safe. He provides confidence at the back. I haven’t seen him drop a bomb!

 

[mxlegend99]

We currently really struggling with him at the back too... there’s absolutely no proof he’d do us a disservice in the finals. Sure we’d all rather Edwards but If he’s not available, Aekins has shown his capable & Cleary has shown he has game plans that suit - May playing fullback in the 20.

Coincidentally the same 2 or 3 guys on here that also think a 40/20 was some sort of error by the fullback despite the winger not dropping & Wighton hitting it perfectly are also the same 2 or 3 that have an agenda against the guy.... the boys be clutching.

Plodders everywhere admire the way you go into bat for them.

8 games this season for
0 linebreaks
0 tries
1 try assist (which was actually him f**king up a pass that missed Whare and dribbled along the ground to To'o)
10 tackle breaks

He is constantly killing attacking raids by having no f**king clue at all what to do. We can still win with him... But we could have won every game this season and not drooped 3 points if he actually offered something with the ball and wasn't so casual about receiving kicks. He's terrific under bombs. That doesnt excuse all his other shortcomings.

Unfortunately we font know if Laurie or Burton could offer more than him at fullback yet... And with Edwards returning soon we won't know if we have settled on a plodder. Hopefully Edwards doesnt get injured again. Because Aekins at Fullback in must win games against Storm, Eels or Roosters would be making it extremely difficult. Maybe we don't have a better second option. We had several chances to find out and didn't take them. We're running out of chances that are low risk though.

And considering it was an Aekins error that got Raiders back in the game... And a soft attempted tackle from him and a couple others to concede the try. You cant cant on his 'safety' either. He can turn a game against us but not for us.

We have plenty of other guys who can make mistakes aswell and who aren't perfect. The difference is they offer something in attack that makes up for it. Aekins doesn't. He needs his teammates compensating for his shortcomings.

 

[WestyLife]

Last nights is not a positional error - wasn’t even whispered in the commentary box or by anyone else who isn’t OP, MX or Frank. It’s a great kick nothing more nothing less.

What other ones are we talking about? He’s also played 10 odd games, what first choice fullback hasnt made at least the same amount or more in that period of time.

The double standards are ridiculous. The obsession with every player needing to be all attack with little consideration of defensive & tough work is ridiculous. The whole ‘he’ll be found out by better teams’ line is ridiculous. You can’t base your whole argument on a hypothetical, we were up against a better team last night & he wasn’t found out. Granted, he dropped the ball once - as did several others.

Would we prefer Edwards? Absolutely. Who wouldn’t want their first choice over their back up.

Little consideration for defence? The position has responsibilities on both sides of the ball which need to be considered. He isn't exactly a world beater in defence either. It's not an insult to the guy to call him what he is which is a reserve grade quality back up.

 

[Fangs]

I just watched the 40/20.

Someone find me a better one. That is literally perfection from Wighton. I don't see a world where Dylan Edwards prevents that.

 

[soc123_au]

I just watched the 40/20.

Someone find me a better one. That is literally perfection from Wighton. I don't see a world where Dylan Edwards prevents that.

Yeah, it was a cracker of a kick. I dont blame Aekins for that one.

The other stuff not so much.

 

[Fangs]

Yeah, it was a cracker of a kick. I dont blame Aekins for that one.

The other stuff not so much.

Sure.

Aekins is a decent option. We have started moving him out of set pieces like Naden's try last night. Its not his strength, but its not Edwards strength either.

Tbh we should do something similar when Edwards returns. When you have a quality player like Tyrone May then you don't need a silky handed fullback. In the red zone May fills in well.