Round 17 Vs Titans

[unKwn]

Watching the Newcastle game and can I say thank f**k we took tonight seriously. Easily could have slipped up like Knights did.

the fact that we played maloney shows that we took this game seriously from the very start. still wish we put more on the titans but oh well

 

[OldPanther]

What were you saying about recency bias?

He’s actually dead last among all hookers for average running meters.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...etres&position=hooker&isAvg=true&pageNumber=2

Even mentioning him in the same breath as Damien Cook is silly.

Yet our recent games against terrible opposition is good enough to drop Cleary for Luai. Can't have it both ways. I'm literally using your standards here.

 

[Dave's mate]

Yet our recent games against terrible opposition is good enough to drop Cleary for Luai. Can't have it both ways. I'm literally using your standards here.

Nathan is an easy target for some

 

[OldPanther]

What were you saying about recency bias?

He’s actually dead last among all hookers for average running meters.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...etres&position=hooker&isAvg=true&pageNumber=2

Even mentioning him in the same breath as Damien Cook is silly.

Souths most recent game against the Titans Cook ran for 73 metres(11 more than Egan) with no line breaks or try assists. I said he won't ever be as good but I'm not being unreasonable.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Yet our recent games against terrible opposition is good enough to drop Cleary for Luai. Can't have it both ways. I'm literally using your standards here.

No, in fact I made a point of saying I wouldn’t drop Cleary for Luai only because of recent games. I said Luai simply has attacking ability that Cleary doesn’t.

I don’t look at it as dropping Cleary for Luai. I look at it as Maloney being the superior 7, and Luai being a superior 6.


Anyway, I’m a little sceptical of that NRL 62m. Fox sports have Egan listed for 34m, my guess is NRL use the step or two they take before passing the ball into account.

Egan is undoubtably our best hooking prospect at the club, but there’s very little evidence of him being some good attacking threat. 2 tries & 2 try assists in 23 games, he’s got a long way to go. Next year won’t be it.

 

[Dave's mate]

No, in fact I made a point of saying I wouldn’t drop Cleary for Luai only because of recent games. I said Luai simply has attacking ability that Cleary doesn’t.

I don’t look at it as dropping Cleary for Luai. I look at it as Maloney being the superior 7, and Luai being a superior 6.


Anyway, I’m a little sceptical of that NRL 62m. Fox sports have Egan listed for 34m, my guess is NRL use the step or two they take before passing the ball into account.

Egan is undoubtably our best hooking prospect at the club, but there’s very little evidence of him being some good attacking threat. 2 tries & 2 try assists in 23 games, he’s got a long way to go. Next year won’t be it.

View attachment 31322

Egan actually ran tonight and yes it was only the Tits but he's quick enough to be doing it way more often. Looked pretty good

 

[herbert henry1908]

Souths most recent game against the Titans Cook ran for 73 metres(11 more than Egan) with no line breaks or try assists. I said he won't ever be as good but I'm not being unreasonable.

I think you’re being unreasonable because he’s only ever had 3 decent running games out of 23. There’s little evidence to say he’ll be the same style as Cook. (According to Fox he’s only run for more than 30m on three occasions)

In fact there’s a heap more evidence to say he won’t be the same style as cook.


But to say he’ll be a big attacking threat just next year is even more of a stretch. If it happens it’s probably 2-3 seasons away.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Egan actually ran tonight and yes it was only the Tits but he's quick enough to be doing it way more often. Looked pretty good

Not doubting that, I even commented on it earlier in this thread. But one swallow doesn’t make a summer.

 

[Dave's mate]

Not doubting that, I even commented on it earlier in this thread. But one swallow doesn’t make a summer.

100% agree. I hope we are looking to bring in a hooker in the off season

 

[OldPanther]

No, in fact I made a point of saying I wouldn’t drop Cleary for Luai only because of recent games. I said Luai simply has attacking ability that Cleary doesn’t.

I don’t look at it as dropping Cleary for Luai. I look at it as Maloney being the superior 7, and Luai being a superior 6.


Anyway, I’m a little sceptical of that NRL 62m. Fox sports have Egan listed for 34m, my guess is NRL use the step or two they take before passing the ball into account.

Egan is undoubtably our best hooking prospect at the club, but there’s very little evidence of him being some good attacking threat. 2 tries & 2 try assists in 23 games, he’s got a long way to go. Next year won’t be it.

View attachment 31322

That's a weird difference in stats.

I think he's been our biggest improver since the winning run (He's had the extra pressure of Kenny after all) and am backing him to continue on like tonight because of his natural improvement the last few weeks. I will happily admit you are right if it doesn't happen. Feel free to call me out at the time and I'll own up.

 

[herbert henry1908]

This discussion was all based on us being a good attacking team next year, I just don’t see how.

We rank 15th in attack this year, and that’s with James Maloney.


A spine of Egan, Cleary, Luai & Edwards isn’t going to be some great attacking unit.

If we’re to challenge for the top 4 next year it’ll be through defence and tight wins.

 

[herbert henry1908]

That's a weird difference in stats.

I think he's been our biggest improver since the winning run (He's had the extra pressure of Kenny after all) and am backing him to continue on like tonight because of his natural improvement the last few weeks. I will happily admit you are right if it doesn't happen. Feel free to call me out at the time and I'll own up.

Tonight is the only game of recent where he’s run, he’s only improved because he was playing so poorly at the start of the year. He’s really not playing much better than just a solid NRL hooker right now.

Look at the attacking stats before tonight, there’s nothing there. No line breaks, no tackle busts, not much running.

Honestly think you’re reading way too much into him. I’d be actively looking for another hooker, if we can’t find one then so be it. But a spine of Egan/Cleary/Luai/Edwards doesn’t fill me with much confidence.

 

[OldPanther]

This discussion was all based on us being a good attacking team next year, I just don’t see how.

We rank 15th in attack this year, and that’s with James Maloney.


A spine of Egan, Cleary, Luai & Edwards isn’t going to be some great attacking unit.

If we’re to challenge for the top 4 next year it’ll be through defence and tight wins.

I'm basing it on Luai's supposed x factor, Edwards excellent running when in form, Cleary's control and Egan seems to make us faster and more direct. Also Ivan will Have built a roster he wants and seems to 've directing the team to ball play more(he spoke about it pre game).

 

[Luke Bowden]

I disagree. Papali runs straight where Jimmy should be. You don’t push out and leave a gap like that you move together with the man inside you, Jimmy gets Caught like that often.

Disagree if you like, but your wrong. It’s not a matter of opinion, is clear as day that Cordner made a poor decision.

 

[Kilkenny]

Personally I don’t think we need to recruit a new hooker. I think with Egan, Kenny and perhaps Trindall if he can stay on the straight and narrow we have no issues with our number 9. Why waste money when there are other areas we can strengthen.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I'm basing it on Luai's supposed x factor, Edwards excellent running when in form, Cleary's control and Egan seems to make us faster and more direct. Also Ivan will Have built a roster he wants and seems to 've directing the team to ball play more(he spoke about it pre game).

There’s just not enough there. Luai is a good prospect, but he’s not going to take us from 15th in attack to one of the best.


I actually think we can be a good footy team next year, maybe finish as high as 5th or 6th, but it’ll be through defence. That’s how Cleary coaches, that’s the overall strength of our spine. Hell we might have the best defensive spine in the comp next year, or close to it.

None of our spine are attacking stars or even close to it yet.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Personally I don’t think we need to recruit a new hooker. I think with Egan, Kenny and perhaps Trindall if he can stay on the straight and narrow we have no issues with our number 9. Why waste money when there are other areas we can strengthen.

If our attack is to go to the next level we either need a ball playing fullback or a better hooker. We just don’t have many points in us.

If we decide to go the defensive route our spine will be fine.

 

[OldPanther]

He wouldn’t be dropped for Luai, he’d be dropped for Maloney. Maloney plays the 7 role.

I reckon our attack looks better with the Maloney/Luai combo. I mean he’s never going to drop or move Nathan, but it’s interesting to think about.

Our outside backs scored 4 tries in one game tonight, something that hasn’t been done all season.

Im not saying Cleary/Maloney didn’t start to look a little better, but I’d still take a Maloney/Luai combo. We looked dangerous on both sides of the field for once. We weren’t overly reliant on Kikau.

In fact i think all four tries tonight were on the right side, usually our weaker side.

Recency bias can play a part, but look at the tries Luai created tonight. Nathan does have those twinkle toes, he couldn’t have done that.

It’s really not a knee jerk, there’s more to it than that. Luai has an X factor Nathan doesn’t, that’d be the case if he put on zero try assists tonight.

Of course he will, but in the meantime he still offers more in attack than Nathan.

You seem to have some faith in the attack and suddenly changed your opinion.

 

[TeamSatan]

You guys have said most things.

A lot of delusional stuff.
That’s understandable.

Anyway.
One glimmer of light to me was RCG.
He had a dig.

To me he looks light.
But if he shows the spirit for the rest of the season then we will be better for that.
I wish him all the best.

Another note JFH is a gun.
My favourite.

 

[Kilkenny]

I don’t take anything out of this evening other than the two points.

At the same time I think we are in a good place for the sterner tests that face us in the next two weeks.

We actually have a great opportunity and while the Dragons & Raiders will be more difficult opposition I have no doubt we can beat them both and if we do we will be in a reasonable position to have a chance of the top eight.

We need to win the next two and win them well, not for our for and against, just to make a statement.