Round 8 v Canberra

[franklin2323]

I have said it before and will again. Was it our coach who drops the ball, is it out coach who gives penalties, is it our coach who 10 minutes in the game starts to throw the ball and like its final 10. We as Fans need to realy look at who is playing first grade standard. Our players are not respecting themselves how can they respect the game they play.

And who prepares the team? Today we had more linebreaks. Almost double tackles inside their half got the worst attack. That is the coaching staff there

 

[franklin2323]

I don’t think anyone, myself included, lays the blame for our start to this season on blaming referees!!! I think fans were entitled to highlight some questionable decisions last week against the Bunnies but no one would suggest the reason for our poor start to this season is the fault of the referees.

Leaving the current coach out of the equation for a minute, you say we have an underachieving squad. Perhaps you could mount a decent argument to say we overachieved in making four of the last five semi finals. We have never enjoyed fast, strong tall outside back backs particularly on the wings, we have always been one top quality front rower short and as a consequence never quite been a top four side. Would we have been any better off with Merrin, CHN and Peachy personally I don’t think so the problems are much deeper than that.

This is shaping as a very disappointing season no doubt but the nucleus of a decent side is there even if some players have to be released to free up some funds to bring in some astute signings. We have a once in a generation Flegg side with the potential of three, four or more NRL quality players.

Panther Daz posted something I have been saying for some time in that we have been developing some really good players thru our junior development systems but at the end of the day no superstars. Until we unearth a couple of Latrell Mitchells or Martin Taupau’s our fortunes probably aren’t going to change and we just need to suck it up.

Yet the whole time Hook was here everyone said we under achieved. Can't be both

 

[herbert henry1908]

I have said it before and will again. Was it our coach who drops the ball, is it out coach who gives penalties, is it our coach who 10 minutes in the game starts to throw the ball and like its final 10. We as Fans need to realy look at who is playing first grade standard. Our players are not respecting themselves how can they respect the game they play.

It's the coach who selects the team, if he's not prepared to drop guys who keep stuffing up then he wears the blame.

It's the coach who comes up with the tactics, and they're shit.

The buck stops with Ivan Cleary, that's why he's paid 1 million per.

 

[DaveMc]

I don’t think anyone, myself included, lays the blame for our start to this season on blaming referees!!! I think fans were entitled to highlight some questionable decisions last week against the Bunnies but no one would suggest the reason for our poor start to this season is the fault of the referees.

Leaving the current coach out of the equation for a minute, you say we have an underachieving squad. Perhaps you could mount a decent argument to say we overachieved in making four of the last five semi finals. We have never enjoyed fast, strong tall outside back backs particularly on the wings, we have always been one top quality front rower short and as a consequence never quite been a top four side. Would we have been any better off with Merrin, CHN and Peachy personally I don’t think so the problems are much deeper than that.

This is shaping as a very disappointing season no doubt but the nucleus of a decent side is there even if some players have to be released to free up some funds to bring in some astute signings. We have a once in a generation Flegg side with the potential of three, four or more NRL quality players.

Panther Daz posted something I have been saying for some time in that we have been developing some really good players thru our junior development systems but at the end of the day no superstars. Until we unearth a couple of Latrell Mitchells or Martin Taupau’s our fortunes probably aren’t going to change and we just need to suck it up.

I think what you touch on at the end there is probably spot on - we massively overrate, and consequently overpay, some pretty average juniors who can tear it up in juniors and reggies but come back to the pack at the highest level.

 

[Pomoz]

No rapana no leilua 12 men for 10 mins and we are down 14-0 that will f**king do me we are the dumbest team in the comp thoroughly deserve to be last welcome back cleary looks like no semis for 5yrs

The dumbest team in the comp flatters us.

 

[steve carter]

And who prepares the team? Today we had more linebreaks. Almost double tackles inside their half got the worst attack. That is the coaching staff there

I am sure when a line break occurs players need to support, Blake break no support, Cleary then no support, we score try and then off the kick off we drop the ball so what exactly are the coaching staff supose to do thier.

 

[herbert henry1908]

I think what you touch on at the end there is probably spot on - we massively overrate, and consequently overpay, some pretty average juniors who can tear it up in juniors and reggies but come back to the pack at the highest level.

We've always overrated our juniors, Gus got sucked into this & decided to head towards a squad that's predominantly juniors.

 

[Pomoz]

He got put in a hole... off a Raiders kick. Trouble is the second we get a bit of momentum Raiders know we have it and hold on until its snuffed out or they're penalised. Those penalties are actually smart.

Ours are dumb. We give them away ehen we are dominating. For no obvious reason other than being brain dead.

And when he did get it he was so slow, WIghton had time to finish the book he was reading before running him down. Who changed the fitness team? Dead set, stupidity of the highest order beaten only by the brain dead moron who decided to sign Cleary instead of Bennett.

 

[DaveMc]

We've always overrated our juniors, Gus got sucked into this & decided to head towards a squad that's predominantly juniors.

Yep, we have issues with retention rather than recruitment

 

[Pomoz]

i think we really need an injection of speed in the side - no one outside of blake seems a chance of breaking through

Yes and he was run down by Wighton who barely broke a sweat.

 

[Exsilium]

We suck.....

 

[Pomoz]

It was 5-1 linebreaks our way. That doesn't include the Aekins one when he pretty much went across field waiting for support. Mansour who many on here rightfully call slow makes a break and nothing

That was a disgraceful reflection on the lack of fitness in our team. Our off season must have consisted of watching video in the morning and off to Pie Face for afternoon tea.

 

[Pomoz]

I am sure when a line break occurs players need to support, Blake break no support, Cleary then no support, we score try and then off the kick off we drop the ball so what exactly are the coaching staff supose to do thier.

How about the coach gets them fit so they can back up line breaks? Maybe even get a sprint coach to improve their speed and if they have one, sack them. How about the coach gives them tactics and plays that will create tries? How about the coach drops muppets who give away stupid penalties on the fourth or fifth tackle?

 

[franklin2323]

I think what you touch on at the end there is probably spot on - we massively overrate, and consequently overpay, some pretty average juniors who can tear it up in juniors and reggies but come back to the pack at the highest level.

2016 when the juniors started to come FG ready was when we went downhill.

We were under the cap when Bryce left. He was one of our top earners was replaced from within. Merrin and Peachey can't even see out their deals Merrin was on big money. Again only minor recruitment.

It is why I say Gus managed the poorly.

That with poor coaching is why the spoon looks to be coming out here. Throw in a coach with no idea.

Manly is well under the cap due to salary cap breach. $300k? Have Tom Turbo, Taufua, Walker and DCE out yet are pushing top 4.

Sharks same. Yet heaps of injuries

So we really have no excuse to atleast make the 8

 

[rem286]

It was so bad it was funny.

On the field yes, the players are responsible for their unforced errors and ill discipline - and by god there is a lot of it.

When it comes to selection and discipline it's on the coaching staff. I see Ivan as being a bit too much one of the boys with his son in the team. Took him way too long to drop Edwards, Mansour is still there somehow and RCG only got shifted to the bench instead of getting some thinking time in the lower grades. Examples need to be made. Some of these players have just gone to shit as soon as they got the contract upgrade. Others were just never deserving of that type of upgrade.

 

[franklin2323]

That was a disgraceful reflection on the lack of fitness in our team. Our off season must have consisted of watching video in the morning and off to Pie Face for afternoon tea.

Shocking in 1st half to be so stuffed

 

[tripster]

When Blake made that break in the first half and was in space, if it was the Blake of last season no one would have caught him.

I think it was the first time this season he had been in space like that and I was fully expecting him to run the length of the field and score. This is the same Blake who saved our arses against the Warriors in the first half of the first final when he turned and ran down Shaun Johnson to save a try and made Johnson looked slow.

I was shocked to then see how slow he looked today and how easily he was run down.

He had the pace of someone who is recovering from an ACL injury.

What the f**k has happened to our team.

 

[DaveMc]

When Blake made that break in the first half and was in space, if it was the Blake of last season no one would have caught him.

I think it was the first time this season he had been in space like that and I was fully expecting him to run the length of the field and score. This is the same Blake who saved our arses against the Warriors in the first half of the first final when he turned and ran down Shaun Johnson to save a try and made Johnson looked slow.

I was shocked to then see how slow he looked today and how easily he was run down.

He had the pace of someone who is recovering from an ACL injury.

What the f**k has happened to our team.

https://m.dailymercury.com.au/news/ivan-cleary-has-introduced-more-ball-work-into-pan/3652412/

Comes down to coaching.

 

[Kilkenny]

When Blake made that break in the first half and was in space, if it was the Blake of last season no one would have caught him.

I think it was the first time this season he had been in space like that and I was fully expecting him to run the length of the field and score. This is the same Blake who saved our arses against the Warriors in the first half of the first final when he turned and ran down Shaun Johnson to save a try and made Johnson looked slow.

I was shocked to then see how slow he looked today and how easily he was run down.

He had the pace of someone who is recovering from an ACL injury.

What the f**k has happened to our team.

Understand your frustration but in his defence he expended a lot of energy by the time he got into space. Under the circumstances of that type of line break it wasn’t surprising he got run down. Overall Blake’s form mirrors that of the team in that he is under performing massively.

 

[BxTom]

Sounds about right, but who’s counting?

I'm counting. 117 games to go. Five years at 25 rounds a year minus 8 rounds that we have already played Could be more if we make finals, but I am not banking on it.