Rumours and Stuff

[Poupou Escobar]

Poor decision making

Or is it a sign of good decision making? This is the first time in a long time we have only had one dummy half option, and Arthur's has consistently shown a preference for two dummy halves in the 17. A hooker who has only ever played limited minutes isn't going to defend his best over 80 minutes if he is also making loads of runs.

 

[Noise]

He's defending like shit having made barely any runs.

 

[Happy MEel]

Or is it a sign of good decision making? This is the first time in a long time we have only had one dummy half option, and Arthur's has consistently shown a preference for two dummy halves in the 17. A hooker who has only ever played limited minutes isn't going to defend his best over 80 minutes if he is also making loads of runs.

What Noise said

 

[hindy111]

It certainly is a hard position to develop talent for. You only get 1 maybe 2 per team in the juniors.

Have to wonder how teams are consistently pushing out good fullbacks when you only have 1 of those per team. Maybe we'll see better quality dummy halves with more focus on them in the current game? And then when teams start producing more and better hookers another position will be seen as more important.

Your thoughts on Kaysa?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So a guy you know that knows someone at the club passed on some info and that makes it fact.

The same guy has gotten reliable info before, including that Ma'u and Edwards would be quality first graders before they ever made their NRL debuts, and that we would sign Michael Gordon.

Yet you're quite quick to dismiss MJC's info regarding our cap position, which apparently came directly from someone within the club, because it contradicts your opinion. Hmmmm....smells of hypocrisy.

MJC has given some good info before as well as some bad. I also know he has numerous sources and they are obviously not all of equal reliability. This other bloke's single source has always been very reliable in my experience.

I don't get a lot of info and I rarely share it outright. You're free to judge it all however you see fit.

 

[Bazal]

Or is it a sign of good decision making? This is the first time in a long time we have only had one dummy half option, and Arthur's has consistently shown a preference for two dummy halves in the 17. A hooker who has only ever played limited minutes isn't going to defend his best over 80 minutes if he is also making loads of runs.

 

[hindy111]

Like what?

Sack them all?

Look canberras first 3 tries.
1 bevan doesnt attack ball.unlucky bounce
2 semi comes in and no need, ropana goes down side line.
3 A bomb, semi at fault as doesnt contest then does a terrible clean up and lucky bounce.
4.norman kicks out on a full. Lack of ball. Tired.Legit try.
5. Ropana throws odd pass to self and somehow gets 6 again. Few tackles later cotric goes thru.
Sure Kaysa missed but manu and brown didnt come up as a line. Atleast Kaysa got hands on.

 

[hindy111]

None of our tries where from mistakes just the skill of our player. And not any luck involved. Better team won but we where not disgraced.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He's defending like shit having made barely any runs.

No he's doing what he's been asked to do - get off the line hard and make initial contact. You keep harping on about his missed tackles in the two games since he f**ked his ankle. He missed 7 in the first three games combined. Why don't those three games count? He also missed on fewer than 10% of attempts last year as well.

 

[Happy MEel]

I don't get a lot of info and I rarely share it outright. You're free to judge it all however you see fit.

That's fair enough but it hardly makes it fact as you suggested. I'd expect the coaching staff to tell all and sundry that they "rate" their current roster - regardless of their actual opinion. Sometimes one's judgment can also be clouded because they are a great bloke and fantastic trainer. I know someone who used to be on an NRL coaching staff who was adamant one of their young blokes was going to be the next SBW. That never eventuated and he'll freely admit he got it wrong.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I agree with anyone who doesn't rush to find a scapegoat. There's a few of them on here, but most are happy to ignore whingers like you.

 

[Bazal]

I agree with anyone who doesn't rush to find a scapegoat. There's a few of them on here, but most are happy to ignore whingers like you.

Once again, explain how a player who is obviously and clearly performing poorly in a crucial position is a scapegoat, as opposed to just a player who is performing poorly. "Because the mighty Pou said so" will not be accepted as an answer.

Ryan Morgan was a scapegoat. Pritchard is playing very poorly and the team is suffering as a result.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That's fair enough but it hardly makes it fact as you suggested. I'd expect the coaching staff to tell all and sundry that they "rate" their current roster - regardless of their actual opinion. Sometimes one's judgment can also be clouded because they are a great bloke and fantastic trainer. I know someone who used to be on an NRL coaching staff who was adamant one of their young blokes was going to be the next SBW. That never eventuated and he'll freely admit he got it wrong.

No because I also know there are a couple they don't rate, but I'm hardly going to share their names in a public forum.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Once again, explain how a player who is obviously and clearly performing poorly in a crucial position is a scapegoat, as opposed to just a player who is performing poorly. "Because the mighty Pou said so" will not be accepted as an answer.

Ryan Morgan was a scapegoat. Pritchard is playing very poorly and the team is suffering as a result.

I disagree Kritchard is performing poorly. His form is down since his ankle injury but I thought he was better than solid in the first three games.

 

[Noise]

No he's doing what he's been asked to do - get off the line hard and make initial contact. You keep harping on about his missed tackles in the two games since he f**ked his ankle. He missed 7 in the first three games combined. Why don't those three games count? He also missed on fewer than 10% of attempts last year as well.

I've got 8 in those first 3 games, with 5 against Dragons. He did well against Manly and the Titans (though he came off early so the fatigue factor probably didn't come into play).

And if you think Arthur is telling him to just rush up and make some contact you are kidding yourself. His job like everyone else's job is to hit and stick.

 

[Bazal]

I disagree Kritchard is performing poorly. His form is down since his ankle injury but I thought he was better than solid in the first three games.

So the only reason you're saying he's a scapegoat is because you can't see that he's performing poorly? Essentially, anyone who disagrees with your opinion, despite the evidence against it, is scapegoating the kid. Classic Pou...

 

[hineyrulz]

Pou must have been down on his argument quota last month.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Pou must have been down on his argument quota last month.

No he wasn't.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I've got 8 in those first 3 games, with 5 against Dragons.

Either way it's within an acceptable range.

He did well against Manly and the Titans (though he came off early so the fatigue factor probably didn't come into play).

Yeah I don't think he's an 80 minute hooker, and I dare say the coaching staff would prefer if he wasn't playing 80 minutes either. I actually think he has an excellent running game, and it's wasted if he is having to save himself for tackling.

And if you think Arthur is telling him to just rush up and make some contact you are kidding yourself. His job like everyone else's job is to hit and stick.

And most of the time he does. But he seems to me to lead the line harder than any other hooker in the NRL. That will increase his missed tackles. And when he falls off he is still usually up to make the flop, just like all the other hookers.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So the only reason you're saying he's a scapegoat is because you can't see that he's performing poorly? Essentially, anyone who disagrees with your opinion, despite the evidence against it, is scapegoating the kid. Classic Pou...

If he was performing poorly everyone would think so, rather than just a handful of blokes on an internet forum.