Rumours and Stuff

[Bolgeel]

So?
You can’t blame the attacking player for the defender making an illegal tackle.
Slater was going to make the same tackle regardless of what Feki did anyway.

Just saying, I’m allowed to have an opinion, it’s not a debate where you’re right and I’m wrong....‍

 

[Bolgeel]

You would need to compare it to previous seasons, not to other teams.

Agreed but it’s a separate issue. The ruck crackdown discouraged defences from slowing the play-the-ball. Every team benefitted from it (in attack) but we benefited the least since our quick play-the-balls came from isolating defenders on the edges. Our middle forwards were only used to set the ruck back in the middle of the field.

And as I said, the faster ruck hurt our defence, as it hurt every team, but it hurt us the most because we were smaller.

Our tactics suited the players we had, who suited the refereeing in 2017 far more than in 2018. But changing tactics, as we did, might’ve suited the new interpretations however they no longer suited our players.

You can change your tactics mid year but you can’t change your roster.

The fact all the experts had us among the premiership favourites at the start of the year shows there was nothing wrong with our recruiting. The problem was the change in refereeing. Wealthier clubs were able to adapt better because they had more points of attack. We were only built for one style of play.

And...we were shit

 

[Poupou Escobar]

The discussion is about why. Also,

Just saying, I’m allowed to have an opinion, it’s not a debate where you’re right and I’m wrong....‍

Shut up.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

The crackdown on the ruck sped up the play-the-ball. It didn’t slow it down.

We had the same forwards in 2017.

The crackdown hurt our defence (because we used our mobile forwards to get numbers in the tackle which was often a flop) but it stopped other teams doing the same to us. That’s why by the end of the season we were grinding through the middle. But that style suited us less than other teams.

But the crackdown also included the need to get to your feet to play the ball, and to use your foot to do it. I think we were the team that exploited this the most last year.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Nah every team did it. In fact it's only an advantage if the play-the-ball is already quick.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Nah every team did it. In fact it's only an advantage if the play-the-ball is already quick.

Well I disagree!! merkin!!

 

[T.S Quint]

Just saying, I’m allowed to have an opinion, it’s not a debate where you’re right and I’m wrong....‍

Of course you’re allowed to have an opinion. But it doesn’t mean you can’t be wrong...which you are.

 

[Bolgeel]

Of course you’re allowed to have an opinion. But it doesn’t mean you can’t be wrong...which you are.

Agree to disagree?

 

[T.S Quint]

Agree to disagree?

I don’t agree to that!

 

[hineyrulz]

Well I was glad Slater did play last night merkins, the only thing better than seeing those grubs lose was seeing that turd Slater go out a loser while his team was smashed.

 

[84 Baby]

It’s too bad BA can only attract looser merkins like Ferguson

 

[hindy111]

2019 we are as good a chance as making top 8 as about 12 other clubs. There is perhaps 4 with squads who have an advantage

 

[TheParraboy]

It’s too bad BA can only attract looser merkins like Ferguson

We should have gone with Vunivalu?

 

[Glenneel]

Dufty hits harder in collision then French.
French pussyfoots to the line and concedes in tackle by falling before trying to run through the line.

That's true but with better tactics French should be running at speed at a broken defensive line, unfortunately he is bringing the ball back to set defensive lines.

 

[Avenger]

Would we take Cameron Smith for a year seeing he hasn’t signed a contract yet?

 

[Glenneel]

We had the slowest play the ball in the NRL this season. So so much for that ridiculous theory. Small teams need fast play the balls and fast games overall. Slow or stop start games only helps the bigger players rest longer.

The ruck crackdown killed us this year. Our tactics killed us this year. Our injuries killed us this year. Semi leaving killed us this year. The fact that we didn't have any forwards that could power over the advantage line consistently to scuttle and break up the structured defenses killed us this year. And finally the coach not having a clue before the season(recruitment wise) and during the season to adjust our attack in anyway killed us this year.

Apparently Craig Fitzgibbon is Rooster's defensive coach. We should recruit him immediately to fix that up, and apparently Jason Taylor is their attack coach, we should recruit him immediately to fix that up. All fixed so next season we'll be top 2! Simples.

 

[strider]

Would we take Cameron Smith for a year seeing he hasn’t signed a contract yet?

Even if we could get over our hatred of the scummy prick, the merkin wouldnt give a shit ... he would be the new bob lindner

 

[Avenger]

Looking at the GF last night there is no reason Mitchell Moses couldn’t perform like Luke Keary.

It could just be coaching or having a mature halves partner.

Maybe he is just overrated.

 

[TheRam]

Apparently Craig Fitzgibbon is Rooster's defensive coach. We should recruit him immediately to fix that up, and apparently Jason Taylor is their attack coach, we should recruit him immediately to fix that up. All fixed so next season we'll be top 2!

Both would be great additions to our coaching staff. But I would appoint Taylor to coach the reserves to also help our new HoF Mark O'Neill in developing our juniors. Then I would also hire Adam O'Brien as assistant attacking coach under BA. Then if and when BA is sacked, I would elevate O'Brien to be our new head coach.

 

[Avenger]

These are the coaches that have had success after being in the UK Superleague.

Michael Maguire (1 Premiership)
Trent Robinson (2 Premierships)
To as lesser extent Nathan Brown with Newcastle and Peter Gentle as an assistant.

Should we just bite the bullet and recruit Justin Holbrook for season 2020 who has a phenomenal win percentage for St Helens?