Rumours and Stuff

[The Phelan Folly]

Maybe BA is playing the long game and preparing for an ambush. If we fans know that we could offer more in attack through our strike back-rowers and our halves, don't you think BA knows this as well.
Maybe he is making us play predictable attack to lull the opposition into thinking that is all we have and then in the games that matter (i.e. the semi-finals, not Round 12 v Dogs) he will unleash the biggest, mostest, epicest secret ambush ever seen in the NRL. We are winning at 83% so far this season WITHOUT using all of the attacking skills we have. Why use them and show our hand when we don't need to?

Exactly this. Theres no way we are going to fire all of our guns halfway through a season. Id expect we will ramp it up 2-3 weeks out from the semis.

 

[84 Baby]

That said clearly Rorters aren’t playing at their peak either, Scum play a style that doesn’t really have a peak or trough and Panfas could go either way

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Exactly this. Theres no way we are going to fire all of our guns halfway through a season. Id expect we will ramp it up 2-3 weeks out from the semis.

We don't want to go off half cocked.

 

[emjaycee]

Exactly this. Theres no way we are going to fire all of our guns halfway through a season. Id expect we will ramp it up 2-3 weeks out from the semis.

Go left to Sivo all year and leave Ferguson starved of tries and then in the semi's switch our attack to the right and the opposition won't know what hit them... Ferginator!!!!

 

[The Phelan Folly]

We don't want to go off half cocked.

As long as we keep our powder dry, eyes on the target and dont mis-fire blanks we may hit the bullseye.

 

[Eelogical]

Go left to Sivo all year and leave Ferguson starved of tries and then in the semi's switch our attack to the right and the opposition won't know what hit them... Ferginator!!!!

To be fair, we did quite well last year by spreading it both left and right. Virtually the same team in 2020. Why are we going left, a forum member on the coaching staff?

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Go left to Sivo all year and leave Ferguson starved of tries and then in the semi's switch our attack to the right and the opposition won't know what hit them... Ferginator!!!!

I believe he's called The Duchess.

 

[hindy111]

I definitely feel we are only playing at 30-40% of our potential in most games this year. We’ve probably cracked 50% in a couple of games.

to me that says we have 200-300% improvement in us heading into the finals in 8 weeks time. Improve by 10% each game and we hit peak at the right time.

anyone think Penrith has another 200% in them? I don’t. They are peaking right now. They will struggle to sustain that for 8 weeks and then into the finals, and if they do it will have given opposition coaches enough time to plan to mitigate or limit their best football

What makes you think they are peaking?
They had Capewell,Too and Edwards out last week. Staines played 25mins. Whare also out but likely to not make side anyhow.
I reckon Critcton,Luai,Naden,Liam Martin,Leinu,May will all improve by the end of season. None have played much more then 25 games.

 

[84 Baby]

What makes you think they are peaking?

They definitely peaking

 

[yy_cheng]

I still think since we got blake, Ferguson hardly gets the ball

 

[TheRam]

Maybe BA is playing the long game and preparing for an ambush. If we fans know that we could offer more in attack through our strike back-rowers and our halves, don't you think BA knows this as well.
Maybe he is making us play predictable attack to lull the opposition into thinking that is all we have and then in the games that matter (i.e. the semi-finals, not Round 12 v Dogs) he will unleash the biggest, mostest, epicest secret ambush ever seen in the NRL. We are winning at 83% so far this season WITHOUT using all of the attacking skills we have. Why use them and show our hand when we don't need to?

Because this is the NRL and you can't just turn it on and off like a tap. Look at the Panthers. They are practicing all their plays and strategies during the season proper. They have even stopped using Kikau as their main man and just using him as a decoy now. But they already have used him and know how to, so now they are working out more combinations. They aren't playing crap like us in attack and waiting for the semis to unleash at the end of the season. They are honing their skills now to unleash multiple weapons that they have been practicing all year.

Look, our attack will once again start to look much better once Mahoney starts to play better and begins to deliver better and faster at the ruck especially when he picks up his game and throws those bullet 20 metre passes across the line to Moses and the like, but we are very vulnerable as a team if he is either injured, fatigued, off his game or a quality team like the Storm or Roosters shut him down. Which if I was coach would be my main strategy against the Eels knowing they are a broken accordion if he is taken out. We don't have at this stage a quality plan B.

We have been playing well in patches this year and sometimes really well, but it's obvious that we are also very limited in attack once we don't get it our way and we start to unravel bit by bit. We should still make the top 4, but I am worried that if we are unhealthy or fatigued by the time we get there that we won't be able to play our power game for the 3 or 4 games it takes to win it and lose meekly to teams that have more to offer smarts wise on the field because right now what we are doing in my opinion is very dumb. We just look like flat track bullies to me. We need to be aggressive, but we also need to learn a few tricks so when the tied turns against us out there we have the smarts and practiced knowhow to turn it around.

 

[TheRam]

This. BA is a lot more astute than many here give him credit for. I think we have a lot more improvement in us than Storm and Panthers.

If this is BA's great master plan, then why was he so disappointed and pissed off by our last performance? Why did he even ask the team if they felt like singing the team song? Ha ha ha...you think he is he foxing?

 

[TheRam]

I think back to Will Smith’s try vs Scum in 2017. How many times did we run that play that season? Some of our fans definitely need some of some nasal spray for their prematurity

Did we win that game?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

If this is BA's great master plan, then why was he so disappointed and pissed off by our last performance? Why did he even ask the team if they felt like singing the team song? Ha ha ha...you think he is he foxing?

When he acknowledged our middles he said he tries not to dish out too much praise, so yes he does play those coach games.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Did we win that game?

Given the disparity in talent we went as well as we could have in a finals match in Melbourne. Nobody beat them that year.

There's a lot more to winning than just playing your best. If the opposition have a better team and they also play their best you'll lose.

 

[TheRam]

That said clearly Rorters aren’t playing at their peak either, Scum play a style that doesn’t really have a peak or trough and Panfas could go either way

Everybody is pointing at the Roosters as an example of not playing well but still winning as if that is somehow justifying our lousy form too and still winning. For starters the Roosters are missing quite a few quality players at present and still their coach was filthy on the weekend.

But more importantly, the Roosters know how to turn it on when it matters and have bedded down their style of play and guess what? It wins premierships. What have we bedded down and or won?

On the Roosters, I expect SBW will probably win them the title this year. He will look rusty for the first 3 or 4 games as they ease him back into the game, but by the time the semis roll around they will have worked out how to use him the best way and once his fitness is up to scratch he will be a man possessed to make it happen. People who think he won't be up to it and down on what he used to do, don't realise it is only 7-8 games we are talking about, he is playing for a title ffs, he is a legend of the game and that he is only 34-35 and playing Union and 2nd grade standard league for the last few years, which has hardly taxed on his body. He is still a specimen and will just need NRL match fitness.

The desire is what he has been missing in the games he has been playing of late. Well all that will change once he pulls on that cock jumper in a couple of weeks. I think that they are an 80% chance of winning it again this year, if they don't get anymore injuries and are fit and healthy by the time the semis come around. But I want us to be the other team that they are playing in the GF and have that 20% chance of holding up the Trophy at the end. 20% is better then none.

 

[Sphagnum]

Needs more panic stations

 

[TheRam]

Given the disparity in talent we went as well as we could have in a finals match in Melbourne. Nobody beat them that year.

There's a lot more to winning than just playing your best. If the opposition have a better team and they also play their best you'll lose.

This year mate we have a better team then them but are not playing to our potential. Man for man I believe we are either equal or better then them in every position bar hooker and 5/8th. But that is where they will beat us, in the brains trust if we don't smarten up and use our skills and abilities wiser. We have them, but for whatever reason we have forgotten how to use them.

The buck stops at BA's feet. Who is our attacking coach this year? Whoever he is he needs to get a hurry up or should be fired at seasons end if we don't improve.

 

[Tooooks]

If this is BA's great master plan, then why was he so disappointed and pissed off by our last performance? Why did he even ask the team if they felt like singing the team song? Ha ha ha...you think he is he foxing?

Don’t know. He could be all out of answers. I have as much insight into the man as you do. Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part. Maybe there is a grand plan. Or maybe he is at a complete loss as to why our attack is so mediocre and our leaky right edge continues to be leaky.

If he is at a loss, then we are no chance of winning the comp, so I prefer to think - however misguided it may be - that there are some plans and tactics in place.

 

[hineyrulz]

If this is BA's great master plan, then why was he so disappointed and pissed off by our last performance? Why did he even ask the team if they felt like singing the team song? Ha ha ha...you think he is he foxing?

lol he’s been foxing for 7 years.


I can’t wait till the Semi’s when we come out with all these new plays and attack. It will be very something!!