It’s clear that we need a fullback an X factor. Fullback position has gone past Gutho now and he should be transitioned elsewhere.
If we can’t find an X factor fullback and I mean Reece Walsh class, then I’d be giving Dylan Brown a go in the off season to see how he copes. There’s a lot to learn obviously but I believe he could make that switch he’d be dynamic with all that room.
As for Gutho, 5/8 or 3/4.
So you think our issues lay at the feet of our best and by far our most consistent player?
Mate, our problems go way deeper then moving our best player out of his most natural position and putting his nose out of joint and losing all off what he brings and believe me he bring plenty.
There are two things that need addressing first before anything else is even considered and they are at least one if not two quality outside backs that can attack with the ball and defend well and the other is our defense as a team.
Those two things need to be pushed to the top of the tree and not taken down until they have been sorted. End of, otherwise we go nowhere again next season. When next season starts, if our defense isn't in the top 2 and I mean a hairs breadth between the two after the first 10 rounds then I would immediately start to look for a new coach. I don't care even if the whole world knew about it and it ended up destabilizing our season. We aren't going to win a thing if we aren't in the top 2 defensive teams anyway.
Also we need if possible to find and bag a quality front rower in the juniors that everyone can see will be a star. Someone like JWH or Klemmer were juniors and offer him enough and make love to him along the way so as he wants to come to the Eels. It doesn't necessarily need to be for 2024, but as long as we get him and we can start to rebuild our front row from 2025 onwards. Because we will definitely need it guaranteed and now is the time to start to address it.
Now besides finally addressing our defensive structures I would take a leaf out of master coach Bennetts book and for the first month of training with the ball in hand I would get them all to only do one thing and it is the most basic thing a footballer at NRL level should be able to do and that is I would put them through repetitive drills for hours, day in and day out, on attacking raids counting numbers, 3 and 4's. Bennet has done this since he started coaching decades ago and he has had some of the all time greats in his squad. Players who don't know and are new to his club, often ask him why are you asking us to do this most basic of things for weeks on end? But by the time the season comes around they all realise exactly why he does it.
Most elite players don't know the basics because they were elite coming through the grades and never needed to learn some of the most basic parts of the game. Bennett has stated that he was astounded how little so many 1st graders knew so he does this every off season from the start of his coach right up to now and that is part of why people are always saying that Bennetts teams are always so well prepared.
We as a club scream this lack of basic knowledge on the field or preparedness. I know some like pou and others may suggest but we had no problem scoring points this season and it was our decision making and resolve in defense that got us unstuck. Sure that is why I put solving our defense issues at the top of the tree of priorities. But our offense at times when we should be pushing the ball to where the defensive line is weakest and or short is clunky if we take advantage at all. Lets face it we have to many dumb footballers who are not aware where they should be standing or how to run onto a ball for maximum effect or how deep or shallow the unfolding play needs them to be. By just doing repetitive drills for weeks on end and nothing else but counting numbers, it will give them an understanding and instinctive connective whole team attacking formation that they can automatically get into at any time without thought in a micro second which in most cases is what is needed for it to work.
So to often they run out of ideas when they are confronted with the better teams hard and solid defense. When all that is needed is to play at our strengths and that is to use our Palookas to attack the middle defensive line over and over again and not deviate away from that for at least 2 or 3 sets. Just simple up the middle sh*t. You know just like how Bennett had the Dolphins play this year and it worked beautifully until injuries and suspensions saw them run out of steam. So when the opposition compresses their defensive line as they will and should, the numbers out wide are and should be in our favour. Guess what we do then? Now if we spent a month of training doing nothing but numbers drills in the off season, does anyone think that we will get it wrong?
We have a power game and it works well against the teams that don't turn up. But what do we do when the opposition do turn up and say not today boys, you're not coming through our front door? Well we keep knocking on that front door as hard as a demon so as to attract as many trolls on the other side to protect it and then we quickly slide through the open window out wide. It needs precision and finesse, especially since we don't have a speedster out wide, but it can and should be done. We also have two of the fastest halves in the game, at the very least it would give them more opportunities to attack players one on one or in a retreating formation.
But of course the other priority at the top of the tree will need to be addressed as well for this to have any chance of success, otherwise teams like the Panthers will still have fresh middles to our battered and worn out ones that we won't be capable of knocking on their front door long enough to matter.
