Rumours and Stuff

[Incorrect]

Waqa Blake signs for Saint Helens

Waqa Blake: St Helens sign Fijian centre on one-year deal

St Helens sign Fiji international centre Waqa Blake on a one-year deal for the upcoming 2024 Super League campaign.

www.bbc.com

Apparently this deal was due to be announced 3 days ago but Waqa kept dropping the pen when he was trying to sign the contract...

 

[84 Baby]

Until I see a huge improvement in defense, quick ptb's and improved attack I highly doubt minor premiership.

Sadly I agree but I'll be there cheering them on. After 10 years Im not counting on much tactical change offensively or defensively.

I agree defence needs to improve but our offence hasn’t struggled. I think people here predominantly watch our games and only see highlights of other games and so develop a preconception that our offence is bad. In terms of similar styles, I don’t think we’re that far behind Smugs or Scum. The difference in how “easily” they score I think comes back to defence. Their defences are better, this gives them more opportunities and also increases pressure on opposition which leads to more points. But often when you watch them for a short period, like us, they can seemingly be camped inside the opposition 20 but struggle to break through.
Definitely need to fix our defence but.

 

[Gazzamatta]

I agree defence needs to improve but our offence hasn’t struggled. I think people here predominantly watch our games and only see highlights of other games and so develop a preconception that our offence is bad. In terms of similar styles, I don’t think we’re that far behind Smugs or Scum. The difference in how “easily” they score I think comes back to defence. Their defences are better, this gives them more opportunities and also increases pressure on opposition which leads to more points. But often when you watch them for a short period, like us, they can seemingly be camped inside the opposition 20 but struggle to break through.
Definitely need to fix our defence but.

Whilst I agree, I think we are predictable in A and as such opposition know how to beat up on us. Very true, D is our failing or more to the point consistency in D.

 

[Twizzle]

I thought you weren’t wearing pants ffs!!

its a bit cooler today, pissing down outside

 

[Obscene Assassin]

I agree defence needs to improve but our offence hasn’t struggled. I think people here predominantly watch our games and only see highlights of other games and so develop a preconception that our offence is bad. In terms of similar styles, I don’t think we’re that far behind Smugs or Scum. The difference in how “easily” they score I think comes back to defence. Their defences are better, this gives them more opportunities and also increases pressure on opposition which leads to more points. But often when you watch them for a short period, like us, they can seemingly be camped inside the opposition 20 but struggle to break through.
Definitely need to fix our defence but.

Based on a fox sports analysis article we scored less tries than 2022 but increased our points scored compared with other teams. Where we decreased was metres against, and tries against.

In 2023 we had Paulo, Cartwright and Hopgood play 20 games or more. In 2022 we had Paulo, Campbell-Gillard, Lane, Matterson, Papali'i, Kaufusi play 20 or more. Correlation or causation?

 

[Obscene Assassin]

Whilst I agree, I think we are predictable in A and as such opposition know how to beat up on us. Very true, D is our failing or more to the point consistency in D.

Every team is predictable in attack, it just depends on how good you are at it

 

[Twizzle]

Every team is predictable in attack, it just depends on how good you are at it

yeah, thanks Pou

 

[Twizzle]

 

[Soren Lorenson]

I don't know if it's statistically robust, but I just did a quick calculation. If we improved our defense last year by 1 converted try a game ( 6points ), we would have finished with 36 points and a FA of +175. Putting us 5th. This is the area we can gain the most by improving.

 

[King-Gutho94]

I agree defence needs to improve but our offence hasn’t struggled. I think people here predominantly watch our games and only see highlights of other games and so develop a preconception that our offence is bad. In terms of similar styles, I don’t think we’re that far behind Smugs or Scum. The difference in how “easily” they score I think comes back to defence. Their defences are better, this gives them more opportunities and also increases pressure on opposition which leads to more points. But often when you watch them for a short period, like us, they can seemingly be camped inside the opposition 20 but struggle to break through.
Definitely need to fix our defence but.

Defence is 80% attitude and 20% structure/personnel

What were the inside 20 tackle numbers in that last round game against penrith.

I reckon it was 60 odd to single digits in Penrith's favour. Yet we scored 6 tries with SFA ball and they scored a few in the last 5 mins when game was over.

We defended like our arses were on the line in a dead rubber. It wasn't like Penrith threw nothing at us that night.

If we turned up with that attitude most weeks we win more then we lose.

Problem is we seemed to turn up at least once a month even when we were a top 4 side with a shit attitude and throw in a shocker.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

yeah, thanks Pou

He’s right though. Every team plays to its strengths, and other teams know what they are. Being unpredictable would mean not playing to your strengths so much. Could also mean having weapons across the park. Hard to defend against, and even harder to get under salary cap restrictions.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Defence is 80% attitude and 20% structure/personnel

Mate this is rugby league we’re talking about. It has to add up to 110%

 

[T.S Quint]

Was a great place in the day and sadly screwed over by the combination of Benny's greed and State Government incompetence.

But....much like NRL club, better days ahead with the club rising like a phoenix from the ashes. Development Application finally approved, club bought by Wests Ashfield and work to start soon on the rebuild. There will be a new club in the spot (as well as residential and commercial properties), branded Balmain Leagues, owned by Wests Ashfield (Homan Barnes Group).

I wouldn’t get your hopes up about it being “soon”. This thing has been in development hell for years, and still has some way to go before they even begin tearing down the old building.

 

[84 Baby]

Whilst I agree, I think we are predictable in A and as such opposition know how to beat up on us. Very true, D is our failing or more to the point consistency in D.

And yet with that predictability we still score a ton of points. I’d say every teams attack is “predictable” if by that it means “oh look their left edge have scored all their points”. Every team plays with almost the same shapes. They punch down the right then have a stretched left to try to break the defence. It’s predictable, but there’s subtlety and decision making with whether it’s spreading to Sivo, Gutho going himself or Lane coming back into the shift.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

yeah, thanks Pou

It needs repeating a thousand times cause the idiots still aren't getting it

 

[84 Baby]

Defence is 80% attitude and 20% structure/personnel

What were the inside 20 tackle numbers in that last round game against penrith.

I reckon it was 60 odd to single digits in Penrith's favour. Yet we scored 6 tries with SFA ball and they scored a few in the last 5 mins when game was over.

We defended like our arses were on the line in a dead rubber. It wasn't like Penrith threw nothing at us that night.

If we turned up with that attitude most weeks we win more then we lose.

Problem is we seemed to turn up at least once a month even when we were a top 4 side with a shit attitude and throw in a shocker.

I think a fair portion of our problem is personnel/structure. We’re setup with a particular style. @Glenneel’s favourite fat props in RCG/Paulo, rangy edge forwards a distributor hooker and some “small”/combo forwards in Hopgood, Matto & Ofahengaue. None of which have elite lateral movement, plus they also have important attack roles which means fitness becomes a factor in balancing effort on each side of ruck.

 

[Tiger5150]

I wouldn’t get your hopes up about it being “soon”. This thing has been in development hell for years, and still has some way to go before they even begin tearing down the old building.

At least they now have Development Approval and the funds. It will be relatively soon.

 

[hindy111]

Based on a fox sports analysis article we scored less tries than 2022 but increased our points scored compared with other teams. Where we decreased was metres against, and tries against.

In 2023 we had Paulo, Cartwright and Hopgood play 20 games or more. In 2022 we had Paulo, Campbell-Gillard, Lane, Matterson, Papali'i, Kaufusi play 20 or more. Correlation or causation?

Kafusi was bog average. An overhyped junior. Can't beleive the Sharks paid him 400k. One dimensional

 

[hindy111]

Every team is predictable in attack, it just depends on how good you are at it

Penrith are but they are so good they strangle you amd execute great.
Brisbane are not predictable. They have wild x factor players all over the park.

 

[hindy111]

I don't know if it's statistically robust, but I just did a quick calculation. If we improved our defense last year by 1 converted try a game ( 6points ), we would have finished with 36 points and a FA of +175. Putting us 5th. This is the area we can gain the most by improving.

Probably what Bushy said when he landed his 3yr extension.

The thing is what if every other side in the comp did the same? I mean they all would be better.