Sack soward

[FundyDragon]

Just watched a highlights video of saints from 2010-2011...Soward could get the ball with 2-3m of space between him and the defensive line, scurrying in 3 different directions and then hit a monster gap that just opened up...pretty to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPrteO-Jb_Y

Is it possible he is carrying a injury now? I know he had some back problems last year.

 

[BennyV]

Is it possible he is carrying a injury now? I know he had some back problems last year.

Yeah, I heard that was an issue last year...he has shown this year that he definitely has the speed, he just doesnt back himself - it's a shame, the defense seem to expect him to pass the ball, he could definitely take them all by surprise, put on a step and fly through...

 

[Mr Red]

He hasnt run at the line like that (i.e. with genuine intent to actually try and break through) for a couple of years now, why i dont know because he still has enough speed to do it..

Maybe he doesnt think hes good enough anymore or hes just over getting hit?

he is a confidence player and he simply just doesnt have the confidence anymore to do it..
Bennett and Sailor were always in his ear keeping his confidence up, so mentally he was ready to play.

I doubt Price/Creagh would offer the same personal skills that Soward needs to restore his confidence... neither have decent man management ability IMO.
Gould/Cleary at the Panthers both have the man-management needed for a player like Soward to get back into form..
Will be very interesting to see how he goes next season....

 

[FundyDragon]

Yeah, I heard that was an issue last year...he has shown this year that he definitely has the speed, he just doesnt back himself - it's a shame, the defense seem to expect him to pass the ball, he could definitely take them all by surprise, put on a step and fly through...

His goal kicking is so out of form it's not funny, you just don't lose the ability to kick in two games. There's got to be more to it. I don't accept that his heads in Penriff he has way to much of fan base at the Dragons and he loves the redV.

 

[Cherrybrookdragon84]

I agree fundydragon, I used to work in the same building as sowies mum and I know how much the red v means to him. He is definitely a confidence kind of player but he seems to be really hit and miss at the moment. I hope that after he leaves the dragons we don't all regret not having his kicking game if he finds it again at Penrith.

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

I thought he was great against Newcastle a month back, but he was just dreadful on Sunday. Inconsistent

I thought he was ok against Knights too.

He IS a confidence player and needs mentors in his ear as pointed out.

Is he the sole reason why we are struggling? - not at all.

His inconsistent performances on the field is a symptom of the bigger picture problem -

...team discipline

 

[64 Dragon]

I thought he was great against Newcastle a month back.

Maybe it's because Bennett was there.

 

[FundyDragon]

Maybe it's because Bennett was there.

That is very funny

 

[Black Forest Dragon]

Yes, a PEAHEART. I have seen it only very, very rarely, but Soward has shown time and time again that he is a frightened player.
No question about it.

Surely Preacher your beef must be with the team selection then.

This should be the "come on Steve Price do something about it thread"

Many other coaches have dropped top line players for either disciplinary or performance issues - because the message to the player himself and the rest of the team through the course of a season, is more important then next game.

Whaddyareckon?

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

The problem with Soward is he doesn't take on the friggin line. It's easy to defend against a player when you know that he is going to pass all the time. No wonder our attack sucks. Other teams know exactly what our playmaker will do. Someone give me Price's number, I need to let him know!

 

[RedPenno]

will probably miss sowies kicking game next year, but just imagine how many more attacking options we should have with a halves combo that actually takes on the line for the whole game not just parts of it. bring on the kids, quinlan & drinkwater

 

[Cherrybrookdragon84]

Sowie has been dropped before for poor form...in 2008, Brownie was playing Ben Rogers ahead of him when he was fit and ready to go and we were pushing towards the finals. And last year Price kept him out of the team for a while under the pretence that he was injured and he ended up playing a couple of games in the cutters before coming back.
If his form dip continues i wouldnt be suprised to see him dropped - OR - transfered to the Panthers pre June 30 - if we find another option :shock:, BUT currently we may or may not have better options according to Price.
I was at the Newcastle game where Drinkwater debuted and thought he went well, except he seemed a little reluctant to get into tackles, kindof hung off. BUT i'm dissapointed he hasnt been given another go, especially when King has been out and Price could have bought him off the bench if need be, moving Fien into hooker when Drinky came on.
That;s a non issue with King and Rein back so its more of a replacement issue with Drinkwater- still like to see the kid have a go before round 20

 

[FlameThrower]

Sowie has been dropped before for poor form...in 2008, Brownie was playing Ben Rogers ahead of him when he was fit and ready to go and we were pushing towards the finals. 20

Sorry that was a huge mistake and I recall Cooper and other senior players were involved with that terrible decision. Rogers went on to play a shocker.

 

[RedV_J]

Just watched a highlights video of saints from 2010-2011...Soward could get the ball with 2-3m of space between him and the defensive line, scurrying in 3 different directions and then hit a monster gap that just opened up...pretty to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPrteO-Jb_Y

So frustrating watching this, he looked so good when he took on the line, especially off the scrums.. I can't remember the last time he has tried something like that from a scrum. I think he is simply just scared of the contact and has shocking confidence. Wish Dell was still around to rev him up, he was probably half the reason he played with confidence back then

 

[saint.nick]

The problem with Soward is he doesn't take on the friggin line. It's easy to defend against a player when you know that he is going to pass all the time. No wonder our attack sucks. Other teams know exactly what our playmaker will do. Someone give me Price's number, I need to let him know!

You exactly reflect the point I'm trying to make. You may as well just say Soward is an average five eighth, if you want to argue that people should just accept his style of avoiding involvement with the defensive line. In order to cut through gaps, and frequently execute try assists through good ball playing, you HAVE to take on the line. Otherwise, you're just going to rely on the odd great cut out ball to the winger to get a try assist next to your name. A great five eighth would have won us the game against the titans and manly. Instead our 0 creativity couldn't eventuate this.

Why doesn't Jaimie understand that he needs to run at the defence to a) put defenders in two minds/ draw defenders b) straighten the attack, and c) create greater ball playing opportunities to lead to tries? It's not just about trying to make a tackle bust/line break. A good example is the cronk slater inside ball combo. It works so well because cronk gets right into their faces, and has the class to give that perfect no look pass to a blazing billy slater just as he hits the hole. How is soward going to get players into holes if passes while he's 10 m infront of them? That's only going to give defenders time to close that gap and basically spread to wherever the ball is being played with ease. How's he going to make defenders confused amongst decoy runners if they can still clearly see what's happening with the ball in a wide scope of vision? if he plays closer to the line, this limits their peripheral vision, increases confusion, and then bang morris has easily scored in the corner. Maybe he does realise all of this, but doesn't have the chutzpah to do it. I do think he gives it all, but needs to rediscover that 2009 confidence.

 

[Cherrybrookdragon84]

It's funny saint.nick, I was re watching the titans game earlier and Phil Gould obviously disagrees with all of us because in the lead up to the Vidot try, he praises soward for his stutter at the line to look at id ris before passing to quinlan, who subsequently created the try. Jokes on Gould because what he sees as a deliberate pause by sowie was actually him realising he was crabbing across towards idris where he was going to get hammered at the line!!!
I wish that sowie would create like that on purpose all of the time.

 

[watatank]

Except the defence still had time to hold off and then slide to cover, if it wasn't for a freakish flick pass from Quinlan the play would have broken down.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

i believe players like Morris, Nightingale, Merrin, Rein, Frizzell are playing out of their skins week in week out and should not be tainted in the same way as the under performing players:

Chase Stanley
Dan Hunt
Ben Creagh
Nathan Fien
Jamie Soward
Bronson Harrison

the players i have listed above IMO are not playing to the level required and rightfully so should be singled out. the good players shoud be given credit, and the poor players (especially Fien, Stanley and Harrison) who are clearly not part of the clubs plans long term should be moved aside and given some of the younger players who are part of the clubs long term plans a chance.

Rein has been woeful for going on about 6 weeks now.

When you can only name 3 players who have been playing well, there is a systemic problem at the club, blaming individual players is pointless. As for Soward, he was pivotal in all of our wins, and I think his lack of form (goalkicking excluded) has been greatly exaggerated. I'm not saying he's been playing well, but it's not like the halves have had much to work with. The backline we fielded was terrible this week, and again we were faced with easy meters up the middle in defense and poor dummy half service.

 

[Mr Red]

Rein has been woeful for going on about 6 weeks now.
the guy is simply out of steam due to our inept coach playing him fo the full 80mins in most of those matches.. Price is to blame here. Give Rein about 50mins in rotation with King and you will again see the best of him.

When you can only name 3 players who have been playing well, there is a systemic problem at the club, no... just a poor coach. Other coaches could produce far greater output with the same squad.

blaming individual players is pointless. yep just keep picking them each week, working well so far.

As for Soward, he was pivotal in all of our wins the whole 3 wins from 9 matches??

, and I think his lack of form (goalkicking excluded) has been greatly exaggerated.
I'm not saying he's been playing well, but it's not like the halves have had much to work with. The backline we fielded was terrible this week, and again we were faced with easy meters up the middle in defense and poor dummy half service. again something that has been systematic with Price in charge for 18months, getting worse with Price seemingly clueless how to solve...

 

[Firey_Dragon]

Mr Red, you said Rein has 'been playing out of his skin'. It's not the case, irrespective of what the coaching has been. We have basically 3 super consistent players... Merrin, Morris and Nightingale. We then have Frizell who is starting to hit his straps. The rest of the squad is wildly inconsistent, some good players, some not so good.

You won't get any disagreements from me on Price, I think he is a poor strategist, the players look underprepared and his interchange usage has been baffling at times. What you are failing to understand is who do you drop to bring in who? We are not exactly flush with depth. Sure, drop Soward and Fien... And bring in Drinkwater who is underperforming at NSW Cup, and play Quinlan alongside him? When he hasn't played that position for quite a while.

As for Soward, well 3 wins from 9 is probably better than 0 from 9 which is pretty close to what we would be on without his contribution. Ignoring the fact that in the last 3 weeks we've played two teams that are likely to be in the GF, and we fielded a z grade backline against the titans... We're probably a win or two from where we realistically should be placed... The mediocre start to the season is to blame, certainly not the last 6 games.

I'm honestly baffled at what you're trying to argue Red. We both concede the coach is the problem, but you suggest dropping players is some sort of solution, without providing any replacements.

To be honest, the only guy I see who should genuinely be dropped, and can be suitably replaced is Harrison.