Saints Problem

[imported_Saint_Benny1]

Just my two bobs worth
My Team:
Simmonds- he is a classy player and deserves a proper shot and was solid with about being awesome but that will come look at Hornby - he is a cut above the rest in firsts as witnessed in the gf and wasn't rushed into first grade as only passed a fitness test late to play the gf!
Cooper- underrated and if you watch game closely does all the right things- gets back and makes metres from dummy half is excellent under the high ball both defensively and offensively. Plus blistering speed- solid defence
Gasnier - defensively almost perfect and attackling brilliant and he only usually gets the ball from dummy half - if play proper game he will be unstoppable
Timmins - be tempted to play in forwards but place in centres for another season to some younger players mature- solid as a rock in defence and strong in attack
Roberts - i said he'd play for Australia and has the ability too- can play like Blacklokc and make an impact and good under high ball but no last line of defence and with players around him and more emphasis on defence this will improve
Barrett - enough said
Firman - from all reports he is the goods - club has huge raps after training with saints late in season, johns build and he'd be my first choice as we won't have to hide him in defence but next in line would be Byrne for me with Kerr and Head(not yet) up to it in my opinion and note Willow its matthew Head not Andrew
Bailey - awesome workhorse
Riddell - most important player at club - has to play 80 minutes
Ryles- best prop in game
Thomspon- workhorse every pack needs, very important to our sides chances
Kite- best young player in the game- has problems with lateral defence which needs improvement will improve with rest of game and with added speed and strength and if coached correctly will play for Australia within 2 years
Lock - i honestly don't know, but the one i have in mind is either Riddell with Gorrell at hooker, Dean Young if he is ready but he'll be lock from 2004 onwards if not before, Damien Bower impressed highly in First Division and other contenders of note are McBride, Tutt and Michael Howell depending on how he recovered
Bench
Stapleton - first prop
Second prop- out of Donnelly and White though White might not be ready and Simms isn't even 18 yet and i'd wait another year, he played SG Ball which is Under 18's at start of year before playing Flegg and First Division and is the new version of Ryles ball playing fromt rower though i think will be better than Ryles and will probley be a 2nd rower to allow Bailey and Ryles to play in starting side
Reserve Backrower - Take the list i put up earlier for lock and it'd be a similar list
Reserve back- Ben Hornby who can also play Hooker and i'd say lock and anywhere in backline
Plus alot of depth elsewhere 2003 looks like a good year
I made the post of Simmonds at half - not a bad idea
We have to adopt up and in defence- posted that on another forum
We have to play smarter more controlled football with more attacking options- Brown will address this
I am excited and love talking like this particulary in off-season
i feel top 4 in regular season and anything can happen
Prmier League should aim for Minor Prmiership
Thats my ideas
Cheers Boys!

 

[imported_SaintFirman]

G'day Benny,

I think pretty much everything you've said there is accurate, I think Amos can play a "Gasnier-like" roll, where he will be able to play dummy half and make big bursts, like we saw him do against the Bulldogs in the last round last year, also I think he would have a Peachey like role near the line, sure Peachey is scum, but 10m out from the line he's got about a 3/5 chance of scoring a try, also I think it would be best if he partnered up with Timmins, so there would be Gasnier and Cooper one side and Timmins and Amos on the other, the rock solid defence that Timmins shows in almost every match would rub off on Amos.

I think Barrett might have to kick on his long kicking game a little as there were several times this year when we kicked it out on the full in high pressure situations, also discipline is a very important thing, we can't piggy back sides out of danger, like we have in the past.

Maybe we should set a sort of plan, short-term, like the Roosters did, I remember seeing him on the news, where he said we wanted to win atleast 7 matches before our bye, and they pulled it off. Maybe we should set a plan like, we want to win 5 out of our first 7? Just short term things, so the players have to put in, I think the expectation of them winning sort of screws with them, especially seeing the results we got against New Zealand when we had no expectation of them winning. It's really psychological like Noodles said.

I think we can make the 4 if we play our own game, I hope so anyway.

 

[imported_Saint_Benny1]

The players and team should see a sports psychologist - i have said this since i studied sports psychology for a semmester at uni and trust me it would help!

 

[imported_SaintFirman]

Hmm, if you were the Saints sports psych what would you say?

 

[imported_Saint_Benny1]

This is going to take a while!

 

[Willow]

Shouldnt you say something a little more positive?

 

[imported_SaintFirman]

LOL, that's not encouraging.

 

[imported_saintdragon]

You're just like the dragons Benny, promise so much only to disappoint in the end

 

[imported_Saint_Benny1]

well there are obvious problems that need to be rectified
the team needs self belief so they can string games together and when get to final hurdle get over it
some players need to tone down their agrression motivation levels etc e.g Ryles
others need to lift it up e.g Roberts
it'd take some time but the whole off season would do the trick!

 

[imported_MrAngryOne]

I must say that you are all over complicating a simple problem. St George lack a quality halfback. You will be there or thereabouts until then. I acnnot remember the last time a team on the comp without a quality halfback. The roosters this year is the closest I can come up with - but Wing is pretty handy and had Fittler next to him. Barrett is good but not in Fittlers class just yet - Fittler also had no rep football which helps at the end of a long season.

StGeorge will do well next year but will not win because you do not have a class halfback - simple.

 

[imported_SaintFirman]

Who was the halfback in Bronco's 2000 win?

 

[imported_MrAngryOne]

Unsure Langer, Walters? Do you know?

 

[imported_SaintFirman]

Unsure, It wasn't Langer as he was in England in 2000, and I thought Walters was a 5/8.

This may be an example of a team that won without a good halfback.

They used "monster ball" alot, which is a move where basically they get the ball to all the big forwards in a set of six, and they just hit it up, without a need of a playmaker until deep into the opposition half.

This is the way Barrett should be used, instead of having to orchestrate an attack for 50m out!

 

[Willow]

In 2000,the Broncos used at least two halfbacks: Shane Walker and they also used Kevin Walters.

 

[imported_Saint_Benny1]

Kevin Walters was halfback with Ben Ikin at 5/8 if memory serves me correct
Kevvie was definately halfback though!

 

[Willow]

Shane Walker was too but I dont know how many games he played in 2000. Where's a Bronco's supporter when you need one?

 

[imported_Noodles]

I'm pretty certain it was Walters who was halfback in the GF.

 

[imported_MrAngryOne]

Either way the Saints need a class half to be a threat. You have a great team but this is what is missing - don't you think?

 

[Willow]

Mr Angry:
I can only go on what I've witnessed but it does appear that the club has made some attempts at getting a half back.

Willie Peters showed promise because of his form with Wigan but unfortunately, he had trouble carrying it over into the NRL.

Keiran Kerr was fast off the mark and actually kept Peters in reserve grade last year but he was struck down with injury and has never really recovered his form.

Dean Byrne is class act but he too was injured and imo, we have yet to see the best of him. Watch out for him in 2003.

Brett Kimmorley and Saints were in negotiations. Kimmorley wanted a motza and Saints even considered compromising themselves to sign him but in the end decided it wasn't worth the risk. That, and the fact that Kimmorley was acting like an arsehole.

Saints have also signed Brett Firman as well as having the likes of Andrew Head and Damien Bower and Ben Hornby on standy. Some even say that Barrett should be the halfback.

Its not surprising to see Saints searching for a halfback, considering all that has gone before. But as I said in an earlier post, there are a number of choices at the club's disposal next year so I'm willing to take a 'wait and see' approach (not that I have much choice) and offer further opinion on the halfback questionafter we get into season 2003.

IMHO, we have a bigger issue with the lock forward position. No one has been penned in for the No.13 jersey yet.

 

[imported_SaintFirman]

I think Kite or Tutt will take the Lock position, with the other shifting into the second row, unless John Cross signs, also I think that if Byrne can build himself up a bit over the offseason he will be a good halfback for next year, I've got a feeling this youngster will click straight into first grade.