Salvaging the season

[since77]

Its amazing that a team playing as poorly as ours can still be in with a shot at the finals this year. Forgetting that frustration at our inept team and poor coach for a moment though, surely Mc Gregor needs to take a realistic look at what's needed to secure a spot in the 8.
Firstly, he needs to forget about hoping for 8th spot, as our for and against is so bad, that anyone on the same amount of points will take that spot from us, even allowing that Parramatta is about to get docked their 12 point penalty.
Looking at the upcoming draw, I can only see us winning 5 more games, plus the bye, which gets us to 28, which is more often than not, the cut off. But our F & A will rule that out.
So Mary needs to be targeting at least 2 things over the remainder of the season - 1. at least 6 wins (which means beating all the teams under us and 1 of the matches against Bulldogs, Brisbane, Cronulla & Parra) and 2. improving the for and against.

His safe and steady approach needs to go obviously, so that means he needs to pick a team that can score points. Some risks need to be taken - find a spot for Mann, drop Benji (who needs to reflect on Corey Parker's decision today - a player who can still be said to be close to career best form compared to Benji's bungles). Pick a bench with impact. From what I can objectively see, our season is gone, so why not attempt to go out without dying wondering? Throw caution to the wind in attack, stop playing safety first. Whats the worst that can happen?

 

[BennyV]

Whats the worst that can happen?

We scrape into the 8 and he is re-signed for 3 more years.

 

[Lethal25]

This team is living in a false economy.

Wins against Cowboys and Storm through origin period has inflated their position on the ladder significantly. They would be 14th not 8th and finals would require 8 wins from final 11 matches given the poor for and against.

If this was the case then there would be a chance of salvaging something because it may have been the catalyst for real change.

I'll still be cheering for them to win every match but a brighter outlook is what we all want. Not mediocrity and hoping to scrape into finals footy courtesy of a gun draw through origin.

 

[blacksafake]

Sorry 77, But it ain't gonna happen. We are talking about Mary now.

 

[hazzbeen]

We scrape into the 8 and he is re-signed for 3 more years.

Benny that is the biggest problem.... Im scared...

 

[grouch]

We scrape into the 8 and he is re-signed for 3 more years.

Yep.. what's to salvage? The coach and everyone within the club is thrilled with the way we are battling to our hard-fought wins, and this will be proven when we make the 8 of an efftively 13-team comp and re-sign the coach

 

[since77]

Sorry 77, But it ain't gonna happen. We are talking about Mary now.

YeahI know that, but was change of scenery from the Keary news.

Personally I hope Newcastle towel us up next week and thats followed by several more losses to create real pressure on the club to make changes.

 

[St Georgio]

Mary has mentioned a number of times in press conferences about the tough road trip they've had, suggesting a better second part.. more home games, so I am expecting top 6 finish,if not sack him!

 

[Cagey Mac]

If we beat those below us on the table then we'll finish 6th or 7th on 34 points with a F/A of around -174.
Nearest to us will be on 30
Mosoe, if back could help us to reach the second round of the finals in a best case scenario depending on who we're playing. Sharks and Storm reliant on their 9's but we lack the class at the moment to go too deep.

 

[Cagey Mac]

If we beat those below us on the table then we'll finish 6th or 7th on 34 points with a F/A of around -174.
Nearest to us will be on 30
Mosoe, if back could help us to reach the second round of the finals in a best case scenario depending on who we're playing. Sharks and Storm reliant on their 9's but we lack the class at the moment to go too deep.

 

[TruSaint]

YeahI know that, but was change of scenery from the Keary news.

Personally I hope Newcastle towel us up next week and thats followed by several more losses to create real pressure on the club to make changes.

So you are wishing for a loss, a big one, followed by a few more?

That will do me.

 

[True_Believer]

YeahI know that, but was change of scenery from the Keary news.

Personally I hope Newcastle towel us up next week and thats followed by several more losses to create real pressure on the club to make changes.

Jeebus. It's obvious we have different views on what constitutes supporting a team. I too believe changes need to be made, but never ever would I wish that my team lose 1 game let alone multiple games.

 

[Jubileeboy]

YeahI know that, but was change of scenery from the Keary news.

Personally I hope Newcastle towel us up next week and thats followed by several more losses to create real pressure on the club to make changes.

What a disgraceful thing to say. That's embarrassing.
Give yourself a triple.

 

[since77]

So you are wishing for a loss, a big one, followed by a few more?

That will do me.

Do I REALLY want to see the team lose, and lose again, and lose again? No, but its the only way things are going to change. I'd much rather take some short term pain and have positive changes come from that instead of continuing what we've seen in 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2016. A 2015 where we limped into the finals and exited week 1 is the best achievement thus club has had over the last 5 years. Are you happy with that? Do you really think 2017 is going to be better based on the same unchanged game plan for 5 years?

Steve Price was going nowhere, even surviving an end of season review which declared the poor results on the field weren't his fault. It wasn't until several large losses in a row that the pressure came for change. It will be the same this time around, until the fans and media start howling for blood. This coach and his game plan will be here until the team finally melts down. So lets get the pain over and done with now so we can all look forward to watching a team we can be proud of.

 

[TruSaint]

Do I REALLY want to see the team lose, and lose again, and lose again? No, but its the only way things are going to change. I'd much rather take some short term pain and have positive changes come from that instead of continuing what we've seen in 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2016. A 2015 where we limped into the finals and exited week 1 is the best achievement thus club has had over the last 5 years. Are you happy with that? Do you really think 2017 is going to be better based on the same unchanged game plan for 5 years?

Steve Price was going nowhere, even surviving an end of season review which declared the poor results on the field weren't his fault. It wasn't until several large losses in a row that the pressure came for change. It will be the same this time around, until the fans and media start howling for blood. This coach and his game plan will be here until the team finally melts down. So lets get the pain over and done with now so we can all look forward to watching a team we can be proud of.

Well you can justify your comments any way you wish.

You asked the question, am I happy with the status quo.. No... I have pointed that out many times.

But I will never... ever, hope that we lose a game of footy to suit my agenda. Firstly it defies the logic of a fan ( lets hope we lose ), and secondly, give you NO assurance of better times.In fact, going by your logic, if we get smashed, our chances of attracting better coaches, staff, players is diminished ...

However, to each their own. I hope Saints put on a fricken clinic against the Knights, and end up playing in September.

This has nothing to do with Mary / Doust / board.

All of that is open for healthy debate.

But to hope for a loss... nah / never.

 

[John Fifita]

There's plenty around here who do hope for a loss. There's heaps that bitch when we score a flukey try. There's heaps that crap on about embarrassing wins.

Agendas. Agendas. Agendas

 

[Jubileeboy]

Well you can justify your comments any way you wish.

You asked the question, am I happy with the status quo.. No... I have pointed that out many times.

But I will never... ever, hope that we lose a game of footy to suit my agenda. Firstly it defies the logic of a fan ( lets hope we lose ), and secondly, give you NO assurance of better times.In fact, going by your logic, if we get smashed, our chances of attracting better coaches, staff, players is diminished ...

However, to each their own. I hope Saints put on a fricken clinic against the Knights, and end up playing in September.

This has nothing to do with Mary / Doust / board.

All of that is open for healthy debate.

But to hope for a loss... nah / never.

Wot he said ^^^

 

[SBD82]

Well you can justify your comments any way you wish.

You asked the question, am I happy with the status quo.. No... I have pointed that out many times.

But I will never... ever, hope that we lose a game of footy to suit my agenda. Firstly it defies the logic of a fan ( lets hope we lose ), and secondly, give you NO assurance of better times.In fact, going by your logic, if we get smashed, our chances of attracting better coaches, staff, players is diminished ...

However, to each their own. I hope Saints put on a fricken clinic against the Knights, and end up playing in September.

This has nothing to do with Mary / Doust / board.

All of that is open for healthy debate.

But to hope for a loss... nah / never.

Yep.

*stands and applauds*

 

[2010]

Time to hack away the f/a, starting this week

 

[giboz71]

Yes, agree we are probably higher up on the ladder than we deserve, but we actually do some things reasonably well.

Ball control and discipline are generally good, and we defend well too. That's how we've managed to scratch out our wins. Not pretty to watch I know, but we lack the skills that other teams have. Probably explains the simplified game plan.

Spine positions and speed are what's killing us. If we had some semblance of an attack, combined with the good things I have mentioned above, we'd be in the 8 without question.