Sandow

[Eels Dude]

It just means there's a time and a place to come out of the line.

He held the line yesterday against Cooper and was continually owned. But when your halfback is defending outside the centre, the two inside guys have to work extra hard to stop the ball getting out there in the first place.

That is all true.

I think with Sandow though he acts with a lot of emotion when he's on the footy field. And that's a great thing because you gotta love the bloke's attitude. Cannot wait to him see him bring that emotion to Parra.

Sometimes he just gets too excited when Souths get on a roll though. That's where he tries to rush in for the unessecary shoulder charge. He also cost them a couple of games earlier in the year by getting excited when Souths were on a roll and kicking field goals way too early. He nailed them perfectly but it was the wrong option at the time. He was better off going for a repeat set or at least keeping the ball down that end of the field. Souths subsquently lost both games by conceding tries in the final 15 minutes.

 

[TheRam]

It just means there's a time and a place to come out of the line.

He held the line yesterday against Cooper and was continually owned. But when your halfback is defending outside the centre, the two inside guys have to work extra hard to stop the ball getting out there in the first place.

I don't think he held the line well at all, he kept going sideways and then backward, that is why he got owned. No one can defend well like that. You need to go forward as a line and meet the defense. It is called intimidation in defense. Dictating terms and not letting the offense play with space, depth or comfort.

That is what the Dragons do to teams all the time. They are in your face constantly, choking and suffocating you into frustration and ultimately error. They don't stop two or three metres before the attack and wait, like most other team, to play ball and come to them. They obviously do this the best and why I still believe they will win the GF this year.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I don't think he held the line well at all, he kept going sideways and then backward, that is why he got owned. No one can defend well like that. You need to go forward as a line and meet the defense. It is called intimidation in defense. Dictating terms and not letting the offense play with space, depth or comfort.

The reason an entire edge defence backs off like that is because they're outnumbered and they're waiting for their inside men to come across.

It's similar to why fullbacks sometimes back off attacking players.

You're right that moving up is the best way to defend but it requires the middle guys to work hard so the edge guys can mark up from the sideline in (not from the ruck out).

Souths' edge defenders know you're supposed to move up but it's not easy if the inside men aren't doing their job. Before you move up you've gotta make sure you've got the numbers, and that starts on the inside.

 

[TheRam]

The reason an entire edge defence backs off like that is because they're outnumbered and they're waiting for their inside men to come across.

It's similar to why fullbacks sometimes back off attacking players.

You're right that moving up is the best way to defend but it requires the middle guys to work hard so the edge guys can mark up from the sideline in (not from the ruck out).

Souths' edge defenders know you're supposed to move up but it's not easy if the inside men aren't doing their job. Before you move up you've gotta make sure you've got the numbers, and that starts on the inside.

They had the numbers at times yesterday and still backed off. And as they showed in the second half even when out numbered you still should run up with what you have and hammer the attacker as quick as possible. When they did this they saved tries, when they didn't they conceeded them.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

He is being a bit over rated a bit I think. Definatly what we need and the best option available, but he will just become a cog in our machine. A good one, but he will not be the stand out performer week in week out. He will do his job. (he may how ever seem like the second coming since it has been a while since we haven't had a real 7 in a while)

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Yes but 09 was nothing more then a freakish display from Hayne, everything he touched turned to gold. You take Hayne out of the equations and 09 never happens.

Take Fui, Robson, Kingston, Burt or Grothe out, it never happens.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He is being a bit over rated a bit I think. Definatly what we need and the best option available, but he will just become a cog in our machine. A good one, but he will not be the stand out performer week in week out. He will do his job.

So just like Cooper Cronk?

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

So just like Cooper Cronk?

I see no reason why not except I think Cronk has a much wiser head, but that comes with experience (and of course much better defence).

 

[Habitual Linestepper]

I see no reason why not except I think Cronk has a much wiser head, but that comes with experience (and of course much better defence).

idk if what Cronk has comes with experience. He constantly gives the most insightful post match interviews. I get the impression he has a massive league IQ.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I see no reason why not except I think Cronk has a much wiser head, but that comes with experience (and of course much better defence).

Agree with that, and as HL says, probably a smarter person than Sandow, which Cronk is able to bring to the field. Plus Cronk is a good clubman and leader.

One area Sandow has it over Cronk is that ability to work magic - beside the explosiveness (Cronk is also pretty explosive). Sandow has a natural instinct for the game which allows him to do freakish things, like against Cronulla earlier in the year when he found himself as the lone defender facing a 5th tackle 3-on-1, intercepted the pass and ran it back 40 metres to score. Here's the video: http://www.nrl.com/Video/2011GameAn...242&videoquality=2&type=try&period=2&time=705

 

[The Eels Shed]

Take Fui, Robson, Kingston, Burt or Grothe out, it never happens.

Actually, it does...
His was form was such that any 12 players could have run on with him that back half of the year and we still would have made the Grand Final...

That was awesome to watch.....

 

[spiderdan]

Take Fui, Robson, Kingston, Burt or Grothe out, it never happens.

ditto cayless, hindmarsh, mateo and the late season improved lowrie.

while hayne was the main strike player that season but there was a massive improvement in the team.

people harp on about the ad lib style off the back of hayne but i am pretty sure that we only averaged something like 10ppg in defence. i don't htink that comes down to just hayne being in freakish form. our defence played just as much a part in that run as anything else.

 

[spiderdan]

Agree with that, and as HL says, probably a smarter person than Sandow, which Cronk is able to bring to the field. Plus Cronk is a good clubman and leader.

One area Sandow has it over Cronk is that ability to work magic - beside the explosiveness (Cronk is also pretty explosive). Sandow has a natural instinct for the game which allows him to do freakish things, like against Cronulla earlier in the year when he found himself as the lone defender facing a 5th tackle 3-on-1, intercepted the pass and ran it back 40 metres to score. Here's the video: http://www.nrl.com/Video/2011GameAn...242&videoquality=2&type=try&period=2&time=705

the bolded bit is something cronk has all over almost any ball player in the league. it's one of those things that can't be taught.