Team vs Cowboys

[hybrideel]

TBH i think a lot of the problem on that side is Robson. Yes he is a great tackler if someone runs straight at him but his decision making is poor IMO. The reason so many points have been scored down our right hand side and Grothe running in all the time was due to overlaps. And overlaps cannot be blamed on a winger and are also quite often not the centres fault. The problem lies further infield as to who isn't marking up and allowing the overlaps

 

[Swiftstylez]

TBH i think a lot of the problem on that side is Robson. Yes he is a great tackler if someone runs straight at him but his decision making is poor IMO. The reason so many points have been scored down our right hand side and Grothe running in all the time was due to overlaps. And overlaps cannot be blamed on a winger and are also quite often not the centres fault. The problem lies further infield as to who isn't marking up and allowing the overlaps

That would mean that the winger NEVER has any liability for coming in. Sometimes you are going to be outnumbered but rushing in is not an option unless it is a last resort. You shouldn't get yourself into that position and be talking to the players around you.

It's really a case by case basis but yes that could easily be a reason for it.

 

[hybrideel]

when there is an overlap the winger is in a damned if you do situation. If he stays on his man the centre walks in untouched, if he runs in he can look like a fool being left in no mans land

 

[forward pass]

I laugh at the suggestions that bringing Reddy in to the side does something for our backline defence....... our right side defence has leaked points for two years or more and the one player appearing mostly at that centre position is Joel. He'll bring some experience but that any such notion that he will help our defence is laughable.

Agree totally. The thing about Joel, is that when he is marking an Inglis or a Jennings, he is all over them for 80 minutes. He makes it his mission to stop them and does a pretty good job.

But, that isn't always useful when there is an overlap or he needs to come in. He seems too concerned with his opposite number to make a proper read at times.

 

[Eelementary]

It's frustrating because it's an easy fix - TALK ffs. If the inside men communicated better with their centres and wingers, we wouldn't be having this discussion, and people's freak outs over the selections of Etu and Walker wouldn't be quite so big.

 

[Parra Guru]

Also, I still don't think that we leaked as many points on the right hand side when he didn't play just quietly.

Yes we did. We struggled down that side all year with Inu.

 

[mrpwnd]

I'd say Inus defense was absolute ass.
Worse than Grothe's biggest brain explosion.

 

[spartan2153]

Either of them could end up Origin class. It's a bit early to make any predictions but the potential's there.



I thought I pre-empted this point.

You're right we're a mile under the cap, and yes we could've afforded to have both Hodkinson and Keating in our team this year. That would put us $0 under the cap which would be much better than $600k under it. However, I'm certain neither would've wanted a one year contract, and so we'd have that extra $600k of cap space tied up not just this year but for the next 2-3 years minimum.

And I just don't think either is better than average. I put them both in Morts' class to be honest - he's played in 4 finals matches; Keating and Hodkinson have played 1 between them. And Morts still has some growing to do; the other two are fully grown.

We want that extra $600k cap space so we can throw $800k at a gun. Failing that we can throw $400k+ at someone like Wallace or Mullen. There's also the rumours about Cooper Cronk's release clause. We could probably get him for $500k or $600k. Then there's up and comers like Ben Hunt and the Pommy kid at Melbourne. All better than Keating or Hodkinson; don't forget they're other clubs' rejects.



No I don't, and the reason is that nobody really knows politics. What they know is how to justify putting their own interests first. After that it's a matter of who can justify themselves to the masses loudest.

Also, I don't argue politics because it's futile. The truth is less important to people than what's in it for them. I'm sure I'm no different there.



For someone who spends so much leisure time on the computer I'm actually a bit of an IT-numpty.

There is no gun halfback coming off contract. Cronk is above average but he aint no superstar. I think he fits that melbourne machine perfect.he seems 1 of those players that will find it a little different when is is the go to man rather than the 3rd wheel like at melbourne.

Mortimer is in his 3rd year & you still sink he has massive improvement as where hodgkinson still has to grow. This is his second year & he has shown 10 times the potential mortimer has

 

[Poupou Escobar]

There is no gun halfback coming off contract.

There's Quade Cooper mate. He's a f**king jet.

Cronk is above average but he aint no superstar.

I agree.

I think he fits that melbourne machine perfect.he seems 1 of those players that will find it a little different when is is the go to man rather than the 3rd wheel like at melbourne.

But he wouldn't be the go-to man here either, we have Hayne for that.

Cooper Cronk executes well. He's not especially creative but he does everything right and is probably the best high-percentage halfback in the game. He won't turn a loss into a win but he also won't be the guy who costs us in a tight game. He'd be perfect.

Mortimer is in his 3rd year & you still sink he has massive improvement as where hodgkinson still has to grow. This is his second year & he has shown 10 times the potential mortimer has

Mortimer still has physical growing to do. He's already showing improved strength on last year. Hodkinson won't get any bigger, or much stronger. Also, Hodkinson is a year older than Morts; unlike Mortimer he wasn't thrown into first grade too soon.

 

[Scorer]

There is no gun halfback coming off contract. Cronk is above average but he aint no superstar. I think he fits that melbourne machine perfect.he seems 1 of those players that will find it a little different when is is the go to man rather than the 3rd wheel like at melbourne.

Mortimer is in his 3rd year & you still sink he has massive improvement as where hodgkinson still has to grow. This is his second year & he has shown 10 times the potential mortimer has

Cronk is a gun and is the go to man at Melbourne. Would I buy him for 600K probably not until we discover what Brad Murray can do. Why did we bring Murray across from the Roosters in the first place ? To play for Wenty in a second tier comp now that's a waste of money.

 

[bartman]

The first week where I can't think of an available player I'd rather have in the side than those SK has named. Reddy in, and the best options selected in place of injured/unavailable players.

Week One SK surprised me with Moimoi's late inclusion. But there's been no surprises since then.

Here's hoping the surprise is that SK's managed to get this side pumped (like Week One) for what is shaping as a big, must-win, home game...

 

[bartman]

how did ben smith not get dropped for that effort?

40+ tackles (including 6 one-on-ones) would suggest it wasn't as bad an effort as was made out. http://live.nrlstats.com/matches/nrl/match6191.html?page=player-stats

Plus there's no-one available outside the 17 pushing for inclusion.

 

[Parra Guru]

The chargedown was pretty good too

 

[Twizzle]

40+ tackles (including 6 one-on-ones) would suggest it wasn't as bad an effort as was made out. http://live.nrlstats.com/matches/nrl/match6191.html?page=player-stats

Plus there's no-one available outside the 17 pushing for inclusion.

sort of highlights our lack of depth

 

[Poupou Escobar]

sort of highlights our lack of depth

Especially at that position. We probably need 3 wide back-rowers in the 17.

We've really only got Smith, Lasalo, Horo and Rogers. After that the next cab off the rank would be O'Hanlon or Brien. That's why Maitua won't have much trouble walking into the side, especially if there's an injury (and there always is).

 

[BigErn]

Madness,

Why on earth do you want three wide running backrowers?
Do you want to get monstered in the forwards?
You only need one wide running backrower. If he's out wide, he should easily last the 80 minutes.

I'll take two in Horo, and Ben Smith. Get rid of Lasalo, waste of a position. If he's not gonna take hit ups and chew up the metres for us, then he's no good to us.
Our problem is we've got too many players in the same mould.
Lasalo is another Weller Hauraki. What does he bring to our team?

Our four backrowers should be Hindy, Shack, Ben Smith and Horo.
The props rotate themselves with Allgood, Mannah, Fui and Webb.
Too many wide running backrowers these days. WASTE!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Madness,

Why on earth do you want three wide running backrowers?

One on the left, one on the right and one on the bench.

Do you want to get monstered in the forwards?

Gosh no.

You only need one wide running backrower.

So why does every team have two on the field?

That's every team.

If he's out wide, he should easily last the 80 minutes.

Plenty of the explosive-type players you want in the wide spots won't be able to maintain that workrate for 80 minutes. They'll start to get lazy and their quality will drop off.

Just because they're 'wide' running doesn't mean they're bludging out on the wing.

In defence your wide back-rowers are standing right next to your middle 4 (props, hooker and central back-rower) defenders. They do plenty of work in defence - Ben Smith made 40 tackles on the weekend.

I'll take two in Horo, and Ben Smith. Get rid of Lasalo, waste of a position. If he's not gonna take hit ups and chew up the metres for us, then he's no good to us.
Our problem is we've got too many players in the same mould.
Lasalo is another Weller Hauraki. What does he bring to our team?

This year he's averaged just under 60 minutes per game, 9 carries for 61 metres and 27 tackles. That's about average for a wide back-rower.

Don't forget theses guys also do loads of work off the ball. There's not many that play 80 minutes. Horo doesn't either, but with Ben Smith back to match fitness he'll be playing 80 minutes most weeks which will allow Horo to rotate with both Lasalo and Hindy.

Our four backrowers should be Hindy, Shack, Ben Smith and Horo.
The props rotate themselves with Allgood, Mannah, Fui and Webb.
Too many wide running backrowers these days. WASTE!

Even Wayne Bennett has 2 wide-running back-rowers on the field. It's standard in modern football. Lucky you're not the coach.

 

[spartan2153]

Cronk is a gun and is the go to man at Melbourne. Would I buy him for 600K probably not until we discover what Brad Murray can do. Why did we bring Murray across from the Roosters in the first place ? To play for Wenty in a second tier comp now that's a waste of money.

If you think cronk is melbournes go to man than your on drugs. He drives them around the park but smith determines how fast the go

 

[spartan2153]

There's Quade Cooper mate. He's a f**king jet.



I agree.



But he wouldn't be the go-to man here either, we have Hayne for that.

Cooper Cronk executes well. He's not especially creative but he does everything right and is probably the best high-percentage halfback in the game. He won't turn a loss into a win but he also won't be the guy who costs us in a tight game. He'd be perfect.



Mortimer still has physical growing to do. He's already showing improved strength on last year. Hodkinson won't get any bigger, or much stronger. Also, Hodkinson is a year older than Morts; unlike Mortimer he wasn't thrown into first grade too soon.

God if you honestly think he can step in & dominate from day 1 than all power to you.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

God if you honestly think he can step in & dominate from day 1 than all power to you.

No, there'd surely be a period of adjustment, especially in defence. It would also take him some time to get used to the centrefield structure used in league, and the adjustments he'd have to make to his kicking game.

But he'd be an absolute freakish playmaker from the word go. Linebreaks would appear in a ten-twenty metre radius of wherever he ran the ball. We'd just have to work hard to make sure the same wasn't true of his defence.

Anyway, I reckon he'll go to the Broncos. We're a chance but Brisbane would have to be favourites. Kearney might've been telling the truth when he said he didn't want him.