The big NRL divide

[justdave]

We’ve seen games where teams just get a mountain of possession and start piling on tries when fatigue sets in for the defenders. Giving them the ball back would give them a chance to get their breath back, wouldn’t it? You at least have a chance of turning things around when you’re in possession.

Yeah, maybe under the current rules I'd rather have the ball but having played enough I wouldn't want to be carting the ball back from my line when the other team has just scored1 when I'm blowing hard and busted

 

[justdave]

Have the scoring team kick off from their 40 rather than halfway.

Don't hate the idea tbh

 

[Miller was a legend]

Tigers have fallen off the wrong side of the great divide

 

[soc123_au]

Dragons showing how much a competent coach can narrow the gap.

 

[SDM]

Dragons showing how much a competent coach can narrow the gap.

Until he gets 'tired'

 

[soc123_au]

Until he gets 'tired'

He came in when Ivan needed a nap.

 

[siv]

I consider 2021 a bit like when an ESL player comes over

It takes around half a season to get fit enough to play NRL

 

[franklin2323]

Dragons showing how much a competent coach can narrow the gap.

Really is basic. Hold the ball and be fit and you will be competitive

 

[Smug Panther]

Dragons showing how much a competent coach can narrow the gap.

A Grade merkin of a bloke. Half the side will hate him before long

 

[BennyV]

Biggest issue plaguing the NRL playing talent pool is poor Quality of coaching driven by the overall boys club mentality.
Teams who remain near the top have all had experienced coaches on board for a number of years who have had a hand in development and management of the club. They are in those positions because they are proven to be good coaches and developed as such, not because of some old boy connections to the club or NRL (Ricky Stuart being the exception).

Unsuccessful clubs don’t invest in coaching development because they don’t see the value in a good coach. They grab the likes of Barrett and Walters because they’ve been around the NRL for ages and are good blokes (according to the media and NRL old boys) instead of focussing on what is required to coach and manage a first grade squad over the course of a season (not just the team who runs out on game day). Then they don’t provide them with support and development and act all shocked and surprised when they flop and move onto the next one.
And the media play along - case in point is Paul McGregor, who’s deficiencies are there for all to see now that the Dragons have a real coach, yet not a peep in the media despite being complete shit for over 7 years!

The sooner clubs realise the value of a good, well rounded coach and figure out what attributes are required for that, the better the comp will be. I’m very interested to see how the ‘next big thing’ in Fitzgibbon goes. He’s never been solely responsible for a team on his own at any level, I’m expecting a huge shock to the system for him.

 

[Munky]

Agree with Benny in that I'm beginning to think coaching is the issue.

While all we hear about is how defence is 80% of training, how much of that is wrestling and how much is actually reading and responding to the attack? We have halfbacks who can't read what's in front of them in attack, makes sense defence is the same,

No matter how good your 'tackling' technique is it means shit all if you re stuck in no man's land.

Look as how well a young centre in Lomax and the somewhat previously maligned Ravalawa did last night in defence. Obviously coached to watch out for Parra's pet plays and probably simulated them a few times on the practice field, you'd think this would be the bare minimum at training but I have serious doubts.

 

[AnonymousLurker]

Agree with Benny in that I'm beginning to think coaching is the issue.

While all we hear about is how defence is 80% of training, how much of that is wrestling and how much is actually reading and responding to the attack? We have halfbacks who can't read what's in front of them in attack, makes sense defence is the same,

No matter how good your 'tackling' technique is it means shit all if you re stuck in no man's land.

Look as how well a young centre in Lomax and the somewhat previously maligned Ravalawa did last night in defence. Obviously coached to watch out for Parra's pet plays and probably simulated them a few times on the practice field, you'd think this would be the bare minimum at training but I have serious doubts.

I’ve been saying it since day dot, the coaching ranks are the real problem. They all get jobs because they were a Bellamy or Robinson assistant . It means squat .
Also if you are Trying to be a Bellamy clone , you actually have to have a better squad to beat him , as he is the original and best with his tactics.

Good example of couple of coaches doing decent , Morris proper education , lower grade success short stint as assistant and with the squad he has had and issues he has over achieved
Hoolbrook , lower grade coach with good success , assistant at nrl then went and coached successfully in ESL... you could see the titans Improve last year because he can coach and now a top 8 side with a couple of astute signings
Griffin is no clone and look at the dragons .

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

I’m very interested to see how the ‘next big thing’ in Fitzgibbon goes. He’s never been solely responsible for a team on his own at any level, I’m expecting a huge shock to the system for him.

Could very well be why Fitzy has remained so long at the club where others have been so tempted to jump at the first offer they get. Maybe he’s patient and waiting for the best opportunity which says he’s at least smart.

 

[Valheru]

Could very well be why Fitzy has remained so long at the club where others have been so tempted to jump at the first offer they get. Maybe he’s patient and waiting for the best opportunity which says he’s at least smart.

Yeah Fitzy abiding by his "handshake" agreement with Nick to stay this year was clearly just a way to keep as far from the dogs as possible lol.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Yeah Fitzy abiding by his "handshake" agreement with Nick to stay this year was clearly just a way to keep as far from the dogs as possible lol.

Thought he was a definite to go to Saints tbh given he lives in the area. Anyone would’ve looked like a hero after Mary so no pressure. Don’t know why no agreement was reached. Maybe they weren’t prepared to give him autonomy?

 

[Perth Red]

Agree with Benny in that I'm beginning to think coaching is the issue.

While all we hear about is how defence is 80% of training, how much of that is wrestling and how much is actually reading and responding to the attack? We have halfbacks who can't read what's in front of them in attack, makes sense defence is the same,

No matter how good your 'tackling' technique is it means shit all if you re stuck in no man's land.

Look as how well a young centre in Lomax and the somewhat previously maligned Ravalawa did last night in defence. Obviously coached to watch out for Parra's pet plays and probably simulated them a few times on the practice field, you'd think this would be the bare minimum at training but I have serious doubts.

it does seem the quality of centre has dropped dramatically and their ability to read in defence is much poorer.

 

[BennyV]

Thought he was a definite to go to Saints tbh given he lives in the area. Anyone would’ve looked like a hero after Mary so no pressure. Don’t know why no agreement was reached. Maybe they weren’t prepared to give him autonomy?

Fitzy actually turned Saints down, they offered him pretty big dollars but I’m convinced he thought that Robinson was off to France in 2022, when his contract finished.

As a Saints fan, I’m glad he did. He may be a good coach one day but there’s a huge risk that it will take time, he’s proven nothing as a coach and ‘working for Robinson’ is not a valid reason to offer a rookie big dollars.
Our 2 most important signings (on and off field) that have made the impact to the way we play are McCullough and Bird, and there’s no way that a rookie coach goes for those 2.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Fitzy actually turned Saints down, they offered him pretty big dollars but I’m convinced he thought that Robinson was off to France in 2022, when his contract finished.

As a Saints fan, I’m glad he did. He may be a good coach one day but there’s a huge risk that it will take time, he’s proven nothing as a coach and ‘working for Robinson’ is not a valid reason to offer a rookie big dollars.
Our 2 most important signings (on and off field) that have made the impact to the way we play are McCullough and Bird, and there’s no way that a rookie coach goes for those 2.

Robbo to France was just a rumour and nothing more from what I heard besides, Fitzy would’ve had knowledge one way or the other being on the inside, you’d think.

 

[Perth Red]

Looks like we'll get to see if fitzy can coach when he goes to cronulla next year, if you believe the rumours.

Latest round wasn't much better with only 2 games being decided by 6 points or less compared to 4 games in Rd5 2017, 2018 and 2019 (pre rule changes)

 

[Rhino_NQ]

Can the thread name be changed to "the big nrl gape"?