The debacle

[The Colonel]

Since half-time on Saturday night I have been unable to speak or type so this is really my first chance to apologise to those who I chastised for not giving Smith a chance before the game had been played. They played woeful however given the way the Dogs played I doubt any team would have beaten them on Saturday night however a more committed team would have kept the score respectable.

The Wagon episode will hopefully be a bad memory by Tuesday night. Lyon and Hindmarsh are champions and will be back - Hindy still made combined over 40 tackles and hit ups for the game. The Vella/Pearson experiment was a joke - Cannings for his ball handling problems actually made an impact taking the ball forward and Cayless needs to head back to the front. A good defender Armit was left on the bench for far too long. We had pressure put on us and we failed again to handle it. I was worried about Burt at fullback however I did think it had some merit though he was found wanting and probably needs to go back to the wing. I will be counting the days until Ash Graham is fit to play. Tsoulos when fit and Armit, Muckert and Muspratt need to have places found for them.

Now, I have also tried to take a few positives out of the game - Grothe, Dykes, Cannings and to a lesser extent Petersen in attack. Another positive is it was round one and it now gives them an idea at what level they have to play at to succeed.

 

[Redback71]

matthews cup level would be a good start

 

[The Colonel]

The way they played there would be a few struggling to make it there IMO.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

I agree that we now know the level needed to win games, and its good its only round one.

Why is it we seem to have to score from every play? Safe simple football would appear to be the way to go. We get into trouble trying to throw the extra pass. More often than not we drop it. The tries will come if we can hold onto the ball and mount some pressure.

 

[Twizzle]

Well Colonel, I thought Freshie was a positive for the night.

He was left on the bench for far too long, and the experiment of Sideshow in the centres, showed us just how much defensive work Freshie puts in.

I thought we looked a slightly better team in the second half, with him on the ground.

 

[The Colonel]

True Twiz, I did forget him howevr I think his returns at fullback were even better. he really brought the ball back strong when he got the chance. But yes he did make an impact in the second half.

 

[eelegant]

I agree, Freshy was great at FB.

Ran it back, and got under the ball with far more gusto than Burt.

But putting him at FB leaves a massive hole in the centres.

 

[The Colonel]

It does which is why I would probably move Wagon out to the centres. At least defensively it covers the holes and Vaealiki can chime in from the back

 

[The Engineers Room]

How did O'Dwyer go in Premier League? He might be alright up there or do what I suggested last week and play Wagon in the centres. With Vaealiki at FB

 

[JessEel]

apparently he carved them up, really top effort

 

[half]

i hope his gusto and tenacity is rewarded with a crack at first grade

we need more attacking options!

 

[The Engineers Room]

Start him on the bench as our back replacement. Maybe Wagon in the centres for the first 10-15 then O'Dwyer goes in and has Wagon as an option at lock.

 

[PB]

I was really not sure which thread to chime into. but i guess this one is it.

Most would know, i have always stood by Smith, and in the interim i still will, just as i continue to stand by the rest of the underformers.

Freshy, Dykes and Stapelton were the only ones who could hold their heads up in any way shape or form.

Our tackling wasn't too bad, in that they didnt really allow too much second phase play, but the communication was horrible and it meant over laps, and players reaching for players too far away from them. The dogs played a pretty good first 40 and three tries being scored while we were down to 12 didn't help, but there was still no excuse for the extent of the scoreline.

The other distrubing factor was the way players such as Wagon, Grothe, Burt and pearson all dropped the ball when they were about to hit the ground back first. it boarded on cowardly)

Brian Smith does need to stand up and take some responsibility, as do a few of the more "senior players.

Burt was poor
Hopkins was pretty sloppy
Cayless and Hindy were bitterly disapointing for leaders
Jamie Lyon was disgraceful!!!

Lyon really has to have a look at himself i am afraid. I watched all 7 games on the weekend, and he was the 28th best centre running around on the weekend. His defensive reads were bizarre to say the least, and his refusal to involve himself in the game, by going to find the ball and if not create, then at least do some yards coming out of defence is becoming a bigger concern to me.

I am not going to hit the panic button yet. As someone else mentioned somewhere, "the positive is, we can't play worse". lets just hope its out of the system and we can build from here.

 

[JessEel]

O'Dwyer considers himself stronger at lock then in the centres, so there's another option again

 

[Maroubra Eel]

First half missed tackles : Eels 16 , Dogs 1.

What an absolute disgrace.