Most of defensive probles originate in the forwards and than transfer out to the wing following passes outside. In my day the fullback followed the ball when this was happening and filled the gap in defense between the center and the winger. Coaches always instructed the wingers to hold their groung and mark the opposite winger. The lock and fullback to cover and gamps created by the opposition.It’s funny how Rava gets called out for bad defence.
Hunt, Sua & Lomax often had defensive misreads leaving gaps resulting in wingers having to make a decision to come in our stay out often resulting in tries.
In the trials and last eeek against the Dogs the issue was apparent yet again with Ilias, Sua and Suli leaving half gaps and Feagai then faced with decision making.
The wingers are damned if they do damned if they don’t and once Rava got rubbed out for some legal bone crunchers it went pear shaped quickly.
Not saying Rava is blameless but there is no doubt our defensive spacing, shape & patters are a far bigger problem than we think and ultimately the winger gets almost all the blame.
Thus problem has been around a long long time and to some degree starts with the lack of good quick lateral movement with some our middles.
Many of the late offloads by opposition forwards through the middle of the ruck that ultimately kill us are also attributable to that issue.
If we don’t sort it out it will be a long season.
I'd rather let him go with the terms set by the Saints. He is a disruption and is impeding our recruitment plans. In addition, with Rava going to Souths and M Molo possibly going to ESL, F Molo's departure allows us to recruit Klemmer and perhaps one other prop this season.Then why should the NRL give us an exemption to sign another player, if we are not going to pay him and hold him to the contract?
Happy for one year deal for Klemmer , if he goes ok then they can offer him another after this year .........Klemmers deal with us is not a loan , he only had 1 yr left on his deal at the tigers , there was a club option where he had to play 14 games or more to activate a second yr in 26 but the Tigers told him they would not be doing that so dragons just picked up that final yr and can re sign him if he performs well
Ravalawas deal at Souths is a loan deal for the year however if Souths want to keep him past 25 they can
This is the emerging market. Clubs are reacting to it.yeah would guess that the loan works for both players
ie both most likely will not go back to their clubs where they have 2026 contracts
gives them security though for 2026 and FG opportunity in 2025 and provides us with a much better key role that we desperately need vs a winger that isnt a FG for us anymore
Like Sulli to Souths
If an injury occurs and Sulli gets serious game time in NRL vs Togers 2nd grade his value to another club goes up alot !!!
I think Klemmer gets a 2026 tigers contract only if he plays 14 games for them in 2025.yeah would guess that the loan works for both players
ie both most likely will not go back to their clubs where they have 2026 contracts
gives them security though for 2026 and FG opportunity in 2025 and provides us with a much better key role that we desperately need vs a winger that isnt a FG for us anymore
Like Sulli to Souths
If an injury occurs and Sulli gets serious game time in NRL vs Togers 2nd grade his value to another club goes up alot !!!
not sure it makes a difference but wasn't the so called 'offensive remark' made before he left to play for Samoa?Manager has said that "loan money" was paid back, for us to be asking he pay back the contract money from Nov 1st is stupid, he was entitled to that money, he was away with Samoa playing internationals and due to that he started preseason training later as per their workplace agreements, then he came to training had the hissy fit and took sick leave and hasn't come back since then, so up until the sick leave ran out, he is entitled to that money, for us trying to get that back is stupid.
So either release him, work out a severance pay if any, sack him and move on OR are we doing all this not to expose a certain member of the coaching staff.
Our pack does seem to lack aggression.I feel we should have a crack at Hetherington from the Knights, he was good last week. Big mobile aggressive . He may give a penalty away but they know he is out there.
It’s working for Debellin !!Happy for one year deal for Klemmer , if he goes ok then they can offer him another after this year .........
mmm you can't prove that, i'm no lawyer but i doubt that you could even use that in court.not sure it makes a difference but wasn't the so called 'offensive remark' made before he left to play for Samoa?
One could argue that he fully intended to play the cards he did when he returned
So why shouldn't we ask for it back when he was never going to honour his contract?
At the end of the day, he’s entitled to the money up until his sick leave ceases. Pay back the monies the club forwarded him and that’s it. All done then either release him or if he continues to not return to training then I’m sure there’s grounds to terminate the contract. This malaki of wanting money back from Nov 1 won’t happennot sure it makes a difference but wasn't the so called 'offensive remark' made before he left to play for Samoa?
One could argue that he fully intended to play the cards he did when he returned
So why shouldn't we ask for it back when he was never going to honour his contract?
Was he really sick? hope he had a doctors noteAt the end of the day, he’s entitled to the money up until his sick leave ceases. Pay back the monies the club forwarded him and that’s it. All done then either release him or if he continues to not return to training then I’m sure there’s grounds to terminate the contract. This malaki of wanting money back from Nov 1 won’t happen
Legally you are probably correct hence my 'not sure it makes a difference'mmm you can't prove that, i'm no lawyer but i doubt that you could even use that in court.
Either way as rep player he was allowed 6 weeks off starting from the moment his commitments ended with Samoa, he still gets paid, he came back on time, so he gets paid.
Amazing how their health improves instantly when they secure a new ClubLegally you are probably correct hence my 'not sure it makes a difference'
But what does it matter if he "came back on time" if he refuses to train?
To me, it stinks of someone maximising payments, then playing a mental health card, 6-8 weeks after the event, with the goal of reneging on his contract.
Ricky Stuart has an expression that is fitting, 'weak gutted dog!'
Perhaps I'm just too 'old school'