FMD you've got me excited about those backs, Caspar! 2001-esque scorelines,can't wait!
One concern , and I hope I'm being over-cautious , is still Robson @ half.
He is , at best , a Shane Perry - like performer.
He played some wonderful games for us this year esp v Tiges @ SFS, and also some less- than wonderful ones. Even within any given game , you still had a nagging doubt he might throw a Kusto- like pass , or get run through, as in the GF .His primary role should be to be the link between the powerful forwards and the wizard backs.
If he throws in the odd run himself , or attacking short kick , just to mix it up , he will add one more dimension of uncertainty for the opposition defences.
DA to work to our strengths... OUR IMMENSELY NATURAL GROWING STRENGTHS (not the cheating hormone strengths).
Keep to very simple game plans and let the Eels natural overall strengths/skills win the games. The sun knows what it has to do so why complicate things. Same with this awesome Eels squad.
I would love to be the coach of this squad, keeping in focus the discipline, great all-round skills, hard work philosophy, no ego trips/level headed team-players playing for each other and an incredible never say die attitude instilled in this team.
Don't forget the absolute blinder Robson turned on in the 2009 GF qualifier against the dogs!!!! Considering the occasion, the significance and the pressure/responsibilities placed on his shoulders, while keeping in focus his lack of top 17 experience at this intense highly scrutinizing level, particularly against a very well drilled team in attack, defense and composure/confidence, it was his best game all-season thus far.
I keep saying it because it needs to be said,........ without Robbo the Eels would not have got into the 2009 semis or the GF. He is that good. What he brings to the table is so overlooked by so many members of this excellent Eels forum. It appears, too many members are comparing him to what they are used too (and expect) from other great 7's instead of focusing on his natural skills and strengths, what he brings to the table. Robbo is calm, relaxed, composed and patient.
Playing 1st grade for 3 months+ straight, he now knows what the standard is. After a background of riding only trail bikes he will no longer have the subtle wobbles one gets when one hops on a Kawasaki 750 for the 1st time.
If I was coach of this 2010 team, Robbo would be my 1st picked player, make him captain (Let Caylo focus on his game and thoroughly enjoy his twilight years) and then I would build a team around him to orchestrate all over the park as GENERAL, BUT, I would also have drilled this team extensively to operate without him just in case of injury. However, with Robbo, he is not easily prone to injury that would keep him off the park too often. He is one tough AMIGO and we should get him playing at least 70 to 80% of all games 2010.
Robson, has grown in confidence and the trust put into Robson from DA & PO will help Robbo excel as the Eels general. I predict that Robbo will be one of the top ten NRL players of 2010. He could even win the 2010 Dally M. All the players love Robbo and they really enjoy his company and they ALL listen to him. He is very well respected. Robbo is a doer. He walks-the-talk.
Robbo felt the nerves of many of his team mates in the 2009 GF and went about plugging all the holes they created. He was playing TOO MUCH of a looking after your team mates game that day instead of just focusing on what he had to do. He was ALL over the park that day putting out so many fires. This caused Robbo not to play his best LOOKING GOOD game.
BUT he learned a great lesson that day (so did his team mates) and it will not happen again. Watch the 2009 GF again and witness all the holes Robbo was trying to plug for 80 minutes.
2010 & beyond, I see improvements in areas of his game that were seen as being not so good during 2009.
