Time to step up

[Magpies Forever]

Its been said before but goal kicking was our achilles heel in the tight games- since Hodgson left Benji has not been consistent as the main kicker. I hope Flanagan can take up that role if given a chance in the main squad. Whoever it is, I hope Sheens can see beyond Benji (but I doubt it). Benji is a perfectly adequate second string goal kicker but not the main one.

 

[Bricey]

Its been said before but goal kicking was our achilles heel in the tight games- since Hodgson left Benji has not been consistent as the main kicker. I hope Flanagan can take up that role if given a chance in the main squad. Whoever it is, I hope Sheens can see beyond Benji (but I doubt it). Benji is a perfectly adequate second string goal kicker but not the main one.

Does anyone know if the tigers have a kicking coach? Surely it is something that has to be considered if there isnt one in place.

I remember a few years ago Graham Arnold was working with a few NRL clubs and was getting alot of success. Striking the ball correctly with someone there to analise the kick rather than just stepping up and hoping for the best.

Alot of NRL kickers tend to have a bend or a "hook" to the trajectory (JT from the cowbays is a great example of this). That is because they are striking the outside portion of the ball rather than striking though it. To have someone there to assess each kick, work on the technique to make sure that the success rate is lifted could be the difference in the end between a home final and not making the final series at all.

 

[Bricey]

Last season the tigers kicked at round 65% with a ratio of 63/96.

Marshall only kicked at 100% in 1 game, being the round 15 loss to melbourne. He kicked 2/2 that day and we lost by 2 points (the game where laurie dropped the ball with the line wide open)

In the close matches of 2009
Rd 8 V Bulldogs - Lost 22-20 Gallant 2/5, El Masri 3/4
Rd 10 V Souths - Lost 23-22 Marshall 3/4, Luke 2/2 Sandow 1/2
Rd 11 v Brisbane - Lost 20-18 Marshall 1/4, Parker 2/4
Rd 24 v Parramatta - Lost 26-18 Marshall 1/4, Innu 5/5


The numbers speak for themselves. We need a goal kicker of at least 75% for a whole season. If we can find someone in this area to step up, the close matches might not be so close at the 70 min mark.

 

[super_coach]

With 90% of out trys being scored in the corner, Benji didnt have to many easy shots. I think you will find Benji will get better and better with the boot. My main concern is their is not much in the back up dept who are a certain starter in the top grade each week.

 

[TrigaTheTiger]

If Sheens plays Marshall at 5/8 and Moltzen at half it wont matter who plays fullback.

Who needs to step up? Sheens - hes had years to build his team. He cant complain about it now.

In all honesty, its depth that may cost us this year. We seem to have lost a lot of mid tier players in the last few years.

 

[Bricey]

With 90% of out trys being scored in the corner, Benji didnt have to many easy shots. I think you will find Benji will get better and better with the boot. My main concern is their is not much in the back up dept who are a certain starter in the top grade each week.

Little confused here...Back up where? in the kicking department or depth in the squad?

If benji kicked at 75% or better then maybe we wouldnt need back up. Read back through the posts. benji kicked at 100% in 1 game last year..... 1!!!

Its just not good enough. I cant remember hearing the bulldogs fans complaining about the possition of the conversion when El Masri was lining them up!

As for benji getting better.... He is going into his 8th season in 1st grade. I would have thought he would have lived up to the hype by now. Consistancey is what benji needs, Not just the odd game here and there to remind us of what he is capable of

 

[Eddie.]

Marshall is not the best goal kicker. Probably wouldn't be first choice at most clubs. At least he takes on the responsibility, cant be too harsh on him there in terms of not steping up. Like penalty takers in soccer they rarely get credit but get hammered if they miss one. Not everyone can be an El Masri. And as people mentioned he does get an awful lot of attempts from the sideline.

He actually won us a game against the Knights with the boot with a kick from the sidelines. Gallant was that truly killed us with his horror effort against the Dogs.

Im sure he does as much practice as all the goalkickers. Probably just not as good.

 

[super_coach]

Its pretty simply, do you carry a guy who is a 80% plus kicker or do you persevere with Benji and have a stronger player in your 80% kicker postion, thats the 100 to 1 question.

My guess you pick the best players than pick the best kicker out of those players. Now if this side has the talent that people are talking about maybe they might start scoring a few pies under the sticks. Anyway a fit confident marshall will develope into a top notch kicker, his got the self belief and thats the main thing. Daniella, the guy from the Penny's could be the smokey,the word is he can kick

 

[Bricey]

Its pretty simply, do you carry a guy who is a 80% plus kicker or do you persevere with Benji and have a stronger player in your 80% kicker postion, thats the 100 to 1 question.

but last season benji wasn't an 80% goal kicker. As a team we kicked at 64%!!

If we have a stronger player than benji at 5/8 who is an 80% goal kicker id love to see them, and i'll book my grand final tickets now!

 

[Martinplace]

Its pretty simply, do you carry a guy who is a 80% plus kicker or do you persevere with Benji and have a stronger player in your 80% kicker postion, thats the 100 to 1 question.

My guess you pick the best players than pick the best kicker out of those players. Now if this side has the talent that people are talking about maybe they might start scoring a few pies under the sticks. Anyway a fit confident marshall will develope into a top notch kicker, his got the self belief and thats the main thing. Daniella, the guy from the Penny's could be the smokey,the word is he can kick

The only flaw to this is, this is what we have been doing & we are coming up short? Most good kickers are generally not the best players in the group (yes, there are exceptions)? Marshall may develop, but do we have the time? If we were regular top 8 then I would think it is not a big issue, but we are not. I think it will be our weak point again this season.

 

[Magpies Forever]

Its pretty simply, do you carry a guy who is a 80% plus kicker or do you persevere with Benji and have a stronger player in your 80% kicker postion, thats the 100 to 1 question.

My guess you pick the best players than pick the best kicker out of those players. Now if this side has the talent that people are talking about maybe they might start scoring a few pies under the sticks. Anyway a fit confident marshall will develope into a top notch kicker, his got the self belief and thats the main thing. Daniella, the guy from the Penny's could be the smokey,the word is he can kick

Agreed Benji has self belief (heaps of it) but talent and ability as a goal kicker is needed more than self belief. I'm sure lots of players have self belief but the ability has to be there too. In 2009 Marshall showed himself to be only a very average, below NRL standard goal kicker as well as a below NRL standard halfback. Nothing wrong with that- get off the ego ride and go back to where you are best and a world beater- 5/8 and let someone else try to do the goal kicking. Tell Teflon to try someone else for once. Maybe that is what makes a winning NRL standard team- having a coach select the best players in best positions and recruit where needed deficincies are shown ie goal kicking. Who knows anymore with WT under Sheens- as I said before I hope Flanagan (or anyone else who can kick well) can get a run.

 

[blackandwhite]

Maybe that is what makes a winning NRL standard team- having a coach select the best players in best positions and recruit where needed deficincies are shown ie goal kicking. Who knows anymore with WT under Sheens

Problem is Marshall is a five-eighth and Moltzen is a five-eighth...I don't know much about Taumata but he sounds like a five-eighth as well !

Do we have a half-back ? Do we need a half-back ?

Call me old school but I like having a half-back organising the attacking side of the game...eg Scott Prince.

If Sheens plays Marshall at 5/8 and Moltzen at half it wont matter who plays fullback.

I think it does matter who plays fullback his the one that organises the other part of the game called Defence....eg Brett Hodgson.

 

[DanOz]

Problem is Marshall is a five-eighth and Moltzen is a five-eighth...I don't know much about Taumata but he sounds like a five-eighth as well !

Do we have a half-back ? Do we need a half-back ?

Call me old school but I like having a half-back organising the attacking side of the game...eg Scott Prince.

Correct me if I am wrong, but Moltzen played halfback throughout the juniors, and even played there in the Junior Kangaroos?

 

[Bricey]

correct!

HALFBACK Tim Moltzen landed a 76th minute field goal to get the Junior Kangaroos out of jail against gutsy Fiji in the opening match of their short South Pacific tour.

The cream of the NRL's young talent found itself down 14-4 by half-time at the National Stadium in Suva after some brutal defence from a Bati combination featuring 14 players from the fledgling local league.
Penrith centre Michael Jennings' unconverted 57th minute try came after the Bati had repelled the Australians for five consecutive sets of tackles, only to knock on when they got the ball back.
Tweed Heads Queensland Cup grand final star, Shannon Walker, then flashed over with 13 to go, leaving it to Wests Tigers first grader Chris Lawrence to land a difficult conversion in heavy rain to tie up the international at 14-14.
He did so and Bulldogs lower grader Ryan Millard's field goal attempt with eight left almost clinched a famous victory for the Arthur Kitinas-coached Fijians. The shot went off the left and it was Balmain-Ryde's Moltzen who proved the hero. Former South Sydney coach Arthur Kitinas said of his men: ``I was surprised they kept going. I don't know where they get that energy from.
"They've had weights programs going here for the last six months and the difference was they were much stronger today than they ever have been.''

 

[blackandwhite]

Correct me if I am wrong, but Moltzen played halfback throughout the juniors, and even played there in the Junior Kangaroos?

What's the difference between half-back and five-eighth ?

 

[Ghipo]

What's the difference between half-back and five-eighth ?

Well according to Mr Sheens Not Much.

One stands on the left side and one on the right ?

 

[DanOz]

What's the difference between half-back and five-eighth ?

The main difference is Benji is one and not the other

 

[Magpies Forever]

For me, I'd like to see Moltzen at 1/2 and Marshall at 5/8 and just give them time to settle. They performed well in those roles in the latter half of 09 season, things clicked not just for them but for the team. Maybe in little bits they are not world beaters but as far as I'm concerned they were a winning pairing in a previously problematic position/s for WT. I think they have earned the right to be given time to see if remain successful. If it doesnt work then tinker more.

 

[sooperdooper]

as an outsider looking in... you guys are being a little optimistic about claiming to be a top 4 side on paper...
on paper you sit in the same position as you have the last few seasons.

The problem is sheens, you claim to have recruited well but i beg to differ...

 

[DanOz]

as an outsider looking in... you guys are being a little optimistic about claiming to be a top 4 side on paper...
on paper you sit in the same position as you have the last few seasons.

The problem is sheens, you claim to have recruited well but i beg to differ...

If you read through these forums, there are alot of people saying exactly that.