Trial game: Sat 27 Feb | Eels v Panthers: 7.30pm (AEDT) at Panthers Stadium

[Avenger]

That's the spirit mate. I like my team doing well. I guess we just have a different approach to life.

I’ll like em to do badly so I can rant.

Seriously

 

[Avenger]

How good do you expect a backup to be in a beaten team?

It’s not that Pou. You will always find a positive despite there being plenty of negatives. It’s honourable but boring. I’m probably boring too.

 

[hindy111]

So BA is a shit coach until our next win. Then all is forgiven.

View attachment 46237

Its just a trial. Just like the end of last year we looked terrible but come finals I thought our attack actualy went up a level.

Cleary looks ready now to become the best half in comp. His kicking game is well thought and executed. Our halves seem to just kick it as hard as can. No placement.

I feel one of big difference is what we do with ball. Its just 5 hit ups most the time. And very direct. Penrith would run angles or have two passes before the hit up.Far more movement with the ball.

I was dissapointed with all our replacements. Hipgrave looks a step down from Evans. Papali had no real punch compared the previous week. Kafusi made a few good charges as did Niakuore but both are one dimensional forwards.

The backs are a worry also. It looks very slow to me. I am unsure where the spark comes from. Blake and Fergo where exposed in defense like last season. D.Brown looks a great tackler as does Mahoney. They do need to step up there attacking games which I think they will otherwise we have two overhyped juniors on big coin.

 

[Gary Gutful]

It’s the start of the season and merkins take off their head and replace it with a pumpkin.

We weren’t great in our trial, but f**k me the team was way better than the plonkers in this forum with their predictable plonky comments. It was embarrassing to read this morning and has got my Sunday off on the wrong note.

I’m going to angry eat my poached eggs.

 

[Delboy]

There is possibly a simple solution that many have argued would assist BA, better assistant coaches. BA can man manage, build a roster and set things up, what we appear to lack is the type of coaches that we see at successful clubs. That is ambitious , skilled attack and defence coaches, and changing them at a time when the clubs direction needs it.

BA is what the club needs to lead them, the board or whoever look at improvements really has to consider that they need to advise and lead the change in assisting BA by changing those under him. That may be a simplistic solution but good , loyal people are not always those that lead you to the promised land.

 

[Soren Lorenson]

It’s the start of the season and merkins take off their head and replace it with a pumpkin.

We weren’t great in our trial, but f**k me the team was way better than the plonkers in this forum with their predictable plonky comments. It was embarrassing to read this morning and has got my Sunday off on the wrong note.

I’m going to angry eat my poached eggs.

Good thing the Panthers are your second team Gary. Mine are the Dragons. No just jokes I hate those merkins.

 

[Avenger]

There is possibly a simple solution that many have argued would assist BA, better assistant coaches. BA can man manage, build a roster and set things up, what we appear to lack is the type of coaches that we see at successful clubs. That is ambitious , skilled attack and defence coaches, and changing them at a time when the clubs direction needs it.

BA is what the club needs to lead them, the board or whoever look at improvements really has to consider that they need to advise and lead the change in assisting BA by changing those under him. That may be a simplistic solution but good , loyal people are not always those that lead you to the promised land.

By his own admission he is a stubborn man and only recently was quoted as saying that the players were probably getting sick of his voice. I reckon he is a loyal person but that loyalty could bring him unstuck because I’m convinced our assistants wouldn’t get a gig anywhere else in the NRL. It’s also not in his interest to hire any with some sort of profile.

 

[Gary Gutful]

Cleary got into a spot of bother after the game and was taken into custody.

 

[Avenger]

It’s the start of the season and merkins take off their head and replace it with a pumpkin.

We weren’t great in our trial, but f**k me the team was way better than the plonkers in this forum with their predictable plonky comments. It was embarrassing to read this morning and has got my Sunday off on the wrong note.

I’m going to angry eat my poached eggs.

They were terrible Gaz. Not one line break. Our only try came from a lucky Serbian chance.

 

[yy_cheng]

We dont really have anyone light on their feet.

Maybe moses who hardly runs

Or will smith, who probably wouldn't be in the team.

We look like a team of flat feeted runners

 

[yy_cheng]

And we didnt really do much offloading.

Probably the simple ball control and effort was the game plan so we don't start the year but completing sets

 

[Twizzle]

 

[Gronk]

Cleary looks ready now to become the best half in comp. His kicking game is well thought and executed.

Nathan *Jeff Robson* Cleary would be nothing without his 6 who is the creative half. The best trick shot chin boy has is “turn it inside” to a forward.

Everybody seems to acknowledge this except you.

 

[Avenger]

Nathan *Jeff Robson* Cleary would be nothing without his 6 who is the creative half. The best trick shot chin boy has is “turn it inside” to a forward.

Everybody seems to acknowledge this except you.

I don’t get the references to Jeff Robson. He has been our best halfback since Tim Smith and took us to a GF.

 

[84 Baby]

Pro - It looked to me like it was a trial game and the only instructions were to get some runs and tackles into everyone and not get injured. It’s wasn’t like Smuggies were doing any different.

Con - Even if we weren’t taking an actual attack plan into the game (or secret moves if people want to whinge about it), when we were on the attack our default still seems to be to try and go around teams

 

[hineyrulz]

There is possibly a simple solution that many have argued would assist BA, better assistant coaches. BA can man manage, build a roster and set things up, what we appear to lack is the type of coaches that we see at successful clubs. That is ambitious , skilled attack and defence coaches, and changing them at a time when the clubs direction needs it.

BA is what the club needs to lead them, the board or whoever look at improvements really has to consider that they need to advise and lead the change in assisting BA by changing those under him. That may be a simplistic solution but good , loyal people are not always those that lead you to the promised land.

If our coach can’t see his limitations maybe he isn’t the coach to lead us forward??? After 8 seasons and he still needs other coaches to hold his hand??? His stubbornness and his refusal to make any changes after we bombed out so badly last season will cost him his job.

 

[Incorrect]

I'll apply benefit of the doubt given it was a trial and you don't want to be showing your hand yet. But it really did feel like a carbon copy of how we finished of the home and away season last year. @hindy111 mentioned it earlier, we just don't have that x-factor I feel. If you look through our best 17, there's not one player who would put opposition teams on notice consistently like a Papenmerkin, or Cody Walker, or even an AJ Brimson. Moses does something resembling it once every 8 or 9 weeks, but that's about it. I keep waiting for Dylan Brown to explode, and he might yet, but right now he's pretty stock with a great defensive technique and that's about it.

Think we really need to try something different unless there's a whole new attacking structure unveiled in a couple of weeks. I would have given Waqa a run at fullback when Gutho came off last night. If Rankin is our lock for fullback if Gutho goes down with injury that's very worrying. I'd throw Waqa in there and bring Penisini in to the centres in that scenario.

 

[TheParraboy]

Thought it was a great trial game for us. Couldn't care less about the result or lack of creativity against a side tipped to win the comp.

Minutes in legs for everyone, no one injured

If Kevvie builds a game plan on what we did last night we will plant another 50 against the ponys Rd1.

That said, I think warning signs if we cant beat them.

 

[Soto]

Opacic was solid. Good pickup.
Fergo had some excellent runs. He looked good and focused. Waqa was sharp.
Sivo was better than most of last year. Didn't shirk the hitups and one massive noticeable difference was not turning his back in every tackle.
The concern for me can be summed up in 3
- caught out again defensively on fergo/waqa's side. It's like here we go again...
- Sloppy marker defence...koroisau was carving us up
- lack of creativity by the halves and hooker...and when shifting we run out of space and get bundled into touch or look like we will.
Maybe just maybe they need to throw an inside ball back in and not keep going lateral...change it up a bit.
All these are attention to detail stuff.
Easily fixed...concentration and executing game plans.
Re:attack hopefully Andrew Johns can get them humming...

 

[Glenneel]

Jeezus f**k you f**king freaks. It was a f**king trial game.

Didn't give me any confidence for the coming season.