Bunniesderp... even twice a day a broken watch is right.
The one concern I had at the back end of last year has been realised, a lack of experience... a lot of experienced guys were let go at the end of last year. Not necessarily more talented players than the ones still there, in some cases far from it, but hard heads who have been through a lot collectively. It really left us with a slim core of what you'd call experienced players - Vatuvei (although to me an experienced winger probably doesn't help the mentally hard situations out much IMO), Mannering, Sam Rapira, Feleti Mateo, Nathan Friend, Jerome Ropati and Michael Luck. Many of the fanbois have been for the last couple of years actively calling for replacements for Michael Luck... this has proven them to be very wrong. Of those footballers, only Mateo and Mannering have been consistently available.
In seasons gone by when this has happened, they've been able to call in the likes of Jesse Royal, Jeremy Latimore, Aaron Heremaia, Joel Moon, Shaun Berrigan, Brett Seymour. Blokes who weren't necessarily the best players going around, but blokes who had had success at some point in their career or were of a decent age. They also had Lance Hohaia who was very experienced. They decided to let most of those blokes go in one or two foul swoops. I think in the long run it will pay off. The fact is, a lot of the guys with 20-30 games under their belt now are all going to be hitting 100 odd games at the same stage, with Mannering, Lillyman, Sam Rapira, Mateo, Vatuvei hitting 150-200 odd games collectively. That will get them that balance, and with the right pathways continuing to develop underneath them continue to bring throughalent at the right times. Currently, they're too inexperienced and they just haven't learned. In 50 or so games for this core group of players I personally don't see this being an issue, and I'd think the 18 zip starts they're getting will be maybe not 80 minute complete performances because I think thats a bit of a myth, but 60-65 minute periods, and the other 15-20 minutes not a mental meltdown. There's no doubt there's some of the premiere talent in the game at this club.
Yep, they'll miss the finals.... but I dare say with a bit more experience under their belts they will close out the games they should have got - Melbourne in Melbourne (Inu errors caused a catostrophic meltdown), Tigers (didn't respond well to a Vatuvei error), Sharks (didn't respond well to a 40/20), Broncos (enough possession but just failed to make it count), Manly (Hurrell injury key, but not knowing how to read wide spreads was a major problem). I dare say 50% of those games go their way and the club is sitting pretty for a tilt at the top 4. It's not to be, no excuses, we played poorly at key moments. The issues they've gone through can be coached... which brings the main problem.
I only have one concern. The coach. The decision to put Hurrell back on last week was a dopey one. The compressed defensive line has been destroyed week in week out. I'm not sure he's the answer. I think he needs to be at the club until the end of next year to see if the development of the players mentality can come through under him. I never believe in chopping and changing coaches. You hire a bloke for a reason, you see something there, I'm sure he pitched his strategy to the executive team who would have been accepting of it and therefore offered him the role.
One other thing that really hasn't been brought up - the loss of John Hart. A former All Blacks coach and an executive board member of some large scale businesses, his experience at critical times no doubt was very beneficial in the development of Ivan Cleary. I'm not sure who Brian McClennan can turn to.
