So much of the talk about our team seems to relate to our attack, while I think our attack needs fine tuning we are still scoring tries, making breaks etc. Its our inability to control other team's momentum which is killing us particularly in the first half.
Our defencive line needs to get more aggresive as a unit, we are too often on the back foot in the play the ball.
It then means we start sets on the back foot as well. Our defence needs to become more effective. In saying that I think we scramble very well, the tigers scored two tries which were inch perfect grubbers, only the two marshall tries were a bit poor. But in general our goal line defence is not too bad.
But teams seem to have been able in all three games to rumble up field very easily against us, particularly in the first half. We need to toughen up in defence. I do wonder how fit some of our team are, but I also perhaps think the team is not looking to peak in the first three rounds. I think our two losses, the tigers and dragons were very good, and we were hardly thrashed in either encounter.
So thats defence, now in attack.
While I think our go forward could improve, there are some simple things that may help. For a team with multiple forwards who can offload, we don't seem to have enough support or option runners in close. Both Cayless and Mateo had good offloading situations go begging tonight. I think Morts need to do some of this, and Tahu and Reddy need to play a bit closer early in tackle counts.
And Hayne, he is amazing, but that doesn't mean he has some flaws in his game. The reason slater held the aussie fullback position is quite simply, he does the more traditional fullback things better. I don't want to bag Jarryd too much, but his freakish ability does at times mask these flaws. Hayne needs to improve his positional play and urgency in defence, and his support play in attack. In no way am I even suggesting Hayne is anything but our most important player. But when Burt was fullback we had a lot more support play from our fullback.
Mateo, is he a little unfit?? He was great late in the game coming off the bench, but has not been that effective early on.
I thought Matt Keating was a bit better tonight, but once again if there were more support runners in close, his role would become easier.
So for mine:
1. Defence line speed and aggression needs to improve.
2. More work on the tighter runners and support play, then push it wider.
3. Don't worry too much its only round 3 and we are hardly getting flogged. Gee I wish we had not lost shackleton though, he had some of the mongrel we needed.
