Who we got and Why we should be happy?.

[thehattrickrabbit]

For the second consecutive season injuries have plagued us and Souths have acted accordingly by not keeping Errol Allcott and a few other guys in charge of the physical/medical side of things. We have purchased a very good credentialed bunch of people for next year that Michael Maguire has brought to the club.

The amount of players that we are putting our faith in at the moment that the majority of them would not be seen in any other team in their current states; The likes of Nathan Peats, Dylan Farrell and Jason Clark all Toyota Cup players of the last year or so and David Tyrrell Shaune Corrigan and Chris McQueen who are reggies names playing to the heart of the NRL player. That is 6 out of 17 players or 35.3% of our side that has played for the majority of the year being very inexperienced and known as depth crew.

If you add John Sutton that is 7 out of 17 that can be thrown into the category as "namesake not NRL standard positionally or generally", Rhys Wesser is in the bottom core of fullbacks in the comp but is having a good season that is 8 out of 17 players, Gaining nearly half of the team!.

We've won more then our fair share of games imo based on who we have had to play and I think John Lang deserves credit and I don't think he has been as bad as people suggest or criticise him as.

We've lost guys like Dave Taylor, Ben Lowe, Roy Asotasi, Greg Inglis and Luke Stuart for 5 games or more this year due to injury/suspension and rep duties. That is also 29% of our team. Also adding Fetuli Talanoa, Scott Geddes, Kane Morgan to the injured list of first grade players and the loss of Vaivai to penrith losing additional depth in the centres.

And I think the most incredible thing is Peats, McQueen, Tyrrell have all re-signed knowing that they may not have a permanent spot in first grade next season with all our "stars" to come back and Madge to go on a shopping spree as such.

Run down:

Toyota Cup players from last season [Majority] (3/17) 17.6%
Toyota Cup players all-up (5/17) 29.4%
Players not considered first string first grade options (6/17) 35.3%
High profile injured players (5 games or more) (5/17) 29.4%
Overall injured players (first graders) (7/17) 41.2%

And if you add John Sutton's incompetance for most of the year and Wesser and Sandow at times that is 9/17 and over half of our players not considered first grade or not playing like first grade players.

I think we've done a massive job to be honest to be still within reach of the finals.

Kudos to John Lang when others hasn't given him credit.

 

[Dogmatix]

Souths have got no reason to be happy until they overcome the problem that Gus has identified with the team in the last few years - Souths are no good when the contest is alive

In the last few seasons if the opposition turn up and play well and play with intensity then Souths lose 99% of the time. If the opposition don't turn up to play then Souths can win no problem

Too often Souths' games go like this. Opposition gets away to a big lead. Souths come back on the scoreboard as the opposition eases off. Then once the scores are close with 20 minutes to go it is all one way traffic and Souths get thrashed in the final 20 minutes

I also go back to the Penrith and Dragons games at the end of last season when Souths got blitzed by teams preparing to play finals football

Souths can be happy once they start beating teams that turn up to play

 

[hindyrabbit]

Yes the biggest problem is intensity.
Whether that is due to pre season training or lack of trying not too sure.
if you look at the season too many games were there to be won and souths choked.
I for won am not blaming the players i think at times everyone has stepped up but as a team i think they lack cohesion and the want to play finals football

 

[hindyrabbit]

Also its a squad of 25 not 17 so to me this just means that Norths should be going better

 

[Honkiest_Honky]

Sandow is why we're going a little better than expected. Sandow is also the reason why we have under achieved in the past. Sutton needs a mx missile or something very explosive up his arse. Dylan Farrell to 5/8. As for all the fill ins none of them have let us down and none have overly shined. For me Peats has the most potential.

 

[Mustard Keppers]

Lang's constant positivity and bright side obsession has had me seeing red this season. I've witnessed heartless and energy less performances that he's been at least outwardly i.e. talking to the media, happy with.

Countdown to Maguire is on.

Also, I keep coming back to Beau Champion saying he's never trained as hard in his life as his pre-season with Melbourne this year. It worried me at the time and it's proved telling as our boys do not have the same killer instinct and intensity of the top teams.

 

[slammingsam]

The good old excuses thread. Regardless of who is on the sidelines, there is enough talent there to be competitive week in week out and win more games. John Lang is a coach who knows nothing about how to properly structure attack or defence for that matter and he is responsible for our main man in John Sutton's form going from enormous to dogs balls. Lang's style suits Sandow who has excelled but the team hasn't. When JT's style was employed, it suited Sutton and the team excelled. The club can't be rid of Lang soon enough and I can't wait for the first week of November when Sandow and Lang are gone and Maguire and co take over the reins.

 

[themacemaceman]

For the second consecutive season injuries have plagued us and Souths have acted accordingly by not keeping Errol Allcott and a few other guys in charge of the physical/medical side of things. We have purchased a very good credentialed bunch of people for next year that Michael Maguire has brought to the club.

The amount of players that we are putting our faith in at the moment that the majority of them would not be seen in any other team in their current states; The likes of Nathan Peats, Dylan Farrell and Jason Clark all Toyota Cup players of the last year or so and David Tyrrell Shaune Corrigan and Chris McQueen who are reggies names playing to the heart of the NRL player. That is 6 out of 17 players or 35.3% of our side that has played for the majority of the year being very inexperienced and known as depth crew.

If you add John Sutton that is 7 out of 17 that can be thrown into the category as "namesake not NRL standard positionally or generally", Rhys Wesser is in the bottom core of fullbacks in the comp but is having a good season that is 8 out of 17 players, Gaining nearly half of the team!.

We've won more then our fair share of games imo based on who we have had to play and I think John Lang deserves credit and I don't think he has been as bad as people suggest or criticise him as.

We've lost guys like Dave Taylor, Ben Lowe, Roy Asotasi, Greg Inglis and Luke Stuart for 5 games or more this year due to injury/suspension and rep duties. That is also 29% of our team. Also adding Fetuli Talanoa, Scott Geddes, Kane Morgan to the injured list of first grade players and the loss of Vaivai to penrith losing additional depth in the centres.

And I think the most incredible thing is Peats, McQueen, Tyrrell have all re-signed knowing that they may not have a permanent spot in first grade next season with all our "stars" to come back and Madge to go on a shopping spree as such.

Run down:

Toyota Cup players from last season [Majority] (3/17) 17.6%
Toyota Cup players all-up (5/17) 29.4%
Players not considered first string first grade options (6/17) 35.3%
High profile injured players (5 games or more) (5/17) 29.4%
Overall injured players (first graders) (7/17) 41.2%

And if you add John Sutton's incompetance for most of the year and Wesser and Sandow at times that is 9/17 and over half of our players not considered first grade or not playing like first grade players.

I think we've done a massive job to be honest to be still within reach of the finals.

Kudos to John Lang when others hasn't given him credit.

Mate im not sure I follow you. These blokes (Peats,mcQueen,Farrell, Clarke) are all first graders. Injuries are part of the game. You need more than 17 players in a squad. All teams have blokes whom are at the start of the career and still learning their trade.Yes they might not be in the top 17, but they are first graders. You say these blokes are not first graders and then name Kane Morgan as one of our injured first graders and im not sure that he's played a game has he (maybe 1?). Im confused

 

[Rabbit toes]

Mate im not sure I follow you. These blokes (Peats,mcQueen,Farrell, Clarke) are all first graders. Injuries are part of the game. You need more than 17 players in a squad. All teams have blokes whom are at the start of the career and still learning their trade.Yes they might not be in the top 17, but they are first graders. You say these blokes are not first graders and then name Kane Morgan as one of our injured first graders and im not sure that he's played a game has he (maybe 1?). Im confused

Good, so its not just me who couldn't follow this :sarcasm:

 

[Zigwaa]

Lay off the hooch mate

 

[Galeforce]

We have been close to winning against the best teams ( dragons, storm ,manly) this year and also some of the worst teams ( bulldogs , roosters) and lost.
Of course players must take responsibility , however up to coach to ensure the team is prepared , and that players do take responsibility if game not played to his instructions . Definitely coach takes responsibility for instructions and lack of.

anyway , we have played well enough in most games , however "intensity" throughout a game has been an issue. For this i clearly look at the coach , for both team selection , team strategy, preperation and rotation during the game.

A couple of recent examples re intensity which i did not think appropriate
a) recent good game against Brisbane . Lang doing dives into water puddles after the win. Well my view was this type of reaction is OK after winning a Grand final , however not during the season when we have to focus the team for next week .
Anyhow what happenned next week , we were flat against Sharks and got thrashed.
Blame the players for being flat or blame the coach for failing to ensure focused performance?
b) last game against Roosters , Langy coming onto field and gushing over Sandow. Sure Sandow had kicked a magnificent field goal that won us the game , however overall is game was average. I would have preferred a more subdued and reflective coach at this time. Our performance overall whilst "willing" was not smart , and this is where i would have preferred coach to have been focused , i.e. we were lucky and need to lift our game and smartness , especially our halves.