Why we MAY not make the 8 next year

[Stagger eel]

[quoteIf a really big asteroid hits the earth, none of this will matter.[/quote]

is there any way we could steer it to Brookvale oval if it is aiming towards us!!! :?

 

[Eelectrica]

If a really big asteroid hits the earth, none of this will matter.

how funny im currently watching a show on austar about astreoids that have hit the earth.

hope its not an omen :?

:lol:
Just means I'm overtired and do stupider things than usual when overtired ;-)

is there any way we could steer it to Brookvale oval if it is aiming towards us!!!

Hindy will save us be blowing the asteroid to Brooky 8-[

 

[Jake the snake]

I think Jake is just being paranoid.

Compare it to the 2001 backline and you'll see the backline defence wasn't that much better. Also I thought Mckinnon was always a super strong defender. That team has the best defensive record ever. Look at the bulldogs backline. Patten, El Masri and Tonga are mediocre defenders and they won the comp.

Hodgson vs Mckinnon (Mckinnon is much better)
Petersen vs Moodie (Is there really any difference in terms of defence?)
I'll give hewhomustnotbenamed and Vaeleki credit where its due but Lyons defence was not always solid and Vaeleki's positioning was not the greatest.
Also Burt then and Grothe now is there really any difference?


In the fact we have a much stronger defender in the hooker position in Riddell and Morrison is a better player than I Hindmarsh.

It's a shame we've become so insecure in the past couple of years.

How could you say Lyons defence was not always solid??? He was the best nothing went through him. The only game that he had that was crap was against the Bulldogs last year just before he walked out.

 

[PJ Marshal]

Just want to make a couple of points:
Our trial form this year proved pretty acurate - none of the teams we beat in the trial made the finals either.

The addition of Peter Sharp to the coaching staff should keep some of Smiths more bizzare experimentations down to a minimum.

We shouldn't have to deal with players running away and leaving the team in the lurch for a season. It does have an impact.

If a really big asteroid hits the earth, none of this will matter.

asteroids omfg

 

[strider]

I actually believe Mackinnon is currently a better fullback than Hodgson....Hodgson at his best was great - I was one of his biggest fans and still like to see him do well (even cheer when I see him in that KFC add :lol: )....but Hodgy lost the plot and still hasn't totally found it....Mackinnon is one of the safest fullbacks defensively and given a forward pack going forward would be a real weapon in attack.

Lyon and Vaeliki pee all over any centre pairing we could currently muster - one might be a spineless sack of shit and hte other a bit injury prone, but they were are champion centre pairing in 2001.

Moods was great in defence - very underrated player all round.....but peterson has really improved alot in all areas!!!

 

[Utey]

I just wish someone would give Mckinnon the ball as his always looking for support play.

 

[dazeely]

as much as i like McKinnon, Hodgson is a better fullback, we all know it, alot of us are still holding grudges cuz he left, hodgo was the hero around here prior to him becoming a tiger

You've got to be kidding. McKinnon has proven he can defend one on one. There is no argument that Hodgson was hopeless as the last line one on one. He came up short to many times.

Hodgson was great under the bomb and fantastic in attack. McKinnon is almost there under the bomb and as good as in attack. Hodgson played one good season for us. McKinnon is still improving and is much better than Hodgson. IMO

 

[fish eel]

Good points jake, however in 1998 we made the last four, and I'll say we have a bettert backline now than we did then. Our 1999 backs weren't killers either....

 

[Stagger eel]

I probably rate Hodgo better in attack and far inferior in defence.

 

[gregstar]

well i wouldn't mind seeing you guys win it if we can't! i am probably the only person on the planet who doesn't mind brian smith & would like to see you guuys win for him & to erase the disapointment of '01!

 

[The Colonel]

Given the closeness of the competition we could easily miss the eight. There were games this year that should have been won and they dropped their bundles. This is the difference between making the eight and finishing early. There are no games anymore that the team can just turn up to and expect a win - most teams expect a win against us after the last two seasons. The Sharks, Tigers, Parra and the Knights were all guilty of this.

 

[fish eel]

There are no games anymore that the team can just turn up to and expect a win - most teams expect a win against us after the last two seasons. The Sharks, Tigers, Parra and the Knights were all guilty of this.

One key difference.

Last year we had depth, or thought we did, but it wasnt what you would call quality depth.

Next season, our depth, particuarly in the forwards is real and is quality. You would think, in theory, that should mean we are pumped to perform every week....

 

[The Colonel]

Last year we had depth, or thought we did, but it wasnt what you would call quality depth.

Next season, our depth, particuarly in the forwards is real and is quality. You would think, in theory, that should mean we are pumped to perform every week....

In theory, the last two seasons should not have happened either but they did. Our depth is, potentially, of great quality however they have to realise it and they have to perform every week...... so if they don't, theoretically speaking we could miss the eight again.

 

[Belly in Brisvegas]

Reading all that has been said above, it is obvious that is just more than ability to get sides into the 8.

It will come down to committment, attitude and application that will determine who gets in and who misses out...no top secrets there....been the formula for years plus you could throw a pinch of luck into that as well.

If we are a "happy" side and by that I mean if we are relatively injury free (See 2001 season), Smithy gets the team settled unlike other years (See seasons 2003 and 2004) which will breed better commitment, attitude and application then there should be no reason why we should be shooting for any worse than 6th.

The past two seasons we tried hard (ok mostly we tried hard) but they were just dis-spirited.

 

[Haynzy]

I still think you'll find Wagon spending a fair bit of time in the centres.
He will have a huge impact on the backline defense,

I also think that many of our defensive dramas last year came as much from bad communication as bad technique and add to that confidence.
These things can be fixed and I think you'll find that they are areas that Smith, Reddy, Sharp and co will have worked very hard on over the off season.
Confidence will come as we dominate other teams and go on with it in attack.

I'm optimistic about our chances next year and I'm sure we'll see a huge improvement across the board.

 

[The Engineers Room]

What this team is missing is a real game breaker in the backline. Hindmarsh is doing a great job for us but he is not the game breaker we need. We need a playmaker to create for us. Too often last year we had no direction in attack.

 

[Freak]

Jake nice piece but I disagree with you slightly.

IF and it is a big IF our forwards are the best pack in the NRL in 2005 I have no doubts we will be in the top 8 and I would go as far to say top 4. Let's face it if our forwards consistantly get over the advantage line and turn the defence around this will create so much more time for our backline to really show what they can do. AND THEY WILL!!

For the last couple of year's our pace around the ruck and metres gained per set has been appauling together with poor discipline we were time and time again had to defend way too often.

Given the 3 factors from our forwards.
Speed
Metres
Discipline

Im sure our backs will score enough points to win us enough football games to be in the final 8!!!

 

[Eelementary]

The thing that concerns me about next year is the backline. Its got me so concerened that I have my doubts that we will not even make the top 8 now. The forward pack will be the strongest in the League and their should not be any problems their. Now I will admit that a couple months back I was saying " top 4 for 2005" but after thinking about it, the backline comes up as our major weakness.

Now knowing Brian Smith this is the backline that HE will come up with in the start of the season Everybody with a question mark beside there name is a liability in defence:

Mckinnon
Peterson ?
Burt ?
Tahu ?
Grothe ?
Moriss
T Smith

Thats too many players playing together who cannot defend properly.We have some outstanding Juniors coming through but we don't know if they are ready or not. I can see the forwards laying a good platform but our weakness next year is conceeding too many points out wide.

Next year the comp will be even tougher with every team having improved there playing Rosters. Even the Sharks will be hard team to crack and Souths as well. And I can't see this backline doing the job for us. As well as defence there is the question mark over the 6 and 7 posy. Will T Smith step up to the plate and show what he can do??? Will PJ be back to his best? Is moriss fast enough to be a 5/8?

Lets hope a few Juniors do come through for us next year or we may face another Long season. The reason Im posting this is to show some people that are getting way too excited ( I know I was earlier) but the thing is that we COULD struggle next year (hopefully not). So don't get your hopes too high as they could get crushed just like last seasons opening rounds.

I hope i am very wrong. Hopefully we surprise a few teams next year.

Petersen's defence has come along in leaps and bounds. He is much more solid than ayear and a half ago.

Tahu is not a brilliant defender but he can get better - I have seen him play a couple of good games at centre where he held his own in defence. I think the fact that he made his name on the wing but WANTS to play centre shows that he realises that he'll have toadjust his game and work harder to do so, and I think he will.

And if worse comes to worse, Ben Smith has good defence. Yes, I remember that game against Wests. But I also remember that game against Cronulla where he more than redeemed himself. Ben Smith has strong defence IMO and could easily cover that centre position.

 

[Eelementary]

as much as i like McKinnon, Hodgson is a better fullback, we all know it, alot of us are still holding grudges cuz he left, hodgo was the hero around here prior to him becoming a tiger

I don't know that.

I like Hodgo. My only reason for disliking himis that in his last year he played terribly - no heart or passion - and then commanded an increase in his salary.

But I like Hodgson - he's magic.

Yet I don't necessarily think he's a better fullback than McKinnon. Higher profile, sure. But better? How so?

McKinnon holds the NRL record for most metres gained in a match in a LOSING SIDE that did NOT score a single try. That in conjunction with all his try-saving plays clearly show that Wade McKinnon is a special player.

 

[Eelementary]

BTW guys -is that REALLY Hodgo in the KFC ad?