Opinion Is Burton disinterested?

[B-Train]

Would Taafe be a better 7 option with Burton. Weren't they halves partners in U19's?

Taaffe has played in the front line a few times and he couldn't handle the physicality and was targeted massively defensively. I think Taaffe is either a fullback, a bench utility or in Reserves..

 

[wendog33]

Taaffe has played in the front line a few times and he couldn't handle the physicality and was targeted massively defensively. I think Taaffe is either a fullback, a bench utility or in Reserves..

Seems a bit "vulnerable" at F/B tho as well. Presto can look after him?

 

[B-Train]

Seems a bit "vulnerable" at F/B tho as well. Presto can look after him?

Yeah I had my doubts about Taaffe going into the season. I don't think he's a FG fullback and he hasn't done much to prove otherwise so far. Hopefully when Tracey is back he slots in there.

 

[Marki]

He had 43 metres, not 14..

14 advantage metres...

 

[maroondog72]

I'm not throwing anyone under the bus. He needs to play better. As does Burton. It's the half's job to help set up tries and line breaks for the 2nd rower but it's not all on Burton if Kikau has multiple games where he doesn't do much or gets below 50 metres. It can't always be all Burton's fault. Kikau can look for the ball more and take more runs from inside our own half..

Kiks was underwhelming last night he did try to lift in D a few times just felt like he was chasing a highlight reel though I hope he turns it around he is one of the players we desperately need to fire this year.

 

[Marki]

Question for the Burton haters (the whole forum), take him out of last nights game and do we all of a sudden score 40? People wanting a combo of Hutchison and Sexton in the halves have no clue and somehow ignore all of the fuck ups those players make and the flaws they have in their game.

You perhaps didn't notice the danger when Hutch was 7 at first receiver and passed to Taaffe at second receiver who was INSIDE Burton and pushed him into the centres?

That one play, we looked dangerous and fluent..but it's not surprising. Burton is a good centre. He receives passes. He can't produce them.

You should already know this. But the sooner you accept it, and the sooner CC acts on it, the better for the team.

He can still kick/bomb/ chip in the centres. No one it taking that out of his game.

 

[Shire Dog]

TBH I don’t think Burton is capable of taking charge of our attack, he’s given no indication in the time he’s been at the club that he can be a dominant playmaker, if they are going to persist with him at 5/8th they have to strip it back to running the ball and kicking for field position, our attack won’t improve until reed straightens up and his service has been extremely poor in both trials, I think the only way we get the best out him is to reduce his minutes we have plenty of players that could do a job for 30-40 mins at DH

I could be way off the mark but maybe CC didn’t want to show our cards before round 1.
Let‘s hope that our friend Burton is in the mood to run a lot more and digging into the line,use his big frame to his advantage.
Otherwise CC will need to deal with it.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

I'm not throwing anyone under the bus. He needs to play better. As does Burton. It's the half's job to help set up tries and line breaks for the 2nd rower but it's not all on Burton if Kikau has multiple games where he doesn't do much or gets below 50 metres. It can't always be all Burton's fault. Kikau can look for the ball more and take more runs from inside our own half..

Because that isn't Kikau's game, why are you expecting that from him? Kikau is a moment's player and we've crippled him by partnering him up with an incompetent ballplayer, it literally makes zero sense.

 

[B-Train]

You perhaps didn't notice the danger when Hutch was 7 at first receiver and passed to Taaffe at second receiver who was INSIDE Burton and pushed him into the centres?

That one play, we looked dangerous and fluent..but it's not surprising. Burton is a good centre. He receives passes. He can't produce them.

You should already know this. But the sooner you accept it, and the sooner CC acts on it, the better for the team.

He can still kick/bomb/ chip in the centres. No one it taking that out of his game.

So you'd prefer a combo of Hutch and Sexton? And ignore how bad Taaffe was? It wasn't Burton's fault that Taaffe had 4 errors. We'd score way less and win even less games with a spine of Taaffe, Sexton, Hutch and Mahoney.

 

[wendog33]

Yeah I had my doubts about Taaffe going into the season. I don't think he's a FG fullback and he hasn't done much to prove otherwise so far. Hopefully when Tracey is back he slots in there.

Unfortunately looks like we are desperately searching for optimum positions for our players with not much falling into place yet again.

 

[D0GMATIC]

Would Taafe be a better 7 option with Burton. Weren't they halves partners in U19's?

This is the problem with so many options . . . Decisions need to be made. I'm not sure of Taaffe's kicking game and he might struggle at his size to defend in the front line

 

[wendog33]

Perhaps for 2024:
1. Critta (need some thrust, linking and leadership from 1)
2. Fox
3. Burton
4. Xerri
5. Skelton(need his runs)/Kiraz
6. Tracey
7. Sexton/Hutcho/Taafe (with Presto to look after 7)

 

[Marki]

So you'd prefer a combo of Hutch and Sexton? And ignore how bad Taaffe was? It wasn't Burton's fault that Taaffe had 4 errors. We'd score way less and win even less games with a spine of Taaffe, Sexton, Hutch and Mahoney.

I wouldnt jump to that conclusion too soon.

In fact, I'm almost wanting Burton to be suspended for Rnd1 just so we can see it.
(Even though I thought putting him on report was one of the biggest crock of shit I've ever seen in the game)

In case you haven't noticed, we are quite good defensively so far this year and can defend mistakes.

The spine you mentioned won't die wondering. Might have errors in them but they also have opportunity.

I'm confident Hutch and Sexton with Taaffe chiming in can unlock Kikau, Xerri, Chrichton and the wingers. More so than Burton can ever do (except with a kick)

 

[Marki]

Unfortunately looks like we are desperately searching for optimum positions for our players with not much falling into place yet again.

This will be our biggest issue all year, unless we string afew wins together (4 or 5 in a row)

 

[wendog33]

This will be our biggest issue all year, unless we string afew wins together (4 or 5 in a row)

If a majority of the team are nervous and jittery about loosing their spots, and as a consequence make elementary mistakes trying to impress, then all this competition for spots will be a working against the team.

Early days and it was afterall a disjointed hit out to chase out some cobwebs.

 

[B-Train]

Because that isn't Kikau's game, why are you expecting that from him? Kikau is a moment's player and we've crippled him by partnering him up with an incompetent ballplayer, it literally makes zero sense.

He took way more tough carries from in their own half with Penrith.. He had 20 games where he ran for 140 metres or more, with 3 games of over 200 metres.

I'm hopeful he will come good, but there's things he can control and do better in attack and defence that have nothing to do with Burton.. And hopefully Burton can use him, Critta and Fox better when attacking their line..

 

[Geoff Chambers]

And you should stop sipping your own bathwater

Not a chance you weak dog

 

[D0GMATIC]

Not a chance you weak dog

Lol, they say you are what you eat

 

[Tassie Devil]

He took way more tough carries from in their own half with Penrith.. He had 20 games where he ran for 140 metres or more, with 3 games of over 200 metres.

I'm hopeful he will come good, but there's things he can control and do better in attack and defence that have nothing to do with Burton.. And hopefully Burton can use him, Critta and Fox better when attacking their line..

All fair points tbh

 

[wendog33]

It's concerning that these star players we signed are just not performing. It's not good enough and it's a worry especially so early in the year, with so many of them underperforming under (newish) Ciraldo's stewardship

He is no doubt held in high esteem by the players but the fact they aren't bringing their prior outstanding form to the Bulldogs is very concerning.

Not panic stations as yet but we've seen this same scenario for several years now so supporters are on hyper alert.