Will there be any changes in 2017?

[Kenya]

The sad thing is that I think we could have finished better last year if a couple of things were better.

DH service. I don't want to question Lichaas ability again but in hindsight from last season I'd say that his three step run before passing means that he often just resorts to throwing another ball to a forward before the defense hits him.

6 & 7. Reynolds was more composed this year and seemed to be working on his kicking game. Hopefully we see a vast improvement in his short range attacking kicks, and he used to get some 40/20's too. Would be nice if he improves here. Mbye is lightning quick and shows occasional flashes of quality. I'd like to see him looking to get involved and also improve his kicking game.

1. A part time fullback is a terrible idea. I think its time to send that idea away and develop our best prospect from the trials.

Props. Graham- needs his aggression back and to go back to ball playing before the line. Any team looks better if they're getting quality ball from second phase play.

Kasiano. Fitness, fitness, fitness. He has all the ability in the world. He's as big as they make people and has natural explosive power coupled with moderate pace for a goliath. I just want 5-10 more effective minutes of his stints.

Tolman- He's always been a workhorse. He always will be. I'd like more leg drive from him so he's able to make 1-2 metres more with every tackle, but I honestly think a lot of the issues we've had in our pack can be easily improved if they get earlier ball service.

Klemmer- I just hope he's got improvement left. Already a great player.

Our second row is shuffling and had been since last year. I'm glad Williams has moved on. Between RFM, Eastwood and Jackson I think we should be ok for starters. We are low in proven depth though. Time for some youngsters to demand the coaching staff take notice of them.

Our backline is a couple of Morris injuries and a Sunday away from being classed as an all rookie outfit (Holland and Stanley have played enough to avoid the rookie label but they're both questionable, Stanley for durability, and Holland took some small steps backwards in defense and lost his confidence in attack too) I hope our juniors are ready for the chances they will get this year.

We do have some potential dark horse players. Cleeland supposedly offers a strong kicking game. We have some backs with potential, and we can usually pull decent forwards at worst from our juniors provided the injury list isn't massively crowded.

Will we see change. You bet. Big player turnover for us composed to recent seasons. Our roster will take some getting used to next year and each new face that hits the big stage will provide something different. How much the game plan changes is anyone guess, but our roster shuffle will bring change.

Agree mate - pretty much tick your list.
Dummy half ball service is everything - if that is shite (and it is) theres not much anyone can do.

Then there is the gameplay - the one out running - we have deteriorated badly under Des.
Still can't get over the '...is this the worst set of 6 ever played' post.

 

[Alan79]

If recruitment had any vision they would have let Eastwood go and made a play for Matulino. He's not happy being on the bench and has always killed it when played as an edge forward.

Eastwood at this stage in his career should come off the bench and not be one of our starters

I'd love Matulino in our side but his asking price would be ridiculous. I'd think in his best form he's probably in the top 5 forwards in the game. Young marquee players don't come cheap. I'm happy that Eastwood re-signed though. When the team is offloading, Eastwood has a habit of receiving a short pass near the line and bursting through 2-3 defenders. His ability to read the game and anticipate when to time his runs is his X-factor attribute. We need offloads for him to be able to do that frequently though and I think our forwards need to get earlier ball to get the offloads away. They were getting the ball right before the defense hit them for much if this season.

 

[ILiveForDib]

tolman he his the best forward in the comp

 

[CrittaMagic69]

If recruitment had any vision they would have let Eastwood go and made a play for Matulino. He's not happy being on the bench and has always killed it when played as an edge forward.

Eastwood at this stage in his career should come off the bench and not be one of our starters

He shouldn't of been re-signed fullstop lol. Doubt any other club was even interested in him and i bet we still ended up paying massive overs. I agree he should be on the bench at best and part of the frontrow rotation...but really he is garbage, does a few fancy things and people blow their loads.

Matulino would be a gamble but at his best he is one of the best forwards in game..can't see him getting close to his best at the dogs though.

 

[no1bulldog]

am I the only one that sees our backline being forgotten and neglected? we still don't know what Neville will be playing in the wing and centre then another will have to step up on Sundays! because if you have forgotten our fullback refuses to play or train on Sundays.......then we have 2 broken down injury prone liabilities in the Morris twins taking up the other wing and centre positions both are yet to play a full season and when they go down its always long term......then add in chalk bones Chase who will probably get first crack in the backline

Our backs are a shemozzle....NSW Cup level at best.... I cant see us putting too many points on the board but I can see our bits and pieces backline being torn to shreds and leaking points

 

[doggieaaron]

I actually think we are well served in the centres and wing its 1 and 7 that worries me

 

[Minion]

But seriously, Hasler and his shitty structures and game plan are the problem

You totally got that right. The players would say "we were only following orders" and that would be true. The coaching and game plan must change for there to be any improvement.

 

[Bob dog]

Watch the 2004 season review dvd and everyone is as keen as mustard to be in support of the ball.

 

[Natboy]

I'd love Matulino in our side but his asking price would be ridiculous. I'd think in his best form he's probably in the top 5 forwards in the game. Young marquee players don't come cheap. I'm happy that Eastwood re-signed though. When the team is offloading, Eastwood has a habit of receiving a short pass near the line and bursting through 2-3 defenders. His ability to read the game and anticipate when to time his runs is his X-factor attribute. We need offloads for him to be able to do that frequently though and I think our forwards need to get earlier ball to get the offloads away. They were getting the ball right before the defense hit them for much if this season.

But he doesn't have a body like Marty Tapau or even abs so he must be crap!

 

[FaceBreaker]

- Morris boys are busted and towards the end of their career
- Tolman sucks
- graham has been playing shit for the last two years
- we don't have a fullback, and the one we do doesn't play on Sundays
- our 6 and 7 don't control the game
- our wingers aren't on par with other teams wingers
- our coach has no plan b
- our Hooker is only allowed to tackle
- our CEO only cares about the clubs image and making the top 8, anything more is a bonus
- we have signed fringe first grade players for 2017

There is nothing to look forward to in 2017.

 

[Alan79]

But he doesn't have a body like Marty Tapau or even abs so he must be crap!

He does have some tats though and there is video of him on you tube. Those two things combined must count for something. Had the rating system changed. I thought it went like this when defining player quality.
1. Hectic arms.
2. No fat on stomach
3. You tube video
4. Tattoos
5-10 are all related to ability so not as important as the items advice on the list.

 

[Kip Drordy]

- Morris boys are busted and towards the end of their career
- Tolman sucks
- graham has been playing shit for the last two years
- we don't have a fullback, and the one we do doesn't play on Sundays
- our 6 and 7 don't control the game
- our wingers aren't on par with other teams wingers
- our coach has no plan b
- our Hooker is only allowed to tackle
- our CEO only cares about the clubs image and making the top 8, anything more is a bonus
- we have signed fringe first grade players for 2017

There is nothing to look forward to in 2017.

Great summary

 

[Izzy Forreal]

- Morris boys are busted and towards the end of their career
- Tolman sucks
- graham has been playing shit for the last two years
- we don't have a fullback, and the one we do doesn't play on Sundays
- our 6 and 7 don't control the game
- our wingers aren't on par with other teams wingers
- our coach has no plan b
- our Hooker is only allowed to tackle
- our CEO only cares about the clubs image and making the top 8, anything more is a bonus
- we have signed fringe first grade players for 2017

There is nothing to look forward to in 2017.

You're right on the money here FaceBreaker except saying "our coach has no plan b".

The hasbeen little prick hasn't got plan A. And to prove he's totally out of touch selects injured, unfit and out of form players who just go through the motions.

 

[Natboy]

He does have some tats though and there is video of him on you tube. Those two things combined must count for something. Had the rating system changed. I thought it went like this when defining player quality.
1. Hectic arms.
2. No fat on stomach
3. You tube video
4. Tattoos
5-10 are all related to ability so not as important as the items advice on the list.

Hahaha that's it mate. In case others didn't get my joke I was referring to Eastwood. If Thurston had belly he'd be crap!

 

[belmore_utd]

You're right on the money here FaceBreaker except saying "our coach has no plan b".

The hasbeen little prick hasn't got plan A. And to prove he's totally out of touch selects injured, unfit and out of form players who just go through the motions.

Des best attribute appears to be his loyalty, which in the past would have players giving 1000% but in the day and age of the self entitled it just means being taken advantage of.

 

[Lady Emerald]

If recruitment had any vision they would have let Eastwood go and made a play for Matulino. He's not happy being on the bench and has always killed it when played as an edge forward.

Eastwood at this stage in his career should come off the bench and not be one of our starters

Eastwood at this stage doesn't even deserve a position on the bench. I don't understand why we don't release him. He's fat, slow and unfit. I thought he was honestly going to die after the finals game against Penrith last year. Seriously he needs to get into shape! What a waste of space.

 

[Minion]

The biggest change will happen when the board finally realises that Hasler's game plan is set to fail yet again and they give him his marching orders. He has slowly extracted all the individual skills out of each player by turning them into robots.

 

[Sandra's Bollocks]

i dont know why some people are ripping on eastwood as if hes the worst player we've got? sure hes another year older and not the most fittest, but at least he can bend the line and has pretty decent foot work for a big fella. above all, he puts in on the field.

id have him on the bench as a forward to replace tim brownes spot. the back row position has outdated him imo.

 

[Kip Drordy]

i dont know why some people are ripping on eastwood as if hes the worst player we've got? sure hes another year older and not the most fittest, but at least he can bend the line and has pretty decent foot work for a big fella. above all, he puts in on the field.

id have him on the bench as a forward to replace tim brownes spot. the back row position has outdated him imo.

Agree. Eastwood does bend the line and we could use him off the bench and turn Klemmer into a full timer. Tim Browne!! Unless hasler was holding him back, I cant believe Penrith would buy him. He could not possibly make their top 17. I'm crankier with Tolman and Graham - these blokes are now 'Michael Wayman' clones. They make more metres on the warm up bike than they do on the field

 

[Izzy Forreal]

Agree. Eastwood does bend the line and we could use him off the bench and turn Klemmer into a full timer. Tim Browne!! Unless hasler was holding him back, I cant believe Penrith would buy him. He could not possibly make their top 17. I'm crankier with Tolman and Graham - these blokes are now 'Michael Wayman' clones. They make more metres on the warm up bike than they do on the field

Sad but true. But thanks for a good laugh Kip.

You can't knock 'em for being on the bikes though, our first receivers need to maintain their foot work and speed.