1) Why? 2) Meant to be?

[D.O.W.]

Two things stood out in my mind after yesterday's game:

1) WHY did Des decide to break free the shackles and/or change it up in round 24? When things didn't appear to be working at the point of mid-season, blind Freddy could see the team needed change. Therefore, I am struggling to understand why it took up until our final 3 games to play a brand of football that we are capable of playing to enable a better chance at success.

2) Perhaps the salary cap situation is MEANT TO BE? Des or no Des, this may actually force us to give our juniors and/or emerging talent some opportunity next year and sure up some pride in our jersey. I'm a big believer that you need a generous representation of local juniors and next gen talent who are passionate about playing for the team they grew up supporting and/or provided an opportunity, mixed in with established talent and experience.

Next year will be a new era for us and a defining one in terms of our outlook over the next few years.

On a similar note, did anyone see the post game presser yesterday? Des was asked "what changed" with regards to the last few games..his response was "posession and completion" Reynolds kept looking at Graham for a reaction..

Thought it was pretty funny because it was clearly a bullish!t response..and the players knew it. Posession and completion rate had nothing to do with the brand of football we displayed yesterday or in the last 3 weeks for that matter.

 

[Shanked]

i'm probably wrong but felt like jim dymock was coaching the team, it just makes no sense for Des with 3 weeks to go to let from "off the leash" when it should have been done at the start of this season, or at the very least when we still had a chance at making the finals

 

[Chris Harding]

Two things stood out in my mind after yesterday's game:

1) WHY did Des decide to break free the shackles and/or change it up in round 24? When things didn't appear to be working at the point of mid-season, blind Freddy could see the team needed change. Therefore, I am struggling to understand why it took up until our final 3 games to play a brand of football that we are capable of playing to enable a better chance at success.

2) Perhaps the salary cap situation is MEANT TO BE? Des or no Des, this may actually force us to give our juniors and/or emerging talent some opportunity next year and sure up some pride in our jersey. I'm a big believer that you need a generous representation of local juniors and next gen talent who are passionate about playing for the team they grew up supporting and/or provided an opportunity, mixed in with established talent and experience.

Next year will be a new era for us and a defining one in terms of our outlook over the next few years.

On a similar note, did anyone see the post game presser yesterday? Des was asked "what changed" with regards to the last few games..his response was "posession and completion" Reynolds kept looking at Graham for a reaction..

Thought it was pretty funny because it was clearly a bullish!t response..and the players knew it. Posession and completion rate had nothing to do with the brand of football we displayed yesterday or in the last 3 weeks for that matter.

First half we were penalised 7-1 and Saints given the benefit of the doubt on at least two occasions. Possession was all their way, yet we were leading at half time.
Completion was better, but the second half started as all our second halves start. The difference was our attack. When was the last time we had 20 scored against us and won?

 

[Moey]

Rd 24 the players thought fuck this shit, fuck Hasler, fuck completion rates, fuck structure.. lets just play like footballers and they did just dad.
Lichaas performances over last 3 games combined with what he has been saying publicly is proof of that.
With players being shopped around, contracts not being renewed, the players lost all respect for hierarchy. Simple as that. Nothing to do with Hasler. He never took them off the leash. The players broke the leash.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Could it be the whole Desball thing was due to the salary cap issues and player morale?

 

[D.O.W.]

Rd 24 the players thought fuck this shit, fuck Hasler, fuck completion rates, fuck structure.. lets just play like footballers and they did just dad.
Lichaas performances over last 3 games combined with what he has been saying publicly is proof of that.
With players being shopped around, contracts not being renewed, the players lost all respect for hierarchy. Simple as that. Nothing to do with Hasler. He never took them off the leash. The players broke the leash.

Potentially true, good post.

 

[D.O.W.]

Rd 24 the players thought fuck this shit, fuck Hasler, fuck completion rates, fuck structure.. lets just play like footballers and they did just dad.
Lichaas performances over last 3 games combined with what he has been saying publicly is proof of that.
With players being shopped around, contracts not being renewed, the players lost all respect for hierarchy. Simple as that. Nothing to do with Hasler. He never took them off the leash. The players broke the leash.

Lichaa single handedly exposed Dessie's structures and control... he got out and ran several times, engaged defenders, the works! Yes, there are still some areas he needs to work on, but his ability with ball in hand has undoubtedly shown us all he can be effective and a valuable asset. Appears to be another player held back, he's going to have the Cook effect on us when he departs.

 

[The Dominator]

Lichaa single handedly exposed Dessie's structures and control... he got out and ran several times, engaged defenders, the works! Yes, there are still some areas he needs to work on, but his ability with ball in hand has undoubtedly shown us all he can be effective and a valuable asset. Appears to be another player held back, he's going to have the Cook effect on us when he departs.

Our 3rd hooker in a row destroyed by Hasler. Farrrrrrrrrrkkkkk.

 

[dogluva]

his response was "posession and completion" Reynolds kept looking at Graham for a reaction..

I am choking harder than St George at this......

According to super coach an 80% completion rate is the minimum, we had 79% and only 47% possession, although we at least did something constructive with the ball. Not having seen the presser was it one of those "WTF" looks from Josh?

The players had simply had enough of the regimented playbook tactics from the coach. Lichaa said it himself when he said he was playing the footy he wanted to play rather than what the coach had asked him to do and it showed.

Jackson was running hard and straight and Klemmer was a dynamo. 35 tackles with no misses, 236 metres gained in 75 minutes of footy. Hopoate attacking the footy rather than watching it bounce to lessen the possibility of an error.

 

[D.O.W.]

Our 3rd hooker in a row destroyed by Hasler. Farrrrrrrrrrkkkkk.

There is no one left in the market to suitably replace Lichaa. The coach and board needs to swallow it's pride, as we did as fans, regarding our collective view on Lichaa. Des created a "Frankenstein". He turned him into an 80 minute warrior neglecting his running ability and now that he's gone rogue, he's now showing everyone he's the real deal by combining his running game with his fitness and defensive abilities.

 

[The DoggFather]

Don't be surprised if Pay re-signs him.

 

[The Dominator]

There is no one left in the market to suitably replace Lichaa. The coach and board needs to swallow it's pride, as we did as fans, regarding our collective view on Lichaa. Des created a "Frankenstein". He turned him into an 80 minute warrior neglecting his running ability and now that he's gone rogue, he's now showing everyone he's the real deal by combining his running game with his fitness and defensive abilities.

They better hurry up then. After his last 3 games, he will be getting numerous offers. He represents an absolute bargain on the open market.

 

[D.O.W.]

I am choking harder than St George at this......

According to super coach an 80% completion rate is the minimum, we had 79% and only 47% possession, although we at least did something constructive with the ball. Not having seen the presser was it one of those "WTF" looks from Josh?

The players had simply had enough of the regimented playbook tactics from the coach. Lichaa said it himself when he said he was playing the footy he wanted to play rather than what the coach had asked him to do and it showed.

Jackson was running hard and straight and Klemmer was a dynamo. 35 tackles with no misses, 236 metres gained in 75 minutes of footy. Hopoate attacking the footy rather than watching it bounce to lessen the possibility of an error.

He was only searching for a reaction from Graham, but Graham remained poker faced. Rather than be engaged by Dessie's words, you could clearly see Reynolds was looking over at Graham whenever the journos asked that sort of question to Des.

Agree with everything you said. Including Hoppa, who all of a sudden, developed a passing game and is lurking on the inside of outside backs. He used to ball hog consistently & rarely created uncertainly by backing up on the inside play.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Don't be surprised if Pay re-signs him.

I think he coached him in the lower grades. If we let Lichaa walk i can't see any genuine replacement for him.. i really hope we keep him.

 

[D.O.W.]

I'm glad to see the Lichaa apology thread, he was right the whole time, he did suggest that not many knew the truths about rugby league (referring to the way he's been told to play rather than what he is capable of) so he was correct. He had nothing to loose at season's end and went out there playing his natural game and was great for us.

 

[Wolfmother]

You can thank Paul Aoun for the change. Klemmer started playing a very different style straight after was criticised by that bloke for not adding an offload to his game ..and things improved from there

 

[LFC Bulldogs]

Could it be the whole Desball thing was due to the salary cap issues and player morale?

And who created this salary cap problem and poor player morale?
Why are we looking to find excuses for Hasler.

 

[Raysie]

Des didn't unleash the shackles. Instead Lichaa just finally played to his potential after realising he had to desperately find a contract elsewhere, and as a result our entire attack changed off the back of it.

No conspiracy and definitely no Des unleashing the shackles.

 

[Trafford10]

There is no one left in the market to suitably replace Lichaa. The coach and board needs to swallow it's pride, as we did as fans, regarding our collective view on Lichaa. Des created a "Frankenstein". He turned him into an 80 minute warrior neglecting his running ability and now that he's gone rogue, he's now showing everyone he's the real deal by combining his running game with his fitness and defensive abilities.

You know if it was to Des, Lichaa would already have a contract right?
Des is a big supporter of his!!

 

[Dognacious]

i'm probably wrong but felt like jim dymock was coaching the team, it just makes no sense for Des with 3 weeks to go to let from "off the leash" when it should have been done at the start of this season, or at the very least when we still had a chance at making the finals

True, but since when did Des do anything that made sense?