News Bulldogs face ‘big’ call on star recruit — but 86-year low proves problem goes much deeper

[Scorpio]

He couldn't even shine in a star studded team like the Roosters last year..... he is SHIT!!!

What was his excuse last year?? In-experience?? I hate how these so called Journalists keep making excuses for him.....

Look at Sam Walker - shinning in a weaker roosters team this year compared to the one Kyle played for last year and Walker has only played 5 NRL games....

 

[Haddaway]

Lol at Buzz blaming forward pack for his demise

Well tbf, they are playing a part into why he's soooo bad.

ONE forward averaging over 100 metres is unreal lol.

 

[Heckler]

Why are we blaming the forwards for our pathetic sets in the opposition 20?? We don’t look like scoring and it starts with the halfback. He’s clueless in calling the shots.

I know right. He was going going great behind the monster Roosters pack.

 

[Bulldog1966]

Should never have been signed in the first place
Since when did we sign rooster rejects ?
Not even fg standard imo

fair enough to blame the forwards for not getting a roll on
But yesterday his kick on the first and getting tackled twice on the last in the opp 10 were pathetic

he isn’t a halfbacks arsehole and nor will ever be

Just outta curiosity is there any player at our club you do like? Don't recall seeing you praise anyone much....

Re Flanno specifically firstly 1.he wasn't a "star recruit" was a relatively cheap(in hindsight now maybe not so much)developing halfback.
2.He IS going terribly so maybe is a no go as a FG halfback for us, but i guarantee everyone will still be arcing up with the replacement options i.e Lewis or Wakeham.

Guess he has to go back to The Mounties and see if he has an epiphany there(also doubtful)as the continued poor form leaves Baz with no other option.
When the other guys inevitably cock it up too he may well get another go but his light is fading and fast..

 

[CrittaMagic69]

If Baz was trying to turn Flanno into Cleary then why aren't we seeing any similarities? I mean when Cleary takes a pass he is always moving forward before he catches the ball and everyone in the backline moves with him hence why they look fast. Flanno is flat, stops and looks. Why isn't Flanno seen screaming at his generals to setup the next play? Cleary knows what he is doing one play ahead of everyone else while Flanno is still working out what to do next which is why our attack is clunky.

I know these two are on different levels and experience but to say Barrett is trying to cut Flanno into Cleary is a far stretch. I think it's the opposite where Barrett is trying to keep things simple for Flanno and still he can't handle it.

I guess we are all frustrated because we had higher expectations (ok not all) from Flanno and it hasn't happened.

I disagree, Baz is defenitely trying to turn him into Cleary and has said as much when he was drawing comparisons between the two during pre season. If Baz wanted to keep things simple them he would never have tried to play Flanagan on the ball so much, so early.

 

[alchemist]

When he kicked too far for Cotric on zero tackle, my first thought was ‘how did this guy make the NRL’ ?

There must be a thousand better halves in park or bush footy

Dads connections I guess

I actually applaud the Roosters approach to get rid of him after one season and I bet Trent Robinson realised in the first few weeks they had signed a dud

Baz has just realised in week 8

yep, well done to the Roosters

Cronk wants to move to Sydney and so, they recruit him despite having Pearce who does not want to play second fiddle and moves to the Knights and yet the Roosters win back-to-back premierships

Suaalii has huge raps on him as a junior but is stalling in re-signing with the Rabbitohs because he wants player options at the end of every season and the Roosters swoop in and sign him and even get an early release

Luke Keary wins a premiership with the Rabbitohs but has a bust up with Russell Crowe and the Roosters bring him across and he is now their dominant half

and probably the best indication for me as to how well the Roosters are run is in recruiting Sam Walker, a star junior half raised in Ipswich and son of a former Bronco

 

[Haddaway]

Look I'm not saying don't drop him, because I am but our forwards and hooker ARE part of the problem too.

Our forwards do not lay any kind of platform, he barely gets front foot ball, and Katoa always passes it behind him. Having said that his decision making is shit house, his kicking game ugh, running game non existent, and just shuffles the ball sideways.

 

[Shanked]

he was worth the punt, didn't work out, we move on

 

[Haddaway]

We will set some kind of record for the least run metres by a forward pack ever. One running over 100, is pitiful.

 

[Moedogg]

He shits himself when he has options in front of him. He's so premeditated and can't even put in a grubber.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Look I'm not saying don't drop him, because I am but our forwards and hooker ARE part of the problem too.

Our forwards do not lay any kind of platform, he barely gets front foot ball, and Katoa always passes it behind him. Having said that his decision making is shit house, his kicking game ugh, running game non existent, and just shuffles the ball sideways.

Our forwards at times do well and get a quick play the ball...but instead of going on the attack Flanagan does some BS shuffle sideways and dumps it to a forward who runs gains a few metres instead of being 20m down field in a better position with a staggered defensive line.

At the end of the day we don't play as a team and play as individuals, forwards aren't pushing up in numbers, backs aren't supporting, we play slow, etc. Certain players are obviously not good enough but we'd have less problems if we actually focused on certain aspects of our game.

 

[James zac]

Play him at hooker his oldman was a hooker his dna is hooker move av to 7 lewis or wakeham at six piss katoa off completely

 

[alchemist]

Flanagan is too small to play hooker

 

[Malla]

Whatever happens I think its clear that Lewis is not that answer.

Could be a case where Burton plays half and Averillo 5/8 next year? Who knows.

 

[stinkypinky]

The forwards didn’t make him kick on the 1st tackle

 

[Novdoggie]

Whatever happens I think its clear that Lewis is not that answer.

Could be a case where Burton plays half and Averillo 5/8 next year? Who knows.

Averillo is part of our problem at the moment. I think he is escaping any criticism because it is all towards Flanno. If Flanno is under performing which he is then Avo is doing just as much. I can't remember the last time I have seen a 5/8 just stay on one side and wait for the ball to come to him. He just doesn't have the initiative to go searching for the ball when Flanno isn't in position to do so.

If we expect Burton to just come in and be our saviour without any kind of support like Flanno isn't getting then we are kidding ourselves.

 

[Malla]

Averillo is part of our problem at the moment. I think he is escaping any criticism because it is all towards Flanno. If Flanno is under performing which he is then Avo is doing just as much. I can't remember the last time I have seen a 5/8 just stay on one side and wait for the ball to come to him. He just doesn't have the initiative to go searching for the ball when Flanno isn't in position to do so.

If we expect Burton to just come in and be our saviour without any kind of support like Flanno isn't getting then we are kidding ourselves.

Mate I agree with you fully. Averillo is garbage as a half. He throws hospital passes to his outside backs/forwards and like you said very rarely ventures out to the other side of the field. He works within a 5 metre corridor on the left hand side lol. He doesn't even support or pushes up through the middle. It's frustrating to watch.

I think persisting with Flanno is only thing we can do. Averillo's best position is not 5/8.. could be fullback but he is more a centre I think. Burton will take a lot of pressure of Flanno because he is a better half. That way Flanno can just focus on organising our forwards. We also desperately need more spark, urgency and creativity from hooker. I noticed last night (along with every other week) that our hooker puts no pressure on our forwards to get up for quick play the balls and nobody pushes up through the middle. Flanno is not playing the best but we aren't making it any easier for him. It's a lot harder playing footy when you get the ball flat footed with a defensive line already in your face as you catch the ball lol

 

[Nate DAWG]

He has been far from impressive this year and I think some time in NSW cup is best but having AVO at 6, Katoa/JMK/Dietz at 9 and only one forward averaging over 100m per game is difficult for any half let alone an inexperienced half who is low on confidence. If Flanno was playing alongside Foran in the halves, with a 9 who could provide decent service and we had a few decent forwards he would and we would be having a much better season.

What are we reportedly paying Flanno per season?

 

[Nate DAWG]

Averillo is part of our problem at the moment. I think he is escaping any criticism because it is all towards Flanno. If Flanno is under performing which he is then Avo is doing just as much. I can't remember the last time I have seen a 5/8 just stay on one side and wait for the ball to come to him. He just doesn't have the initiative to go searching for the ball when Flanno isn't in position to do so.

If we expect Burton to just come in and be our saviour without any kind of support like Flanno isn't getting then we are kidding ourselves.

Agree bro! At this stage of his career, Avo is a 14 at best.

 

[Haddaway]

Our forwards at times do well and get a quick play the ball...but instead of going on the attack Flanagan does some BS shuffle sideways and dumps it to a forward who runs gains a few metres instead of being 20m down field in a better position with a staggered defensive line.

At the end of the day we don't play as a team and play as individuals, forwards aren't pushing up in numbers, backs aren't supporting, we play slow, etc. Certain players are obviously not good enough but we'd have less problems if we actually focused on certain aspects of our game.

Maybe we need to simplify it for them, what about a "run hard, tackle hard" approach? LOL