The reason why we are getting monstered

[Kempsey Dog]

For $850K, our highest paid player, Thompson is not leading like he should.

Yes the three you mentioned are well below NRL average forwards but having an absolute bullocks 9 is putting the whole forward pack on the back foot.

Agree, hard thing for Thompson is that he's use to a dominant spine and pack. Fages and Lomax (halves) and Roby (hooker) always play over the the advantage line. Struggling with a dud team isn't something he is accustomed to.

 

[wendog33]

Agree, hard thing for Thompson is that he's use to a dominant spine and pack. Fages and Lomax (halves) and Roby (hooker) always play over the the advantage line. Struggling with a dud team isn't something he is accustomed to.

Lomax had a great game last week.
Pity we didnt try and get Roby years ago.

 

[Nasheed]

Why can’t we chase Haas?
Brisbane have told Walters to ‘rip the roster up’ and letting him go saves some money.
He’s on 500k.
We offer him 700k on a multi year deal and throw in someone like a sponsored trip to Mecca during the tenure (random but just something I could see as a favour) and I reckon he jumps.

 

[Nasheed]

Lomax had a great game last week.
Pity we didnt try and get Roby years ago.

I’ve never really seen Fages have a great game. Seems Jarrod sammutish. He gets a lot of wraps though.

 

[wendog33]

I’ve never really seen Fages have a great game. Seems Jarrod sammutish. He gets a lot of wraps though.

Fages hot and cold but does his job in that team.

They're good to watch.

 

[Dogtime]

It’s pretty obvious but a back row of Elliot, C Smith and Waddell is laughable for first grade these days, and on top of that having Napa in there as well, it’s a recipe for disaster and don’t get me started on s katoa.
we need a whole new forward pack bar Thompson

6 year plan then. Maybe self belief has something to do with how we played on Sat night....lack of belief that we could win. The players aren't stupid. They know we were no hope v Eels. Different story this next week v Dragons. See the attitude of our back row this week...then cast your comment. Top shelf we aren't. Able to shop 13 players for top drawer replacements ?I don't think so. Accept what we have and expect incremental change...then you won't be disappointed.

 

[Mattreneeandgus]

Why can’t we chase Haas?
Brisbane have told Walters to ‘rip the roster up’ and letting him go saves some money.
He’s on 500k.
We offer him 700k on a multi year deal and throw in someone like a sponsored trip to Mecca during the tenure (random but just something I could see as a favour) and I reckon he jumps.

In a struggling side, he is there best every week, would you let him go???

 

[surfdog]

Personnel changes are inevitable going forward. What really frustrates me is our lack of intent defending all over the ground, teams just roll down the field with ease, we then make minimal ground, kick under pressure and repeat for 80 mins. Just want to see some effort.

 

[Snoop]

If your packs getting monstered as ours is, we have to change game plan. Would be boring but probably suit if we just use our outside backs to dummy half run, one after the other. Our halves can’t create no one can, so just use Cotric, DWZ, Meaney to dummy half run. Straight in behind the ruck. If we can gain momentum through quick play the balls, straight to Averillo to try his hand. Save our shit forwards for more defensive work, as there obviously struggling to tackle anything at the moment.

What a shit game plan. Cotric has been disappointing, Meaney is too safe never ever support plays in the middle, DWZ well he always goes hard with the ball but sadly can’t read on defense.

The forwards are always going to struggle if they have to defend all the time and it’s because of the constant lack of the halves kicking game and poor fifth and final options. But also of the stupid errors they continue to make every game.

If they can improve on these areas they can really play good footy.

Once

 

[_G-Dog_]

Our current pack VS 2004 or 2014 would be a maassacre:
Price
C Hughes
Omeley
Mason
Ryan
Grimaldi
SBW
Asotasi
---
2014
Graham
Ennis
Klemmer
Jackson
Finucane
Eastwood

Pritchard
Kasiano
Tolman
TRex

 

[bells76]

Why can’t we chase Haas?
Brisbane have told Walters to ‘rip the roster up’ and letting him go saves some money.
He’s on 500k.
We offer him 700k on a multi year deal and throw in someone like a sponsored trip to Mecca during the tenure (random but just something I could see as a favour) and I reckon he jumps.

You answered your own question genius, he's on 500k but worth 700k so why the fuck would you let him go to spend the same money on a lesser player.

 

[Cook]

What a shit game plan. Cotric has been disappointing, Meaney is too safe never ever support plays in the middle, DWZ well he always goes hard with the ball but sadly can’t read on defense.

The forwards are always going to struggle if they have to defend all the time and it’s because of the constant lack of the halves kicking game and poor fifth and final options. But also of the stupid errors they continue to make every game.

If they can improve on these areas they can really play good footy.

Once

Read the post. It involves simple dummy half running. A proven formula for struggling sides to play, it’s simple footy in behind the ruck. Saints won a comp of this in 2010. Was a simple plan of dummy half running, then when defensive side was tired later in game play some footy. How can forwards struggle if you limit there involvement in overall game. They’ll have more energy to defend.

 

[Cook]

Our current pack VS 2004 or 2014 would be a maassacre:
Price
C Hughes
Omeley
Mason
Ryan
Grimaldi
SBW
Asotasi
---
2014
Graham
Ennis
Klemmer
Jackson
Finucane
Eastwood

Pritchard
Kasiano
Tolman
TRex

Wasn’t Nate Myles in the 04 also. Or did he come a little later, and don’t forget Maitua

 

[_G-Dog_]

Wasn’t Nate Myles in the 04 also. Or did he come a little later, and don’t forget Maitua

Myles came on the scene in 05.. showed great form and was signed by the Rorter$ for 2007 like most of our better players at the time..

 

[Cujo]

I agree with you in that Thompson is a good player & probably our best forward in our current squad.
However, I see him as a 2nd play prop.
Unfortunately we are without a genuine 1st play prop... One big mean behemoth of a man that scatters players with every run.
Thompson would work much better on a run following that behemoth.

100% this!!

 

[wendog33]

I agree with you in that Thompson is a good player & probably our best forward in our current squad.
However, I see him as a 2nd play prop.
Unfortunately we are without a genuine 1st play prop... One big mean behemoth of a man that scatters players with every run.
Thompson would work much better on a run following that behemoth.

Copy St Helens gameplan for Thommo.
A guy like Alex Walmsley with his runs and offloads to Luke.
Who's available here that can bring something like that

 

[MichaelM]

It's pretty obvious we lack firepower in the forwards

To compensate for that our backs trying to make too many hard yards and making way too many tackles, usually against backrowers that are twice there size and just as fast - resulting in them being to gassed to attack.

Without the go forward the opposition defence is in our face the entire game completely stifling our attack - have you noticed our games compared to others and how little space there is. When we have the ball its like the field shrinks!!

Our spine players are either too inexperienced or just not good enough to adapt our play through throughout the game.

Our kicking game is really ineffective - bombs not high enough for chasers, the spiral or floating kick not even attempted, no effective attacking kicks in the 20m, very little pressure being applied such as trapping teams in corners or forcing line drop outs - not even a cross field kick against rushing defences!

To compound this the defence is playing against a halfback that seems incapable of taking on the line or making a 'heads-up' play - seeing an opportunity and capitalising on it for eg creating an extra man or kicking behind the line.

We also don't have any evasive steppers in the team that can wrong foot defenders and create opportunities for support players!

The list is long - as many have said we desperately need a gun hooker and dominant athletic forward (or 2) - Burton (albeit one player) fixes many of the other issues.

With each game it is looking more likely that Burton replaces Flanagan (he can do everything better) and Averillo becomes the 6 - In a team getting smashed each week I have liked the small improvements in Averillo's game and with Burton, a good No. 9 and more go forward I think his class will shine through.

 

[Papa Joe]

Copy St Helens gameplan for Thommo.
A guy like Alex Walmsley with his runs and offloads to Luke.
Who's available here that can bring something like that

Unfortunately not many with experience coming off contract in the NRL, and I can't see any club wanting to offload one either- unless they're trouble.

Not sure if there is any in the English Super League.

 

[wendog33]

Unfortunately not many with experience coming off contract in the NRL, and I can't see any club wanting to offload one either- unless they're trouble.

Not sure if there is any in the English Super League.

Vaughan?

 

[Papa Joe]

Vaughan?

He would be good, but not off contract until after next season.

These guys are the middle forwards off contract this year that I might consider, but most are very young. I'm looking for size as all our forwards are not Big.

Sharks:
Toby Rudolf 25yrs
6ft 3, 106kg. (Would be happy to snag him, would prefer if he had more size though)

Titans:
Jai Whitbread 23yrs
6ft 1, 107kg.

Manly:
Toafofoa Sipley 26yrs
6ft3, 120kg.

Storm:
Dale Finucane 29yrs
6ft 2, 102kg.

Aaron Pene 25yrs
6ft 3, 107kg.

Darren Schonig 25yrs
6ft 1, 112kg.

Max King 23yrs
6ft 2, 105kg.

Warriors:
Bunty Afoa
24yrs
6ft 2, 11kg.

Jackson Frei 23yrs
6ft 5, 105kg. (I'd have serious look at him)

Knights:
Josh King 25yrs
6ft 2, 105kg.

Cowboys:
Ben Condon 20yrs
6ft 5, 109kg.
(Currently playing edge, but I'd have serious look at him)

Wiremu Greig 21yrs - No Longer Available
6ft 4, 124kg.
(Just signed with Eels & played 3 games - I'm spewing because he looks the goods)

Eels:
David Hollis 20yrs
6ft 5, 105kg. (I'd have serious look at him)

Samuel Hughes 20yrs
6ft 4, 111kg. (I'd have serious look at him)

Dragons:
Eddie Blacker 21yrs
6ft 5, 116kg. (I'd have serious look at him)

Roosters : (Roosters don't lose many)
Fletcher Baker (s/r)
6ft 4, 107kg.

Isaac Liu 29yrs
6ft 2, 108kg.

Tigers:
Thomas Mikaele 23yrs
6ft 3, 109kg.

I didn't include Leeson Ah Mau, Dunamis Lui or Isia Soliola as they are over 31 & I believe their best years are behind them.