Ballin

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Where is this brilliant hooker who was way better than Monas in Ballin that people were proclaiming?

Ballin is a good solid hooker but pretty much all he does is pick the ball up and passes it. Which is great in a team with two halves that you want to have the ball. But unfortunately our halves suck - I think that Monas was doing us all a huge service with his 'stick hands' (which seemed to lead to some actual spark in attack and try and line break assists).

 

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This is more a dig at Orford and Lyon who have showed us so far what they do with more ball than Monas. I think Monas 7 Ballin 9 and Menzis (who actually looked threatening with the ball) 6 would be my pick if I could.

 

[SilentBob]

Wish Dazzler had given the same amount of time to the Monas/Orford halves pairing as he has with Lyon/Orford, would probably be on the right track right now.
4. Lyon
6. Monaghan
7. Orford
9. Ballin
Looks a lot more dangerous.

 

[Matabele]

The other 12 players are running around like headless chooks.  I don't know who is supposed to be organising them but there is so much sideways and one-out rubbish and then our play the balls are ponderous. 

 

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Isn't organising the team the halfbacks job?

 

[easystreet]

We bought Heath le Strange for a reason,and its about time he was given his shot at hooker.

 

[JEF]

I spent all of last year reading posters on this site calling for Monaghan's blood and lauding Matt Ballins extraordinary skills as his replacement.

I watched the majority of Premier League games last year, as well as first grade. I got the impression that a large number of the Ballin promoters didn't see him play regularly.

The guy is a solid player at best.

To consider him as a feasible replacement for Monaghan is laughable.

Having said that, if Monaghan was playing 5/8 and Lyon centre, Ballin might have a chance of using his limited talents to advantage, and retaining his positiion.

Guarantee Ballin won't be playing on the starting line up in three weeks.

L'Strange will take his spot.

 

[manlyone]

Ballin goes ok but he doesn't do enough from dummy half .... 2 or 3 dashes from dummy half per game are not enough ...... Le Strange to the bench at a minimum ...... if Ballin was only playing 50 minutes he would have the energy to do more from dummy half ...... Cuthbertson needs time in premier league so finding a bench spot shouldn't be difficult

 

[Corso_Pete]

Ballin is a poster boy within these pages. However even his most ardent supporters would have to be disappointed with his performances of the past 2 weeks. Maybe it was MM that was making him look better than he really is!

Whatever the reasons for Ballins' poor showings to date he did show enough last year for him to retain his position, at times he at least looks like he could make something happen, not often enough though.

Our crucial playmakers in 1, 7 & 9 are just not making an impression in the game. Whilst much deserved criticism is being directed towards Orford, Ballin and Stewart simply need to be making their presence felt much more than they currently are.

 

[KaZa]

Ahh.. Monas 250k too much eh lads...  we had him cheap and a bargain... he ran the show.. hes gone now and we cant score more than 12 points in one game.

 

[willstyles]

Ahh.. Monas 250k too much eh lads...  we had him cheap and a bargain... he ran the show.. hes gone now and we cant score more than 12 points in one game.

How much does it suck to be vindicated? Monas supporters were few and far between for the past 2/3 years, and they were routinely blasted for backing the guy, but know that they've been proven right in supporting the guy....well, it's a pretty f*cking hollow victory is all I can see...

 

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I know - It's not that often I'm right but saying I told you so about Monas for the first two games at least is very hollow.

Hopefully this two games are the exception and we were actually wrong about wanting Orford gone and Monas to stay.

 

[willstyles]

Going on the first two efforts...I can't see it happening.

Of course we'll improve, but the attack is so disorganised...there's so much work to do just to bring it to a point where there is some fluidity in the attack.

As it is we're throwing the ball to flat-footed blokes, losing ground and noone knows who is playing 5/8 (there were three last night in Lyon, Beaver and Brett) and the halfback is regretting losing Monas the most... It's all on Ox now and he has no idea how to cope with that pressure.

Anyway, bask in the unwanted glory guys. It almost makes me want to go through some of the old "Bag Monas" threads to bring them back, but it's not going to help ease Manly's shocking start to the year.

 

[KaZa]

i know what you mean mate.. but... it helps me get through the losses lol

 

[easystreet]

I went to a NSW Cup game today and in the program Heath Le Strange was voted last weeks NSW Cup player of the week,so he obviously has the form to be in first grade.

 

[willstyles]

L'Estrange is good, but I wouldn't say there is a great deal between him and Ballin. Both capable first grade hookers, with the potential to be better than that.

 

[Duff]

Having watced a lot of Ballin over the past few years it's obvious that he isn't playing his natural game. He looks to be following orders to let our useless halves run the show.

He has a bigger boot than Orford but isn't being allowed to use it. I'm not sure if Des is keeping pressure off the new boy or if Orford wants to hog the ball in reaction to how Monas was perceived last year but whatever the reason is, we're not seeing the same bloke that was playing last year.

Blame where blame is due. He's a better hooker than Monas but unlike Monas, he isn't a half. If 6 & 7 start doing their job, 9 wont let anyone down.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Ballin will never be a monas at hooker,besides monas won us most of the games when he was either h/back or 5/8 ballin doesn't have the ball skills.Anyway we know which combos should be winning us games.

 

[Chip and Chase]

Does anyone think the results from the last two weeks would have been significantly different if Monas had been here and playing hooker ? I'm not sure it would have been. He was as guilty as anyone else of panicking under pressure and throwing stupid passes, doing stupid kicks and taking shocking options.

Our problem is that we don't have anyone running the show, no one organising the attack and directing the team around the park. We are a leaderless rabble that doesn't seem to have any form of game plan. Monaghan wouldn't have made much difference as this wasn't one of his strong points either. Enthusiasm and trying to be inspirational are one thing.....but that doesn't work if the team have no idea of what they are supposed to be trying to achieve each play.

I don't know whether the problem lays with Des not giving them sufficient directions, or failure by the players to act on them if he has.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Trying to think back to last season, were we in a similar boat in regards to not being able to get across the line ? I remember us struggling a lot in attack at the start, but still scraping together wins