Can Harper fight back ?

[maxta]

Sterlo did an interesting analysis on Nine of the game and where it went wrong for us. He highlighted our right side defence for the Storm tries and in particular Oka’s inability to push up. He was only getting up 3-4 metres from the try line while the outside guys were 6-7 metres. It was encouraging the Storm to run the ball and created a disjointed defensive line.

That's pretty accurate as Guoc gets caught on his heels in some crucial defensive moments and DCE though a great tackler often rushes out....which in turn fractures the defensive line and probably only adds pressure to Harper who is contending with Olam....need to get this fixed and if we are writing about it , Des likely has it sorted out

 

[Stewbojevic]

That's pretty accurate as Guoc gets caught on his heels in some crucial defensive moments and DCE though a great tackler often rushes our....which in turn fractions the defensive line and probably only adds pressure to Harper who is contending with Olam....need to get this fixed and if we are writing about it , Des likely has it sorted out

It’s interesting, because in our last game against the Storm it was Harper who wasn’t getting far enough off the line. Cronk did a good analysis on Fox. Kenny Bromwich has scored the exact same try twice now.

The bigger issue may be that they’re not moving as a unit.

 

[40 years an eagle]

In reality v top sides we need people who create options for Tom. Harper and Parker hardly create options for Tom but it in reality Suli does. We need more attacking options vs good sides.

Many here wanting more attack in the backs against the top sides. That is clearly not the problem.
We need a heavier attack in the middle to condense their middle defence which WILL create more space for our backline to attack. We have more than enough strike in the backs if we make that space happen.

 

[BOZO]

i would stick with harper and put suli in for parker as crazy as it sounds.

Parker hasn't been the best all year and was found out (although a lot less so than harper) in our round 20 match v melbourne.

If you put suli running off schuster the game will be changed and we'll naturally be making an extra 5-10 metres per set just off the back of suli's running.

i think it is a big gamble because suli's defence is sub-par but putting him in a clearly (recently) detatched right edge would only highlight suli's defensive weaknesses...

for me
3. Suli
4. Harper
18. Parker

Harper has been great all year and could/should fight back strongly v chooks.

In reality v top sides we need people who create options for Tom. Harper and Parker hardly create options for Tom but it in reality Suli does. We need more attacking options vs good sides.

I think we both see the same here ...

Last week when they shut down Tom our centres made no contribution in attack what so ever

The one dimensional slow parker is as predictable in attack as a tacking bag on the field

Parker takes the pass with no great pace no sudden swerve or side step to put the defence in two minds He takes the ball in one gear , the slow gear and is an easy target for the defence . No line breaking threat to contribute any try scoring opportunities

And Des has a 500k Moses the terrorizing Monster on the bench doing nothing but watching our centres do nothing

 

[47MVEagle]

Many here wanting more attack in the backs against the top sides. That is clearly not the problem.
We need a heavier attack in the middle to condense their middle defence which WILL create more space for our backline to attack. We have more than enough strike in the backs if we make that space happen.

That's how I saw it too - we didn't hit them up the middle to establish a platform to go wide, we tried to go around them by spreading it wide from the kick off & they just ate us up in defence.

Bringing Walker on as part of our prop rotation at the 20 minute mark was not the tactic to use against the Storm but I guess it didn't really matter since punching through the middle didn't seem to be in our game plan anyway.

 

[Mataiforever]

Many here wanting more attack in the backs against the top sides. That is clearly not the problem.
We need a heavier attack in the middle to condense their middle defence which WILL create more space for our backline to attack. We have more than enough strike in the backs if we make that space happen.

i would say we have ~0 strike in our centres.

Compare that to the following:

• Melbourne: Olam
• Penrith: Burton
• Roosters: Manu (injured now)
• Souths: Gaigai & Graham.

Our centres, although decent this year, don't match any of the above, and have been lucky with a soft draw. They dominate poor sides but don't match it with the top players quoted, which is the mantra of the whole year - a sizemic difference between top 4-6 and the rest.

For me, BOTH the MIDDLE (as you said) and our CENTRES are an issue that needs to be solved if we want to WIN the competition.

 

[tookey]

We seem to forget that Harper, Schuster and guacamole are only in their first full seasons of first grade

Compared to the experience of Olam and the rest of the storm we are L platers at present

Mattai wasn't too great in the first year either

 

[Ryan]

i would say we have ~0 strike in our centres.

Compare that to the following:

• Melbourne: Olam
• Penrith: Burton
• Roosters: Manu (injured now)
• Souths: Gaigai & Graham.

Our centres, although decent this year, don't match any of the above, and have been lucky with a soft draw. They dominate poor sides but don't match it with the top players quoted, which is the mantra of the whole year - a sizemic difference between top 4-6 and the rest.

For me, BOTH the MIDDLE (as you said) and our CENTRES are an issue that needs to be solved if we want to WIN the competition.

03. Dylan Walker
04. Curtis Scott

would compete with any of those teams.

 

[47MVEagle]

Harper has shown the determination to cement a first grade centre position since receiving the opportunity.

I think he's strong of mind & willpower & has maturity beyond his years, & will not only bounce back but will have learnt a lot from his first (nearly) full season at the top level.

 

[Kevinward777]

Many here wanting more attack in the backs against the top sides. That is clearly not the problem.
We need a heavier attack in the middle to condense their middle defence which WILL create more space for our backline to attack. We have more than enough strike in the backs if we make that space happen.

Dylan Walker was the best middle we had against the Storm. He did what all our "big men" could not - run straight and gain an advantage past the defensive line, winning a quick play the ball. Everyone could see it. I know you have been pushing this replace Walker campaign all year, but it isn't going to happen. Dylan will be one of the first picked on the bench, and rightly so.

 

[Mataiforever]

03. Dylan Walker
04. Curtis Scott

would compete with any of those teams.

Option D likely) one in jail

No thanks

Happy with Dylan at 14 or centre, not Curtis Scott, he was average for the raiders when he was getting game time.

 

[Kevinward777]

I would be okay with Walker slotting in at centre again - Lawton as the utility and another forward on the bench. But we'd want to hope no backs go down. Having Walker and Lawton in the side means we are well covered should an injury strike.

 

[Woodsie]

Poor Harper .. it must be hard to concentrate on tackling your centre when your mind is on also covering the winger that Saab will miss ....

 

[Ryan]

Option D likely) one in jail

No thanks

Happy with Dylan at 14 or centre, not Curtis Scott, he was average for the raiders when he was getting game time.

A recent review on him, from an immortal. Remember, he's 23.

Harper - Parker versus Walker - Scott
It's chalk and cheese

Remember how we turned AFB right around.

 

[Ryan]

Poor Harper .. it must be hard to concentrate on tackling your centre when your mind is on also covering the winger that Saab will miss ....

Good point mate, Saab's defense leaves a LOT to be desired.

 

[Kevinward777]

Saab's defence, catching and try scoring against the Storm wasn't the problem on Friday. He defended really well - made some big plays.

 

[Snake]

Our right edge was successfully targeted and watching the game I remember thinking of Harper, Oh no not again!
But now I can't remember how many errors he made.
Was the first drop ball his fault or DCE's?
Losing the ball in the strip was definitely his fault,and also another cold drop off a decent pass.
But getting palmed off by Olam, and also Bromwich sliding in for his try .. were they all down to Harper? Half the time when centres and wingers are slammed for their defence I suspect that something has gone wrong inside, and that puts the outside men in an awkward or impossible position. Haumole for example may not have been coming across fast enough, or DCE not advancing or advancing too fast?
As for Harper, I'm confident he can play well this week as can the whole team.

I think the Pappy try was Haumole not pushing up off the line hard enough and leaving DCE exposed. I think the first Harper drop ball was more on Daly. Harper stayed out because an overlap was created but Daly wanted him to come under and eventually Harper came in and Daly kinda threw the pass in two minds. I think the strip and Olam fend was obviously all Harper. People are talking about it being Olam and yeah the guy's a beast, but Harper was caught opening up his inside shoulder which they're trained not to do so left him a very vulnerable position to be palmed off.

 

[Marto1970]

Sterlo did an interesting analysis on Nine of the game and where it went wrong for us. He highlighted our right side defence for the Storm tries and in particular Oka’s inability to push up. He was only getting up 3-4 metres from the try line while the outside guys were 6-7 metres. It was encouraging the Storm to run the ball and created a disjointed defensive line.

Our right side has been pretty good all year,the pace of the Storm got our defensive line flat, we will be better this week

 

[40 years an eagle]

i would say we have ~0 strike in our centres.

Compare that to the following:

• Melbourne: Olam
• Penrith: Burton
• Roosters: Manu (injured now)
• Souths: Gaigai & Graham.

Our centres, although decent this year, don't match any of the above, and have been lucky with a soft draw. They dominate poor sides but don't match it with the top players quoted, which is the mantra of the whole year - a sizemic difference between top 4-6 and the rest.

For me, BOTH the MIDDLE (as you said) and our CENTRES are an issue that needs to be solved if we want to WIN the competition.

We have 3 of the 5 top tryscorers in the comp, and it has never been done before.
Our backs will get the job done if they have space...just like the others you listed will not get the job done if they DON"T have space....they have all suceeded off space created by their forwards dominating...just like it has always been.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Dylan Walker was the best middle we had against the Storm. He did what all our "big men" could not - run straight and gain an advantage past the defensive line, winning a quick play the ball. Everyone could see it. I know you have been pushing this replace Walker campaign all year, but it isn't going to happen. Dylan will be one of the first picked on the bench, and rightly so.

The problem I have with the tactic, as I have also said many times, is him coming on as a prop-rotation after 20 min. I think he should be coming on at the 30 min mark, AFTER the forwards battle has progressed. If we still haven't won the battle by then he should come on at 50 min. My opinion.