Changes

[Waz13]

I keep seeing where posters don’t want Suli in because of his defence but my take is that we are likely to win 34-30 not 12-10 so I think we should put our strongest attacking team in like Suli and Walker in centres

Actually our season to date suggests we are more likely to win 40 - 22. With Suli in, those wins are probably more like 40-34. Or perhaps 19-18 like when he last played. Yes he played well but the raiders points all went down his side from what I recalled. I like Moses but he’s dreadfully inconsistent and leaving the club anyway. Unless injury strikes, he’s played his last game in maroon and white.

 

[master blaster]

What? That's the same team selected initially for tonight's match. Madness. Don't tell me Froggy would have made much difference.
We've got to give Suli a chance. Harpo needs to be dropped. The Shoe needs less game time so put him on the bench.

I second that brother and I think the Schu needs to drop some weight as well

 

[Waz13]

Didn't he sign Nate Miles from us?

He signs duds, the difference is he doesn’t keep them around when their dud like attributes rise to the top.

 

[R3]

Turbo is nothing without Croker 😛

But seriously I wonder how much of that game performance was due to our Hooker missing his first game this season?
Lawton is a gun player but Croker’s absence might have been understated

 

[The Who]

Turbo is nothing without Croker 😛

But seriously I wonder how much of that game performance was due to our Hooker missing his first game this season?
Lawton is a gun player but Croker’s absence might have been understated

It does the heart glad to read Silvertails' respect for Froggy when, for so long, he was one of our supposed "weak links".
When he was ruled out late some of us expressed concern, not so much that his replacement The LawMan wasn't an adequate stop-gap but because we feared his fitness may not stretch to a full 80 minutes. That was proven correct. The LawMan played well before being replaced, but let's face it: very few of our players broke even, or gained the better of, their opposite number. We were owned by Melbourne in almost every position, and that includes the coach.
It will be extremely disappointing if we play such poor RL against Easts. It will be infuriating if we pick the same players and they repeat the same tripe.

 

[davohan123]

Turbo is nothing without Croker 😛

But seriously I wonder how much of that game performance was due to our Hooker missing his first game this season?
Lawton is a gun player but Croker’s absence might have been understated

Post of the week I will keep saying it ad I have said in other threads but Croker is so undervalued and he is the link that opens us turbo DCE and others to play the way they do.. team dynamics wad so shot on Friday night, I like Lawton as a player but he never really got into the game in Friday night.

While I don't think Croker would of saved us Friday night the way we played it will help so much this week.. you see how more confident turbo and DCE will be.

I am not saying it's match defining and we may go onto lose of Friday night but I hope our team dynamics are better on Friday.

 

[davohan123]

It does the heart glad to read Silvertails' respect for Froggy when, for so long, he was one of our supposed "weak links".
When he was ruled out late some of us expressed concern, not so much that his replacement The LawMan wasn't an adequate stop-gap but because we feared his fitness may not stretch to a full 80 minutes. That was proven correct. The LawMan played well before being replaced, but let's face it: very few of our players broke even, or gained the better of, their opposite number. We were owned by Melbourne in almost every position, and that includes the coach.
It will be extremely disappointing if we play such poor RL against Easts. It will be infuriating if we pick the same players and they repeat the same tripe.

Croker is the link man between DCE and turbo he does so much that goes unnoticed but you can see evidence of it last friday night how muxh DCE and turbo trust croker and the service he gives them out of dummy half.

They both looked lost without him.

 

[Bren]

This is just forum talk because I know Des is nothing if not loyal and values steadiness. But if you were to make radical - "hail mary" let's try something changes (and I never coolly thought we would win it this year, of course I sometimes I got swept up by hope) this is what I would do. Our team falls somewhere in between able to sloppily dispose of the bottom 10 or so sides and struggling against the top 4 (I included the Chooks in that, they would be up there if not for losing a normal team's salary cap worth of talent this year but they are still a threat to us). I would put back in Croker if fit but have Paseka and Keppie start in the pack - both showed more punch than our starters and I think Marty is best running at tiring defence. I would play Schuster at five-eighth. He has done a well as a second-rower but it has taken it out of him and dulled his X-factor, which you need against the better sides. Foran has done a job for us but he is not the future. Centres I would have Walker and Suli - solid defence won't cut it now, we need more strike to unsettle the better sides and take the pressure off Tom. BTW I don't think either of them are that terrible defenders and sadly it's hard to defend Harper on that score after last night. He was owned and I suspect is playing busted (OK more busted than others) and seems done in. Bench would then be Tapua, Aloia, Lawton ( Croker is good to defend for the first 20-30 and then Lawton provides a bit more energy in the ruck - ala the days of Matt Ballin and LeStrange). Sirro or Sipley would be the other bench forward - I used to prefer Sipley but think his form has slipped and there is lack of lateral speed in defence. If Croker is not fit, than I guess Lawton has to start again and Cust as the utility. Cust is no world beater but he is a talented footballer, why Des doesn't like him I don't know, must be attitude.

Nothing to do with attitude Cade has been happy for team and respectful every week not making team. U can see how excited he is on the side line for his team always supporting every player. As for attitude he has always had respect. just been unlucky down the pecking order to senior players.

 

[Mataiforever]

I don't see Des making any changes other than Croker in and Siro out, Lawton back to the bench.

The biggest change needs to be attitude. Our forwards need to be given the keys to the car and told to drive it right up the other team's collective clacker!

We need to come out of the blocks faster than a drugged-up Ben Johnson. I want fire! I want brimstone! I want to see some old style toughness setting the foundation for our new-age speed and flair.

The changes are more about mind and heart than personnel. It is too late for personnel changes.

We need sipley in the side
At the expense of keppie or lawton

 

[40 years an eagle]

We need sipley in the side
At the expense of keppie or lawton

Yeah, great idea... Kelpie and Lawton were among our best on friday, let's dump one of them. How about removing the centre from our middle rotation so we can have a real forward pack for 80 minutes?
Anyways. I have a real problem with this tactic of using a utility in the prop rotation. Sorry if i'm boring anyone by repeating myself but it "feels" important to me...and i'm a feel type of analyst.

The "collision" is a very important part of the process of dominating a forward pack thus creating room for the playmakers to do their thing.
You need to bring the opposition edge forwards towards the middle by running big, strong guys up the centre ad nauseam because they are NEEDED there. Then you can spread the ball without the edge opponents being effective.
Slippers or Kelpie or Marty (I would start Aoli and Tent) should be first-and second change props to CONTINUE what the starting props hopefully established.

AGAIN, this is not a Walker hate thing, he has been very good at times, it is solely about this tactic.
Wear your opponents down through the middle, make them bring in outside help and space will be created for our fast and skillful outside.

I can't recall this tactic ever being used before and the reason why seems obvious to me.

Big boppers and hard men are in a winning forward pack for a reason...they condense the defence which creates space for the ball-players, and taking your foot off the pedal is giving THEIR big guys a partial rest. Big, aggressive forwards working as a unit are critical to winning a vitally important part of a RL game.

What is the point in bringing on an X factor utility to play in the middle at the same time the opposing team has brought on 2 fresh props? Seriously? Advantage opponents.

Shoo and Foz have had no room to ball-play since Des started this tactic, Shoo and Guac have been drawn closer to the middle because our middle collision has been inadequate (has anyone noticed this?)...edges move wider because they are not NEEDED in the middle.

BIG games are won on properly structured forwards attack and defence, and our next game is our biggest for 7 years.

None of this matters if we don't respect the ball and cut out errors...but we need to do both if we are to win the prize.

 

[R3]

It does the heart glad to read Silvertails' respect for Froggy when, for so long, he was one of our supposed "weak links".
When he was ruled out late some of us expressed concern, not so much that his replacement The LawMan wasn't an adequate stop-gap but because we feared his fitness may not stretch to a full 80 minutes. That was proven correct. The LawMan played well before being replaced, but let's face it: very few of our players broke even, or gained the better of, their opposite number. We were owned by Melbourne in almost every position, and that includes the coach.
It will be extremely disappointing if we play such poor RL against Easts. It will be infuriating if we pick the same players and they repeat the same tripe.

I’ve always stuck solid with froggy and it’s great to see him succeed at hooker, it suits his fitness and tenacity and its great to see him finally play practically a full season

 

[The better Robbo]

Yeah, great idea... Kelpie and Lawton were among our best on friday, let's dump one of them. How about removing the centre from our middle rotation so we can have a real forward pack for 80 minutes?
Anyways. I have a real problem with this tactic of using a utility in the prop rotation. Sorry if i'm boring anyone by repeating myself but it "feels" important to me...and i'm a feel type of analyst.

The "collision" is a very important part of the process of dominating a forward pack thus creating room for the playmakers to do their thing.
You need to bring the opposition edge forwards towards the middle by running big, strong guys up the centre ad nauseam because they are NEEDED there. Then you can spread the ball without the edge opponents being effective.
Slippers or Kelpie or Marty (I would start Aoli and Tent) should be first-and second change props to CONTINUE what the starting props hopefully established.

AGAIN, this is not a Walker hate thing, he has been very good at times, it is solely about this tactic.
Wear your opponents down through the middle, make them bring in outside help and space will be created for our fast and skillful outside.

I can't recall this tactic ever being used before and the reason why seems obvious to me.

Big boppers and hard men are in a winning forward pack for a reason...they condense the defence which creates space for the ball-players, and taking your foot off the pedal is giving THEIR big guys a partial rest. Big, aggressive forwards working as a unit are critical to winning a vitally important part of a RL game.

What is the point in bringing on an X factor utility to play in the middle at the same time the opposing team has brought on 2 fresh props? Seriously? Advantage opponents.

Shoo and Foz have had no room to ball-play since Des started this tactic, Shoo and Guac have been drawn closer to the middle because our middle collision has been inadequate (has anyone noticed this?)...edges move wider because they are not NEEDED in the middle.

BIG games are won on properly structured forwards attack and defence, and our next game is our biggest for 7 years.

None of this matters if we don't respect the ball and cut out errors...but we need to do both if we are to win the prize.

We were playing our best footy when we had 3 props on the bench

 

[Mataiforever]

Yeah, great idea... Kelpie and Lawton were among our best on friday, let's dump one of them. How about removing the centre from our middle rotation so we can have a real forward pack for 80 minutes?
Anyways. I have a real problem with this tactic of using a utility in the prop rotation. Sorry if i'm boring anyone by repeating myself but it "feels" important to me...and i'm a feel type of analyst.

The "collision" is a very important part of the process of dominating a forward pack thus creating room for the playmakers to do their thing.
You need to bring the opposition edge forwards towards the middle by running big, strong guys up the centre ad nauseam because they are NEEDED there. Then you can spread the ball without the edge opponents being effective.
Slippers or Kelpie or Marty (I would start Aoli and Tent) should be first-and second change props to CONTINUE what the starting props hopefully established.

AGAIN, this is not a Walker hate thing, he has been very good at times, it is solely about this tactic.
Wear your opponents down through the middle, make them bring in outside help and space will be created for our fast and skillful outside.

I can't recall this tactic ever being used before and the reason why seems obvious to me.

Big boppers and hard men are in a winning forward pack for a reason...they condense the defence which creates space for the ball-players, and taking your foot off the pedal is giving THEIR big guys a partial rest. Big, aggressive forwards working as a unit are critical to winning a vitally important part of a RL game.

What is the point in bringing on an X factor utility to play in the middle at the same time the opposing team has brought on 2 fresh props? Seriously? Advantage opponents.

Shoo and Foz have had no room to ball-play since Des started this tactic, Shoo and Guac have been drawn closer to the middle because our middle collision has been inadequate (has anyone noticed this?)...edges move wider because they are not NEEDED in the middle.

BIG games are won on properly structured forwards attack and defence, and our next game is our biggest for 7 years.

None of this matters if we don't respect the ball and cut out errors...but we need to do both if we are to win the prize.

Walker was our best on ground.

I see your points on losing the collision tho - probably bring him on at the 30 min mark instead of the 20.

How was Keppie good? He had 1 run in 26 minutes. That’s lacklustre by everyone’s perspective.

Lawton was good but Friday night showed we need 2 genuine middles on the bench and thats Aloiai and Sipley for me. Keppie is underdone

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

We were playing our best footy when we had 3 props on the bench

Examples?
I thought our best performances included both games against the Eels (who were top 4 at the time), the 50-6 win over Brisbane, the R 21 loss to Storm ...
We had 2 props on the bench for those

 

[The Indian]

Whilst I personally think Suli off the bench gives us some better go forward and spark than Sironen and is the way I would have gone.... there's not much chance Des is going to make many changes unless there's an injury. Harper was ordinary and to me he does look half injured but they'll stick with him and he deserves another chance. Fair enough too.

Like has been said I expect Croker/Sironen & Lawton swap and the rest the same. We just cant/wont carry two backs on the bench unfortunately. Pity cause in these 2nd halves Moses can turn a game as an impact runner when you need a boost coming on fresh.

 

[The better Robbo]

Examples?
I thought our best performances included both games against the Eels (who were top 4 at the time), the 50-6 win over Brisbane, the R 21 loss to Storm ...
We had 2 props on the bench for those

I just went back through all the team lists and most/all of our good wins were when Keppie started whether it be at 2nd row, prop or lock. I should have said when we had the extra middle named in the 17.
These are the games im thinking when we had keppie start. Having that extra middle that gets in and hits hard in defence is what we are missing. Without keppie starting we are relying too heavily on Jake and Croker and teams are rolling through us. We have been average for the past month and I even think our performance against storm 5 weeks ago is a little over exaggerated. I dont think its a coincidence that we are vulnerable through our middle defence since Keppie was demoted to the bench.

 

[Hotspur2014]

We need sipley in the side
At the expense of keppie or lawton

Sipley’s defence is **** !

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I just went back through all the team lists and most/all of our good wins were when Keppie started whether it be at 2nd row, prop or lock. I should have said when we had the extra middle named in the 17.
These are the games im thinking when we had keppie start. Having that extra middle that gets in and hits hard in defence is what we are missing. Without keppie starting we are relying too heavily on Jake and Croker and teams are rolling through us. We have been average for the past month and I even think our performance against storm 5 weeks ago is a little over exaggerated. I dont think its a coincidence that we are vulnerable through our middle defence since Keppie was demoted to the bench.

Keppie has only had a couple of shortish outings since returning from paternity leave. If he's building to his best fitness then he adds plenty.
Sipley on the other hand is of more limited value. Can dent the line and hit hard although sideways mobility remains a weakness and most of our rivals attack a lot through the middle. In his last couple of games I think we just used him to start and didn't even bring him back on? Could be wrong.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

We need to go back to the structure that was working for us prior to the changes that I have noticed the last 3 or so games. I don't believe we can carry both Walker and Lawton on the bench. IMO Sirro doesn't add much impact of the bench. Our four props should be Marty and Paseka starting with Aloiai & Sipley off the bench. Keppie and Walker also on the bench. If Croker comes back then Lawton and Sirro miss out if Im picking the 17. Provided Harper is fit he should be able to hold his own against the Roosters centres.

 

[BOZO]

Accepting mediocre performances and not making changes creates complacency


We have players in our squad waiting for their opportunity and we should give them go . What is the point of having them in our squad if we do not give them a go .

Loyalty should be given to all our players in our squad and not just the starting 13
If we do not have faith in the others to do the job we may as well piss them off

We currently on current form have two dormant centres

Moses the Monster needs to have shot because the other two are not even scaring the oppositions players Mothers