Croker Experiment OVER!

[Snake]

We are never going to get anywhere with Croker at 9. I'm not basing this off his mistake at the end of the game. He offers absolutely nothing in attack. Nothing. I don't expect him to have try assists of make darting runs...but expect some decent deception around the ruck to help his forwards play over the advantage line. You know those 3-4 plays a game where a team ends up near the sideline and a winger or centre comes in and dishes the ball back into the middle to help out? Well we have that sort of enterprise around the ruck on EVERY PLAY! The forwards (although also culpable) have no hope with this kind of service. The experiment needs to cease now. Sign Jake Turpin. Sign anyone.

Sure, Croker is a wholehearted defender but it's not going to matter. We cannot win the battle in the middle without a genuine 9.

 

[XV-1]

So Snake

Who plays #9 next year?

Your lover Foran? Oh sorry he is a protected 5/8th and in semi retirement in the gold coast.

Rather than bag the schiit out of poor ole Croker with ZERO alternatives you need to come up with alternatives.

I think Zac Fulton would do a very good job with a bit of time and obviously Lawton has some ability, but perhaps not the win at all odds attitude .

My vote is Zac.

 

[God]

Imagine we actually just got someone that was a 9 rather than teaching someone to play there and wasting a bunch more years, Zac Fulton needs to learn his craft if he changes position in reserve grade.

 

[Wombat64]

WHAT ABOUT STABBY? If we wait long enough he'll be free ..... maybe Turbe will be in a wheel chair?

 

[KNUCKLES]

Croker has come leap and bounds in recent times, and I can't see anyone else but him in the 9 next year. But has there seriously been a 9 in the comp that loses that ball in the ruck when trying to pass even once? I swear he has done it six times this season

 

[XV-1]

WHAT ABOUT STABBY?

I believe he is picking up soap

 

[fLIP]

See if we can’t get fainu on day release once a weekend.

 

[Ryan]

Croker has come leap and bounds in recent times, and I can't see anyone else but him in the 9 next year. But has there seriously been a 9 in the comp that loses that ball in the ruck when trying to pass even once? I swear he has done it six times this season

Pretty much this - no other options - so this is as good as it gets

 

[Snake]

Imagine we actually just got someone that was a 9 rather than teaching someone to play there and wasting a bunch more years, Zac Fulton needs to learn his craft if he changes position in reserve grade.

It's just not FG to have a guy that literally dishes off around the ruck. He doesn't even step out and engage a marker. It's actually pitiful and I am losing faith in Hasler. Surely, a Premiership winning coach can see the impact it is having. We just can't get forward.

 

[Cameron]

He looks cooked. I think lawton being out has hurt him.

I think he's a 14.

Not sure what our options are. England maybe.

 

[God]

I don't think Lawton's the answer there either

 

[Volley]

Yeah we should sign Cook or Harry Grant.

Chuck in Munster while we’re at it.

 

[Snake]

Croker has come leap and bounds in recent times, and I can't see anyone else but him in the 9 next year. But has there seriously been a 9 in the comp that loses that ball in the ruck when trying to pass even once? I swear he has done it six times this season

This leaps and bounds argument is not going to cut it anymore. It's painfully obvious that he is not up to it. There is so much more to the position than passing a football. He touches the ball more than anyone else in our team. The intricacies of the position cannot be understated. It's a spine position. It's so crucial. Every ruck is crucial. You just cannot compete with this sort of park football approach to the position. It requires guile. He has none.

 

[God]

It's just not FG to have a guy that literally dishes off around the ruck. He doesn't even step out and engage a marker. It's actually pitiful and I am losing faith in Hasler. Surely, a Premiership winning coach can see the impact it is having. We just can't get forward.

I don't disagree I'm just saying let's not go down the path of another make shift hooker, it's a specialised postion

 

[Snake]

Yeah we should sign Cook or Harry Grant.

Chuck in Munster while we’re at it.

Or maybe any genuine 9? Wouldn't that be a start?

 

[Volley]

Or maybe any genuine 9? Wouldn't that be a start?

Who like?

They hardly grow on trees.

 

[Snake]

I'm not willing to entertain any opinion that he has improved based off a 40-20 and chasing a kick for a try against the Cowboys; a game that we lost anyway. He is a great team player and a genuine effort guy. I love that about him....it's not personal...but he is just not good enough.

 

[Frogz]

The Penn experiment is over.

 

[Snake]

Who like?

They hardly grow on trees.

Geez, I dunno...I reckon there might be 1 in the country somewhere playing footy? Isn't that why clubs have a recruitment officer? Isn't that why players sign contracts? Or do all the other clubs manufacture 9s out of halves?

 

[Kalvin]

It's just not FG to have a guy that literally dishes off around the ruck. He doesn't even step out and engage a marker. It's actually pitiful and I am losing faith in Hasler. Surely, a Premiership winning coach can see the impact it is having. We just can't get forward.

I can only assume we had the majority of our eggs in the fainu being found not guilty basket.... will be a very interesting off season to see who if anyone we recruit (based off the assumption we had some decent coin set aside for fainu)