Croker Experiment OVER!

[joeboy]

He is a very shiny spud In a sack full of them. I admire his effort but he is barely a footballer let alone a starting hooker.

 

[Waz13]

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.

I loved that mistake at the end. Meant I won $290 off ten bones for DCE last try scorer. Love the Choke, I mean Croke!

 

[Kalvin]

Is segeyaro past it? Would it be worth him getting a run on the bench next season?
Asking any one who may have watched some blacktown games this season?

 

[Snake]

Not much he could do really - we didn't have a forward pack tonight.
We were smashed all over the field.
Don't be too harsh on the youngsters either.

He is partly responsible for the performance of our pack. Seriously, watch what the other 9s do and then watch Croker. He does not give the forwards any momentum. None whatsoever. They basically just get a pass and run into a brick wall as a result.

 

[BOZO]

Need to find the next grant type coming through the grades and ease him in off the bench . Croker / Lawton can start at 9 and then the young fella can have a crack.

Hard to see us improving next year.

In order to improve we need to step up from our current standard

Every player has their potential peak

I am not sure we can get more out of some of our current players

The moral of the story
You can not turn a donkey into a thoroughbred
and expect to compete with the high flying top 8 teams

 

[Waz13]

Jake Turpin. He's better than Croker.

F$&@en bull$&@!!!!!!

 

[Snake]

F$&@en bull$&@!!!!!!

Don't ****ing get me started, I'm not in the mood.

 

[BOZO]

Don't ****ing get me started, I'm not in the mood.

You are not all alone feathered friend

We are all hurting and we are all pissed off

 

[Waz13]

He is partly responsible for the performance of our pack. Seriously, watch what the other 9s do and then watch Croker. He does not give the forwards any momentum. None whatsoever. They basically just get a pass and run into a brick wall as a result.

Mate stop bashing the Croke. He is by far not our biggest problem. I’d like another option as well but they ain’t out there. Brandy is a pretty good judge and has a fair wrap on Croker - who I also think is playing injured. Guy had a rough one tonight but don’t single him out. Guy has busted his gut all year and there were times tonight where he was cutting down props where f$&@en Marty and Josh were doin sweet f all.

 

[Waz13]

Don't ****ing get me started, I'm not in the mood.

Mate I live in bronc land and the minute they started bringing this muppet back in is the time they started s$&@ing it. Ask any broncs fan. Grasp all you like Turpin ain’t no answer.

 

[Volley]

He is partly responsible for the performance of our pack. Seriously, watch what the other 9s do and then watch Croker. He does not give the forwards any momentum. None whatsoever. They basically just get a pass and run into a brick wall as a result.

“Watch what the other 9s do”. Yeah mate, watch them all. Snake doesn’t know who they are, but just watch them.

 

[Snake]

Mate stop bashing the Croke. He is by far not our biggest problem. I’d like another option as well but they ain’t out there. Brandy is a pretty good judge and has a fair wrap on Croker - who I also think is playing injured. Guy had a rough one tonight but don’t single him out. Guy has busted his gut all year and there were times tonight where he was cutting down props where f$&@en Marty and Josh were doin sweet f all.

I'm not bashing him, I am making a footballing observation that he is a huge reason why we are struggling. He cannot get our forwards over the ad-line. They're sitting ducks. He is a champion bloke and a wholehearted competitor but personally, I think he is a massive reason why we struggle. When was the last time we scored regular points anywhere other than a winger going over off a shift play? We offer nothing in the middle third. Anyway, we don't have to agree. That's just my take on things.

 

[JakeyB789]

Croker was absolutely awful tonight, respect his efforts this year but anyone defending him is kidding themselves. Scary times ahead for the club

 

[Rocky]

I love the Frog - but he would be better off as a 14.

But he's Des style of Hooker - great defender that just passes. We saw this at the Dogs.

 

[Waz13]

I'm not bashing him, I am making a footballing observation that he is a huge reason why we are struggling. He cannot get our forwards over the ad-line. They're sitting ducks. He is a champion bloke and a wholehearted competitor but personally, I think he is a massive reason why we struggle. When was the last time we scored regular points anywhere other than a winger going over off a shift play? We offer nothing in the middle third. Anyway, we don't have to agree. That's just my take on things.

Possibly. But I also think he’s a toiler and does a lot for the team that goes unnoticed. Reality is there ain’t a Harry Grant or Brandon Smith waiting to be signed. Guys still working his craft imo. Only been in the gig 2 seasons. He’s got the D nailed but I agree still needs to improve distribution and decision making. I’m ok with him at 14 but don’t think Lawton is the solution either. I think it’s a position we need to develop, not buy in personally. I don’t think he’s a huge reason why we are struggling as there are plenty of other reasons imo. If half the blokes out there played with his ticker we wouldn’t be being beaten 40-6.

 

[Snake]

Possibly. But I also think he’s a toiler and does a lot for the team that goes unnoticed. Reality is there ain’t a Harry Grant or Brandon Smith waiting to be signed. Guys still working his craft imo. Only been in the gig 2 seasons. He’s got the D nailed but I agree still needs to improve distribution and decision making. I’m ok with him at 14 but don’t think Lawton is the solution either. I think it’s a position we need to develop, not buy in personally. I don’t think he’s a huge reason why we are struggling as there are plenty of other reasons imo. If half the blokes out there played with his ticker we wouldn’t be being beaten 40-6.

Serenity now! Take your point though

 

[Technical Coach]

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.

The experiment only stops when other factors in our game improve in terms of halves playing in a more effective direct manner, forwards with leg drive who can maintain decent intensity levels with a more direct running technique and a more hardened general mental resolve that can withstand pressure and can keep pushing up at the ad line in numbers.

Yes Croker is predictable around the ruck and not all that sharp but lets not go down the path a million times over of blaming a hooker for our issues, it's so overdone to the point of yawning everytime i read it.

Same thing happened in 2020 and then a total reversal of form in 2021, the entire squad just does things at a snail pace and it's not "just" based all around the hooker delivering up tempo over the ad line footy.

Our forwards play with powder puff trundling intensity, our lateral spreads are of yesteryear, our whole approach to the game is a decade old that only looks somewhat effective when Tom plays with direct leg speed through the middle offering a quick play the ball.

Yes Hooker is "one" of the reasons but the main issue is our general approach to the game, i would be fixing that and spending money in other positions before going down the sharp elusive creative hooker path that is for sure.

Api is nippy and creative around the ruck(but slow weak service in the passing department) plus a great hard working defender but at Manly under Des he looked sluggish, predictable and lacking confidence especially on the old heavy Brookie track.

 

[Spartan Eagle]

He is partly responsible for the performance of our pack. Seriously, watch what the other 9s do and then watch Croker. He does not give the forwards any momentum. None whatsoever. They basically just get a pass and run into a brick wall as a result.

But it's not Croker's fault he is not a genuine 9. I agree it's up to Des to now address the roster given the Fainu verdict. It was a big gamble in the first place not to play or recruit a genuine 9 in his absence. And it's really set the club back years. We are a basket case atm.

 

[Waz13]

Serenity now! Take your point though

No worries mate. My frustrations come out as well after nights like this. I loved Croker at the end stuffing up as it secured my last try scorer. I truly feel this has been the year from hell for us, from week 1. We’ll be back next year. I think there is squad movement still to occur (not the 9 perhaps) but elsewhere. There’s always movement. Can’t see us winning another game but who knows. Maybe dogs.

 

[NYEagle]

OK Snake I get it. You are a Croker hater and your digging in at Manly’s worst hour. I agree, he had a lousy game today, but please:

First of all, look at the scoreboard 6-40, at home, on fan appreciation day!.

Second of all, how did some of Crokers teammates play?:

Let’s see:

Schuster? Crap
Ola? Crap
Koula? Crap
Mattie? Crap
Smalley? Crap
DCE? Crap
Bullie? Crap
Sipley? Crap
Aloiai? Crap
Burbo? Did he play?

Before you blame Croker, take a look at what is happening with the whole team. This is what it looks like when the team has quit. Even the FOX crew could see in the warmup there was no enthusiasm.

2022 season is over, and in my opinion it’s all about the fallout from the Pride round when 7 players disrespected the club, teammates, and fans by not speaking up. I assume they didn’t feel they had to because their religion is right.

This is ugly, and is going to take a lot more than replacing Croker to fix. There are some people at this club that need to take a firm look in the mirror and get about taking a very different tune than they have.

NYEagle