Dumb Tom tactics

[1978]

Nobody can deny Tom's toughness or team commitment. He ran the ball like a prop at times yesterday.

Unfortunately, he looked like a middle forward by the end of play: battered and bruised from heavy contact.

Tom won't last until the finals if he keeps taking so many tough hit-ups.

Like Jake, Tom has a tendency to handle ball too many times each set.

It can't be easy for Tom with so much expectation on him. Or so little attack in our back five. But you don't win premierships by turning the team Ferrari into a Hilux.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I agree we are not using Tom appropriately. The fact that hes taking hit ups outside of try scoring opportunities close to the line is really indicative of the pack letting us down. The pack looks lethargic. Tommy should be given the ball in space not in traffic.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Totally agree, but in Tom's defence I think it was pretty much a case of, "If I don't do it, who will?" Which does not reflect well on his teammates.

 

[maxta]

Truth be known, I think it's down to our other forwards not hitting it up with gusto - till Walker got on
If we had decent go forward like say a Storm or Penrith....it would actually be effective, as Tom would be running at a tattered defensive line and likely come out the other side
Yesterday he was running at a fully set middle defensive line after a sluggish play the ball and under those circumstances, you have a valid point

 

[Marto1970]

Nobody can deny Tom's toughness or team commitment. He ran the ball like a prop at times yesterday.

Unfortunately, he looked like a middle forward by the end of play: battered and bruised from heavy contact.

Tom won't last until the finals if he keeps taking so many tough hit-ups.

Like Jake, Tom has a tendency to handle ball too many times each set.

It can't be easy for Tom with so much expectation on him. Or so little attack in our back five. But you don't win premierships by turning the team Ferrari into a Hilux.

The out the back to a swooping Turbo is dead ,he needs to go through the middle but not the first hitup , after someone gets us on the front foot

 

[Remy]

This is the thing, he got himself way more involved than the last two weeks. He actually tried to get around the ball and create like when he was at his best last year. But it still didn't fully work, he got clamped up pretty hard and dealt with despite the 200 meters he ran. Considering how much touches and runs he had, Doggies did really well on limiting him. Unlike teams people think actually stopped Tommy, like Melbourne and Penrith, those games he was just not as involved and we tried playing around him as a decoy. The doggies genuinely did clamp him up. Not ready to be overly concerned yet though, need to see him in a dry and fast track.

 

[Shoe1]

The out the back to a swooping Turbo is dead ,he needs to go through the middle but not the first hitup , after someone gets us on the front foot

That play still has its place, but we do it EVERY TIME.

Check out the first 3 tries scored by titans v raiders on the weekend. 3 different variations on the left side sweep play.

 

[Marto1970]

That play still has its place, but we do it EVERY TIME.

Check out the first 3 tries scored by titans v raiders on the weekend. 3 different variations on the left side sweep play.

Yes we hit Turbo everytime ,need to mix it up

 

[The '47ers]

Nobody can deny Tom's toughness or team commitment. He ran the ball like a prop at times yesterday.

Unfortunately, he looked like a middle forward by the end of play: battered and bruised from heavy contact.

Tom won't last until the finals if he keeps taking so many tough hit-ups.

Like Jake, Tom has a tendency to handle ball too many times each set.

It can't be easy for Tom with so much expectation on him. Or so little attack in our back five. But you don't win premierships by turning the team Ferrari into a Hilux.

Finals?! Not a concern of ours the way we're going!

 

[jbb/james]

its toms hit ups and quick play the balls that gave us the opportunity to kick the FG
he drove it to the posts.

 

[Eagle 1]

Totally agree, but in Tom's defence I think it was pretty much a case of, "If I don't do it, who will?" Which does not reflect well on his teammates.

Agree Ron EG, Toms win at all costs attitude is a testament to how he plays the game. Toms involvement in most of the plays is awesome and inspiring to watch. You would have to think that somewhere down the line there's going to be a big tackle coming his way with his name on it. So it's time for our forwards to take the bull by the horns and lead from the front and let Tommy do his thing in the backs.

 

[Shoe1]

He simply played like a million dollar man. And we love him for it.

 

[HK_Eagle]

He simply played like a million dollar man. And we love him for it.

Unlike the bionic chook with his superhuman power 360s. Ah well, at least we got his bionic dropkick.

 

[mickqld]

Yes we hit Turbo everytime ,need to mix it up

That's where we need a Koula , Walker or Schuster to be used. Tom as the decoy.

 

[Chip and Chase]

That tactic worked Ok last year with PVL ball. 6 agains constantly had teams on the back pedal and Tom could exploit tired retreating defences. This season is shaping up to be a different beast and the game has slowed again allowing defences to set better. Clearly the market research showed the NRL that no one really liked 40+ point blow out games every week so they've decided to slow it down. That is blunting Tom's effectiveness and we don't have the tactics yet to work out how to best use him in 2022 - we are still going to last years default play which was "pass it to Turbo". God bless him for just ripping in and having a go but there's got to be a better way.

 

[TokyoEagle]

That tactic worked Ok last year with PVL ball. 6 agains constantly had teams on the back pedal and Tom could exploit tired retreating defences. This season is shaping up to be a different beast and the game has slowed again allowing defences to set better. Clearly the market research showed the NRL that no one really liked 40+ point blow out games every week so they've decided to slow it down. That is blunting Tom's effectiveness and we don't have the tactics yet to work out how to best use him in 2022 - we are still going to last years default play which was "pass it to Turbo". God bless him for just ripping in and having a go but there's got to be a better way.

I think it may be more a case of Tom being the one calling for the ball and trying to do it himself.

 

[Snake]

The out the back to a swooping Turbo is dead ,he needs to go through the middle but not the first hitup , after someone gets us on the front foot

I was thinking the same thing about the sweeping play, however, I thought more about it and the wet track and a lack momentum in the middle might account for its ineffectiveness.

I think it can still trouble oppositions going forward, but our middles need to take it up gear so the space on the edges is adequate for such a play to be effective.

Someone else also mentioned that hitting Parker on occasions to keep oppositions guessing might be an idea too. The whole thing certainly looked predictable the other night.

 

[alafua8]

Wait till Schuster is back then there will be gaps for Tom and others to run through .The forwards should be running of the dummy half instead of dummy half to a receiver then to the forward to hit up .That is how simple it is and Tom is doing it ,dummy half to Tom , hit up ,quick play the ball .That is why we are too deep when we hit up because there is a bloody first receiver there where the forward should be already sprinting onto the ball .We need to get across the advantage line and that is anywhere past where the ball was played and same in defense .Anyway we will come good and we will be ready by finals time .

 

[Nordburg]

It’s become too predictable with Tom in attack.Hanging around the ruck and the odd hit up is fine but he inevitably gets the ball every time there’s a sweeping backline play.The two tries scored down the left on Sunday were results of Tom basically being a decoy,causing opposition centre and winger to move up on him,leaving space for Garrick.I think some of the issues can be solved with a more threatening option in the centres,which means the defence has more than one question to answer

 

[Marto1970]

Most teams are defending the sweep play better this year,need to work the middle over with Walker,Croker ,Turbo even our halves directing play back through there,all the teams are looking were Turbo is on the field he got 2 good shots put on him sweeping out the back