Negative, or Perceptive?

[Ryan]

Ok lads. Opinions. Tell me if these past comments have been negative, or maybe perceptive:-

Everyone knows I have said The Bulldogs forwards are (or WERE 8| ) the benchmark of the competition. I have copped a bucket load of flack for the comment. Yet, in the post match conference between Manly/Bulldogs, Des Hasler mentioned that he was very happy we won the game, considerring our forwards got over the top of what he thought were "the benchmark, of the competition"?

NOW, I am saying Des Hasler is a coach on the improve, but has a ways to go. I think Bellamy is the benchmark of the competition in regards to coaching. I just think Des's team has a random sloppy game in them, but for some strange reason, Bellamy's doesn't, or is very, very rare. I also think that if we can tighten these sloppy moments, we will easily be the minor premiers.

Des / Bellamy - who is currently the better coach in your opinion?
For mine, Bellamy, but Hasler is swiftly shortenning the quality gap.

I'll especially be interested in Byso's reply.

 

[Ryan]

Sorry - add to that - I think these two coaches are the best two currently in the NRL.

 

[Garts]

Bellamy imo, mainly based on last seasons form. However he also has better cattle and the storm should be doing much better in attack, they are only slightly better than us.

I assume this thread is due to the comments you have received over at mse, I was just having a look. You sure upset them Ryan, lol. Does not bother me as much as you do have a point but I must say you have been pretty quite whilst the wins have been ticking over then as soon as we lose you are posting a bit more!!! You wanted the loss so you could have whinge, admit it

 

[Ryan]

I just started a new role at work, and we have a new baby at home. I get very little time on here these days.

Also, I have been losing a bit of interest in the fact that the forums have lost their footy edge, and are becoming more bitchy between posters.

For the record - I disagree that Melbourne have better cattle than us. I'd call it even stevens ATM.

 

[Garts]

Just having a dig mate.

As far as the storms cattle goes, how come I have seen you question the Storm cap and saying they must be over, to me that says you think they have better cattle.

 

[Ryan]

I think we have a similar 17. I mean, Lyon, Bell, Orford, Kite, Watmough, Stewart, Monaghan, Matai...we are going great guns there.

Like tonight though, the commentators were saying full strength, there's no room for Newton, Quinn, and maybe Cross. Their pretty big names to have playing in Premier League. So I guess in answer, they have MORE representative quality depth than us. I seriously don't know how they can afford it, and I guess the $67,000 fine says they can't.

Sucked in to them as well for getting caught.

 

[Chip and Chase]

As far as benchmark packs go I don't think the Bulldogs hold that mantle anymore, not since they lost Asotasi and Myles (and O'Meley is off next year). I reckon our pack are on par with them, especially in back row department, we maybe just a decent prop shy of them. I'd say the Melbourne pack (when fully fit) are the best pack in the comp. Johnson, Hoffman, Crocker, Kaufusi, White, Smith, Cross are a pretty handy combo. But once again not streets ahead of ours.

As far as coaches go Des doesn't strike me as the most creative one going around. He is very conservative in his approach IMO. So if you are asking who I'd choose, I'd take Bellamy any day of the week. No disrespect to Des, I just don't think at this point he is in the same league, but hopefully he will warm to the task with some more experience under his belt. I'd be interested to know if Bozo has much input with him at the moment, it'd do him good to have a bit of mentoring of that class.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I personally saw something i loved the other night from Des, which i didnt know he had in him, and that was tearing strips of Cuthberson, showed how he has come on as a coach

The Storm have had plenty of very sloppy games this season, it is just that they do have the better cattle to pull them out of the hole with some individual stuff

Impossible to really compare coaches IMO, put Bellamy in charge of the Roosters and he probably wouldnt be rated as high. Is a good coach but by far has the best squad to work with. I think Des gets close to the most he can get out of his squad as well

Both good coaches, dont know if i could split them

 

[Matabele]

Storm were sloppy against the Tigers.

 

[Garts]

Storm were pretty sloppy last night from what I saw along with the article on foxsports today saying they were ordinary. I have not seen the Storm do to much this year to get me excited. However I still rate them as favourites.

 

[Fluffy]

Ryan, its negativly perceptive

 

[byso]

Why would you be interested in my reply? 8|

 

[Dan]

Why would you be interested in my reply? 8|

Because he likes Smiley faces

 

[Fro]

the storm may have the cattle, but they havent bought many top flight players, they have a good record at bringing younguns through and talent identification.

Name 3 top liners the storm have bought since bellamy took over. and i mean that were top liners at the time they were bought, not guys like Inglis who came through their system.

 

[fLIP]

I heard on FOX a few weeks back that something like 7 of the Junior Kangaroo's are Melbourne Storm Juniors.

That is an unbelievable talent pool right there. It makes me wonder what the young blokes see in Melbourne. Do they honestly think they will get a run anytime soon with the depth they have?

 

[Dan]

fLIP I think it is more the fact that the Storm have a few of the best feeder clubs.

Norths, Wynnum and a few others. They get all the good feeder clubs then they get teh majority of the talent

 

[willstyles]

the storm may have the cattle, but they havent bought many top flight players, they have a good record at bringing younguns through and talent identification.

Name 3 top liners the storm have bought since bellamy took over. and i mean that were top liners at the time they were bought, not guys like Inglis who came through their system.

The only one that springs to mind is Mick Crocker. Anthony Quinn came with a fair bit of expectation, but he's hardly what I would call a top line player.

Ryan Hoffman only ever went there because he was given a massive contract as a junior player with Wests. Wests have said a few times that they wished he had stayed with them, but that they couldn't compete with the money Melbourne were throwing at him - and that if they had, they would've lost half a team of talented juniors (including Marshall, Farah, Gibbs and that whole crew that won the '05 comp).

Some of their higher profile (Scott and Feeney from the Dogs were both reasonably big signings for the Storm) turned out to be failures, and they didn't contribute all that much. Instead, they were left behind by the hugely talented juniors that get signed by the Storm when they are 15.

 

[willstyles]

David Kidwell also came to the club in the same year as Bellamy.

I assume he was a priority/top line signing, having played 20 games for the Roosters Premiership winning '02 side.

 

[Ryan]

Why would you be interested in my reply? 8|

Because you questioned some of Des Haslers "calls" early on mate. There's no hidden agenda here. FFS. :doh:

 

[Fluffy]

Fro thats easy

Donnely
Crocker
Kidwell
Quinn
Cross