Number 9 - when will they learn.

[susan]

Last night playing a team decimated in the forwards who then lost their best forward in the first minute.
I’m not a stats man but into the second half Dross commented we had not had a single run from Croker or his understudy( or DCE for that matter). Not a single run !

I cannot remember a run out of dummy half or even any engagement with the defence over 80 minutes other than Sips try( which should have maybe given them a hint lol)

5 years without a hooker who attracts defenders or who has any real guile and it doesn’t even seem like they think it’s an issue. It’s so obvious yet …,

This is a team with a plenty of talent that needs a very good 9, elite left side edge and quality prop yet in the last three years other than rumours of Flegler and a Hail Mary for Creightin ,which was dismissed out of hand , there seems little recognition of the problem.
Surely we can’t go into next season with these same forwards yet it seems almost a certainty we will.
2027 will be a nightmare chasing gun forwards with the Bears on the prowl.

 

[JakeyB789]

Croker 2 runs for 8 metres, Simpkin zero runs in his 34 minute stint. Insanely low numbers considering we were actually winning the forward battle for once against a team that already had no middles, and then lost Frizell after 5 minutes.

No surprise with Croker but I've had high hopes for Simpkin and if that's what he's going to dish up, when his role was literally to come off the bench and provide spark then that is not going to cut it. The problem is last night showed we need to carry a back on the bench but then it's hard to play a second hooker too. Jazz can fill in there but we are a way better team with him at lock. God we are such an unbalanced team.

 

[CRPSI eagle]

Croker 2 runs for 8 metres, Simpkin zero runs in his 34 minute stint. Insanely low numbers considering we were actually winning the forward battle for once against a team that already had no middles, and then lost Frizell after 5 minutes.

No surprise with Croker but I've had high hopes for Simpkin and if that's what he's going to dish up, when his role was literally to come off the bench and provide spark then that is not going to cut it. The problem is last night showed we need to carry a back on the bench but then it's hard to play a second hooker too. Jazz can fill in there but we are a way better team with him at lock. God we are such an unbalanced team.

Simpkin did not look happy on sideline warming up for so long.

 

[Frogz]

Why do we always need another hooker on the bench??? Can't they play 80 minutes, like others do?

 

[Ohgeez]

Why do we always need another hooker on the bench??? Can't they play 80 minutes, like others do?

If we have 1 hooker there is always Jazz that can fill in for 10-15 minutes a game if needed as well

 

[Brookie1973]

Why do we always need another hooker on the bench??? Can't they play 80 minutes, like others do?

Ask SuperCoach

 

[JBW]

But running from dummy half would have ruined the second half game plan of taking one off the ruck for 6 tackles straight...

 

[Rackets]

Time to make a play for Liddle. He's the perfect 9 to get our attack humming like it should. Seibold keeps talking about our "weapons" but can't get any spark out of dummy half.

 

[1967 eagle croc]

Why do we always need another hooker on the bench??? Can't they play 80 minutes, like others do?

even our two useless hookers don't make one reasonable hooker. why cant we use some of the reggies in our forward pack gotta be better than the bludgers we have now.

 

[andyeagle]

Remember the club did target Bateman (not that he's anything to get excited about unless it's 2019), so I assume they can see there is a weakness / hole in the squad. Maybe they were hoping for more from Chee Kam, or that Asatasi James might finally step up. Duck and Burbo are great depth players. Hopefully we can strengthen up in this area for 2026

 

[wombatgc]

In contrast I thought once Newcastle replaced the poodle with Brailey, he came into the game with a lot of energy, bringing blokes onto the ball, building momentum. So if he’s off to the Raiders next year they’ve got Starling, Brailey, and in my humble opinion, a star in the making with Owen Pattie.
Maybe Fogarty can get in the ear of the young bloke and get him to Brookvale?
(I don’t even look at their contract terms anymore . A pointless exercise these days).

 

[Stewbojevic]

In contrast I thought once Newcastle replaced the poodle with Brailey, he came into the game with a lot of energy, bringing blokes onto the ball, building momentum. So if he’s off to the Raiders next year they’ve got Starling, Brailey, and in my humble opinion, a star in the making with Owen Pattie.
Maybe Fogarty can get in the ear of the young bloke and get him to Brookvale?
(I don’t even look at their contract terms anymore . A pointless exercise these days).

The Raiders signing Brailey and then re-signing Starling makes no sense with Pattie also there. Something has to give.

We were rumoured to be in the market for Starling so I don’t think they are oblivious to the issue