Oh wow.... Ryan what structures/systems are you putting in place when you get offered the job? Just very interested in your tactics and your confirmation that based on your analysis of each player that we have the players to carry those tactics out to the letter.. week in and week out? I am one who certainly generally believes the refs don't impact much on the result but you have totally lost it man if you are saying Cummings had a great game and all the calls went 50/50 and there weren't some very very crucial calls or non calls that ended up costing us badly.
System?
Well, firstly, The Panthers have the blueprint (use them for best practices). The Cowboys / Broncos are currently subscribing to that and are improving. The Storm have always adhered to it.
1. Defense. Play on your opposition attacker. Don't compress / slide where possible. In the modern game, where you have fast, sharp hookers, the ball is spread wide lightning fast, exposing compressed defense's, motivating wingers / centres to rush in to attempt to stop the movement (AGAIN) leaving holes. Attack with your defense, by getting off your line and limiting the oppositions space. Press forward as a unit / leave no gaps. Make sure you pressure the opposition kicker. It's about attitude and effort.
2. Attack. We have a flat attack. This doesn't help forwards. We need to stand deeper in attack to run onto the ball at speed / pace. This will also give time / space to our halves to make decisions. I loved watching Haumole getting the ball at full pace. He was unstoppable. Right now, he gets the ball, and has to gain momentum from there.
3. Play-the-ball. We have statistically the worst / slowest play-the-ball in the league. I'm bringing In a penalty system for failure to play-the-ball at speed. Fast play-the-balls lead to momentum. Momentum leads to field position. Field position means your defensive structures can be more offensive because the opposition are forever coming off their line (like we are at present).
4. Ruck. When you have the ball, take point 3 into consideration, but also, do NOT get rolled on your back. Our players are forever getting turned on their backs. This is pure laziness.
5. Avoid sidewards play. We excel when we are direct. I don't know what system we are playing, but we crab far too much and often. So many of our players get the ball standing still. This leads to getting dominated in tackles, and a lack of making metres. Run direct, run direct, run direct (hole running).
6. Bench rotation. I'm sorry, but Des use of the bench is a disgrace. I can't really say anymore on that subject. We all see it.
We are far too soft, passive, and reactionary in our play. We play not to lose. We don't play to win. The mentality is ****ed. People suggested in the Lodge thread we need an enforcer. I concur. We need a few. At present, we have too many feel good, cotton ball, buddy buddy players. We need those intimidators. We literally have none ATM. Des used to be able to get his players up (particularly in defense). If you.look out our D for the past 3 years, you'd be appalled at the stats in average. We've lost intensity. We've lost what appears to be passion in the jersey. We just seem to have players who are there to pick up a paycheck (some like Jake are different) - but he's rare.
There's a few things in my view.
