The Positives and the Negatives

[Dion Johnson]

So it is no suprise to anyone here that often after a loss silvertails proclaims the world is ending and often after a win we are marching towards a premiership.

I've always been an advocate of a bit more of a balanced view so wanted to try a thread where weekly regardless of a win or loss we look at 3 positives and three negatives from the game (maybe posted the day after when emotions have died down)

Hopefully it is something we can get going and please don't jump on board if after a loss or a win you going to go the cheap joke and list 1.nothing 2.nada 3.zilch in the opposing category

So after last night.

POSITIVES
1. Youth staking their claim - Olakau'Atu was immense imo and is a must in the 17 moving forward. I am also enjoying Funa's development and think he should replace Taufua next week.
2. DCE - No doubt coming back from lockdown DCE was out of form but I think the last 2-3 weeks he has really picked up and is looking a lot better. Long may it continue as we need him.
3. The brave 1300 - I think I heard the crowd was around 1300. Good on them as the weather was horrific.....they deserved a win but sadly didn't get one.

NEGATIVES
1. Taufua - I love Jorge, I really do. He brings a lot of heart and soul to the club and he does have his strengths. Sadly though his weaknesses are being constantly exploited by other teams and I think it is time he is dropped for Funa.
2. Dummy half service especially Croker - It really cant be underestimated how much we miss Fainu. So many times last night in attacking areas DCE and Cust were reaching back or up to catch balls from the dummy half especially when Croker was on....not sure the solution here as we are thin but it needs to improve.
3. Schoolboy errors - It would be easy to blame the weather last night but it has been happening from the restart. We may be short on troops but the basics shouldnt be lacking.


Okay have at it all, 3 of each, what stood out to you?

Positives:

The pathways system, Turning out some good junior footballers in first grade.

Recruitment/ Retention team: locking down Guaca and Paseka, finally getting good minutes to show their abilities.

Negatives:

Morale and confidence is down in several players, something not right.

Non selection of Albert over Elliot,

Picking Waddell over Guaca on the left edge , Cust and Guaca have a good combination.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Negatives

We’ve lost two in a row

Positives

I’m going Bush for two weeks so we are going to surprise everyone and win the next two.

Trust me this **** actually happens , it started about 4-5 years ago, dunno why but it happens every time !!

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Positives

-haumole

- Marty

- AFB until Injury

NEGATIVE:

everything else

- Levi is **** and sloppy

- Tafua again

- overall effort does not exist, no heart no fight no power no speed nothing

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Negatives

We’ve lost two in a row

Positives

I’m going Bush for two weeks so we are going to surprise everyone and win the next two.

Trust me this **** actually happens , it started about 4-5 years ago, dunno why but it happens every time !!

Go on then on ya bike 😉

 

[KNUCKLES]

Negatives

We’ve lost two in a row

Positives

I’m going Bush for two weeks so we are going to surprise everyone and win the next two.

Trust me this **** actually happens , it started about 4-5 years ago, dunno why but it happens every time !!

I feel you.. every gf we've played whilst I've been in NSW we have lost.. every gf I'm interstate we have won.. coincidence?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Go on then on ya bike 😉

Wednesday, not back until the end of August

 

[madmax]

Starting from the positive side, the following players are the ONLY ones worth keeping (contract considerations aside), and including those injured;

Turbo
Suli
Funa
Cust
DCE
Jake
AFB
Taupau
Paseka
Okalau'atu

If only we could use these 10 as the core of a new team.

(I haven't forgotten the usual 1,2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, + bench or those yet to debut)

You left out one of our better forwards in Siro.....in fact if not for him, AFB & Marty we’d be a lot lower on the table!

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Wednesday, not back until the end of August

Stay safe bud

 

[The Eagle Has Landed]

Simply, we need SPEED and more aggression all over the park. We need to hurt teams (legally) in defence.

Haven't seen that in close to 10 years sadly. Ahh those were the days.

 

[ManEagle]

So it is no suprise to anyone here that often after a loss silvertails proclaims the world is ending and often after a win we are marching towards a premiership.

I've always been an advocate of a bit more of a balanced view so wanted to try a thread where weekly regardless of a win or loss we look at 3 positives and three negatives from the game (maybe posted the day after when emotions have died down)

Hopefully it is something we can get going and please don't jump on board if after a loss or a win you going to go the cheap joke and list 1.nothing 2.nada 3.zilch in the opposing category

So after last night.

POSITIVES
1. Youth staking their claim - Olakau'Atu was immense imo and is a must in the 17 moving forward. I am also enjoying Funa's development and think he should replace Taufua next week.
2. DCE - No doubt coming back from lockdown DCE was out of form but I think the last 2-3 weeks he has really picked up and is looking a lot better. Long may it continue as we need him.
3. The brave 1300 - I think I heard the crowd was around 1300. Good on them as the weather was horrific.....they deserved a win but sadly didn't get one.

NEGATIVES
1. Taufua - I love Jorge, I really do. He brings a lot of heart and soul to the club and he does have his strengths. Sadly though his weaknesses are being constantly exploited by other teams and I think it is time he is dropped for Funa.
2. Dummy half service especially Croker - It really cant be underestimated how much we miss Fainu. So many times last night in attacking areas DCE and Cust were reaching back or up to catch balls from the dummy half especially when Croker was on....not sure the solution here as we are thin but it needs to improve.
3. Schoolboy errors - It would be easy to blame the weather last night but it has been happening from the restart. We may be short on troops but the basics shouldnt be lacking.


Okay have at it all, 3 of each, what stood out to you?

Tellingly you used the crowd as one positive
Ok

Positives
1. Ola got picked, played and played strong can't wait to watch him progress
2. Despite how sh1t we played we still had a chance with 5 to go. But then because we are **** we couldn't turn it. That could be a negative .
3. Trying hard, not them me to think of another positive .......thinking ...... thinking ..... Fk it the brave crowed.

Negatives
1. Playing under 8 style one off hit ups. Marty I think actually handed the ball to someone rather than pass it. Just like under 8s.
2. Skipping and slowing down just before hitting the line a lot of them are doing it even AFB, Elliot and Garrick more than so.
3. Not hitting the ball at speed. Catching and then deciding to run as if they do not have the skill to attempt both running and catching at the same time.
Ola Funua, Marty at times did and either made a lot more ground or scored.
4. Sorry. Playing stupid football stupid decisions

I had to wait 24hrs after game to get to this point.

 

[nightster]

Negatives

We’ve lost two in a row

Positives

I’m going Bush for two weeks so we are going to surprise everyone and win the next two.

Trust me this **** actually happens , it started about 4-5 years ago, dunno why but it happens every time !!

So move to the bloody bush will you Mark!!!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

So move to the bloody bush will you Mark!!!

Nah I like beach fishing too much !!

Big rod , Alvey reel, ......7th heaven.

 

[maxta]

Positives -

• The rightful and obvious answer would be the youngsters performances.
• The abilty to fight back into the contest
• Hoppa warmed up with the 17

Negatives -

• Nz were obviously going to come out hard and Manly turned up to the gun fight with a water pistol
• Poor contact and reads in defence, lacked intensity and the line spped often non existent.
• The loss of AFB...
• Execution....played like strangers and the attacking shape was flat and confused, causing sideways plays and mistakes.
• Poor kicking game - ordinary chase also
• The word "slow" comes to mind - running, passing, creating ect

 

[JackDaytona]

negative game lasted 80 minute positive beer lasted longer

 

[ManlyTragic]

Positives

we are flying under the radar

negatives

we are playing really crappy footy.

 

[John Nicholson]

You left out one of our better forwards in Siro.....in fact if not for him, AFB & Marty we’d be a lot lower on the table!

I agree, however how many games has he finished in the last few seasons?

At the moment we are also carrying Turbo, but hopefully he will have a longer use by date.

 

[Wombat64]

Haven't seen that in close to 10 years sadly. Ahh those were the days.

Was thinking exactly the same ........

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Negatives

We’ve lost two in a row

Positives

I’m going Bush for two weeks so we are going to surprise everyone and win the next two.

Trust me this **** actually happens , it started about 4-5 years ago, dunno why but it happens every time !!

Can you stretch that out to about 7-11 weeks?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Waz13]

We lack a number 9 and a Cam Munster type to generate speed and make the defence stand still and hesitate. I don't think our problem is that we are too structured (except when it comes to Jake Trbo), rather that we don't generate enough speed or bend the line enough to get moving. Flat footed all the time because we are trying to run all these attacking plays out the back without getting the opposition defence to backpedal at all in the plays leading up to it. Too many settlers and compacted by the lack of momentum and quality ball provided by Levi and Croker (probably biggest issue).

The warriors and many other sides this year have been able to constantly rush up on our playmakers because we don't build up any momentum from dummy half and our playmakers. Maybe we need to have more depth in our attacking line, some teams have some players standing 20metres behind the play the ball and run onto it.

By the time Jake gets the ball to shift it out to the backs the defence is already up in his face, he can't use any footwork because of it and therefore he is predictable. Without Tom Trbo and Fainu we need players like Suli to take runs (ball needs to be delivered well in front of them) and we need our dummy halves to get moving out of hooker and get our players running hard onto the ball so that we are bending the line and so that the defence constantly backpedals to allow players like dce, cust, parker and suli to all get in motion and run some sharp lines to break through them. Also lacking a lot of support play.

Identifying a 9s service as an issue in those conditions is a bit rough. Croker did a bunch of other stuff poorly granted. Levi on the other hand has great service in dry conditions. I played a lot of 9 in Union at a reasonable level in NZ and passing the ball in the slop is a lot harder than dry conditions. I don’t disagree re decision making frm Levi at times tho however I don’t feel he’s a major problem

 

[mickqld]

You left out one of our better forwards in Siro.....in fact if not for him, AFB & Marty we’d be a lot lower on the table!

I agree that Siro has probably been our best forward but geez the guy is another injury liability that we just can't afford.
Tom
Walker
Sirro
Fainu
AFB.
I don't think we've actually had all those players on the field at the same time. We just can't continue to carry long termers .