What do we Need to be Back at the Top

[Canteen Worker]

This year it became apparent to me that without Brett Stewart, we lacked the incisive punch to score points. Often we would dominate field position but just couldn't make the winning blows.

Part of this was poor options or kicking from Orford and the lack of good second man plays without the pace of Stewart. The mixing around of five-eighths between Bailey, Lyon, Foran etc didn't help either. There were few that were good at backing up breaks, though Foran certainly provided the x-factor when he got the call up.

What did surprise me though was a lack of a plan when we were attacking close and also that we scored a lot less long distance tries. Apart from Jamie Lyon in the first third of the season, we lacked penetration in the centres. It seems the big centres like Hodges and Inglis are starting to dominate and we don't have anyone like them, in either pace of size.

Being hot and cold rather than consistent didn't help us and in the end our defence was not what it was in 2008.

In my opinion we adjusted more slowly to the two refs and the greater speed of the ruck than other clubs.

 

[niccipops]

To be back at the top Einstein Nicci declares we need less injuries and more wins.

 

[Dan]

a broom and plenty of new contract paper

 

[Guest]

We need to move a few players on who played this year like they don't really care about winning another competition.

Kite has lost the hunger and Mattai has been dissapointing.  Orford should stay for only one more year until we can find a proper replacement. 

You are correct CW in that we need a bigger body somewher in the backs (and not Tony Williams or the Iro brothers). 

We need to find the next inglis or Folou as a centre

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I will be interested to see what a long, settled, regular off season will do for this group of guys

Last off season, we had World Cup, World Club Challenge, and quite a few injuries to deal with, along with Kite's drama losing his old man, and also missed playing trials under the 2 ref system

This off season ahead, I don't know of too many surgeries needed, our 4 Nations involvement won't be massive, so we should get a good, tough off season and a bit of extra hunger in the guys

 

[Canteen Worker]

The WCC, the Penn v Max stoush, the Dramas at the Season Launch and Stewart's Court Case/Four month ban didn't do much to help us either.

I think a higher involvement in Origin this year didn't help - though this will not be an issue as not many deserve a shot!!!