PLAYER Ezra Mam
- Thread starter ostin86
- Start date
Oh dear -
“If we are performing well it might change things, but Ezra has fallen into what we are doing here and it’s all about performance."
We aren't performing very well, but Madge hasn't really done anything about it. We've had enforced changes main in backrow and centre, now FB. No changes apart from the Paix/Billy swap can really be put down to performance since the season started. I hope it's not all bark and no bite.
I fear for Ezra a bit now, he will be talked up as our saviour. We couldn't go much worse than we are right now, the last few games have been stinkers, there are bigger problems that who is playing 5/8.
“If we are performing well it might change things, but Ezra has fallen into what we are doing here and it’s all about performance."
We aren't performing very well, but Madge hasn't really done anything about it. We've had enforced changes main in backrow and centre, now FB. No changes apart from the Paix/Billy swap can really be put down to performance since the season started. I hope it's not all bark and no bite.
I fear for Ezra a bit now, he will be talked up as our saviour. We couldn't go much worse than we are right now, the last few games have been stinkers, there are bigger problems that who is playing 5/8.
Big Del
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To play devil's advocate - the longer Ezra is out, the better he seems to become.
I think a few of us are getting carried away and romanticising the impact Ezra will have once he returns.
He was phenomenal in 2023, but last year he was pretty average. Yes, he's a great support player, but the many other facets of his game need a bit of work.
Here's hoping he'll be primed and ready to go once he gets his shot back in the team, but I think it's unfair to expect miracles from him in this squad. Like so many of our other young hotshots, he was plagued by inconsistency last season.
I think a few of us are getting carried away and romanticising the impact Ezra will have once he returns.
He was phenomenal in 2023, but last year he was pretty average. Yes, he's a great support player, but the many other facets of his game need a bit of work.
Here's hoping he'll be primed and ready to go once he gets his shot back in the team, but I think it's unfair to expect miracles from him in this squad. Like so many of our other young hotshots, he was plagued by inconsistency last season.
- Sep 6, 2013
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For sure but hopefully Ezra is told to just run, that is his one job. Goodness me we could use more running.
- Jul 28, 2016
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Yeah... and I think the hope is that he will open up Walsh's attack, but I think that's mostly based on "well Walsh was pretty bloody good in 2023 and he had Ezra inside him... so when Ezra comes back we will also get the old Walsh back".
But to me I don't really know what Ezra did to open him up, other than just pass the ball on.. I don't really notice him engaging the defensive line, etc... also noting that there were a lot of times when either Ezra or Walsh were getting jammed on those sweeping plays anyway.
But even if he was doing something to open the game up for Walsh, it didn't really seem like he was opening the game up for the rest of the player's on his edge.
It's not like he didn't have attacking weapons out there... most of the time he had Piakura and/or Cobbo to work with... Piakura may be pretty shit in defence, but he can absolutely run a line for his half.
When Ezra comes back this year, he'll most likely have Shiba (who's becoming a solid player, but is by no means a standout attacking weapon) and then some combination of Piaks/Gos/Hunt as his backrower, so it's definitely not going to be the same level of weapons as what he had last year.
As a running half, it seems like it's mostly in support, with the 2023 GF being a bit of an outlier where he tore the panther's right edge apart, but it's not the same as Dearden, Munster, etc. where the team can consistently go to them to bust the game open.
Ezra seems to play well when the rest of the team play well.
It's all probably just a by-product of the rest of the team's performance. Neither a half or the fullback can do much if they're playing off the back of slow ptbs... you can have the greatest set piece plays in the world, but it ain't working if the defensive line is fully set and shooting off the line.
Quick ptbs disrupt the defensive line and that's where the improvement needs to come.
theshed
Just a Game
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It’s more me wanting Hunt out of 6 than it is being super enamoured with Ezra
Mick_Hancock
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TBF… I also said
Still have time.
Not fussed on who plays where, as long as the team is winning.
We could play Payne at #1 for all I care… As long as the Broncos win, in Madge I trust.
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Which time: round 1 or 7?
If the big idea is Billy back at 9 beyond a couple of weeks transitioning before Ezra returns, the cupboard's bare. It's not a good sign for what Madge sees at training. Nothing of Mozer or BTK. And Smoothy at lock? He's struggling with his troops.
- Apr 9, 2012
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Same as you....I'd be surprised if he makes an immediate difference. Maybe he might jag an opportunity of individual brilliance, but.......thats a maybe.
Big Del
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Well he couldn`t be worse than BHunt could he ?
I remember saying BHunt is a right side player , a poor tackler , and a #7 not a #6 .
I got told he has 300 + games of NRL , the most try assists last season, he`ll be fine , he`s an Origin player and a Kangaroo .
Well that went wrong pretty fast .
I was referring to the most recent swap back to Billy. I tend to agree with you, in my post referring to Madges comments about 'performance' which indicate that if we weren't performing, we would see some changes. However, we haven't said changes, which mean, either he think's we are performing, which I doubt, or to your point, he doesn't see the replacements as being any better.
It's a sad state of affairs either way.
If we look at the big changes since last year
- New Coach: We have to give him time
- Walsh drop in confidence: Again, he needs some time, this enforced injury break might be good for him.
- Hunt at 5/8: This has to be the biggest dissappointment so far. Apart from the Roosters game in R1, he and Arey have not gelled. Maybe having Ezra back with Hunt at 9 might make a difference. I'm not sure. At the very least, Ezra would back up players through the middle which is a major lack this year.
- Shiba/Hunt/Jetski/Fringe players pushing for a spot: I think this is a net positive and good to get them in the team early in the year even if they lose their spots over time. I'd rather this way that having them come in towards the back end of the year when a final spot might be on the line. This way, they are familiar with the team and have some games under their belts.
- Pat to Prop: I think I prefer him at Prop, however the team composition tends towards spare props, Xman, Tekura, Jenson, Marty rather than locks/backrow and Hetho isn't setting the world on fire. Can Hetho play back row, because that is a massive negative for the team atm.
- Paix to start: I think last week showed that this hasn't worked out. Kudo's to Madge to making the change, but his options are limited.
As many have said, I don't mind losing, however it is the manner with which we have been losing over the last few years that is the most frustrating thing.
- Apr 9, 2012
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I though the BHunt thing was working OK, until the last couple games.
Big Del
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I'm not investing a lot of worry into the current state of 6, 9 and 14. I've been reasonably happy with Paix, given he has three playmaking alphas completing the rest of the spine. I can understand why he's not trying to be another, and I'd presumed he was following orders. Maybe I was wrong, but I'm not certain they were switched because Paix was underperforming.
Billy's try last week was probably the highlight of the match. I'm not that fussed either way with the rest of his game. Calls to move him to 6 and drop Hunt are pretty ridiculous. They're not even remotely in the same class. Hunt has played 20 Test matches. Billy's dad - who was no slouch - played 11. Billy has never even been in the QLD conversation. Hunt is the most decorated player we've had in the team since, ahem, Darius Boyd. He gets the benefit of the doubt.
I see both Cory and Billy being stopgaps until the main events - Hunt at 9, Mozer at 14 and Mam at 6 - arrive. Relegating Paix to 14 suggests he will be the first to drop off, but I don't care which one goes first or if one stays a few more weeks. As long as we upgrade to something that's clicking before we lose grip on the Eight.
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Pretty impressive if teams have managed to make him drop the ball or kick into legs /out the back of in goal with no one else around. Other teams must be employing some amazing psychs.
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He doesn't seem comfortable at 6, and was atrocious last weekend, but his handling error rate is lower this season than the previous two.
See for yourself:
