2018 NRL Side

[Sproj]

You are yet to learn, that nothing is good enough for majority of the blokes on this forum. Apparently McGuire and McCullough are useless, but in my eyes there our two best forwards by miles.

No love for Gillett?

 

[Taylor1921]

No love for Gillett?

Oh yeah of course, Gillett was amazing. I feel bad that I left him out now, thanks mate haha

 

[Taylor1921]

Not regurgitating anything Jabba has said. A fucking pass wouldn't go astray in this scenario, it's a common thing with Wayne's teams. Our fourth tackles are consistenly wasted, and yes you are right, a big chunk of that falls on our halves. But it's a recurring problem with Moose, it feels like wasting a tackle. He needs to improve his offloads and contribution to attacking plays to be a lock.

He doesn't have to work on anything, watch him play for Queensland and Australia he can ball play with the best of them. It's just because he is not playing off momentum at the broncos, he's creating the momentum because Blair and Sims were shit this year.

 

[WASSHHH]

Not regurgitating anything Jabba has said. A fucking pass wouldn't go astray in this scenario, it's a common thing with Wayne's teams. Our fourth tackles are consistenly wasted, and yes you are right, a big chunk of that falls on our halves. But it's a recurring problem with Moose, it feels like wasting a tackle. He needs to improve his offloads and contribution to attacking plays to be a lock.

Well we’ll have to agree to disagree.
If our 1,6, 7 and 9 do their jobs properly, we don’t need an offloading, ball playing lock.
I’m not saying it wouldn’t strengthen the team, it may. But to move the current QLD and Australian lock so that Bird, unproven at lock, can play the position is crazy.

 

[Wolfie]

I believe we are going to go down the route of the old school ball playing lock to give us more option to get our most damaging attacking weapon more early ball.

 

[Morkel]

He doesn't have to work on anything, watch him play for Queensland and Australia he can ball play with the best of them. It's just because he is not playing off momentum at the broncos, he's creating the momentum because Blair and Sims were shit this year.

Pretty much this. Taumalolo often gets the ball on the 4th tackle, but the reason he's so effective (despite being a tank) is because on the previous tackles the other forwards have pushed the defensive line back and they're on their heels. Taumalolo already has 10-12 metres after collecting the ball to continue to wind up momentum before he even hits the defensive line. McGuire doesn't get that helping hand and is often swamped by the defence.

So you can kind of blame everyone - the other forwards for their inability to build momentum, and the halves for not changing up the game plan when they know McGuire's just going to get belted, knowing they'll have no platform to get a decent kick away.

 

[holdzy]

Well we’ll have to agree to disagree.
If our 1,6, 7 and 9 do their jobs properly, we don’t need an offloading, ball playing lock.
I’m not saying it wouldn’t strengthen the team, it may. But to move the current QLD and Australian lock so that Bird, unproven at lock, can play the position is crazy.

Moose may be the best option for 13 for us, I just don't want to see so many useless ends to our sets, and I think he contributes to that. I really don't know much about Bird, I've only seen him in the centres and maybe once in the halves or something.

That being said, despite somehow having the second best attack in the comp for most of the year, it was pretty wonky at times. Fix that shit up, and we'll be unstoppable. Obviously Blair not brain farting constantly will help - but we aren't QLD or Aus. With the team we have, and the way they are coached to play, I think Moose needs to add a bit more to his attack - has big shoes to fill of course, Parker being pretty much the prototype offloading lock.

 

[1910]

The idea that any forward that passes the ball is 'ball playing' is wrong. Offloading and just passing is not ball playing. Ball playing is the ball beating the man, putting guys in holes and them having to do minimal work from there.

Gavin Miller ball played- I can't think of one current forward that does.



The role of the lock is now just a third prop who plays in the middle third. The lock who is a link on the other side to the 6 has gone. With a split field and a half on each side it would be hard to revive it.

 

[Taylor1921]

Pretty much this. Taumalolo often gets the ball on the 4th tackle, but the reason he's so effective (despite being a tank) is because on the previous tackles the other forwards have pushed the defensive line back and they're on their heels. Taumalolo already has 10-12 metres after collecting the ball to continue to wind up momentum before he even hits the defensive line. McGuire doesn't get that helping hand and is often swamped by the defence.

So you can kind of blame everyone - the other forwards for their inability to build momentum, and the halves for not changing up the game plan when they know McGuire's just going to get belted, knowing they'll have no platform to get a decent kick away.

Whoever plays lock this year is going to benefit if our forwards get a roll on, If Boyd plays shit like this year it'd be worth a shot seeing Bird at fullback

The idea that any forward that passes the ball is 'ball playing' is wrong. Offloading and just passing is not ball playing. Ball playing is the ball beating the man, putting guys in holes and them having to do minimal work from there.

Gavin Miller ball played- I can't think of one current forward that does.



The role of the lock is now just a third prop who plays in the middle third. The lock who is a link on the other side to the 6 has gone. With a split field and a half on each side it would be hard to revive it.

James Graham he draws in players at the start of backline plays.

 

[1910]

Whoever plays lock this year is going to benefit if our forwards get a roll on, If Boyd plays shit like this year it'd be worth a shot seeing Bird at fullback

James Graham he draws in players at the start of backline plays.

He stands at half and passes the same play every time out the back no where near the line. Dogs stopped it after a while because it fell apart.

 

[1910]

The guy that can pass to space and let the ball beat the man and create space; has great hands is Lodge. Dolphins used him and those skills a lot this year.

The field/game is too regimented now. That film of Miller he is up the middle and left and right looking for space and holes to exploit. Guys can’t even play the three thirds of the field anymore.

That’s before you even get to ball playing and how it’s a lost skill. Bird can offload and use his strength or pass before the line but I can't see an old lock role or second row role ever coming back.

 

[Taylor1921]

The guy that can pass to space and let the ball beat the man and create space; has great hands is Lodge. Dolphins used him and those skills a lot this year.

The field/game is too regimented now. That film of Miller he is up the middle and left and right looking for space and holes to exploit. Guys can’t even play the three thirds of the field anymore.

That’s before you even get to ball playing and how it’s a lost skill. Bird can offload and use his strength or pass before the line but I can't see an old lock role or second row role ever coming back.

First paragraph got me excited to see lodge play now!

 

[Wolfie]

The guy that can pass to space and let the ball beat the man and create space; has great hands is Lodge. Dolphins used him and those skills a lot this year.

The field/game is too regimented now. That film of Miller he is up the middle and left and right looking for space and holes to exploit. Guys can’t even play the three thirds of the field anymore.

That’s before you even get to ball playing and how it’s a lost skill. Bird can offload and use his strength or pass before the line but I can't see an old lock role or second row role ever coming back.

From what I gather we are going to be attempting to bring it back. Wayne is a believer that it can be a success if the players can adapt.

 

[Harry Sack]

First paragraph got me excited to see lodge play now!

 

[winslow_wong]

I’m sorry, but I honesty don’t understand all the hate for McGuire at 13. The bloke was easily our most consistent player in 2017 - daylight second.
If all our players had his attitude, desire, ruthlessness and passion we’d rarely lose a game.
Him being tackled on the fourth isn’t a reflection on him, not even close. If he’s the only one there putting his hand up, who else does the dummy-half give it to? So late in the tackle count, it’s the job of our 6 and 7 to take control, which they didn’t far too often.

That's exactly what I'm saying. How many times do you want and think the ball should go to the halves on the fourth tackle but it ends up with McGuire who just does a nothing hit up? It's not his fault, that's his game. The bigger picture is that we all want more creativity then just a fourth tackle hit up. It just happens way too much and the opposition aren't scared at all from it. Which lead me to saying I don't want McGuire near the play on the fourth because it's now a bad habit just to pass to him when it's obvious he won't do anything with it.

 

[Astro]

Apart from Mcguire who else would be in front of him? Give me the 7 players.

FYI several != 7.

 

[Thelmus]

What I noticed is a lot of bodies in motion before the line. They weren't so doggedly determined to go through the "bend the line, quick play the ball" tactic that seems behind every play now a days.
They might forego a metre or two to put doubt in defenders, and possibly make a brake. These days it almost is a cardinal sin to be tackled before the advantage line, unless your a flashy half.
Momentum is the only game in town now. The speed of the game is such the old days of creativity beyond the spine has been sacrificed for ever more bigger, faster, stronger bodies.
Defence has won over offence with the precision and fluidity of synchronised swimming, such is the lines coordination. Even the best attacking players are left impotent against a fresh defensive line and rarely is a player expected to tackle one on one.
Its a shame because, watching Gavin miller make something out of nothing had a beauty of spectacle (for me at least) unmatched by any number of in goal grubbers or bombs of the modern game.
The best tries are the ones that seem to come from no where.
Its only when two side are locked in a tight battle around the 60 or 70 minute mark the something like that might happen. Then is purely exhaustion rather than creative ball play that has won out.

 

[Wolfie]

Been trying to find some decent clips of Ellery Hanley, who i think Bird should be looking at playing like if he moves to lock, cant find anything good though. Dont think he is anywhere near the class of Hanley, who is one of the most complete footballers i have ever seen, but they are fairly similar in terms of them both being extremely capable of playing center, 5/8th and lock. Its quite exciting to think we may could change our style to play with a player like that at lock. Hope it comes off.