22/23 Off season - what must be done?

[Trill Harrigan]

I'm not sure a lot of the current squad are actually smart enough.

They all might be physically capable 'footballers' but not many of them when they are on the field give the impression that they really think about their game/role or what's in front of them.

i agree

That's on the coaching. Coaching is about getting that out of your players.

i think it's 50/50, look at someone like c smith, you need someone with innate low cunning

you couldn't coach gamesmanship to 90% of this team

you couldn't coach the rules to uno to 90% of this team let alone teach them to bend them

we miss hodges the most of all imo

 

[Big Del]

Steve Renouf, who played 183 games for Brisbane, echoed Tallis’ opinion, labelling the “upset” group “soft privileged knobs”.

“Precious soft privileged knobs! Toughen up boys,” Renouf replied to Fox League’s tweet.

 

[Big Del]

Leading NRL journalist Brent Read has revealed the Dragons are "keeping an eye on" Cowboys hooker Reece Robson as the November 1 signing date approaches.

According to Read, the Dragons are keeping close tabs on several hookers with Andrew McCullough, 32, weighing up retirement.

While Robson is under contract for one more year at the Cowboys, the 24-year-old hooker is free to sign with rival clubs from November 1 this year.

"The guy they're really keeping an eye on and who's on their radar long-term is Reece Robson," Read told Triple M.

 

[theshed]

Steve Renouf, who played 183 games for Brisbane, echoed Tallis’ opinion, labelling the “upset” group “soft privileged knobs”.

“Precious soft privileged knobs! Toughen up boys,” Renouf replied to Fox League’s tweet.

The interesting thing about this is that Renouf is still involved with the playing group so he’d know at least a few of them personally.

 

[Nerd]

We need to learn to get to the ground for a quick play the ball. Making an extra metre in attack but ending up on your back causing a slow play the ball is killing our attack. Watch some of the Storm and Roosters forwards who are almost horizontal when they hit the defensive line as they head for the ground and a quick play the ball.

 

[Rabs]

It really looks like something is wrong "in house", when Cobbo decided not to play in such a crucial game was a give away, a young man who is a rep player in a team fighting for a finals spot says he is too tired to play?, there is way more to this.

 

[lynx000]

It really looks like something is wrong "in house", when Cobbo decided not to play in such a crucial game was a give away, a young man who is a rep player in a team fighting for a finals spot says he is too tired to play?, there is way more to this.

I suspect they have either changed the towel supplier, or they are not washing them the same, so they aren't as fluffy as what they were at the start of the season.

 

[Super Freak]

#1 priority is fix the mental weaknesses in this team. Get a sports psychologist or 3 onboard and work on the group as a whole as well as each bloke in person. I have no idea whether this is already happening, but it's got to be the #1 priority - they have got to stop dropping their bundle when things go wrong. Attitude is the key - when they were winning and it was fun, they were playing so differently.

We did already bring someone in, the guy who helped Ash Barty.

 

[Viti]

the team needs a lot more gamesmanship tbh

I’d say we need to worry about a lot more than gamesmanship atm, we don’t do the little things that the top teams do well consistently at all.

 

[Broncapz]

I’d say we need to worry about a lot more than gamesmanship atm, we don’t do the little things that the top teams do well consistently at all.

I'd say everything starts with the momentum you build and stop in the ruck. The better you do them, then everything else is a knock on effect.

 

[Skathen]

We need to learn to get to the ground for a quick play the ball. Making an extra metre in attack but ending up on your back causing a slow play the ball is killing our attack. Watch some of the Storm and Roosters forwards who are almost horizontal when they hit the defensive line as they head for the ground and a quick play the ball.

Yup, commented this after the first storm game earlier in the year.

They were more than happy for Haas to walk 3 extra meters while they held him upright letting their defence get set. The very next tackle, we struggled to make 2-4 meters over the ad line because we were completely swamped.

They flipped Patty onto his back several times - he sprang up quickly but still slowed him down a lot.

They had great line speed and excellent kick pressure. We were often kicking from our own 40 which against a quality backline often means you're lucky to contain them within their 20, often a bit further out.

Their forwards were doing a bump and drop, they'd make contact with bumpers up to force the opposing forwards onto the backfoot briefly, then they'd drop low in the tackle and push with their legs at a 45 degree angle, the second they stopped good go forward, they'd push down to get the ball to the grass then get a quick play the ball. JB was easily the best at this tactic and all of his play the balls were way too quick as a result - next carry from them normally went to someone with a bit of pace and they either made 15 or broke the first tackle or line.

I think a lot of it is down to manipulation of the refs and the way they call held in tackles. The NRL has created this problem which teams like storm abuse masterfully.

The refs could level the playing field, they are either instructed not to or don't want to.

Easy changes they could make:
- A tackle is a tackle - once forward momentum has stopped, everyone gets to tackle for the same length of time. If that's 3 seconds, then it's always three seconds. Legs tackles, upright, voluntary, doesn't matter. When the wrestle is "on" they frequently don't call held for a lot longer than this. The second someone gets a legs tackle, they almost demand the player be instantly released. This only rewards the wrestlers.

- Ban the third man in from the side or behind. They want hipdrops etc out the game. The two blokes are only getting pushed backwards because they are trying to hold the player up, not putting all of their effort into stopping him from moving forward. Ban the third man in, this tactic must change as a result. How do you drop the big boys like NAS? See point one, proper Rugby League tackles we were all taught as kids - stop penalsing people for using them.

- Play the ball on the mark. Seriously... this should be able to be challenged, particularly when the ref blows a penalty or six again. And it should be a reason to deny a try. So many players are pushing even after they are called held. It's 100% on the ref to make them play it where they were stopped -but often don't - even more galling is they often get rewarded for it with a six again etc.

 

[Mum-the-meatloaf]

I thinknwe need to either get a specialist hooker trainer in, or look to go to market.

Agree that Staggs needs to put more effort in getting his hands on the ball.

I think it may be time to have a good think about Riki and if he's a long term player.

 

[Super Freak]

I wonder if C Smith would ever take up a mentor role.

 

[mitch222]

Couple of forwards who know how to run a hard line would be handy
And a capable hooker. Punt the overpaid princess prop and centre who are more worried about counting cash then playing football.

 

[Skathen]

I wonder if C Smith would ever take up a mentor role.

He would absolutely mentor a team, on how to **** over the broncos.

 

[Mightybroncs2k17]

I've been stewing on this one for a while trying to think of some realistic changes.

The obvious one is the need for a hooker but they are few and far between. I think replacing our deapth is crucial. A large part of our *success* this year was the next man up mantality, alot of who we are losing next year.

I think either Marty Tapau/ Jordan McLean and Herman Esese are two genuine deapth players we could add for a good price tag. Also i know we all hate them but seeing the go forward Melbourne and the Roosters have on the back of their agressive forwards is invaluable. We need someone who is a genuine agressor that wont take a step back and loves a good contest to get our forwards fired up.

Secondly, from a coaching perspective someone has to be held accountable for this last 5 weeks. Assuming kevvie stays then the assistants have to go. Cartwright has experience so i can see an argument to retain him but realistically i think he and Matto both need to go.

Replaced with a student of the game someone like neil Henry who from all reports is a very good tactician. I know he's shitting alot of people off at the moment but i also think the squad needs Corey Parker. He's someone who will come in and probably still beat half these guys in the fitness sessions and turn around give them a mouthfull. He's a guy who wont take shit and instill some real discipline accross the team. Then someone like John morris seemed to get a good reaction from his team to join them.

 

[theshed]

To me it’s obvious.

Whoever is in charge of our defence and tackling need to be sacked or change rolls. We need to target the best available defensive coach. Defence wins premierships - pay whoever it is more than Kev to get them here.

- conceded the 2nd most run metres after the last placed Tigers
- missed the 3rd most tackles behind Dragons(2nd), Tigers (1st)
- allowed the most offloads of any team
- 8th most line breaks conceded
- 8th most tries and points conceded
- conceded 40 points or more on 4 occasions (the last place tigers only managed this twice, granted, one was 70+ abomination)
- conceded 50+ twice

I have a sneaky suspicion our “transition coach” who is currently one of the best attack coaches in SL and has publicly said he doesn’t know what his actual role will be, is actually replacing one of the assistants but Ikin doesn’t want to disrupt the season by firing anyone just yet. Hopefully defensive coach is the next move. What makes it more sus is that Ballen is essentially already doing the transition type role and has been great by all accounts.

 

[LittleDavey]

We need someone who is a genuine agressor that wont take a step back and loves a good contest to get our forwards fired up.

I agree with most of what you've said, but not this tbh. We have Flegler, with sufficient reputation he gets penalised every time he does show a bit of aggression, even though he's been practically a cleanskin all year (I don't agree with most of his charges). Especially compared to the likes of JWH and NAS, who get lauded by the meedya for their aggression, yet Flegs isn't afforded the same luxury.

I've been impressed with Patty's mongrel this year as well. He's a lovely bloke but is really developing his defensive starch and has made quite a few bellringers this season. He certainly out-aggresses Pussycat Haas, it's not even close.