Ben Hunt's future is uncertain now

[Alec]

Who sets the game plan?

The kicks into touch were, IIRC, planned. Macca and Hunt, repeatedly doing it. I can't see they did that of their own initiative.

In fact, at times in the first half, and for a lot of the 2nd, I was utterly mystified at the change to our winning formula. I thought often our playmakers, Milford in particular, looked confused and frustrated that players weren't where they were supposed to be and performing their roles as in previous winning structures.

The first try off the Blair offload - one of our great plays, was almost the exception than the rule. Does anyone remember how many times Blair and parker offloaded?

To me, it looked like the changed game plan put everyone off, including Hunt, and especially us not continuing to pressure their increasingly fragile defence on their line in the 2nd half when I thought they were really vulnerable.

Instead, the Cowboys attacked our line in THAT try an an offload did it. We should have been doing that all the time instead of booting it into touch.

Difference between 1st and 2nd half was night and day. Our defence was great, but our attack felt like it was just wasting time...or resetting the scenario until the next defensive set. Start from their 20 or 30, defend, bring the ball slowly back to their 20 or 30 and start again. Like a defensive training drill or something.

 

[Morkel]

Re. Game plan. Here's the post that Kemp commented on. During the day he was going full Broncos and sounded like he was in talks with a few:

So I'm not sure how that relates. Kicking for touch is one way to lock them in, but means that kick chase is irrelevant. So maybe the boys were going outside of the game plan due to the pressure. Or maybe Kemp just guessed. Don't know, and really, probably won't ever know. Just more sads.

 

[vertigo]

What chase lol, some of those kicks for touch looked so rushed, they didn't even care how far out it landed.

 

[Porthoz]

There is no way that game plan didn't come from above. It's one thing to see that happening a couple of times, and another to see that happen continuously after every single set of tackles. If Wayne didn't want it, he would have made sure that Alfie carried the message across loud and clear!

 

[jarro65]

Don't think he did blame Hunt.

Ah ,who ? Who said Hunt lost us the game ? Are you referring to the thread starter or someone else ?

No, not blaming you .... :rolleyes:

... just getting a little sick of the Hunt-bashing !

Stereo said something interesting last night on MMM radio. He said that we had very little ball and field position in the second half and appeared to be struggling fitness-wise as a result, so that could possibly be a reason as to why we started kicking for touch. Problem being, it only helped to fuel the Cowboys tanks as well. Anybody know the second-half stats ??

He also said that we were 1 tackle away from winning the game, so whatever it was we were doing we were doing it right .... puts it into perspective a little when you hear him say that.

 

[john1420]

I don't want to talk about it [emoji27]

If you are coming home, we'll just say welcome back old friend :)

 

[Nashy]

Beads you little bitch, are you on board yet? We all do stupid shit out of anger, and we've all had egg on our face!

 

[BroncO(SM)]

I'm a little bemused at all the talk about our 'negative' tactics during the match.

Unless you are out there and have a feel for the speed of the game and how knackered the rest of the team is, then it is deadset misguided armchair critic stuff to suggest it is poor tactics.

For all anyone knows kicking for touch like we did kept us in the game and would have jagged the win if we had of managed to clean up the Cows last minute scramble.

 

[rnabokov]

I'm a little bemused at all the talk about our 'negative' tactics during the match.

Unless you are out there and have a feel for the speed of the game and how knackered the rest of the team is, then it is deadset misguided armchair critic stuff to suggest it is poor tactics.

For all anyone knows kicking for touch like we did kept us in the game and would have jagged the win if we had of managed to clean up the Cows last minute scramble.

So much for the week off being an advantage to mental and physical fitness then.

Kicking for touch as we did was for mine, utterly negative. It was protecting our lead against a desperate, hungry side with serious strike players who really wanted to win but were also knackered.

Kicking for touch gave them a breather and time to set their line, irrespective of it doing the same for us. It was a GF. A GF is all about pressure, not giving the opposition a breather.

I reckon keeping the pressure up by constantly attacking their line was the way to go. You just don't give JT and Morgan a breather and an opportunity to attack - you grubber behind the line and force them to defend defend defend.

 

[Morkel]

Beads just waited until the Party @ Morkels was over & done with to rejoin the fray. I bet he could hear my Lockyer-like howls from his joint.

 

[BroncO(SM)]

So much for the week off being an advantage to mental and physical fitness then.

Kicking for touch as we did was for mine, utterly negative. It was protecting our lead against a desperate, hungry side with serious strike players who really wanted to win but were also knackered.

Kicking for touch gave them a breather and time to set their line, irrespective of it doing the same for us. It was a GF. A GF is all about pressure, not giving the opposition a breather.

I reckon keeping the pressure up by constantly attacking their line was the way to go. You just don't give JT and Morgan a breather and an opportunity to attack - you grubber behind the line and force them to defend defend defend.

A week off has no bearing on the energy exerted throughout the match though and therefore helps but doesn't guarantee you'll be fresher.

Hindsight is wonderful and if we complete our last set and jag the win, all and sundry would be singing the praises of BHunt in terms of his maturity and ability to grind out such a big game.

JT and Morgan were always going to throw the ball around regardless of our tactics and are far more dangerous with tiring unstructured defensive lines. For all anyone knows, if we didn't kick for touch they may have scored more/earlier and we may not have even been in the match with 5 mins to go.

 

[lynx000]

Welcome back to the fold Beads, it is good to have you back.