POST GAME Round 10 - Cowboys vs Broncos

[Ari Gold]

As someone who wants Milford at fb, I have no real issues with Milford's defence. It's been better than expected and save for a bad game I don't think you can have any real complaints about it. He's not there to be a rock in defence and he's no worse than most halves.

For what it's worth too, the first time Morgan tried that shit, Milford shut him down in a great tackle. Maybe the boys started trusting his abilities too much after that, but I don't really see a huge problem. Based on this year I'd criticize Milford's lack of a kicking game far more than his defence.

 

[Morkel]

As someone who wants Milford at fb, I have no real issues with Milford's defence. It's been better than expected and save for a bad game I don't think you can have any real complaints about it. He's not there to be a rock in defence and he's no worse than most halves.

For what it's worth too, the first time Morgan tried that shit, Milford shut him down in a great tackle. Maybe the boys started trusting his abilities too much after that, but I don't really see a huge problem. Based on this year I'd criticize Milford's lack of a kicking game far more than his defence.

I'm the same opinion. It's not like they just scored through Milford every time they went there. It took a huge number of repeat sets to isolate him, at least for the second try, and the last one everyone was just shot. Also, had the tryline been half a metre back, he wouldn't have scored - meaning it was an issue in the whole defensive line in terms of being too slow off the mark, again due to fatigue.

 

[broncos4life]

If that's the case, then he has no right to play 5/8 - letting in 3 tries? I don't ever recall Locky doing that.

For mine, his front-on, one-on-one defence needs to improve ASAP or we are in trouble for every team will target him on our line, and trying to "protect" him is just not the answer. It can leave holes in the defensive line somewhere else.

At this stage, he is defending more like a FB than a 5/8, and time is running out

Name me a half that would of stopped those tries?

 

[Alec]

Ben Hunt probably would have.

 

[Super Freak]

Parker contributed to that second Morgan try..

 

[Super Freak]

Just to point out something, Lockyer made 40 missed tackles in the first 10 rounds of the 2009 season and Broncos were equal first.

There was one game where he missed every single tackle he attempted.

 

[Big Pete]

Parker should have pulled a Glenn Stewart.

The killer was the six to go where Hodges "played" at Granville's pass.

 

[Danoz Direct]

Am I the only one who thinks Milford is defending pretty well considering it is his first full season in the front line?

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I don't think it had a real tangible effect on where the game was going but I was astonished channel 9 didn't replay that Granville knock on.

 

[CaptainHook]

Parker should have pulled a Glenn Stewart.

The killer was the six to go where Hodges "played" at Granville's pass.

I was miffed they didn't show a replay. It looked like Granville was trying to pass or was just flat out losing the ball. On the whole, I thought the refereeing was really good. It took an age for the first penalty to be blown. I liked that. Let the teams sort each other out.

 

[Porthoz]

Defense is the least of my worries in a half, unless you're at Sandow's level of speed bump.
Milford has been good enough, even better than I expected, and is starting to show more and more as a 5/8, although he still lacks a kicking game, which is why Hunt does most of it.

Hunt's long kicking is not bad, he finds grass on a regular basis, and is reasonably good in his clearing kicks. However, his kicking game in attack is dreadful, whether it's bombs, short grubbers or cross kicks, he probably has the worst results of any dominant half in the comp.

We haven't had a game where we pinned the opposition down and wore them out, or a game where we choked the opposition from any chance of getting into a position to come back against us, and that imo, is what we lack most to become real contenders!

 

[Foordy]

I do have to laugh at this place sometimes ...

a big reason people keep putting up for Taylor not coming into the side is defence ... but when someone questions Milford's defence, it changes to oh defence isn't as important for a half, so we can forgive a less than stellar game from someone. :laugh:

 

[Danoz Direct]

Defense is the least of my worries in a half, unless you're at Sandow's level of speed bump.
Milford has been good enough, even better than I expected, and is starting to show more and more as a 5/8, although he still lacks a kicking game, which is why Hunt does most of it.

Hunt's long kicking is not bad, he finds grass on a regular basis, and is reasonably good in his clearing kicks. However, his kicking game in attack is dreadful, whether it's bombs, short grubbers or cross kicks, he probably has the worst results of any dominant half in the comp.

We haven't had a game where we pinned the opposition down and wore them out, or a game where we choked the opposition from any chance of getting into a position to come back against us, and that imo, is what we lack most to become real contenders!

I disagree, have you seen his kicking this year? Of the limited kicking he has done his grubbers have been great earning repeat sets a lot of the time, his bombs are hard to catch and well placed most of the time and he showed against the Cowboys he can put the ball into touch when needed.

I am of the opinion Hunt and Milford should share the kicking more in tandem making us less predictable.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Am I the only one who thinks Milford is defending pretty well considering it is his first full season in the front line?

No...I'm with you.
Even Friday I thought other than 1/3 times against Morgan he was defending well. The 1st Morgan try he should have had Alex Glenn lending a hand instead of just standing there watching. 3rd Morgan try I though was more on Reed. 2nd was all on Milford.

So far this season, Milfords defence has stacked up pretty well and certainly isn't worthy of some of the hysteria it's copping here.

 

[Mr Fourex]

I am of the opinion Hunt and Milford should share the kicking more in tandem making us less predictable.

WB needs to address this quick smart. Milford has a capable kicking game, it's being under utilised at the moment.

 

[Porthoz]

I disagree, have you seen his kicking this year? Of the limited kicking he has done his grubbers have been great earning repeat sets a lot of the time, his bombs are hard to catch and well placed most of the time and he showed against the Cowboys he can put the ball into touch when needed.

I am of the opinion Hunt and Milford should share the kicking more in tandem making us less predictable.

I have, but I wonder if you have... because we must be talking about 2 different players.

Plenty of dominant halves have partner halves with limited kicking ability... Thurston, Cronk, Johnson, even DCE does almost all the kicking at the scum, although Foran is a capable kicker, and are still able to completely dominate teams with their kicking game.

In long distance and clearing, Hunt competes with them, but in attack, there's a galaxy of difference. I'm wiling to bet the Broncos are on the low end of the scale in net results from attacking kicks, be it earning repeat sets or tries.

 

[Dexter]

Nobody has mentioned it yet, but...

The decision to go for goal, at least in hindsight, was the wrong one. 20pts was never realistically going to be enough and we hadn't had a lot of possession. By the same token, when we did have it in good areas, we scored.

Maybe we don't score a try from the ensuing set, but maybe we get a repeat set instead and instead of the Cowboys having 5 sets in a row inside the red zone it's us with that advantage.

Of course, if we win it looks like a great decision, like we did against the Roosters.

Was it absolutely the wrong call at the time? No. In hindsight? Sure. But just in general, it annoys me how often we do it, particularly against the Cowboys who had already scored 20. Even with the goal we still needed to score again. I dunno, might just be my hatred of going for the 2.

Been on a golf trip and jumped on to post this. I was screaming to take the tap, we had regained some momentum and needed to keep the field position and maybe score a try. Predetermined decision it seemed, Hodgo needs to read the game better and have the nuts to make a call.

 

[rnabokov]

Name me a half that would of stopped those tries?

The 1st one, most good defenders would have read the play, moved off the line and met Morgan on the front foot. Line defence is for mine, all about defending on the front foot, moving at the player, hitting them and not waiting for him to get on your outside and trying to drag them back. Out of interest, Morgan is the same weight as Milford, 6cms taller though.


In general, to answer your question (about Morgan's 1st try), most of the time, Ben Hunt, Pearce, DCE, Foran.


Who was responsible for their 2nd try by Ethan Lowe? Correct me if I am wrong, but that try - absolutely dreadful defence, was due to a misread by someone allowing Lowe a free passage to the line. It was truly horrible to watch how simple it was.


Anyway, I'm being picky, I admit that. I agree with most that on the whole, Milford's defence has been ok under difficult circumstances. At the same time it is now Round 10 and I would like to see as much improvement in his overall defence as his attacking play is evolving very very nicely. I am liking Milford at ⅝ despite my original view that he would have been best at FB.


For mine, halves win or lose matches less for their defence than play making, and kicking ... which raises other questions about not just Milford but our overall average kicking game.


However, I reckon the best teams generally have the best defensive halves.