Round 12 - Storm vs Broncos - Post Match Discussion

[vertigo]

Let's conveniently overlook the resting of 3 of the broncos players.

I don't think it would have helped that much, we were just 'off', a big win over the Knights is what we need to get our confidence back.

 

[Big Pete]

Yeah, I'm not taking a game in May, following an Origin game, with injuries mid-game & a couple of others obviously playing with some kind of niggle as a terrible sign for September.

That game just fell at the wrong time and we just didn't have the best game.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I don't think it would have helped that much, we were just 'off', a big win over the Knights is what we need to get our confidence back.

We were shit no doubt about it. Those players do make a difference in a premiership tilt though.

 

[Bull Shark]

Let's conveniently overlook the resting of 3 of the broncos players.

Oh well we'll see which side is hitting september with all the boxes ticked and which side is hitting the finals with its fingers crossed hoping for a minor miracle

 

[rnabokov]

you just can't beat a class side with 11 players on the park. I wonder why Wallace and Norman didn't play tonight? Baffling actually

 

[Porthoz]

Horror game simply to forget...

We're in the same position as last year, so hopefully we'll carry on and still finish in the top 4.
If for once we don't lose a playmaker at the business end of the season, we might be a chance...

Sick and tired of being victimised by Origin. Can't really blame Griffin for resting Thaiday (ongoing injury), Civo (needs to be spared) and Hodgo, who is too injury prone to risk in two games in two days. The schedule has to be fixed, and the draw too. The Storm never play us at full strength!

I've been of the starchiest Wallace defenders, but tonight he was bad, couldn't get anyone over the advantage line and even the organisation dept left a lot to be desired. But in fairness, at least he worked his butt off and he didn't get much help from his team mates. Reed in particular was really off his game, and seems to be suffering a bit from that famous 2nd year syndrome. Tonight was definitely a collective failure, although McGuire and Gillett definitely deserve praise in the midst of all the mediocrity.

The Storm had everything going for them, the bounce of ball, the 50/50decisions, the forward passes, etc... But we can't look further than ourselves when looking at who to blame for what happened tonight.
We desperately need intensive training in defending the ruck, and even more importantly, in attacking the opposition's line. We were all over the place, with players running in each other’s way, over-running the ball carrier, making bad decisions with the ball, slow off the mark, etc...

Questions I do have... Why after having 2 weeks rest, was Macca off the field for so long, and why was Parker rested when we were already lacking in troops?

Hook is a master head coach, but we need someone to bring creativity, cohesion and timing to our attack. If the Storm nuffies can execute those plays, our much more talented players can too!

 

[rnabokov]

I am also becoming more and more disillusioned with Hoffman. He seems to have no idea about making a play when he comes into the line and just dies with the ball. At the moment, he's just good at kick returns. We need more from him.

 

[Alec]

I've probably mentioned a gazzilion times, but I'm really worried about how we are going to put on points against the big teams this year. Wallace is just not very good, he was in the best form of his career earlier on, and still not as good as some other halfbacks. Norman is too inexperienced. He has potential, but Wallace seems to hurt his game IMHO. McCullough really needs to play as close to the 80 as possible. Along with that, I'm hoping Ben Hunt comes in in a Hintchcliffe sort of role, where he, Wallace, Norman and McCullough are on the field at the same time. Without Lockyer we need all the playmaking attacking options we can get.

 

[rnabokov]

I've probably mentioned a gazzilion times, but I'm really worried about how we are going to put on points against the big teams this year. Wallace is just not very good, he was in the best form of his career earlier on, and still not as good as some other halfbacks. Norman is too inexperienced. He has potential, but Wallace seems to hurt his game IMHO. McCullough really needs to play as close to the 80 as possible. Along with that, I'm hoping Ben Hunt comes in in a Hintchcliffe sort of role, where he, Wallace, Norman and McCullough are on the field at the same time. Without Lockyer we need all the playmaking attacking options we can get.

Which is where Hoffman should step in, or up rather

 

[Alec]

Which is where Hoffman should step in

As others have mentioned, whenever he steps in, he usually hurts our backline movements. I really, really hope he works on his ball playing skills. It worked for Slater and Stewart, they are both much better players because of it now.

 

[Jeba]

Same things said around here this time just about every year.

Yes it was disappointing, and yes there were some worrying signs, but before kickoff tonight we were really up against it. We were minus 3 of our best players, and don't forget Wallace just coming off injury as well. We traditionally struggle in Melbourne and especially at this time of year.

There's been more to like than not to like about our season so far, and the fact that we have improvement in us is a good thing if we can get it right. Don't forget we scored 5 tries to 4 against Manly and should've beaten them as well.

It was just an off night, and combine that with missing 3 players, against the form side in the competition. Yes, heaps that we have to get right, but as mentioned before we were in this position last year and we came out the other side, it can happen again.

 

[rnabokov]

whether or not the absence of 3 top players is relevant, it is equally relevant that it seems we really only have 2 playmakers on the field at any one time, whereas the better teams have at least 3-5. I cannot see us beating the top sides with only 2 playmakers, and the results so far show that. That is my biggest worry.

IMO, Hoffman and Gillett (as a forward) need to be used differently, especially Gillett. Too often he's just given the ball with no room to move. He has ball skills but no real chance to use them.

As for Hodges, well, we really use him mostly as a dummy half, good though he is, bt he could and should be used as a centre, not a dummy half runner.

 

[noisetheory]

that was terrible. move on.

made mistake of sitting near that group of storm fans that seem to think theyre at a soccer game. moved to the other end at half time.

 

[ethos]

Thought that about Hoffman for a while now, pretty sure I've posted about it at some point. He's absolutely hopeless at a second man play and any sort of ball playing.

The one strength in his attacking game is his running, which will only come to the fore on kick returns and if he's put into a hole by a playmaker or via an offload. At the moment the latter two aren't happening at all - so, currently, the only time he's dangerous is when he's returning a kick which is not good enough.

When you look at some of the other top fullbacks in the League - they all have many strings to their bow. Hoffman is very one dimensional at the moment. In saying that though, Slater was sort of the same when he first came into the NRL. Was a brilliant runner of the ball but not much else. Over time he developed ball playing skills (great coaching!) and is now the best in the business.

I trust (?) the Broncos staff are working with him to (a) improve his ball playing and (b) create plays so the team can better utilise his running game. If they're not, they bloody well should be.

 

[Nashy]

I don't blame the boys. It was absolutely ****ing freezing in that stadium.

Melbourne are a brilliant team. No doubt about it. We never stood a chance tonight, anyone who tipped the Broncos tonight are blind.

 

[Porthoz]

whether or not the absence of 3 top players is relevant, it is equally relevant that it seems we really only have 2 playmakers on the field at any one time, whereas the better teams have at least 3-5. I cannot see us beating the top sides with only 2 playmakers, and the results so far show that. That is my biggest worry.

IMO, Hoffman and Gillett (as a forward) need to be used differently, especially Gillett. Too often he's just given the ball with no room to move. He has ball skills but no real chance to use them.

As for Hodges, well, we really use him mostly as a dummy half, good though he is, bt he could and should be used as a centre, not a dummy half runner.

Yeah, agree with most of this. Our attack is stiffled, and I wonder how much emphasis is put into the little things that make the difference. I understand our defense was the highest priority after the Henjak disaster, but now is really the time to start focusing on our attack, and utilise the talent we have, although we definitely need to get our ruck defense together as well.

Our line is often too flat in attack, and too many times do I see players either get in the way of the player carrying the ball, or over- running him.
Hoffman has the speed and hands to be a very good support fullback in attack, but it's almost like no work is put into teaching him to pace himself and get that extra metre or extra second that will make all the difference in a sweeping play. He often seems to run into a defensive player before he can do anything with the ball.

Gillett should be used in the same way Glenn Stewart is used at Manly, and Hodges definitely needs to get the ball in space. This is all stuff that can be practised at training.

Not too sure about Hunt's role in this though, I don't think we can afford to have him in the second row and we need Macca to play 80 minutes.

I just hope we emulate the Brisbane Roar, who started great, then had a shocking midseason, only to come back strong at the business end and take it all! :rockon:

 

[Bull Shark]

that was terrible. move on.

made mistake of sitting near that group of storm fans that seem to think theyre at a soccer game. moved to the other end at half time.

Uuugh, I got an Irish bloke who once he cottoned onto to the fact I was a broncos supporter, upped the volume of his cheering and clapping ten fold..

 

[Ari Gold]

It often occurs to me that maybe we should try Norman at fullback with Hoffman on the wing and Hunt in the halves. Still use Hoffman as a kick return fullback and in defense, but have Hoffman on the wing in attack with Norman at fullback. I'd be loathed to mess with the halves combination though, but the qualities that Norman possesses, if used off the back of two halves (Hunt and Wallace) and in support, strike me as being quite interesting.

Not necessarily saying that it should happen either, just that I think it's an interesting idea.