POST GAME Round 14 - Storm vs Broncos

[tommy]

but he reverted back

@Huge

 

[Super Freak]

@Huge

He is going to lose his shit.

Sit back and get the popcorn ready.

 

[Cult]

Boyd was quite good in the first half, arguably his best of the season, but he reverted back to the standard mediocre Boyd of 2017/2018 in the second as soon as things got tough, which is completely unacceptable of a captain. Compare that to Smith's captain knock!
This was not only visible for anyone with a minimum of objectivity, but also by Boyd's own admission. Of course, don't let that get in the way of your own agenda...

Yes, Cummins was responsible for a few decisions which went the Storm way and no doubt influenced the momentum of the match on those occasions, but blaming the loss on him is like trying to block the sun out with a sieve.

P.S. There is no doubt I have a negative bias in regards to Boyd. I've never denied it, and I think he is one of the most overrated fullbacks ever, even taking his stellar 2010 and 2016 seasons into account. I also won't deny it will colour my evaluation of the bloke on a weekly basis, especially given the fact I demand excellence from the Broncos captain (which I maintain was deserved at the time he got it), but I try hard to be as objective as I can under said constraints. Can you say the same?

The whole team went to shit though. Every single player.

 

[tommy]

Have calmed down a bit since yesterday and have to agree we were dogshit. But the frustrating thing about the poor calls is that Melbourne were allowed to get away with the exact same shit we were pinged for. Then to give us 2 penalties in the 79th minute to attempt to make it look more even than it was is just the icing on the cake.

 

[lynx000]

I had a shot @Huge in the game thread about being sacked as Nostradamus because of his bold prediction. But, the more I see this side, it is clear that there is a very very good football team in there struggling to escape.

I think it is a couple of tweaks, an attitude adjustment and one really good win away from breaking out. If the first two do not occur, the third most likely won't and we will just bumble along like we have been doing. The most significant of those tweaks involves the halfback. If that does occur, they are a good chance of doing something this year.

 

[Thelmus]

In regards to this. I think we don't kick for touch because our players aren't actually skilled enough to execute it effectively.

- Macca will try every now and then but he never looks like he gets a good strike on the ball and it always seems to lack distance.
- Milf appears to have the biggest kick in the team but just lacks accuracy and execution at times (although this is improving). His torp bombs look far less intimidating than most other halves.
- Kodi's only good kicks are those 4th tackle kicks on the run, which most halves can execute.

When we try to run the clock down with the lead we usually shave off 15-20m to make sure it gets into touch ie those garbage grubbers they do 5m from touch drilling it into the grand stand. Whereas other teams will be disappointed if they don't get it inside the 10.

Their lack of ability would have them worried that they'll give away a 7 tackle set if they get it wrong so they put up the bomb instead.

Sometimes you need to sacrifice territory for a kick that fits your needs. Milf can boot huge kicks sometimes, but if they are fed down throat of an opposing fulback on the run, you may as well kick it 20 metres shorter. He'll run it.
Likewise a kick for touch doesn't need to be a huge metre eater. Just work within your abilities. The point is to give your forwards that chance for a rest and set your defence (and also talk to each other, something there is far too little of from our halves).
If you can't do even that, play touch.

 

[Porthoz]

@Huge

 

[Super Freak]

I had a shot @Huge in the game thread about being sacked as Nostradamus because of his bold prediction. But, the more I see this side, it is clear that there is a very very good football team in there struggling to escape.

I think it is a couple of tweaks, an attitude adjustment and one really good win away from breaking out. If the first two do not occur, the third most likely won't and we will just bumble along like we have been doing. The most significant of those tweaks involves the halfback. If that does occur, they are a good chance of doing something this year.

All the team needs is an attitude adjustment. They just need to find that hunger and desire again, that's it.

Despite what some people think, we have a fucking good roster. One of the best in the comp and when we play to our potential, we can beat anyone.

The problem isn't a lack of ability, it's all mental. They just don't have that hunger and desire to win. A few calls go against them, and their heads drop and by the time they recover it's too late.

They showed it against the Cowboys, the Warriors, the Roosters. But for some reason we can't do it on a weekly basis.

 

[BroncsFan]

Sometimes you need to sacrifice territory for a kick that fits your needs. Milf can boot huge kicks sometimes, but if they are fed down throat of an opposing fulback on the run, you may as well kick it 20 metres shorter. He'll run it.
Likewise a kick for touch doesn't need to be a huge metre eater. Just work within your abilities. The point is to give your forwards that chance for a rest and set your defence (and also talk to each other, something there is far too little of from our halves).
If you can't do even that, play touch.

To me I think we get caught kicking on the 5th far too often and at that point the best option is to bomb to the corner with strong kick chase and hem them into a corner.

Kicking for touch becomes far more difficult on the fifth as typically all of the back 3 are back and probably waiting around the 20m line with us kicking from probably 40-50m out. That leaves 30-40m of sideline to aim at (although realistically only the 20-30m line would be acceptable), leaving a potentially pretty tight angle and requiring a low trajectory kick.

It's why I like the 4th tackle kick. Typically only the fullback and weak side winger waiting for it (potentially the winger running back trying to make up ground), which opens up the field a whole lot more. Although the middle would be more open than the sidelines (making the touch finder more difficult).

The best kickers are likely watching the back three and determining the best time to kick probably as soon as they get beyond the 30m line looking for the best time to exploit the back 3.

Milf showed improvement again when he tried to snap a 40/20 and only missed out by 5m or so. The good thing about it to me is he is getting away decent 40/20 attempts pretty much every game, showing that he is making sure he is aware of the back 3 and picking the time to kick based on their position. He still needs to improve the execution of his kicks so he's absolutely nailing them at the low trajectory needed, but I'm liking his gradual improvement this year.

Cam produced an absolute master class on kicking against us. Long penetrating kicks when only Darius was back, followed up with a strong kick chase. It was an obvious tactic to turn us around and get Darius running as much as possible.

Lockyer was great at kicking early with strong kick chase and it's probably the next stage of improvement we need in Milf. The early kick is the best time for a touch finder and we should be doing more of it.

 

[WASSHHH]

All the team needs is an attitude adjustment. They just need to find that hunger and desire again, that's it.

Despite what some people think, we have a fucking good roster. One of the best in the comp and when we play to our potential, we can beat anyone.

The problem isn't a lack of ability, it's all mental. They just don't have that hunger and desire to win. A few calls go against them, and their heads drop and by the time they recover it's too late.

They showed it against the Cowboys, the Warriors, the Roosters. But for some reason we can't do it on a weekly basis.

Solid point!

With the threat of opening up yet another can of worms though - everything you have described in your comment points to one crystal clear solution. Which is... drumroll:

They need someone to stand up and be the type of leader they would do anything for, someone they look to when their backs are against the wall and have total confidence in following.

 

[Super Freak]

Solid point!

With the threat of opening up yet another can of worms though - everything you have described in your comment points to one crystal clear solution. Which is... drumroll:

They need someone to stand up and be the type of leader they would do anything for, someone they look to when their backs are against the wall and have total confidence in following.

The issue isn't the captain.

This has been happening before he was even captain. They did the same with Parker.

 

[lynx000]

Solid point!

With the threat of opening up yet another can of worms though - everything you have described in your comment points to one crystal clear solution. Which is... drumroll:

They need someone to stand up and be the type of leader they would do anything for, someone they look to when their backs are against the wall and have total confidence in following.

But Donald Trump does not play league?????

 

[WASSHHH]

The issue isn't the captain.

This has been happening before he was even captain. They did the same with Parker.

Hodges seemed to go pretty well in between mediocre captains.

Was he an anomaly?

EDIT: It's not like that period is ancient history either. 11 of the 17 (including McGuire, as he would have played if not injured) are the same now as the team that played the GF.

EDIT II: If the style of captain I've described won't solve the problem, what will? How is the problem fixed?

 

[Super Freak]

Hodges seemed to go pretty well in between mediocre captains.

Was he an anomaly?

That was Hodgo's second stint as captain, and during his first stint we were still rubbish. We were still mentally weak.

Bennett brought a whole new attitude to the club in 2015 and we found that hunger and desire. Then it went to shit after the GF.

The problems seem much deeper than who is captain. If we need our captain to be playing well in order to play good, then that just highlights an even bigger problem.

To me, I think the problem is we are still mentally scarred from the GF. I've said before, teams that suffer defeats like that in the GF take a long time to recover. Even players in the past that have been in those defeats say that it scarred them for years and affected the team going forward.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Solid point!

With the threat of opening up yet another can of worms though - everything you have described in your comment points to one crystal clear solution. Which is... drumroll:

They need someone to stand up and be the type of leader they would do anything for, someone they look to when their backs are against the wall and have total confidence in following.

He doesnt need to be captain....

They arent following all the time yet but TPJ is fast becoming our modern day tallis (I just hope he doesnt have the same post career media career). I think when gillett and mcguire are properly back and with a refreshed bird and boyd (still a wah to go but ppl cant deny he is looking better every round) there will be a whole new attitude about this team. And thats all this team needs, everything else will follow. But it is easier said then done, thats for sure..

 

[austin71]

This just in. After Boyd gets dropped from ref footy. He quits ref footy... Not sure you can quit when you're already dropped but ok...

 

[winslow_wong]

This just in. After Boyd gets dropped from ref footy. He quits ref footy... Not sure you can quit when you're already dropped but ok...

What's ref footy? Is that what ben cummins was playing yesterday?

 

[Jedhead]

What's ref footy? Is that what ben cummins was playing yesterday?

Nope. Cummins was playing the arsehole.