Round 16 Discussion

[Organix]

Thanks again. It helps easy my pain. I am so looking forward to the Roosters game to gauge the effect of Seibold's departure as much as Gentle's coaching. For me, it will say a lot. And against Penrith, the same. My ♡ says we can be genuinely competitive. My head says too much lost ground to make up in too short a time against a well drilled side with genuine strike power out wide.

Yeah, have to agree. The Roosters are still a form team and the Broncos are just not there yet. It won't be Rd4 bad, but we haven't solidified any of our structures yet. The mentality will be better, though. Last week we fought back after a terror start. Tomorrow I think we will hold on early for a lot longer. Fitness will still be an issue IMO.

Was just rewatching some old highlights there, the Knights game in Rd6 had some seriously bad calls go against us and you could see the team was just mentally defeated, especially after 2 trouncings and a dodgy loss the week before. There were some bad defensive reads, but on the back of opposition possession. The Oates no-try and Isaako send-off were just too much and then it was capitulation time.

I think the biggest problem was that Seibold came into the side as a young coach and the scuttlebutt regarding his qualifications may have planted the seeds of doubt in so many heads (not helped by senior players abstaining from the Kool-Aid). I think having an older head there (Gentle) has been enough to convince the boys to listen and not be disheartened. By that I mean, when someone you respect tells you to trust in each other, you trust in their judgement, but when someone you don't trust tells you the same thing, you aren't so easily persuaded.

The team is talented and with some drilling will be very good. I stand by my statement: that Seibold's method was not followed by all and without that commitment it was always going to fall down. The left hand needs to know what the right hand is doing.

Gentle seems to have a presence, I think we all felt that in the Presser last week. He may not be fancy, but if he simplifies things back down to basics, this presence can have a huge impact. Players listen, believe and focus. That has been what we have been lacking more than anything. Focus and belief. I could probably write an essay on Croft and Milford lacking direction but it still boils down to focus and belief (or trust) in a game plan and fighting on through the adversity.

 

[rnabokov]

Yeah, have to agree. The Roosters are still a form team and the Broncos are just not there yet. It won't be Rd4 bad, but we haven't solidified any of our structures yet. The mentality will be better, though. Last week we fought back after a terror start. Tomorrow I think we will hold on early for a lot longer. Fitness will still be an issue IMO.

Was just rewatching some old highlights there, the Knights game in Rd6 had some seriously bad calls go against us and you could see the team was just mentally defeated, especially after 2 trouncings and a dodgy loss the week before. There were some bad defensive reads, but on the back of opposition possession. The Oates no-try and Isaako send-off were just too much and then it was capitulation time.

I think the biggest problem was that Seibold came into the side as a young coach and the scuttlebutt regarding his qualifications may have planted the seeds of doubt in so many heads (not helped by senior players abstaining from the Kool-Aid). I think having an older head there (Gentle) has been enough to convince the boys to listen and not be disheartened. By that I mean, when someone you respect tells you to trust in each other, you trust in their judgement, but when someone you don't trust tells you the same thing, you aren't so easily persuaded.

The team is talented and with some drilling will be very good. I stand by my statement: that Seibold's method was not followed by all and without that commitment it was always going to fall down. The left hand needs to know what the right hand is doing.

Gentle seems to have a presence, I think we all felt that in the Presser last week. He may not be fancy, but if he simplifies things back down to basics, this presence can have a huge impact. Players listen, believe and focus. That has been what we have been lacking more than anything. Focus and belief. I could probably write an essay on Croft and Milford lacking direction but it still boils down to focus and belief (or trust) in a game plan and fighting on through the adversity.

Good post, good points. Should be in another thread.

I agree with you particularly on Gentle's almost avuncular style of relating to the players compared with Seibold's detached "attach these electrodes to your brain and download my game plan style." Your point about trust is so important. There can be no connection, no unity without that. We really lack both, especially with no senior player capable of helping Carrigan with leadership. Boyd and Glenn are not much chop although Glenn does lead by example ... although Payne had a real go at him once after a simple try against us on the line - perhaps one our most dreadful weaknesses. Lot of work there for Gentle.

As for Milford (ignoring Croft), the article you cite in your post on the 6 Again Rule makes a good point. Milford's effectiveness is blunted by having to deal with "undercooked rookies and overcooked veterans", I think was the term the writer used. I am hoping Gentle can work on our support play, so Milford and Dearden can trust in having support players being where they are supposed to be in a shape, and not having to look, wait, hope or create the shape. With the best teams, everything is already there, in place, players in position so the plays can unfold even if the players were blindfolded

But yes, I think you nailed it by raising the issue of "presence", or the kind of presence Gentle has, that players are actually open to his simplicity rather than just listening to mantras, and that has already shown to be a positive influence via our performance last week.

 

[Organix]

Good post, good points. Should be in another thread.

I agree with you particularly on Gentle's almost avuncular style of relating to the players compared with Seibold's detached "attach these electrodes to your brain and download my game plan style." Your point about trust is so important. There can be connection, no unity without that. We really lack both, especially with no senior player capable of helping Carrigan with leadership. Boyd and Glenn are not much chop although Glenn does lead by example ... although Payne had a real go at him once after a simple try against us on the line - perhaps one our most dreadful weaknesses. Lot of work there for Gentle.

As for Milford (ignoring Croft), the article you cite in your post on the 6 Again Rule makes a good point. Milford's effectiveness is blunted by having to deal with "undercooked rookies and overcooked veterans", I think was the term the writer used. I am hoping Gentle can work on our support play, so Milford and Dearden can trust in having support players being where they are supposed to be in a shape, and not having to look, wait, hope or create the shape. With the best teams, everything is already there, in place, players in position so the plays can unfold even if the players were blindfolded

But yes, I think you nailed it by raising the issue of "presence", or the kind of presence Gentle has, that players are actually open to his simplicity rather than just listening to mantras, and that has already shown to be a positive influence via our performance last week.

Honestly didn't know where to post it. Feel like Dirk Gently saying "it's all connected".

 

[rnabokov]

Honestly didn't know where to post it. Feel like Dirk Gently saying "it's all connected".

And it is. And a good thing too.

As an entirely irrelevant aside, speaking of the wholistic Mr Gentle, oops, Gently, I came across this wonderful line from him which describes some of our posters in our wonderful community - having a "depressingly accurate knack for making wild assumptions". I of course do not include myself in that group, which, no doubt, is itself a depressingly accurate ... wild assumption.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Apart from Murray and Burgess, those other no names just did so well against the more fancied Parra pack.
Su'A and Mago obviously reaching their potential but the lesser knowns of Nicholls, Knight, B Sironen, Koloamatangi - get that little bit of WB belief and in no time they' ll be getting rep honours.

 

[Sproj]

Apart from Murray and Burgess, those other no names just did so well against the more fancied Parra pack.
Su'A and Mago obviously reaching their potential but the lesser knowns of Nicholls, Knight, B Sironen, Koloamatangi - get that little bit of WB belief and in no time they' ll be getting rep honours.

Yep, Bennett has always been able to get the best out of his players, that has never changed.

 

[Fozz]

Whatever that was hanging out of the back of Corey Norman's short..

Einhorn is Finkel!

 

[Sproj]

So...why wasn't that a try and more to the point, why was it a penalty to the Dragons?

 

[ZTop]

So...why wasn't that a try and more to the point, why was it a penalty to the Dragons?

You tell me and we will both know

 

[The Don]

So...why wasn't that a try and more to the point, why was it a penalty to the Dragons?

The Dragons are vsing the Titans... I just learn to give the ref and bunker 2 absolute BS calls a game. Helps my sanity.

 

[Harry Sack]

Dudded there IMO

 

[Jedhead]

Titan held out of play there and nothing said by the commentary team. Are their eyes just painted on?

 

[GCBRONCO]

We play them next week I think. Want my prediction?

 

[Sproj]

FOEgarty according to Blocker, is that correct pronunciation?

 

[The Don]

FOEgarty according to Blocker, is that correct pronunciation?

Yes it is, they mentioned he corrected them last week from Fog to Foeg. I didn't realise either.

 

[Sproj]

So dumb by Hipgrave, so so dumb.

 

[Sproj]

Wow both teams love a forward pass don't they.

 

[Sproj]

Foegarty is such a better half than Ash Failure.