Round 20 - Cowboys vs. Broncos - Pre Match Discussion

[rnabokov]

It was incredible wasn't it? For so long I've thought Hodges was incapable of hitting a hole... turns out our halves are just incapable of setting up such a play.

Well, didn't Prince do it with Gillett in the 1st Titans game. Of course, once a year is good enough for the coach

 

[_wwong]

Speaking of gillet he's becoming a big liability in defence. He left a few gaps when he came on for origin. What's happened to him the last 2 seasons?

 

[broncos4life]

Speaking of gillet he's becoming a big liability in defence. He left a few gaps when he came on for origin. What's happened to him the last 2 seasons?

Really? I thought he was pretty good in defence. He's attack was off but I thought he's defence was very good.

 

[rnabokov]

Really? I thought he was pretty good in defence. He's attack was off but I thought he's defence was very good.

Part of the "problem" is that Gillett races up in defence while the rest of the team play cards until the attack gets to them, no, no ... through them, bypassing the card table fortunately

If only the whole team moved up as fast, in a straight line ...BINGO, we wouldn't let the Cronks, Smiths, DCE's etc have half an hour to run and combine with the attack while we watch and look impressed as the attack runs around us while we look to scapegoat one player.

There are 2 things (not only though) which particularly SUCK with this team: line speed in defence and zero support play

Maybe that can be asked of Hook in his chat with the members - why he can't coach the basics, or at least enforce the basics and sack anyone who won't do them

 

[subsbligh]

I know everyone bitches about McCullough, but one thing I've noticed is he never runs the ball anymore and hasn't done his patented dummy at the line for a long time.

Has Hook forced him to play unnaturally?

While it rarely had the obvious desired effect (a line break) it kept the big forwards on their toes guessing all night. It was, for better or worse, a point of difference.

Also, McCullough's kicking game? WTF happened to that?

 

[Coxy]

He ran himself from dummyhalf a couple of times against the Sharks and was very effective. I think he's learning to be a bit more selective about it.

 

[coreyh88]

It's because Hodges takes all the dummy half runs. He wasn't there against the sharks so macca had some great runs. We need to occasionally play wide and give Hodges early ball. Never do these days so he has to dummy half run every set.

 

[Alec]

Part of the "problem" is that Gillett races up in defence while the rest of the team play cards until the attack gets to them, no, no ... through them, bypassing the card table fortunately

It's a massive problem on the edges, but it really suits defending in the middle. It's a hard choice - Gillett is a horrific defender on the edges (he's even leading in the missed tackles department) and defending in the middle third actually suits him perfectly. But if he plays in the middle, we'll miss his attack on the edges.

Personally, I think the defence is enough to move him more infield.

 

[Porthoz]

As much as his running style hides it, Gillett is actually pretty fast, both of the mark and at full pelt, for a forward that is. He is consistently the first guy attempting a tackle or pressuring the kicker, which makes him more vulnerable to miss tackles.

I am also torn between his fringe running ability (if only we took better advantage of it), and his excellent defence in the middle third, although I actually think his position is on the left side (Glenn's position), as opposed to the right, where he seems to have trouble keeping up with and tackling players running on his outside... Having a much better defender in Wallace, as opposed to Prince, next to him, should also help immensely.

 

[Renegade]

think I'd rather Gillet in the middle than on the fringes, he seems to get caught out too much coming out of his line.. least in the middle he seems to hold it a bit better.

 

[coreyh88]

Really couldn't he just defend in the middle then move out wider in attack. I'd love to see the effect of Glenn and Gillett changing sides

 

[Morkel]

It's a massive problem on the edges, but it really suits defending in the middle. It's a hard choice - Gillett is a horrific defender on the edges (he's even leading in the missed tackles department) and defending in the middle third actually suits him perfectly. But if he plays in the middle, we'll miss his attack on the edges.

Personally, I think the defence is enough to move him more infield.

Really couldn't he just defend in the middle then move out wider in attack. I'd love to see the effect of Glenn and Gillett changing sides

Exactly. In the '06 GF, Stagg defended in the middle (at Hooker) and Berrigan in the Centres (marking Inglis). They swapped for attack (Berrigan hooker, stagg centres). Worked a treat and that's a much bigger shift than middle forward > edge forward. So who do we have that defends well on the edges but suits hard-running middle work? Big body but with excellent lateral movement. Parker?

 

[rnabokov]

As much as his running style hides it, Gillett is actually pretty fast, both of the mark and at full pelt, for a forward that is. He is consistently the first guy attempting a tackle or pressuring the kicker, which makes him more vulnerable to miss tackles.

I am also torn between his fringe running ability (if only we took better advantage of it), and his excellent defence in the middle third, although I actually think his position is on the left side (Glenn's position), as opposed to the right, where he seems to have trouble keeping up with and tackling players running on his outside... Having a much better defender in Wallace, as opposed to Prince, next to him, should also help immensely.

I think this is a very good point. It should happen.

I still keep mentioning that great try Prince set up for Gillett on the right edge in the 1st Titans game - exactly how Lockyer used Gillett (and other forwards), exactly how Carney and S Johnson use their forwards - short flat pass to a forward running at speed. It's such an effective play AND WE DON'T USE IT - WHY THE **** NOT, HOOK?

Same match when Glenn scored out wide on the left off a 2nd man play.

These plays should be stock weapons in the arsenal - they are for all the top teams. I also remember Gillett's try v Manly, also off a short pass when he almost knocked Brett Stewart out of the ground.

These weapons are going rusty in the arsenal, and the only play we use is the Norman>Reed>Hoffman 2nd man thing.

Defensively, I still disagree about Gillett being a poor defender. I still maintain he looks much worse than he is because (a) the rest of the team is back busy discussing politics, and (b) Maranta stands 20 metres back instead of marking up and letting Norman read the cover defence role, thus leaving Gillett open to be exploited by an easy overlap as happened recently.

The proof of my theory seems to be that when Gillett isn't left on his own marking 2 or 3 players - like when he defends in the middle, he is a very effective tackler, hitting hard, in fact harder than most of our team.

Once again: we have shown we can do the plays but we fucking well don't and heads ought to roll after we collect the wooden spoon and gift wrap it for the coach

 

[LittleDavey]

I'll add Thaiday's try in Origin II and Hodges' try on Wednesday night as other great examples of short passes to men at speed. Speed = power. Hell even Alfie at full speed from 5m out was hard to stop one-on-one, let alone a Gillett / Thaiday / Glenn / Parker / McGuire / Hala / etc etc

 

[_wwong]

Watching warriors tigers game and I'm jumping on shaun Johnson wagon. He has speed, ball playing, creativity, flair, long kick and also kicks goals. Everything the broncos lack and need. Sign him up and don't coach him out of his talent.

Just sayin

 

[Kimlo]

Watching warriors tigers game and I'm jumping on shaun Johnson wagon. He has speed, ball playing, creativity, flair, long kick and also kicks goals. Everything the broncos lack and need. Sign him up and don't coach him out of his talent.

Just sayin

Welcome to the SJ bandwagon!

 

[rnabokov]

I'm a closet member of the SJ bandwagon. Damn he's quick

 

[Mister Wright]

I know everyone bitches about McCullough, but one thing I've noticed is he never runs the ball anymore and hasn't done his patented dummy at the line for a long time.

Has Hook forced him to play unnaturally?

While it rarely had the obvious desired effect (a line break) it kept the big forwards on their toes guessing all night. It was, for better or worse, a point of difference.

Also, McCullough's kicking game? WTF happened to that?

I actually think the opposite. One of McCullough strengths the last few weeks has been his running game and his picking the right time to run out of dummy half. I also think against the Sharks he wasn't given enough credit for his crisp service to the halves.