Round 6 - Tigers vs Broncos - Post Match Discussion

[MrMoore]

Bombed 2 tries, could won this by 20+ easy. I noticed Wallace blowing up at the end, which was fair enough for the last 10mintues. What's the deal with Reed getting **** on by the refs, last time a sin bin for nothing, this time a penalty for contesting the ball (I swear he actually knocked it back off his hands) I didn't see any attempt at all for a tackle and trying to hit him offside for the copley try was lolz

 

[Pigskin]

Going very well indeed. Playing half a game here and half a game there of premiership winning stuff. Perhaps struggling a little to maintain the performance for 80 mins.

A couple of slight criticisms of individuals. No biggie, but throwing it out there.

1. Is Gagai fit ? I watched Copley warm up very closely last week against the Dragons and he seemed too relaxed and not "up" for it in the slightest. He played accordingly. Tonight the same. I'd like to see more desparation from him. With Yow Yeh gone for the year, I think we need a winger with a bit more flare. That every now and then is going to provide a spark. Do something a little special.
2. I love Parker as much as the next guy. He is a great servant to our club and plays like superman on occasion. But, I think he gets in the way with his sidewinder runs when we are attacking the line from close range. I liked our backrow better when he was out injured. Sorry, but Corey is having Michael Hancock tendancies. Run straight Corey !
3. Also questioning Hannant's effectiveness. He is getting bashed backwards a lot. Not questioning his effort. He seems to be trying really hard and a couple of his chases recently have been a sight to behold. And has played a couple of good games recently. Perhaps a slight change of technique in how he hits the defensive line or something, I dunno.

Could have easily been 20+ - nil at half time tonight for the second week in a row. Going good but lets be realistic. We need to be at this part of the year. Origin to come.

Oink !

 

[ningnangnong]

Te'o's hit was absolutely huge. You should have heard the impact at the ground, it was loud as anything and I reckon I would've been about 70 or so metres away!

I'll need to watch the match on telly before I give any real opinions, but from what I saw, Norman was impressive, Hodges and Wallace as well. Glenn also had a good game.

I didn't have the best view of the game from where I was, but it seemed to me that when Macca went off, our defensive structure fell by the wayside, and the service out of dummy-half was extremely inconsistent. Not having a dig at Ben Hunt as he's been doing a top notch job, just an observation.

 

[m1c]

Thankyou Ning! I've been harping on about that for well over a season. Macca is exponentially better in both of those areas. He is our best middle defender and is quite good at drawing his forwards up and over the advantage line. Maccas place in the team will never be under threat until Hunt dramatically improves these two aspects of his game.

Bombed 2 tries, could won this by 20+ easy. I noticed Wallace blowing up at the end, which was fair enough for the last 10mintues. What's the deal with Reed getting **** on by the refs, last time a sin bin for nothing, this time a penalty for contesting the ball (I swear he actually knocked it back off his hands) I didn't see any attempt at all for a tackle and trying to hit him offside for the copley try was lolz

He went off at his inside defender who failed to push across with him. That play just typified Wallace for me - 81st minute, match over yet he still came up with the big effort play of literally sprinting 20meters to make up the numbers. It was a tough, tough ask of his inside man to go with him, however it's the high standard we should be aiming for.

 

[Browny]

Did teo pick up an injury or not? Grandstand said he did. Either way I think he'll miss a week or 2

 

[rnabokov]

I'm going to make the call now, but losing Wallace this year would see an effect more detrimental than when we've lost Locky in the past.

In context, yes. He has lifted enormously. I actually doubted he had it in him. He should be captain.

I am concerned that the attack is still too limited. Those what, 5 repeat sets on the Tigers line without scoring - till that kick, shows that there is still too much lateral movement, too flat, and hope that Hodges makes a break. If we lose Hodges, I shudder to think about our attacking potential.

As for Gillett, we are not using his attacking potential at all - just flick him the ball and hope he makes the break or offload. There needs to be worked moves with someone like him. Everyone seems to think just he can conjure brilliance all the time off the cuff, and then bag him when he doesn't. He's a weapon and we are not using him. It's mainly Hodges. We need much more variety, especially out wide.

Where are all those great 2nd phase plays, isolating the opposition winger?

Also agree with the post about things deteriorating when Macca comes off, and repeat that our starting 13 over the last 2 weeks blows away the opposition until the bench rotation starts and then the momentum slows down. Don't know why that is.

 

[Jeba]

rnabokov - I was a bit disappointed with Gillett's efforts in defence last night. He seemed very lazy in coming across. It's clear that his best games this season have been off the bench, so would you think at this stage he has a bit to learn before he becomes apart of the starting 13?

 

[Bucking Beads]

The best part about our side at the moment is that they are winning even when they aren't at their best. Need to improve in all areas but that winning feeling is important.

 

[simmo77]

Wallace has been a gun all season. I agree that we don't seem to have many plays when on their line but it was the same last year. We always look best 20 - 30 mts out. Do appreciate the controlling game Wal has been playing. Hopefully soon Norman starts to take the ball a bit more and gives Wal a bit of a rest from all the plays.
Special mention for Hoffy at the back. Seems to be coming looking for the ball more and several times was trailing thru behind the play ready for an offload. Nice to be 5 and 1.

 

[ethos]

Where are all those great 2nd phase plays, isolating the opposition winger?

You mean second man play?

It's a pretty glaring hole in Hoffman's game to be honest. He can't execute it at all and it's almost completely disappeared from our team. It was Karmichael's pet play and to this day I still haven't seen anyone do it as well as him - always took the right option and his ball playing skills were always massively underated in that aspect.

It's definitely something that's missing from our attack I think. We don't seem to have great sweeping backline movements any more and it a lot of it comes down to Hoffman's involvement seeing as he's the link man between the ball players and the outside backs.

Perhaps I'm being a bit critical but Hoffman still has a few strings to add to his bow, two being the second man play and support play up the middle. Fullback is such an important position, he's doing a really good job but we can still get more from him I reckon.

 

[Alec]

Yeah, I agree. 2nd man play, and ball playing in general, is something most sides want from their fullbacks these days. If you look at players like Slater, Stewart, Hayne, Boyd, etc. they've all become good after they've learned how to pass and set up their outside men. Two of some of the greatest fullbacks of all time in Belcher and Lockyer did the same. I hope Hoffman really works on it.

 

[rnabokov]

rnabokov - I was a bit disappointed with Gillett's efforts in defence last night. He seemed very lazy in coming across. It's clear that his best games this season have been off the bench, so would you think at this stage he has a bit to learn before he becomes apart of the starting 13?

Jeb, I agree, but then there were quite a few lazy defenders scattered throughout the match. I also remember him making a few last ditch tackles, and his support play is first rate, despite that terrible dropped ball.

I regard Gillett as a work in progress like Norman. He needs more time and I again say we are NOT using him to capitalise on his incredible leg strength, step, and offload ability. There needs to be rehearsed set in plays. He would be devastating running angles working with Wallace/Norman with say Reed in support on the left side. At the moment, it's just give him the ball and hope.

I still maintain that since Gillett has started, we have been blowing the opposition away in the first 30. I'm not saying its because of Gillett, but that he plays an important part, and I much prefer him out wide than Parker, especially when Parker keeps shifting back inside. Parker up the middle, Thaiday and Gillett working the edges.

And yeah, we MUST get the 2nd man plays working ASAP. Our attack is limited. Last night showed that when we couldn't break their line with so many attacking weapons at our disposal.

 

[Dexter]

I can't work out why we went back to the one out stuff inside the 20. No second man plays and barely a decoy of any sort, just hoping to barge over. The Tigers should stop listening to the experts and just play there own style, that's what they're good at.

The Gillett experiment is done and dusted, it was worth trying but at this stage there is no doubt from a team perspective we need him off the bench.

I thought the refs were very lenient on the tigers, I mean 1 penalty for a very obvious late tackle and apart from that they were perfect.

 

[rnabokov]

The "Gillett experiment"? What experiment? He's being used like a battering ram. Same as Thaiday. Same as your correct complaint about all the one-out running.

So ok, back to Parker running it wide then going back inside. Yawn.

 

[Dexter]

The full comment was "from a team perspective" and I stand by that. There is no doubt in my mind that he is better for us, the way we play, coming off the bench.

I agree it is a yawn fest, and just when I thought we were building a few set plays inside the attacking zone we go back to that dull bargeathon last night.

 

[Ari Gold]

As one of the head Gillett groupies around here, I have to say he was very ordinary last night and trying far too hard in defense. Normally he just uses his ability to read the play to make the correct action, but lately he's being trying to force a big play through means other than his reading of the game, which is why he keeps falling on his ass (literally).

Whilst I have no doubt that it is a result of him trying too hard as a starter, the nature of the problem, in and of itself, isn't really the type of problem that would really make him better suited to the bench or the starting side, and I have no doubts that if he corrected that part of his game he would be a gun starting player.

With that said though, I think he does need to go back to the bench in the short term so that he learns that lesson and comes back better. I will say in his defence that last night, he more than any other player looked to support the ball carrier. Norman made a number of half breaks and the first player I always saw trying to get there in support was Gillett, which is the kind of thing he does that I think makes him, potentially, such an awesome, awesome 80 minute player.

 

[rnabokov]

As one of the other Gillett groupies around here, I agree in part he is trying too hard. However, I can't see how being benched helps that. Experience and good coaching helps that.

As well, it would help if there was some sort of structure in which Gillett could find himself so he doesn't have to try so hard to concoct the big plays.

And yes, he is one of the very few "naturals" when it comes to support play. Also, his offloading skill, which isn't being used much at all.

To my mind, there is this "culture" at the Broncos, inherited from Bennett, which uses forwards as battering rams, hence this constant reversion to one-out running. I wouldn't like to see our brilliant back-rowers used to more purpose, especially Gillett, with more room to move, a bit like the Warriors use Mateo, or Manly Glen Stewart.

 

[Bucking Beads]

The Gillett love is getting out of hand.