Round 6 - Titans v Broncos - Pre-Match Discussion

[FaceOfMutiny]

I think what the team needs to do this week is a) actually tackle the opposition and b) hang onto the ball.
Last friday they missed a ton of tackles and dropped the ball often. It wouldn't matter who is 5/8 if they can't tackle the opposite team and then hang onto the ball when in possession of the ball!

I blamed the ref's for letting parra slow the play the ball down with constant ruck infringements but at the same time with the off night they had they would have just dropped it anyway even if they did get the penalties that were deserved.

Hopefully the refs blow the whistle for ruck infringements against the Titans (even if its against the Broncos) because it makes the game so much more exciting to watch even if the Broncos are losing.

 

[rnabokov]

Stuff the refs.

The Eels running and passing game, their expansive ball movement, passing at the advantage line instead of dying with the ball and mostly always having support runners, opened us like a can of sardines.

It it put huge pressure on our still fragile one on one defence and reading the play in this situation.

In my view, they blew us off the park despite the closeness of the scores.

That is where we need to concentrate - one on one defence, reading the play and NOT letting players like Hayne have room to move. We by and large stood and watched him, running laterally instead of attacking him.

As well, our relative lack of scoring options was exposed. Our strike weapons were under utilised - Gillett, Vidot, Thaiday in particular.

In my view, the Titans aren't capable of the Eels style of play which means we are in with a great chance. It's teams whose game plan is based on expansive ball movement who will give us the most trouble defensively, and given our current relative lack of scoring options, especially our short kicking game

 

[Foordy]

In my view, the Titans aren't capable of the Eels style of play which means we are in with a great chance. It's teams whose game plan is based on expansive ball movement who will give us the most trouble defensively, and given our current relative lack of scoring options, especially our short kicking game

FTR we have currently scored the 5th most points this season so far (114) for an average of 22.8 points a game

The Bulldogs who have scored the 2nd most points this season have only score 5 more points than us (119); the Tigers are way out in front having scored 143 points this season

NRL Ladder - NRL.com

 

[mitch222]

Attack seems to be no problem at the moment
Leaking tries however is. Defence wins games not offense. Defend strong enough and our attack will always find enough points to win the game especially with class players like Hodges and Barba (I know he's not in good form but he still has class). To beat the Titans this Friday night, our forwards need to aim up from the start and that starts with Parker, McGuire, Hannant & Kennedy to get the platform rolling.

 

[kingpest]

IMO, our attack is definitely a problem at the moment. As good as hunt has been in patches, he is still struggling to execute back line plays and too often we are just doing one out runs on 4th tackles in an attacking zone which does my head in. We need to be a lot deeper in attack as barba is receiving the ball with zero space to work with, if at all. We just aren't gelling at the moment but hopefully that starts to improve with game time. Was hoping the eels would play us into some attacking form but it was the complete opposite. We have performed well against the titans in recent times so fingers crossed for this week

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Good attack will almost always rely on the forwards getting a roll on and making big metres which then gets the defence on the back foot, creating time and space.

 

[jd87]

yea our forwards really need to step up imo. kennedy especially has been a huge disappointment. i hope he pulls his fingers out and starts bending the defense like a forward should with his body. If he doenst i hope griffin has the stones to drop him to qcup to find some form.

 

[Super Freak]

I think the attack is a little bit of a problem. Apart from the Dragons, the Broncos haven't been able to finish teams off.

How long can they last relying on desperate defense?

 

[Splinter]

Well publicised. "Too small".

Except for his ears

 

[Splinter]

Stuff the refs.

The Eels running and passing game, their expansive ball movement, passing at the advantage line instead of dying with the ball and mostly always having support runners, opened us like a can of sardines.

It it put huge pressure on our still fragile one on one defence and reading the play in this situation.

In my view, they blew us off the park despite the closeness of the scores.

That is where we need to concentrate - one on one defence, reading the play and NOT letting players like Hayne have room to move. We by and large stood and watched him, running laterally instead of attacking him.

As well, our relative lack of scoring options was exposed. Our strike weapons were under utilised - Gillett, Vidot, Thaiday in particular.

In my view, the Titans aren't capable of the Eels style of play which means we are in with a great chance. It's teams whose game plan is based on expansive ball movement who will give us the most trouble defensively, and given our current relative lack of scoring options, especially our short kicking game

Apart from one botched try where Vidot dropped the ball with the line wide open, has he actually received the ball in a backline movement or is Hoffman starving him of the ball.
Most of the time he is carrying the ball one out from our own side of halfway

 

[jd87]

Apart from one botched try where Vidot dropped the ball with the line wide open, has he actually received the ball in a backline movement or is Hoffman starving him of the ball.
Most of the time he is carrying the ball one out from our own side of halfway

cant remember exactly but didnt he score in agains the bulldogs with a backline movement? cant member but though hoffman sent him the pass to.

 

[Super Freak]

cant remember exactly but didnt he score in agains the bulldogs with a backline movement? cant member but though hoffman sent him the pass to.

He did score, but it was Hunt that passed the ball. Hoffman wasn't involved in the movement.

Vidot was unmarked in that same game towards the end, but Hoffman didn't pass the ball. IMO, he could have 3 tries in that game if Hoffman just didn't hold the ball.

 

[rnabokov]

He did score, but it was Hunt that passed the ball. Hoffman wasn't involved in the movement.

Vidot was unmarked in that same game towards the end, but Hoffman didn't pass the ball. IMO, he could have 3 tries in that game if Hoffman just didn't hold the ball.

Exactly. Add to that we aren't kicking to his wing (or I am blind), and, now that Copley is out on the wing and isn't exactly small, we ought to be cross kicking to him as well.

As for another post, defence does NOT win matches. Defence stops you losing them. There is a difference. The difference is scoring points assuming equally strong defence by both sides.

In any case, it's about time Barba stepped up this game and we start kicking to our wings a lot more, and setting up Gillett, Glenn and Thaiday on the edges.

Dream on ...

 

[Harry Sack]

I think the attack is a little bit of a problem. Apart from the Dragons, the Broncos haven't been able to finish teams off.

How long can they last relying on desperate defense?

When was the last time we DID go for the throat and put a team to the sword? Honestly can't remember.

Except for his ears

Hahaha. Like a couple of car doors aren't they.

 

[mitch222]

Gee a lot of people give Hunt a hard time. Just remember one thing. He is the only HALF in the team we currently have thus he does the kicking and a majority of the playmaking. Not many halfs could do it all by themselves week in week out. Hoffman should be helping him more but I get why hunt tries to do it all by himself especially when Hoffman just runs the ball himself. When is Kahu back in action?

 

[Foordy]

Gee a lot of people give Hunt a hard time. Just remember one thing. He is the only HALF in the team we currently have thus he does the kicking and a majority of the playmaking. Not many halfs could do it all by themselves week in week out. Hoffman should be helping him more but I get why hunt tries to do it all by himself especially when Hoffman just runs the ball himself. When is Kahu back in action?

the NRL website says rd 6, but last week it said rd 5 ... so who knows...

BTW Kahu is actually a fullback not 5/8 (but he did train as a 5/8 in the off season)

 

[mitch222]

the NRL website says rd 6, but last week it said rd 5 ... so who knows...

BTW Kahu is actually a fullback not 5/8 (but he did train as a 5/8 in the off season)

That's why I enquired. Hoffman was only really a last minute option when Kahu got injured in the trials. Atleast with Kahu, we might actually get a 5/8 who can pass

 

[jarro65]

When is Kahu back in action?

the NRL website says rd 6, but last week it said rd 5 ... so who knows...

That's why I enquired. Hoffman was only really a last minute option when Kahu got injured in the trials. Atleast with Kahu, we might actually get a 5/8 who can pass

Kahu was interviewed by Tallis before the Eels game (MMM radio) and said he expects he'll be another 4 - 6 weeks away yet.