Round 8 - Broncos vs. Rabbitohs - Post-Game discussion

[Cult]

Maybe Granville should come on for the last ten minutes with McCullough? McCullough could move to 5/8 and take some control of the game.

 

[Porthoz]

Never bought into the 'we should have kept Wallace line'.

Largely because the team would have been made to play a different style since Wallace is a hands on halfback who basically has to be involved more than he should. Heck, he's virtually played Segeyaro out of the Penrith side by constantly going to dummy half. It was time for both parties to move on, it clearly wasn't working.

Prince didn't have another year to give and was fortunate enough to play out last season. His run home was fine, but people are too quick to forget his poor form for the bulk leading up to that point. The only aspect we could use right now was his passing game, and even then it wasn't anything special to warrant the liability in defence.

I don't think you got the gist of my post. I did mention the last 10 minutes only for a reason!

Having said that, I'd have Prince on one leg ahead of Hoggman in the team.

Re Wallace, I wouldn't have him because Hunt definitely needs to gain the confidence and responsibility of guiding the team around as the main playmaker, and Wallace would've been in the way of that happening.

 

[Big Pete]

I hear you but there isn't a world where Wallace or Prince would be played as 10 minute specialists - they'd be forced into the starting side and it'd have an impact on the 70 minutes prior and for mine, it'd be a negative one.

But then, it's neither here nor there, they're gone now and there's definitely a valid concern on the sides ability to close out matches. On one hand, I do think it's apart of the learning process...on the other, I recall that Hunt wasn't much of a clutch player even in the NYC. He choked pretty hard in the NYC GF and the play that got us into said Final came off the boot of Spence, a backrow, not Hunt.

 

[CaptainHook]

I think the fact we lack a proper 5/8 and have a halfback who is still establishing himself in the role, is one if not the most important factor for why we are not closing out games we should have.

We are playing better than last season, but we more than likely would be 8-0 or 7-1 at worst if we had one of Wallace or Prince (I'm not even suggesting Locky) alongside Hunt for the last 10 minutes of each game we lost, purely to control the pace of the game and take away any chance for the opposition to muster the comebacks they have.

I agree, Porthoz. There have been times when one good kick in the dying stages of the game would give us field position and get our defensive line set. Hunt hasn't been able to do that, due to the lack of other kicking options in the team which makes him an easy target for the opposition.

What do you make of our error rate? I could be exaggerating but IMO, they cost us dearly. Kennedy and Hannant both dropped the ball after points were scored against the Roosters (which they then scored from). I think Hannant coughed it up against the Rabbitohs which proved costly as well. Is there a worse team for completing a set after scoring a try than us?

Also, goal kicking has had an impact. We could've had the chance to go 8 or 10 up against those sides. That would've snuffed out a comeback, so that is a factor as well.

 

[Sproj]

Even with a rubbish 5/8th, scoring has not been our problem. Errors at crucial times from senior players such as Hannant, Kennedy, Parker, Hodges and Barba have been the biggest problem by far along with goal kicking. We are great when we have an attacking mindset, as soon as we have to defend a lead, we capitulate.

 

[Porthoz]

Yes, all of those.

Funny enough, we're one of the better teams when it comes to error rate, but we make those errors at the worst possible time (as you say, mostly after scoring points), and especially wrong side of the field, gifting the opposition team field position which they often have capitulated on. That is definitely something we have to work on, and it's more in the players head than anything else really!

The kicking is obviously a factor, but nothing much that can be done about it until we have a more talented kicker... Not sure whether Parker should keep the kicking duties, but then again, I am also not sure whether we should pile that added pressure onto Hunt. I believe Milford is a reasonable kicker, and we have a couple really good ones coming up the U20's, which obviously won't solve anything for us this season...

 

[Sproj]

Yes, all of those.

Funny enough, we're one of the better teams when it comes to error rate, but we make those errors at the worst possible time (as you say, mostly after scoring points), and especially wrong side of the field, gifting the opposition team field position which they often have capitulated on. That is definitely something we have to work on, and it's more in the players head than anything else really!

The kicking is obviously a factor, but nothing much that can be done about it until we have a more talented kicker... Not sure whether Parker should keep the kicking duties, but then again, I am also not sure whether we should pile that added pressure onto Hunt. I believe Milford is a reasonable kicker, and we have a couple really good ones coming up the U20's, which obviously won't solve anything for us this season...

I am all for Hunt taking on the kicking duties because it means he's practicing his kicking. His passing and running games are elite but if he wants to become one of the best in the world (which he could be), he needs all the kicking accuracy practice he can get.

 

[Porthoz]

I am all for Hunt taking on the kicking duties because it means he's practicing his kicking. His passing and running games are elite but if he wants to become one of the best in the world (which he could be), he needs all the kicking accuracy practice he can get.

Goal kicking and kicking on the run are two completely different things...

 

[Bucking Beads]

Composure is a big issue for us as is defence in the last 10 minutes of games. Not sure if we are running out of puff or our composure in defence is the major cause.

 

[Dexter]

I only watched the game today, we should have won regardless of anything that went against us. Gilletts effort on Burgess was just embarrassing. He didn't put himself in the correct position and for no other reason than he was being lazy and didn't think Burgess would step back to that hole.

 

[Super Freak]

This, in my opinion, is a definite bombed try. If Broncos scored from that, it was game over.

 

[JMG87]

Yeah now that you pointed it out. Can't see why he didn't just catch it and run. Don't know why he tried to flick it

 

[Broncoman]

Doubt it would've been a certain try as Reed was covered but the flick was unnecessary and Vidot had no chance of getting to it.

 

[LittleDavey]

If he had've grabbed it and stopped, I think momentum would've carried the player sliding across at him, past him - leaving him with a clear-ish run then to the line. Totally agree that was a missed opportunity.

As was the high shot around Copley's chops. :rant:

 

[HVbronco]

I only watched the game today, we should have won regardless of anything that went against us. Gilletts effort on Burgess was just embarrassing. He didn't put himself in the correct position and for no other reason than he was being lazy and didn't think Burgess would step back to that hole.

Was it Gillett? For some reason I'm thinking it was Macca and Wallace that fucked up on that try? But I could be wrong.

 

[Super Freak]

Was it Gillett? For some reason I'm thinking it was Macca and Wallace that fucked up on that try? But I could be wrong.

Gillett was also involved.

It was soft defense by all 3 of them. He also got through Barba, but I don't blame him. There was no way Barba was going to stop George Burgess..

 

[noisetheory]

If he had've grabbed it and stopped, I think momentum would've carried the player sliding across at him, past him - leaving him with a clear-ish run then to the line. Totally agree that was a missed opportunity.

to me the defender had reed covered. reed would of had to catch the ball above his head and the defender i thought looked poised to 'ball and all' tackle him up had he done that.

it was the last tacke and in hindsight he probably could of caught it and tried to break the tackle or fidn another support player with the offload but hey, thats footy

 

[Super Freak]

to me the defender had reed covered. reed would of had to catch the ball above his head and the defender i thought looked poised to 'ball and all' tackle him up had he done that.

it was the last tacke and in hindsight he probably could of caught it and tried to break the tackle or fidn another support player with the offload but hey, thats footy

He could have caught the ball before it bounced over his head. That's where I think he stuffed up. The moment before the ball went above his head.

The position the Souths player in front of him was in the moment that happened and the strength of Reed, there was a very slim chance he would have been able to make an effective tackle.