Dietz can’t play until Rnd 10 unless he’s promoted to the 30. And I doubt they’ll do that nor should they.

we need a card to play pre Aug 31st more than anything we need next week.

JMK is out injured, broken foot.

Yeah I’m not sure how that works. I read somewhere that the exemption was because the injury was picked up in a rep game - the indigenous game.

But it was just someone’s opinion so who knows?

Allen is at least good at positioning and cleaning up kicks, he has some passing ability.
If we need more speed and x-factor at fullback, Meaney and Averillo are the likely options.

I would be happy with any change which drops an under performing player, there are a few to choose from, but Hopoate is top of the list.

We also need to ask if defending outside of Flanagan is hard, we need to drop move Hoppa to answer that.
It may even turn out that Lewis, Meaney or Allen needs to defend outside of Flanagan and we may need to hide Averillo at fullback or on the bench.

Sure the attack needs a lot of work, but we also need to fix the defence.

Maybe there is a mercy rule, there is no danger of an exemption catapulting us into premiership contention, but they need to be consistent.

If Dietz and Topine can't play the options are Wakeham or playing someone like Jackson at hooker for a few minutes. We may stumble across a left field solution, that works out well.

I do have faith in Tom.

I seen on a couple of occasions a beautiful backline flow with 3 decoys, 1 on each pass, and players on the move. It was a Penrith play.

problem was it was done at about .33 normal speed.

Dietz must be promoted even if Teddy becomes available.

The club should tap some of our rejects taking up space in the top 30 and ask them to look around. Come August, we can then offload them if they find something elsewhere and free up the space for I dont know who you think we are saving it for.

We cant waste another year.

We have to start playing proper footy and that means we need our hooker position fixed up, ir a step in the right direction.

We need to give him a chance, changing the coach 2 times per season rarely works.

Ultimately to be successful a coach has to be pragmatic, have good instincts, but be evidenced based and make the tough decisions.

First question, if our attack is too slow or we are making too many errors, are there any players in reserve grade who can fix the situation?

If the team selection stays the same and the results stay the same, that is a problem.
Trying something and getting the same result is better than changing nothing a getting the same result.
From the highlights the pass from Elliott to Flanagan was just bad luck, it was just a bit late, IMO both players are trying hard and Flanagan offers something in attack.

 If we fix the defence outside Flanagan, we might fix the attack, a centre with pace or skill gives him an additional option.

....and our centre and winger nearly ended up in row F....

When Penrith and Parra do that move, all players are moving up quickly and by the time Gutho or Sivo gets the ball they are at top speed.

Tapping them only works if someone wants them.
I would be happy to give Napa to the Panthers for a reasonable player swap, it doesn't even have to be Burton.
I would settle for a good young prop we can put in our development squad and maybe play 22/23.

He is the only one we want to tap that someone could possibly want.
The other one is Locky Lewis, I'm not 100% sure we want to tap him,  i would prefer to give him another shot at the NRL.

If we can't pass quicker we need to stand deeper.

Our halves are trying to play over the advantage line or were rounds 1 & 2.

Service from dummy half has to be good and fast.

If we are playing flat we need to play fast, and need to be deep enough to run onto each pass.

I'm not surpised our team needs a lot of  coaching on how to attack properly, we haven't done thst in recent memory.

I agree with Zef if Baz is teaching them tbe right things the players will eventually learn. My point of difference, is slow learners need to don a dunces cap, and ply their trade in reserve grade.

It’s all there, both in set plays and structure. But we’re doing it at the same speed as Tom would walk them through it at training.

Need speed both in implementation and the players implementing it.

We actually stood deep enough in attack on numerous occasions attacking their line but we were flat footed standing deep- if you can believe it.

It's like we have never practiced the move before.

Zef is right. Tom is obviously getting them into the deep structure but these misfits dont even know or have the urgency to run onto the ball. 

Do they not watch other teams play?

Hey Doc

Any chance you can medically retire the following players, the same dodgy way Souffs did with Inglis, Burgess:-

Hoppa
Napa
Sione Katoa

Regards 
Villi

Unfortunately they need a pulse to be medically retired.

I still reckon that Baz should try Lewis at lock. He is not afraid to run, is a great defender and has a good kick. Because he is left footed he will complement Flanno and we have both sides of the field covered.

The three we need to let go are Napa, DWZ and Hoppa. Anyone one else not pulling their weight, then swap them out with a Cup player that is keen to give their best.

Trying to change the subject....yesterday was 100 minutes of my life I'll never get back....even the half time reeks.
There is a laughable bit in the SMH about stripping Hayne of his awards...don't they realise if they are serious they would have to do it with multiple wife-beating Ben Barba (multiple beatings not wives)....drug taking Andrew Johns......unsavoury Graeme Langlands...what happened in Maanila....if it was a fair dinkum suggestion there would probably be no one left.

Does anyone know a good PR company that can set up a flashy highlights package for Hoppa, DWZ, Napa & get these guys a contract elsewhere in the NRL or SL asap?

Lewis apparently good in reserve grade.

Flanagan poor in this game, especially the kicking game where  Milf out classed him.
Still some good passes and lots of energy.
But was to blame for the first Broncos try.
He also moved the ball too slowly in attack in good ball.

IMO 3 options.
1. Start Lewis at half with Flanagan on the bench.
2. Play Lewis in the centres.
3. Play Lewis at lock.
Lewis will improve our kicking game, which needs improving.

I am not worried about Lewis having a lack of leg speed we have bigger problems.

Having watched about as much as I can handle, Napa slightly improved, at least he seemed to by trying,  Averillo very good in attack, running and passing, some good kicks.
The difference was Averillo moved the ball on quickly with accurate passes and looked dangerous running the ball.

Both Flanagan and Katoa hang on the the ball too much at times dominated possession rather than giving team mates earlier service. That seemed to be the issue at the start of the 2nd half.

I really hope Flanagan improves he has a great attitude and lots of energy, but his kicking and passing were disappointing this game.

Baz doesn't want to publically criticize the half, fair enough, but I hope he has a quiet word or 2 in private.

Can’t see T Baz dropping Flanagan... Averillo yes, but not Flanagan!

Just to get some confidence back into our edges, Lewis needs to come in & take the No.6 role. Move Averillo to wing or centre. 

Running sideways is ok about once in every 6 tackles, otherwise it just gives the defence more time to number up.
They call held on to the ball dummied or threw slow loopy passes for no reason.
One play was shuffle accross field slow dummy, slow loopy pass to a player who could have got it a minute earlier.

If the ball movement is faster and more predictable  it is easier to time runs, do a run around, hope for an offload or save the slow cross field stuff for the variation.

Averillo mostly seems to miss tackles late in games, I don't think that is our biggest problem, he will improve.

Unfortunately, nothing is going to improve in the short term if we continue playing like we did yesterday. Our soft forwards don't get us on the front foot. They receive the ball in a stagnant position and then move slowly towards the defenders, prop and submit in the tackle. They show no energy or desperation to get up and play the ball at pace. 

Actually Lewis was very good against a Raiders team stacked with NRL experience

The Raiders had a good forward pack, so our fowards must gave held their own.

Sometimes a spell in reserve grade is great for a player if they maintain a positive attitude.
Last time we saw Lewis he came on in the trial, with limited time to impress, and rushed into all the wrong options.
So if he has recaptured some confidence and his footy instincts that is a plus.

If we need someone to throw a long pass Flanagan should do it, Lewis hasn't been good in that area.

I know one way....
It involves a dark alley but first I have to go find my metal baseball bat!

Not afraid to run?
Have we been watching the same L Lewis the last few years?

He rarely runs the ball and gives hospital passes to people only coz he doesn't want to be tackled himself. 

If we can get him to run more, he'd be good. But otherwise, hell only be in the team as kicker.

With the structured play and bodies in motion some of it is good.

My problems with it are .
1. Running decoys on every play can chew up juice. Baz may have been critical of decoys missing their role.
2. When the half runs across field, the main option is dropping an angled runner back inside, if the defense simply slides as a unit they can  defend it fairly easily.

So keep doing it, but the half should try to run straighter or straighten sometimes.

If we mix in a few other options like, the following we present a more varied threat.
1. Quick pass to a hard running centre, 2nd rower or prop.
2. Dummy and run from the dummy half.
3. Switch of play or short side raid

Forwards wise, if a dummy half can put runners over the advantage line with good quick service that will help.
So I hope Dietz gets a crack and we see if he can do this.
JMK was ok against the Broncos, especially in the first half, shame that he got injured.

Baz may have decided on our style and is working on perfecting that.
What I hope is players are allowed to use their eyes and instincts, if they see an opportunity, take it, and forget the style.

It is a long season, still time to improve.

We need to see the game becuase it seems Lewis may have improved, of couse just doing it in reserve grade doesn't prove anything.

But you also reminded me, that appart from across field Flanagan rarely ran against the Broncos.

In fact if Flanagan matches his round 1 performance, in round 3, we might have won.
First try scorer was always going to be critical in that game.
Round 1 we were quite clinical at the opposition end, round 3 we seemed confused by being in unfamiliar territory.

I am warming to a desperate roll of the dice on Dietz, I don't want to wait until round 10 to start winning games.
All up Katoa at dummy-half for 80 mins does worry me.

Jacko may as well take the early plea, we can gamble on L. Lewis or Chris Smith at lock.

Poor Jacko tries to run hard these days, but he needs some footwork, he never dinted the Broncos line, some of his passes were good.

Without him and JMK  our shaky defence will be shaky up the middle. L. Lewis is a spirited defender, roll the dam dice Baz, we are not sitting on a winning hand,.