I was at the game tonight.... Hoppa is f-#cking useless 

Our forwards run in first gear, the chain of passing to each other is so f#cking slow and painful to watch

There is NO SUPPORT runners looking for an offload.... the few times someone actually popped a pass back, there wasn’t a body in sight 

Simple driving tackling.... we suck so badly at it


I think I’ll just stick to watching them play from home until 2022...

That sucks, being at the game when we lose badly is worse.

The 2008 season was a nightmare, sitting in the rain knowing that the game was gone after 5 minutes, I never recovered the same enthusiasm for going to games.

Sharks game we had early posession, but started with a better attitude.

It might help the kicking meters throwing Lewis at halfback. But what will it do in the long term if he is not the long term halfback. 

I am more thinking about Wakeham, because he is potentially a better half than Flano.

The team has had 8 rounds, except for the odd bit here and there they haven't built combinations, the attack doesn't look slick. Our 5th tackle kicks have only been good when Averillo does them.

Most of the players are not improving. If they haven't improved in 8 rounds, I don't think they will.

On what he has shown so far, Flanagan will never be an NRL standard halfback.
I don't recall ever seeing an NRL half offer so little 7 weeks in a row, unless Corey Hughes played 7 in a row at halfback. What are his stats for tackle breaks, line breaks, line break assists, try assists, repeat sets?
 if there is a worse half in the NRL stats wise I am surprised.

We don't have a lot to lose.

Our problem tonight was Napa made about 30 meters and Thompson made about 80. Renouf and Ava off the bench made 100 plus’s and almost a hundred. We need more of them. 

Give him a break... he doesn’t watch footy.... how would he know what BCs firm has been like since getting start...

I don't disagree, we were skinny in that area and Napa going off made it worse.
Ava really improved on last week.
Renouf is an improving player.

My point is that some players are not improving, or play well 1 week out of 8, we can't win NRL games with 2-3 players playing badly, they drag the rest of the team down to the level.

The forwards I thought had size and long term potential in reserve grade are on an extended bench, Guys like Britt, Odgen and Stimson are starting, The young guys are not ready and might not be good enough.

We can fix it for next year, this season is a test of how players play in tough circumstances.
My experience is that the good ones step up and the bad ones go backwards.
We are already seeing this with Meaney and Averillo stepping up.
Throw in Topine, Dietz seems to be improving.
Elliott and Thompson are trying too hard, they are stepping up occasionally.

So Tom was in Melbourne.

Rumours are Burton’s let slip that he’s coming to the Dogs to play #7.

Flanno, Avo, all the rest of them, they’re playing for #6.

So I wouldn’t worry too much about the form of Flanno, Avo, wakeham, Lewis or any other candidates too much this season. Simple fact is they’ve got the year to impress, and I’m confident one of them will make it.

Some will battle it out in ‘22 and then probably look for a release.

Until then, let them play, let them fail, let them improve.... or not.

It’s all about seeing who walks through the fire and who goes up in flames.

Btw not just a rumour Tom was in Melbourne, he was seen in Melbourne. Said he was going to Temora....bwahaha.... confronted that he was in Melb, said he was there talking to JAC.... confronted again he was talking to Smith and said “oh yeah, he dropped in......”

Maybe a swap’s on the cards, but it’ll be expensive, like Topine for eg... at minimum I’d guess.

Cause Melb does not have to release Smith and they won’t cheaply.

Supercoach’s $600k + mate Elliott is one player that’s failed to deliver much in 2021

He’s not yet in the Hopoate/Napa class of being f#cking hopeless just yet, but at the same time in 8 rounds with a depleted forward pack, he’s done sweet FA except run his mouth like Flanagan. 

I recon we can pencil Avo in for 6.

Wakeham will help his chances if he shows some ultilty value 7,6,14,9.

I have more or less given up on Lewis and Flanno.

Wakeham has this season and the next to make his case.

Another player to watch is Rys Davies in reserve grade can play 7,6,14,9 infact more proven in those positions than Wakeham, if we are looking for depth 22 ownwards Wakeham and Davis have some appeal especially as Burton could shift to the centres when were were short staffed.

Another interesting point is Kerin Moss has bumped Declan Casey out of the reserve grade fullback spot.
Casey isn't a bad player, Moss was highly rated about 3 years ago and fast from memory.
So ehat happened to Moss? Probably injuries, will be interesting to see how fast he is.

Style of play my friend.

We are the only team that sends players to the line 1 at a time. We are easy pickings for the defence, east to dominate the tackle, slow it down and easy for the defence to run back the 10 and get ready for another ambush.

What our players need is to practice running in numbers so we have players our hookers can hit, players that can offer support for 2nd phase play, and for the defence to make decisions and hesitate from retreating the 10 until they have completed the tackle. This tires the defence out, slows their rushing advancements and forces errors. It's a snow ball effect. 

If I were coach, I'd get our players to the beach and I'd make them stand around 3m into the water where the shallow waves are. I'd make them stand to the side and tell them to watch wave after wave for 2hrs just so the fekking concept can become imprinted into their fekking pea brains.

Then I'd get them to put into practice by running in numbers in the sad. No one goes home until I'm satisfied they are doing it right.

Its footy 101 and if you cant do this, see ya later.

I certainly haven’t.

If he was playing as well as he was with the Roosters last year, then you’d expect him to mature nicely in the next few years. And let’s be clear, the reason the Roosters punted him had little to do with him and everything to do with Walker.

It’ll be up to him, and Avo and anyone else who wants to stick their hand up, so why go off too early?

Sit on your cards while they’re still in play, don’t fold them thinking the next deal will be better. It may not be.

Yep agreed on Avo. He runs and kicks well and that's what you need from your 5/8th.
My concern with Barrett is that he has shown who he is willing to play.
But I have yet to see him make the harder call of who to NOT play. 

It's been clear to me that Flano needed to be dropped around round 3 or 4. Yet here we are in round 8 and he gets a free ride. 

As I mentioned, he's not a bad player in a team like Storm, Panthers or even Parra. But he cant lift this team. He cant motivate or instruct them to play properly. 

Barrett seems to be backing him in the hope the players around him change and at the risk of not winning another game. 

In my opinion if you havent been able to change the team in 8 weeks, you either dont have the ability yourself (as coach) or the players dont have the ability themselves. 

How long you can continue like this is up to the club and its fans. 

Barrett looks like he'll pursue his endgame goal in as many years as it takes. That worries me unless we make wholesale changes to the team in 1 season. Hopefully it is next. 

I'll be surprised if Flano is playing 7 next season, less surprised if he plays next week.
It all depends on whether Baz rates Wakeham, or if he wants to develop Flanno as 2nd choice for the future as I can't see why Burton would not be first choice.

I'm actually at the stage where I'd rather Barrett just went public and told everyone he is backing Flano as he wants our style to change rather than the player change to our style. 

This kind of discussion was had on the Fox team before one of the games a couple of weeks ago (I think regarding Adam Reynolds or Shaun Johnson) and Anasta had made the comment that you dont change your 16 players style to accommodate the 1 new recruit. "Its madness" were his words.

I tend to agree with him under most circumstances and if that player was a superstar.

But in a club that is pegged to bottom of ladder playing the wrong style, I think it might be a different story. Our problem is that Flano doesnt seem the type or superstar to change the team.

I actually think Adam Reynolds is.
The 2 players I reckon that can change the way this team plays in the fastest time are Reynolds and the Cheese. Both perfectly suited to our style but both high influencers on the players around them. 

The other thing that is telling is guys like Ava and Dietz were more or less on the scrap heap, they came here as long shots and may force themselves into the NRL side.
After round 10 I would not be surpised if Topine and Dietz are both in the 17.

We can add Davies and Moss to the list of recycled players, we may see them and Schoupp after round 10 and I would expect a few more, but I don't think many forwards are pushing their case.

I will not be surpised if the round 1 2022 team is very different to the round 1 2021 team,

The fact that recycled long shots are possibly better than the players already here, speaks volumes.

Let's hope JAC hasn't got cold feet now from the Burton rumours. I cant imagine as we are building a team with more indigenous players than ever before.

Elliott, Chris Smith, JAC, Naden

IMO style and talent are 2 different things.

Baz is working on improving our style, but the team doesn't have the talent to execute.

In particular our defense is way too soft.

On the occasions when we had the ball at the opposition end, Flanno has thrown a few good passes, the are passes Lewis would probably have stuffed up but nothing exceptional. His kicking game has been average at best, with few repeat sets and few tries off his kicks. Our attack hasn't looked well organised, it isn't all down to Flanno.

A best Flanno is an organising halfback and others need to provide the cutting edge in attack.

I am happy with Burton as first choice 7 next year,  his long kicking game is exceptional, his defence is good, his running game above average.

What we need is a 9 with a cutting edge in attack who can make things happen and take the right options.
Of the players at the club, Dietz, Davies and Wakeham in the order look the most likely.
The Cheese is fine for a starting 9/ backrow, no one has ever accused the Cheese of subtle playmaking, he prefers to bash the door down.

Did Marki happen to recently say how much he liked watching Lindsay Collins & Brett Morris?? 

Why?
Have they both been ruled out?

I thought I heard one the Morris boys was made captain this week. Are they joint captains?

Missed opportunity, say how much you like every player in the opposition, before we play them.

#MockCarnage

Last night the first time I’ve seen a Rorter player injured and felt sympathy...

Next you will be worrying about Termites eating the Leagues Club.

Oh FFS you’re a drama queen...

that is one thing there ain't none of!!  BTW does Angus Crichton's jaw appear to be growing...not that I am suggesting anything...well perhaps a tad

Lol. 
Who do we play next?
They are mu 2nd favourite team. 😉

I wasnt being negative about it.
I was just making the point that having more indigenous players in your club can be a drawcard to getting others.

I made the same comment when Latrell was on the market and predicted he would go to Souths as they had us covered for indigenous representation.

Get that chip off your shoulder Dman.....
Phew...