On that same note.... why are so many Roosters getting injured? Bad injuries too

Is it circumstantial, or is their programme putting them at higher risk?

It's never pleasant seeing bad injuries like that. 

The FFS was for the JAC, Burton, cold feet line... 

Oh I see....

I know, I know.....I shouldnt worry like I use to. 
We've gotten rid of Tolman and everything should be ok. But the scars are still there...

Buy me some worry beads....

What makes you think "our" style of play is the right style. Besides wasn't it you that said we need to change the way we play because the 80s and 90s style just doesn't cut it in the modern game.

There are so many ripping Flannagan a new one but in reality how can he even learn to improve if our forwards are being dominated ruck after ruck for the full 80 minutes. The poor bloke doesn't even have time to think let alone react. He is young with very little experience so how can he look after his forwards when they don't have the ability to look after him. He needs room to learn how to execute TBaz's plans and he's just not getting that room, what do people expect.

He obviously has talent or the Rorters wouldn’t have chased him... As Zef mentioned Sam Walker has obviously ‘come on’ quicker than they had imagined... They’ve got Keary on blocks, Lam, Hutchinson, and probably someone else...

Gotta back Flanno in, gotta get a prop or two with some punch, and a decent rake to give him some time and space...

And we gotta back Baz to be the man to make it happen... chopping and changing coaches doesn’t win too many comps... 

I agree that forwards are the issue, but I don't think Flanno was that flash at the Roosters either.
While Burton looks a superior player in most aspects, we haven't seen much of Burton passing the ball.
I would give Wakeham a shot myself, but we need to fix the forwards regardless. 

The one positive against Parra was that Renouf and Ava were very good, Dietz also good.
I still wouldn't start Dietz at hooker, ideally I would start Topine.
But we probably can't play Dietz and Topine until round 10.

We can try Ava and Renouf starting with Tommo at lock.
Wardell and Odgen/Britt  as bench middle forwards.

Especially if Napa has a long term injury,  we need to sign or promote another prop.

We will have some chance of a win anytime we start games well and put in a solid effort for 80 mins.
It will not be a surprise to lose anytime we play a top 6 team, we don't have the talent to match them, so we need them to be off their game.

Catching good NRL teams on a off day is becoming harder and harder, they don't have many.

Thing is with Flanaghan, most of the people now death-riding him were more than happy when we signed him. Happy with the form he showed at the Roosters but now claim he never had that form at all.

That form's still there, just not right now.

But if last year upon his signing you though he was a great acquisition, young but has already proven himself, there's no reason he cant rise to heights again, was one of Roosters best and just a victim of their end of season form and the deal sounds like top value and you congratulate the club for securing him....

.... well if you turn on your own opinion after 8 games.... no actually, it was 4 wasn't it.... that just goes to show how shallow your opinion was in the first place... or is that now?

And btw, anyone else want to claim they were against the signing at the time, just remember it's all here in black & white and not hard to find.

And it wasn't.

Sure?

"A calm organising half"

Ring any bells?

Where I mark him down is 5th tackle options in the opposition red zone.
We don't get many chances, I'm not looking for 100% success rate, just something better than 5-10%.
He also doesn't have a running game, a half without a running game is always passing.
He is a genuine half that is a positive, but I am not seeing much to suggest that he will ever be more than average.
Maybe he is just too young.... if he is under 20 he may just he physically and mentally under prepared.

mmmmm....... composure and direction in attack.

He seems to be lacking in confidence as evidenced by his second conversion attempt. I do think he  is okay and I doubt anyone would critcise his role in the first try of the year against Newcastle. He has been given virtually no support on the 5th tackle kicks...9 times out of ten we have virtually no chasers.

I  was happy to give him a shot, 8 rounds is a shot.
Maybe he is the best option, if that is true, we need to tough it out.
But we are the last team in the comp that can afford poor 5th tackle options.
I also am not seeing the level of organising I was expecting.
That was high completions, and well placed kicks, I know it isn't easy kicking behind our pack but Averillo is doing a much better job of it.

The attack looks a bit better organised this year, but it is odvious we are practicing moves with the halves and fullbacks linking. 
He did throw some good passes particularly week 1.
Anyway if the coach and fan consensus is to give him more time, I'll roll with that.
But my instincts are telling me it is a hard slog from here, I will be surpised if we see improvement anytime soon, perhaps at all this season.

It is called having an opinion that is what fans do, and opinions change.
A player can always change my opinion.

And you’re entitled to it and can change it as many times as you like. I just don’t want anyone claiming they always knew better (and no I’m not pointing a finger at you), because it’s easy to find out.

Bottom line is though, the player everyone saw at The Roosters is still there... somewhere. He’ll either come back or he won’t. Deny him the opportunity and we’ll never know.

To be clear I still think he was a good signing and that he deserved first crack this season.
Lewis and Cogger had shown that they were not up to it.
Wakeham is an unknown quantity who IMO should be getting a lot more chances so we can see if he has potential.
That is the list, there are no other contenders.
If we call Wakeham a .5 we have 1.5 options that is better than .5.
I would like to see us take a gamble on. 5 sometime soon.
Getting dropped shouldn't be career ending, sooner or later NRL players need to be mentally tough and prove the critics wrong.

I am not sure what I posted but I always welcome new signings, and hope that they work out, especially when position vacant is flashing.
Playing for the Roosters is completely different to playing for us.
When a team is performing badly good players stand out.
Against the Eels, that list was Renouf, Ava, Meaney and Averillo, it wasn't just Flanagan many of the team didn't aim up when the going got tough.
I am not saying it is easy, it isn't, but the teams at the top have players who aim up when the going gets tough, and we need that from most players at least 50% of the time.

What I am noticing is that Elliotts brain farts seem to be coming from his attempt to get something started. Yes we are clueless at times and I think his heart is in the right place but he is not a ball playing back and it shouldn't be left up to him. Or maybe he shouldn't take the initiative because the tricky plays aren't his forte. It's a bit like the last 6 years when Tolman was left on the last  to take a hit up....... constantly......because no one else would.

Him and Thomson tried too hard against the  Eels.
If we start to play better, that will fix itself.
The coach needs to point out their errors, but lack of talent and lack of effort are not problems.

A critical turning point in the game was the Napa tackle on Moses after the kick.
Napa's injured shoulder may have contributed, that and the dropped balls meant we were always up against it.

The fight back was a positive as was the form of a few players and the overall effort.
Part of stepping up in tough games is making good decisions and not forcing the play.

That is why 5th tackle options are critical, when they are below average, more players make rash decisions in attack.

Seems to me Katoa and Dietz can both kick, I would like to see them try some grubber kicks close to try line. If can be a short soft kick or aim for the goal posts, both are easier at short range.

I just don't want to go through the motions this season and never improve. I am looking for improvement, not a ladder position.

I was just reading the injury list from all teams and at present there are 107 players on the sidelines for various lengths of time. 107, that's a lot of players and I'm wondering if it has any connection with the tinkering of the rules to speed the play up that V'landys is so wonderously seeking.

IMO yes to some extent and better handling of concussions.

When players are running faster with bigger collisions and more players are playing under fatigue more injuries are possible.

The wrestle also caused some injuries.

The best suggestion was posted here recently. Keep the current rules, but make the players play the ball properly

What I mean is that both AR and Cheese can play our style if needed and still do well but they are influential enough to change our style to a more 2020 version

Mate his kicking has been pedestrian at best.
Foran was a pretty average kicker too but Flano takes the cake. 

No height, no position, doesnt find space, doesn't test the receivers. Absolute garbage.

When the makeshift player in Katoa outkicks you 2 games in a row, and a rookie in Averillo constantly does better, you have to take a look 8n the mirror.

Other than that predicted inside pass back to a flat footed forward, he hadn't shown anything.

Reserve grade won 18-0.

All points scored in the first 11 minutes, I bet that doesn't happen often.

The cheese, yes. Reyonds, no. We don't need to go buying players willy nilly otherwise if they don't work your cap is stuffed and you have locked yourself up and in 3 or 4 years time you will be having exactly the same conversation.

We can offer the Roosters a swap for Walker and thow in Napa for free. 

Walker is a gun half.

Rocket Rod Silva is the only great Roosters reject I can remember, the Chooks usually come out ahead.

The game has moved away from just effort plays.
Brains and desire are the most important assets in the game today.

Any team with enough smart players can beat a top team on their off day.

It's harder now more than ever to beat a top team coz over the course of 80mins the rules favour their skill set and they will eventually convert it to points.

Sam Perrett was also a good acquisition.

Not as good as Rocket but good.

Both of them good blokes also.

Effort is the minimum requirement.

As we are a smaller team we need energy, line speed, good kick, good kick chase, hard running and execution.

Line speed, kick chase and hard running are all effort as is running decoys, support play etc.

Another requirement is reasonable defence.

Possession counts, dropped balls, and poor end of sets affect possession.

Lots to work on.