Coaching issues

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The Nickman
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by The Nickman »

Hahaha why is Whitehead all of a sudden being lumped into the “not performing” category?

This is absurd stuff, even for the GH
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Hong Kong Raider »

The Nickman wrote: April 18, 2021, 6:35 pm Hahaha why is Whitehead all of a sudden being lumped into the “not performing” category?

This is absurd stuff, even for the GH
He had a poor game last night, but I recognise he was playing centre. He has been good in the first couple of rounds. Whitehead is the least of our concerns, but like Papa and Jack, hasn't been the usual high levels.
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Botman
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Botman »

No one in the team is playing close to their best bar Sutton
But I don’t even know what to say to people who think we should be dropping whitehead
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Hong Kong Raider »

I'm not suggesting we drop Whitehead, Papa, Jack or Hodgson, to clarify. In order for the team to evolve and for us to get better, changes need to be made. Everyone agrees with that. Croker, Bailey, Sia, and Havili haven't contributed much. FA to be exact. Others that have been dropped have come back much stronger - Dunamis and Sutton are two recent examples.

Kris, CHN (based on NSW Cup performance), and James deserve to be in the team from those who weren't playing Parra. Kris and James based on form shown this year. Semi is still raw and has mistakes, but if we want a speedy winger, let's play him now against Cowboys and not introduce him for a must win semi final game.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Ultima »

Hong Kong Raider wrote: April 18, 2021, 6:27 pm Good teams evolve and don't rest on their laurels. Look at Penrith - they were ruthless in getting rid of Mansour, a loyal servant. For the better. What did we do? Retain old players that are underperforming and add nothing. Even Roosters, relegating JWH on the bench this year for Lindsay Collins. They also add elements to their game to get better. Melbourne Storm evolved last year to become an attacking team in their own half - they shifted the ball early on their left hand side. Stuart's coaching is stale and doesn't evolve to take into account the new rule changes. He is a good passion coach that the players like but is devoid of ideas. I think the players - the good ones that are not performing like Papa, Jack, Whitehead, Hodgson, may be stale as they listened to the same voice and same ideas for so many years w/o success.
Which has always been his issue... It's like when he keeps a player on the bench when we are dead on our feet because he originally planned on injecting them in the last ten minutes so that's what he will do unless absolutely forced by injuries.

Every now and then Stuart comes up with an amazing game plan and destroys a team, but it's not consistent enough to forgive us playing at the level of our opposition... It's infuriating watching us just edge out a win against wooden spoon hopeful and then actually go toe to toe with a premiership favourite. We don't have to play down to our opposition every bloody week. We haven't put a team to the sword since 2019, it can't have all been Sezer's doing so why are we so afraid of going back to whatever we were training for then?

I remember saying years ago that I was worried, based on the evidence at the time, that the longer players are under Stuart the worse they get through over coaching. Seems to be coming true again... Drop the over complicated game plans and let some of our players play their own style, stop trying to tell them how you did it in the 1990's and expecting the same results as back then!
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Wiki Special »

Whitehead dropped? WOW. So we can play who there - serious question?
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Northern Raider
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Northern Raider »

Wiki Special wrote: April 18, 2021, 7:30 pm Whitehead dropped? WOW. So we can play who there - serious question?
I'll preface this by saying I do not believe Whitehead will be dropped nor do I condone such a move. In answer to your question however I say CHN slots in at left edge.
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Kryptonite
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Re: Stuart Issues

Post by Kryptonite »

GreenMachine wrote: April 18, 2021, 9:08 am
Botman wrote: April 18, 2021, 9:03 am We’re shopping off Whitehead now too?
:roflmao
Two weeks in a row missing easy tackles... barely any influence from the attacking side..

Starting to resemble Shaun Fensom...
Fensom, minus the penalties and the pointless crash balls
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BadnMean
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by BadnMean »

I'd quite like to see Whitehead and CHN in the 2nd row. Young bench lock/edge as needed. I'd settle for CHN on the bench and Young continuing at edge too though.

Backrow is the least of my worries. We've got a plodding back 5, a ridiculously unbalanced bench and two captains still trying to find anything like their best form. Backrow is going ok by comparison. Middles got towelled up by Parra but that's more an attitude adjustment needed imo.
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gerg
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by gerg »


Ultima wrote:
Hong Kong Raider wrote: April 18, 2021, 6:27 pm Good teams evolve and don't rest on their laurels. Look at Penrith - they were ruthless in getting rid of Mansour, a loyal servant. For the better. What did we do? Retain old players that are underperforming and add nothing. Even Roosters, relegating JWH on the bench this year for Lindsay Collins. They also add elements to their game to get better. Melbourne Storm evolved last year to become an attacking team in their own half - they shifted the ball early on their left hand side. Stuart's coaching is stale and doesn't evolve to take into account the new rule changes. He is a good passion coach that the players like but is devoid of ideas. I think the players - the good ones that are not performing like Papa, Jack, Whitehead, Hodgson, may be stale as they listened to the same voice and same ideas for so many years w/o success.
Which has always been his issue... It's like when he keeps a player on the bench when we are dead on our feet because he originally planned on injecting them in the last ten minutes so that's what he will do unless absolutely forced by injuries.

Every now and then Stuart comes up with an amazing game plan and destroys a team, but it's not consistent enough to forgive us playing at the level of our opposition... It's infuriating watching us just edge out a win against wooden spoon hopeful and then actually go toe to toe with a premiership favourite. We don't have to play down to our opposition every bloody week. We haven't put a team to the sword since 2019, it can't have all been Sezer's doing so why are we so afraid of going back to whatever we were training for then?

I remember saying years ago that I was worried, based on the evidence at the time, that the longer players are under Stuart the worse they get through over coaching. Seems to be coming true again... Drop the over complicated game plans and let some of our players play their own style, stop trying to tell them how you did it in the 1990's and expecting the same results as back then!
I almost agree with some of what you're saying here, but to suggest our game plans are over complicated? I feel the opposite is true. We're so hung up on completions (at times) that that is stifling our creativity because a) nobody wants to make an error and incur the coach's wrath, and b) we don't have the talent on the edges.

We are notoriously slow starters and despite our feeble memories we actually go through this stage just about every year. Even 2019, fans were gathering the pitchforks early in the season. Our team has come good before. I may be a little delusional but I hope we can turn it around again.

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Re: Coaching issues

Post by afgtnk »

BadnMean wrote: April 18, 2021, 9:27 pm I'd quite like to see Whitehead and CHN in the 2nd row. Young bench lock/edge as needed. I'd settle for CHN on the bench and Young continuing at edge too though.

Backrow is the least of my worries. We've got a plodding back 5, a ridiculously unbalanced bench and two captains still trying to find anything like their best form. Backrow is going ok by comparison. Middles got towelled up by Parra but that's more an attitude adjustment needed imo.
Last night seeing Hudson Young making a break courtesy of a Williams ball, only to arc his run right towards the touchline to be bundled out, instead of straightening to keep safe and find support, was the nail in the coffin for me. It was as if he'd never played the position before and the nature of the break came as a completely overwhelmed him.

I actually think that if he were to play edge longer term, he's not even suited to play on the right. Look at this natural running arc, the way he carries the ball. It's all of a left sided player. He's just not going to move Whitehead from there though. CHN needs to come in stat to give that right some balance and attacking flair, Young to the middle where he gave us that extra something in the middle that we're now missing.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Seiffert82 »

The guy puts a toe on the sideline after making a break on the edge and after being one of our best players all season the conclusion is that it's as if he has never played the position before.

Righto.
Last edited by Seiffert82 on April 19, 2021, 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Nickman
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Coaching issues

Post by The Nickman »

Yeah, I can’t get behind the whole “because he ran out he’s a **** second rower” narrative that’s being pushed by some here. Plenty of centres and wingers run out too, by that token are they all **** at their respective position?

Saying all that though, I’d be getting CHN back in the side right now for that added attack, particularly on the right where we’re struggling. Hudson Young goes back into the middle to accommodate him, but he’s hardly been a failure out wide.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by BadnMean »

afgtnk wrote: April 18, 2021, 10:14 pm
BadnMean wrote: April 18, 2021, 9:27 pm I'd quite like to see Whitehead and CHN in the 2nd row. Young bench lock/edge as needed. I'd settle for CHN on the bench and Young continuing at edge too though.

Backrow is the least of my worries. We've got a plodding back 5, a ridiculously unbalanced bench and two captains still trying to find anything like their best form. Backrow is going ok by comparison. Middles got towelled up by Parra but that's more an attitude adjustment needed imo.
Last night seeing Hudson Young making a break courtesy of a Williams ball, only to arc his run right towards the touchline to be bundled out, instead of straightening to keep safe and find support, was the nail in the coffin for me. It was as if he'd never played the position before and the nature of the break came as a completely overwhelmed him.

I actually think that if he were to play edge longer term, he's not even suited to play on the right. Look at this natural running arc, the way he carries the ball. It's all of a left sided player. He's just not going to move Whitehead from there though. CHN needs to come in stat to give that right some balance and attacking flair, Young to the middle where he gave us that extra something in the middle that we're now missing.
I did notice that actually and thought the same thing- physically he's probably got all the tools but his instincts are all middle. I don't think he's been a failure out there at all, it's just not his best position imo and yes, little things like that illustrate it. Yes many plyers go out but to me it looked like he just ran himself right out, it was positionally a bit naive. Looked like a makeshift edge forward error, not a guy unluckily bundled out when he had few other options.

Ricky has moved Whitehead 2 or 3 one side to the other over the years. He performs well at either, I tend to think the strong crash runner and offloads to feed off would suit Williams, who is a good backer upper and has a better short ball than we've seen.
Last edited by BadnMean on April 19, 2021, 8:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
LastRaider
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by LastRaider »

Have we hired an attacking coach yet? Or is Stuart still in charge of attack?


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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Botman »

Yeah i've been avoiding commenting on it but FINALLY he cracked the line in a typical edge situation and he absolutely had no idea what to do with himself. Just no instincts for the position with ball in hand and his athleticism isnt a point of difference the way it is in the middle.

He's a wonderful defender on the edge, no questions about that. And that's VERY valauble, particularly if he's in the squad because he is a straight up cover spot for that positon if we need it in game. He hasnt failed there, he's been very good, beyond that even, a shut down defender at times there. Thats great. But we are in desperate need of an a few x-factors, CHN might be able to give us one on the edge, and i KNOW Hudson Young is one in the middle.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by BadnMean »

LastRaider wrote: April 19, 2021, 8:26 am Have we hired an attacking coach yet? Or is Stuart still in charge of attack?


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Sometimes it doesn't look like anyone is in charge of our attack. :roflmao
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by GreenMachine »

Young is a way better middle, particularly in attack.
But Rick sticks him on the edge for 'defence'...says it all about how we approach games.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by papabear »

You can play attack in the middle and defend the edge....

Our middles use there juice in defence not attack anyways as we have a propensity for so many **** dummy half back runs.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by julian87 »

Not only is Hudson You g better in the middle but the team has been bereft of any point of difference in that rotation because he’s been on the edge.

This is a drum I’ve been beating since the pre seasons and the first 6 rounds have just underlined it. That up tempo quick feet lock has quickly become essential. Not only do all of the best teams have one (Yeo/Martin, Radley, Murray, Smith) but even the better coaches of ok teams have recognized this (Watson, Peachey, Tevaga).

Young playing 80 minutes at second row. 2 hookers on the bench. Soliola in first grade and CHN in reserve grade when you’re 3 and 3 is disgusting really. It’s stubborn and continually costing the team.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Pete Cash »

I am going to copy and paste a post I made at LU but add to it

What we should be asking is why are we getting belted in yardage every week when we apparently have a good forward pack. We have won the battle for metres once this year (against the tigers)

If you look at it on an individual level guys are putting in good shifts. Papalii had a quiet game against the tigers but has been up over 100m every other game. Tapine had a pretty sleepy return against Penrith but has been again consistently over 100m. Bailey and Rapana are normally getting pretty decent yardage out our end. Sutton just chews up metres for fun. All the other forwards have had good games scattered in there.

Its a team issue. We are giving the opposition way too much ball and way too much easy ball with our diabolical long kicking. Stick wants us to grind but thats a terrible tactic under the current interpretation of the game. I face palm every time we kick early straight down the fullbacks throat on tackle 3 and then check the possession and we have lost it again. Possession is king under the current rules.

Two areas that we are losing every week is possession and kick return metres and often we lose kick return metres by a pretty fair margin. This is while Rapana, CNK (and Aekins last week) and Bailey are getting decent to good yardage. What I suspect is happening is that the opposition is consistently kicking better than we are and finding grass limiting our kick return metres. We are consistently finding the fullback/wing on the full giving them a good chance to wind up and put the upcoming set on the front foot.

Ok this is fine we have bad long kicking. This cannot be changed on the fly by magic. Why then do we play to this weakness by kicking early ? It makes no sense. Its a weakness we should be doing everything we can to hide.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Leebola »

Pete Cash wrote: April 19, 2021, 9:34 am I am going to copy and paste a post I made at LU but add to it

What we should be asking is why are we getting belted in yardage every week when we apparently have a good forward pack. We have won the battle for metres once this year (against the tigers)

If you look at it on an individual level guys are putting in good shifts. Papalii had a quiet game against the tigers but has been up over 100m every other game. Tapine had a pretty sleepy return against Penrith but has been again consistently over 100m. Bailey and Rapana are normally getting pretty decent yardage out our end. Sutton just chews up metres for fun. All the other forwards have had good games scattered in there.

Its a team issue. We are giving the opposition way too much ball and way too much easy ball with our diabolical long kicking. Stick wants us to grind but thats a terrible tactic under the current interpretation of the game. I face palm every time we kick early straight down the fullbacks throat on tackle 3 and then check the possession and we have lost it again. Possession is king under the current rules.

Two areas that we are losing every week is possession and kick return metres and often we lose kick return metres by a pretty fair margin. This is while Rapana, CNK (and Aekins last week) and Bailey are getting decent to good yardage. What I suspect is happening is that the opposition is consistently kicking better than we are and finding grass limiting our kick return metres. We are consistently finding the fullback/wing on the full giving them a good chance to wind up and put the upcoming set on the front foot.

Ok this is fine we have bad long kicking. This cannot be changed on the fly by magic. Why then do we play to this weakness by kicking early ? It makes no sense. Its a weakness we should be doing everything we can to hide.
I'm not so sure it's 'bad' kicking, it's not great, but it's not bad. On Saturday it seemed to me the Eels always had both wingers and the FB at the back ready. They could afford to do that because they knew we weren't getting around them out wide, because we're so slow and their defence got up quick enough.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by julian87 »

Wighton’s long kicking is good besides the one out on the full a game. Williams’ is horrible though. Chip kicks straight to the back 3 every time.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by papabear »

Leebola wrote: April 19, 2021, 9:43 am
Pete Cash wrote: April 19, 2021, 9:34 am I am going to copy and paste a post I made at LU but add to it

What we should be asking is why are we getting belted in yardage every week when we apparently have a good forward pack. We have won the battle for metres once this year (against the tigers)

If you look at it on an individual level guys are putting in good shifts. Papalii had a quiet game against the tigers but has been up over 100m every other game. Tapine had a pretty sleepy return against Penrith but has been again consistently over 100m. Bailey and Rapana are normally getting pretty decent yardage out our end. Sutton just chews up metres for fun. All the other forwards have had good games scattered in there.

Its a team issue. We are giving the opposition way too much ball and way too much easy ball with our diabolical long kicking. Stick wants us to grind but thats a terrible tactic under the current interpretation of the game. I face palm every time we kick early straight down the fullbacks throat on tackle 3 and then check the possession and we have lost it again. Possession is king under the current rules.

Two areas that we are losing every week is possession and kick return metres and often we lose kick return metres by a pretty fair margin. This is while Rapana, CNK (and Aekins last week) and Bailey are getting decent to good yardage. What I suspect is happening is that the opposition is consistently kicking better than we are and finding grass limiting our kick return metres. We are consistently finding the fullback/wing on the full giving them a good chance to wind up and put the upcoming set on the front foot.

Ok this is fine we have bad long kicking. This cannot be changed on the fly by magic. Why then do we play to this weakness by kicking early ? It makes no sense. Its a weakness we should be doing everything we can to hide.
I'm not so sure it's 'bad' kicking, it's not great, but it's not bad. On Saturday it seemed to me the Eels always had both wingers and the FB at the back ready. They could afford to do that because they knew we weren't getting around them out wide, because we're so slow and their defence got up quick enough.
I agree with this and expand.

In general our plays don’t get much yards because we play so predictably you have a guy screaming out to make first contact two metres from the orb because the opposition knows there is no pass coming.

We need direct hits from forwards and width from forwards and backs.

Right now we have 3-4 dummy half runs maybe 1-2 forward conventional one of hits and a kick down the throat.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Leebola »

papabear wrote: April 19, 2021, 4:44 pm
Leebola wrote: April 19, 2021, 9:43 am
Pete Cash wrote: April 19, 2021, 9:34 am I am going to copy and paste a post I made at LU but add to it

What we should be asking is why are we getting belted in yardage every week when we apparently have a good forward pack. We have won the battle for metres once this year (against the tigers)

If you look at it on an individual level guys are putting in good shifts. Papalii had a quiet game against the tigers but has been up over 100m every other game. Tapine had a pretty sleepy return against Penrith but has been again consistently over 100m. Bailey and Rapana are normally getting pretty decent yardage out our end. Sutton just chews up metres for fun. All the other forwards have had good games scattered in there.

Its a team issue. We are giving the opposition way too much ball and way too much easy ball with our diabolical long kicking. Stick wants us to grind but thats a terrible tactic under the current interpretation of the game. I face palm every time we kick early straight down the fullbacks throat on tackle 3 and then check the possession and we have lost it again. Possession is king under the current rules.

Two areas that we are losing every week is possession and kick return metres and often we lose kick return metres by a pretty fair margin. This is while Rapana, CNK (and Aekins last week) and Bailey are getting decent to good yardage. What I suspect is happening is that the opposition is consistently kicking better than we are and finding grass limiting our kick return metres. We are consistently finding the fullback/wing on the full giving them a good chance to wind up and put the upcoming set on the front foot.

Ok this is fine we have bad long kicking. This cannot be changed on the fly by magic. Why then do we play to this weakness by kicking early ? It makes no sense. Its a weakness we should be doing everything we can to hide.
I'm not so sure it's 'bad' kicking, it's not great, but it's not bad. On Saturday it seemed to me the Eels always had both wingers and the FB at the back ready. They could afford to do that because they knew we weren't getting around them out wide, because we're so slow and their defence got up quick enough.
I agree with this and expand.

In general our plays don’t get much yards because we play so predictably you have a guy screaming out to make first contact two metres from the orb because the opposition knows there is no pass coming.

We need direct hits from forwards and width from forwards and backs.

Right now we have 3-4 dummy half runs maybe 1-2 forward conventional one of hits and a kick down the throat.
In summary, predictable and slow. Not a good combination...
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by LastRaider »

We have absolutely no structure in attack. And if you look at the team scattered across the park when we have the ball we are all contained within a 10m parameter


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Re: Coaching issues

Post by TongueFTW »

Our attack has relied on individual efforts for a long time, it’s nothing new. It is our defence that has fallen off a cliff. Some of the defensive efforts against the Warriors (regardless of extenuating circumstances), Panthers and Eels were simply not first grade standard. There is a very clear game plan against the Raiders. Kick to Rapana to get him out of Play 2, and hope Croker takes a hit up. That gives you ascendancy in the set. Gang up on the forwards who will go one out with little support, then pressure Wighton/Williams into a poor kick. Then, with the ball - target Hodgson for cheap post contact metres, and take advantage of our lack of lateral movement/speed on the edges (particularly when Havilii is defending there!).

Wighton has a good long kicking game (except for his kick out on the full a game), but he has been off so far this season. His kicking game put us on the front foot a lot of the time in 2019/2020, and got us out of trouble. Even in the GF, he kept the Roosters rucking out of their 10 for most of that game with some great kicking. He needs to put the time in again, do the extras, and bring himself into form. I wouldn’t mind him doing some of the dirty yards out of trouble, particularly the carry after a Rapana kick return (instead of Croker) - just to get him into the game and get his hands on the ball (but not enough to take too much juice out).
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Hong Kong Raider »

TongueFTW wrote: April 20, 2021, 8:10 am Our attack has relied on individual efforts for a long time, it’s nothing new. It is our defence that has fallen off a cliff. Some of the defensive efforts against the Warriors (regardless of extenuating circumstances), Panthers and Eels were simply not first grade standard. There is a very clear game plan against the Raiders. Kick to Rapana to get him out of Play 2, and hope Croker takes a hit up. That gives you ascendancy in the set. Gang up on the forwards who will go one out with little support, then pressure Wighton/Williams into a poor kick. Then, with the ball - target Hodgson for cheap post contact metres, and take advantage of our lack of lateral movement/speed on the edges (particularly when Havilii is defending there!).

Wighton has a good long kicking game (except for his kick out on the full a game), but he has been off so far this season. His kicking game put us on the front foot a lot of the time in 2019/2020, and got us out of trouble. Even in the GF, he kept the Roosters rucking out of their 10 for most of that game with some great kicking. He needs to put the time in again, do the extras, and bring himself into form. I wouldn’t mind him doing some of the dirty yards out of trouble, particularly the carry after a Rapana kick return (instead of Croker) - just to get him into the game and get his hands on the ball (but not enough to take too much juice out).
Good analysis, Tongue. CNK before he was injured would take one or two hit ups, Aekins made a lot of metres in his only game and looked good in the brief attacks he had. We need Kris in the team who adds both impact and metres. Scott played OK in his first two games so give him one more chance before Timoko is considered. Croker does try and take a hit up but makes few metres. Bailey if retained needs to get involved more. Havili does not deserve his place on the bench - always has an error in him and not a good defender laterally.
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by papabear »

TongueFTW wrote: April 20, 2021, 8:10 am Our attack has relied on individual efforts for a long time, it’s nothing new. It is our defence that has fallen off a cliff. Some of the defensive efforts against the Warriors (regardless of extenuating circumstances), Panthers and Eels were simply not first grade standard. There is a very clear game plan against the Raiders. Kick to Rapana to get him out of Play 2, and hope Croker takes a hit up. That gives you ascendancy in the set. Gang up on the forwards who will go one out with little support, then pressure Wighton/Williams into a poor kick. Then, with the ball - target Hodgson for cheap post contact metres, and take advantage of our lack of lateral movement/speed on the edges (particularly when Havilii is defending there!).

Wighton has a good long kicking game (except for his kick out on the full a game), but he has been off so far this season. His kicking game put us on the front foot a lot of the time in 2019/2020, and got us out of trouble. Even in the GF, he kept the Roosters rucking out of their 10 for most of that game with some great kicking. He needs to put the time in again, do the extras, and bring himself into form. I wouldn’t mind him doing some of the dirty yards out of trouble, particularly the carry after a Rapana kick return (instead of Croker) - just to get him into the game and get his hands on the ball (but not enough to take too much juice out).
This is very true.

But defence tends to get worse when nothing is happening in attack. Because your attacking sets seem to be over in 30 seconds and you are just defending and defending and seemingly getting deeper in your own territory.
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Ultima
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Ultima »

Well the super coach decided to drop Tapine, Soliola, and Simonsson out of the side and put Papalii on the, yet again, all forwards bench...

Stuart is basically betting that the same thing couldn't possible happen to us again... I don't get why he thinks our forwards are so unfit we need four on the bench when most other teams carry a back for insurance. He almost religiously "saves" one player for a random 7 minute run anyway( by the time we have either already lost or already won the game) so this tactic just makes ZERO logical sense!

Does Stuart have house and car insurance, or does he just assume he will never need it?

I also don't get how James was so out of form he dropped from last week, but now goes straight into the starting lineup? I mean I agree he should be, but if Stuart agrees, why was he dropped last week? Is he just rotating forwards for the hell of it against premiership contenders now? Or is he considering the Cowboys and easy win so this is his rotating in now?!?! I just don't get the concept behind any of it...
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by The Nickman »

Jesus Ultima, James was dropped last week for medical reasons after being knocked out two weeks in a row. Calm the **** down.
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-PJ-
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by -PJ- »

Ultima wrote: April 20, 2021, 5:49 pm Well the super coach decided to drop Tapine, Soliola, and Simonsson out of the side and put Papalii on the, yet again, all forwards bench...

Stuart is basically betting that the same thing couldn't possible happen to us again... I don't get why he thinks our forwards are so unfit we need four on the bench when most other teams carry a back for insurance. He almost religiously "saves" one player for a random 7 minute run anyway( by the time we have either already lost or already won the game) so this tactic just makes ZERO logical sense!

Does Stuart have house and car insurance, or does he just assume he will never need it?

I also don't get how James was so out of form he dropped from last week, but now goes straight into the starting lineup? I mean I agree he should be, but if Stuart agrees, why was he dropped last week? Is he just rotating forwards for the hell of it against premiership contenders now? Or is he considering the Cowboys and easy win so this is his rotating in now?!?! I just don't get the concept behind any of it...
Hey Ultima, hope yr well.

RJames has had consecutive head knocks 2 weeks straight and was rested.

Other than that..I’m hearin ya..
3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment..Old Faithful
#emptythetank :shock:
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by Ultima »

OK, sorry I didn't hear about the concussion thing. I assume he was just being Stuart as the NRL website for some reason never bothered listing he was injured, it listed "Ryan James (rested, round 7)". It also didn't have Simonsson there but they just updated it... Sometimes I forget how **** they run their website...
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by gangrenous »

The Nickman wrote:Jesus Ultima, James was dropped last week for medical reasons after being knocked out two weeks in a row. Calm the **** down.
Saw a few people missing this one over the last fortnight...
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Re: Coaching issues

Post by mick63 »

TongueFTW wrote: April 20, 2021, 8:10 am Our attack has relied on individual efforts for a long time, it’s nothing new. It is our defence that has fallen off a cliff. Some of the defensive efforts against the Warriors (regardless of extenuating circumstances), Panthers and Eels were simply not first grade standard. There is a very clear game plan against the Raiders. Kick to Rapana to get him out of Play 2, and hope Croker takes a hit up. That gives you ascendancy in the set. Gang up on the forwards who will go one out with little support, then pressure Wighton/Williams into a poor kick. Then, with the ball - target Hodgson for cheap post contact metres, and take advantage of our lack of lateral movement/speed on the edges (particularly when Havilii is defending there!).

Wighton has a good long kicking game (except for his kick out on the full a game), but he has been off so far this season. His kicking game put us on the front foot a lot of the time in 2019/2020, and got us out of trouble. Even in the GF, he kept the Roosters rucking out of their 10 for most of that game with some great kicking. He needs to put the time in again, do the extras, and bring himself into form. I wouldn’t mind him doing some of the dirty yards out of trouble, particularly the carry after a Rapana kick return (instead of Croker) - just to get him into the game and get his hands on the ball (but not enough to take too much juice out).
I reckon you are right re the tactic of roosting the ball down to the Rapana side.
Whether something was mentioned or Rapana decided himself but I noticed him throwing at least two 15 passes back inside to Aekins to get the ball into the middle and thereby alleviating the uninspiring Croker second tackle dirty hit up.
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