Its hard to get excited about a new season coming off what can only be described as the season from hell-but-I'm donning the unicorn cap and looking for positives to rally some excitement for 2019.
Here's the positives:
a) Our own home ground-say no more. This in itself has to count for a few wins in tight games built on a stadium where our fans will be heard by our players and the referees
b) Michael Potter and Rip Taylor. Potter's coaching career doesn't look the best on paper but dig a bit and you'll see he's performed in dire circumstances in England.
Rip Taylor-the best bit of news/signing we've had in a long time. He will bring success to our reserve grade team and have them knocking on the door for first grade spots-something we haven't seen in a long time
c) Junior Paulo-will bend the line and get our attack going forward
d) Shaun Lane-Scored 9 tries alone last year. Manu Mau topped the try scoring list for our forwards with 3. Aside from Mau a vast majority of our forward pack lined up for the prestigious no try nudie run in 2018. Lane hits holes and runs good lines
e) Ferguson-led the stats in a number of areas of attack across all clubs-most notably post contact metres, running metres and total runs. We missed Semi more than most of us thought possible but it goes to show the importance of a winger in today's game. I'm sure that part of the opposition's game plan against Parra this year was to kick long early and why not. As long as the chase was good they were able to dominate our smaller backs in dominant tackles and we'd begin a set on the back foot.
Plenty have suggested this is part of the reason our halves didn't perform this year and its hard to argue based on stats alone. Our post contact metres were the worst in the comp and they received the ball under pressure in most sets.
In 2016 the Roosters finished 15th with 6 wins. 2017 they finished 2nd and we all know the story this year. They did it with the same coach they had in 2016 and made changes in key positions-notably Tedesco, Keary and Cronk.
Moses and Norman are confidence players. Their confidence was shot to ribbons early in the piece and they never recovered. 2019 is a chance to right the wrongs on the back of what hopefully looks like some better go forward.
We are pinning a hell of a lot of expectations on Mahoney at a young age. He responded well this year but it would be nice to have a recognised no 9 in place who could ease the pressure (Kaysa is too injury prone unfortunately).
Hope this helps generate some enthusiasm for 2019-it has to be better than the year that was.
Replies
I was getting a little enthusiastic until you pointed out that The Roosters had to add a potential immortal, a NSW Origin Star / Australian international and a premiership winning half before they could win a comp . All of course on top of their already stellar lineup of talent .
The teams attitude in the 2018 season had a lot to do with the outcome of the season. They looked like they were trying hard, but the issue was that they were all trying to do it on their own. Taking on a team sport on your own isn't a good idea & it showed with the way they just didn't seem to gel. I can't believe that BA didn't have the game plan in place so, it was just that they went away from it whenever it got tough, so all opposition teams needed to do was turn up the heat a bit & watch us crumble. With the additions we have coming in & you would have to think, a much better focus on team cohesion we should do a lot better next season. It's a strange game & there are so many factor's that can change a teams fortune. The fact that we used more players than any other team in 2018 dose come into play. Simple things like goal kicking will make a huge difference when you look at how many games were lost by goal kicks in 2018. I'm looking forward to a much better season in 2019.
Nailed it Jim
we had troubles over kenny edwards and moses and cory which i guess went back.
now it said parra needed more friendship and bonding ,now all 36 players and brad and staff went on a bus trip for a week, to find there missing friendships, they had a 3am training run, with steam coming from there over heated bodies.
there went paint balling dressed as marines, that looked fun and games.
and then they went farming with real sheep, its all on the eels website for all loyal fans to see.
well we hope that this works with the team unighted at last, a team that will work together and back your mates, as far as we can tell,no one was tossed off the bus..its a great start to pretraining...
yes the review really told us all the real picture on parras 2018 season, it all started from the top, max and bernie and ended with the wooden spoon.
now every player in our club, must be friends and must prove them selfs that they care for there friends at our club, and will back there eels mates ,on the field and off.
unlike cricket australia who's lastest game by new coach langer, plan to improve is as long as your good blokes its ok to lose game after game, as long as fans think your good blokes who care for others, winning now with the aussie cricket team is out the window it seems, no more mouthing off , no more bumbers , and no more being the big bad players of the past, forget bright younger players as long as your friends with langer there new coach who just love's losing, i just hope that the eels dont follow langers coaching and record as coach of australia it sucks...hes having a night mare start to coaching the aussie teams and hes coaching staff would rather play crosswords when the games on......brad has a great chance here, friendship is ok, winning will save hes arse big time.
go the eels...we are still fans looking for better.
How many times have you worked with sheep Robert? You should try it one day and might learn something as its not an easy coasting in a jumper either.
That Shaun Lane's a big drink of water.
He must be 7 feet tall.
well im over the top excited now, im off to shag my missus
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