Well, I like many others on here ventured out to ANZ last night full of anticipation - and like many others I left totally disappointed.
I remember turning to my mate (Mattas Mattas, another member on this great site) at around the 35 minute mark and making comments to the effect of "who the feck is coaching this side. Look at us, were a rabble. Do they know what the feck they are doing. This is fecking ridiculous" and so on . . . . He told me to settle down - as he always does :)
Not more than 40 minutes earlier our team was being read out before kick-off. The first three mentioned were Bev, Semi and Jenko - three athletic freaks who can conjure up magic at the blink of an eye. The list went on - Normie, the dally M contender and future elite half - Manu, Scott - tough, uncompromising, brutal. How could we loose? This team has boundless athletic ability, experience, talent - ability that some other clubs can only dream about.
Anyway, back to reality - it dawned on me at about 35 minutes in - the Sharks looked composed, they looked smart, they looked like they knew what they were doing. We looked like a poor excuse for a Wenty side - we were flustered and we were making mistakes that were usually reserved for the under 10's - or younger.
My mind drifted back to a game we played at ANZ early last year - The Tigers - on paper, and on the balance of ability, our side was vastly superior to thiers - but we were out of sorts and struggling. None other than Kieran Foran stepped up - and he did what we bought him to do - he took control. Smart plays, intelligent ends to sets, composed decisions. He cast an eye over what was going on, decided what was needed to be done, and single handedly strangled the Tigers out of the game. He even allowed himself to be tackled on the 6th on numerous occassions because he was satisfied with where the ball was and felt he had things under control. It was a master class.
For reasons we all know too well Foran is an Eel no more, but what was glaringly obvious last night, and the week prior for that matter, was that when he walked out he took alot of footballing IQ. with him - and the fact of the matter is we haven't replaced him.
Norman is a great player but is he, or will he ever be, an on-field general - like Thurston, Cronk - or Foran? I have my doubts.
This team of ours has more natural ability than it will ever need - but it lacks a "brain".
Last night showed that we need someone to harness that ability and steer it to victory. My God, how can a team with Semi, Bev and Jenko in it score just one try in about 140 minutes of football??
If Maloney was playing for us last night we would have won - he pushed buttons when he needed to, he held back when he needed to - he had his team (and ours) on a string.
BA - if you read this - you need to find yourself a play maker mate - an on field general. I fear that until you do we will merely be a superb physical specimen with shite for brains.
Cheers :)
Replies
We definitely need another half of quality, we need some genuine plan B's at hooker and half.
Let the talented crew rely on their spontaneity with someone steering the ship with good strategy
We also need a clean out of a few fringe and older players, we need some new energy and blood.
hahaha - thanks for your input.
Supporters have the right to "carry on" about a couple of losses - particularly when one was against a woefully under strength Titans outfit.
You do understand that this is a footy forum site for Parramatta and thus, after a loss - punters will want to, and are indeed encouraged to, give their 2 cents worth.
You totally and completely missed the point and thrust of my blog.
I'm starting to get the impression that you may be a fucking halfwit.
Spot on. This is why we have struggled for 30 years. No real footy IQ since Sterling
That would be the point of it bug, nobody wants to buy worse players that we get rid of.
As for 5/8th let's give Guth till mid year but I think his time in the halves will prove we need someone better there.
He can play center.
Looks like we need to make so changes, not wholesale but definitely some tough ones.
Spot on Kram.
A smart half and or hooker, with Norman at 5/8 and we'll be on our way.
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