The team needs to change things up in attack in 2022 in order to improve on last season. There's been plenty of talk about our edge defence over the last couple of years, rightly so, it was the most glaringly obvious issue that needed to be addressed. We showed towards the end of the year that we could match it with the best teams. I'm hoping our defence against Melbourne and Penrith were signs that the issue has been rectified for good.
What we really needed against Penrith was something unpredictable in attack. I hear people mentioning our lack of X-factor and it got me thinking (which can be dangerous and obviously not for everyone).
What would an X-factor player bring to the team if we were to aquire one? Class is the first thing that came to mind. It doesn't look like we're getting any more class for 2022 with the squad now settled for the most part. Whatever class we have is already here and at our disposal.
Unpredictability is the other attribute that comes to mind for a player with X-factor. This is an area we can easily improve on with the set-up we've got right now.
I think changing Gutho's role in attack is the smallest change we can make for the biggest reward. Guth's go-to play is to slip into the backline and create an overlap, suck in a defender and throw a cut-out ball to a winger. He's been successful with this in the past, and to some extent, we needed him to be in order to take some responsibility off Dylan Brown. Now is the time to let DB off the chain. He should be playing both sides of the field in attack much like Cody Walker. This not only makes us less predictable but it frees Gutho up to play a floating support player, much like Pap or Turbo.
We have a forward pack full of players that can offload the ball (Paulo, Brown, Matto, Cartwright). Gutho needs to be following them and popping up for an offload rather than always inserting himself into the backline and being the playmaker. This makes both Gutho and Dylan more dangerous, creating more space and options for Moses (who we are actually paying to be the playmaker).
Unpredictability is not BA's strong suit, however I think it's his best option if we are to really threaten for the premiership next year.
I'd be interested to hear what others think and what else we can do for next year to improve our attack
Replies
What we really needed against Penref was a decent hooker.
Our starting hooker and back up hooker were out so we were stuck with a complete nuffie who had no right to be in that game.
He also did a lot of good things in that game. If Penrith did not cheat, we would probably see his role in a completely different light
"Gutho we needed him to do that, to take some responsibilty off Dylan Brown".
That will seriously do me ! . My god wake up peoples, Dylan Brown could not and i say this with all respect and love for the bloke as a player, he could not have had less responsibility in attack then he did. He literally created zero chances all year, He didnt win us any game with his attack, he didnt create and assist. He didnt even score trys himself. For gods sake Dylan must step it up, if he cant score himself he has to set others up and assist them scoring or at least line breaking. He is a 5/8 he is supposed to be in the middle of our attacking raids, making calls, scheming, setting things in motion, being creative and most of all scoring points or setting up points for the team. If anyone takes anymore responsibility off Dylan he might as well stay on the sidelines in attack and throw the ball back in when it goes out. On another note if Dylan was able to step up this year , Moses would benefit as the opposition defence would be in two minds, Currently Moses is operating under intense scrutiny from the opposition and with plenty coming at him and still stands up on most occassions.
Just for the record.
Dylan Brown 21 games - 4 tries, 2 try assists, 2 line break assists
Jake Arthur 7 games - 2 tries, 3 try assists.
That right there, if Dylan improves in attack we can be a force
Bluey, your a good commentator on here but you need to understand limitations and playing within them.
Whatever you think the fact was BA knew he had limited attack in the backline last year and built all our tactics around the pack and wearing down the oposition. The reality is that he no attack from his centres or wingers, Opie was and is just a Reserve Grader that can be a handy fill in. Waqar Blake had a disasterous first 3/4 of the year, he still cannot set up players. Penisini showed the glimpses of what will be different this year. Gutherson played most of last season with a groin injury and opposition figured that closing Moses and Guth gave us nothing....Brown is criticised but he played under instructions, second man off the ruck and a pass away from the try assist encumbent. Guth overplayed his hand in that respect. Brown has as much ability as anyone to score a try, easily after Moses our most dangerous ball runner, He is criticised as not being a play maker and this may be right i.e. he could be a centre or fullback with a licence to run. At presently that is not in BA's plans, so let that go (its been discussed plenty). We now also have Simmonsson, the fastest player in the club and a more mature Dunster, there is pace everywhere and yes Guth will still keep up.
When Jack Gibson came to Parra his previous stint was getting Newtown into the Semi's after being the wooden spooners the year before....he did this of the back of supurb defence from players with limited ability.
Now Jack takes over the Parra side and they became an attacking machine......... when interviewed after a game the journo asked why he was so tactically different between Newtown and Parra.....Jack in his laconic style said "because these boys can run"
So maybe Blue Eel before you start trying to rearrange the deck chairs, I think you will find that Parra this year with have an entirely different approach to attacking football, with the the exception of Waqar in the centres not being a creater I think we have enormous options and pace everywhere we did not have last year, including a much more subtle entry into the backs from Gutherson, it will not be surprising to me to see Gutherson reverting to the try scorer off the back of the break from our new backs than create something..... Dyllan Brown is a very good footballer, anyone that looks at those stats and thinks otherwise, don't both watching a game, just get up the next morning and read the scores and the stats.
FRankly he defensively held the side together on numerous occasions, you cannot do all the defence and the attack as well.
We will miss Papallii this year for his cover defence, mostly unnoticed, but our edge forwards do fcuk all in that respect, again our backs having some pace will mean we don't give up a try because we don't have anyone other than Dyllan to do the chasing......think about who is first or second through chasing a kick...Dyllan.....who is back in defence when we are chasing opposition ... Dyllan. Now we know that Guth is a good defensive fullback, who else is doing the cover?
I'll tell you, last year no pace to chase!
I don't think we were limited pops. We had million dollar Gutherson, Moses who is one of the top.paud halves. Brown who is supposed to be our 5/8 prodigy. Fergo nsw winger. Waqa who was supposed to be so good ba signed him for 5 seasons, so why are you saying we don't have the players. These players are the ones Arthur had built into the team, in nearly a decade at the helm. If these aren't good enough why did Arthur want them on long deals ? The fact is that ba is a bozo in the attacking department.
BA knew he had limited attack in the backline last year and built all our tactics around the pack and wearing down the oposition. seriously ?? What a load of BS,the backline is not limited the way they coached is one dimensional and limited - Brad has lots of support now, Ennis and Mary will add some football smarts around the team.
Lol chief that's look I get when I'm reading pops post.
lol
Chief you were right for a change......part of your opening sentence anyway "I dont think"
You an your juvenile mate come in (thats you Mick you dumbass) and talk about our million dollar backlline......Moses who broke his back after Origin (he must have been going all right), Brown who did all the cleaning up, who was suspended/injured and during this time we had JA in there running the halves....god help us, then we get to Waqar and our Origin winger Fergs who was dropped for half the season and had dodgy knees, Sivo who was only there when one of our gun centres passed it to him, Dunster (newby) on a wing and Gutho who carried a groin injury for most of the season. Throw in the black magic from Will Smith and everything I pointed out in my reply to Blue Eel was on board.....yes we had no bananas or pace, like I pointed out.
You two sit back there like Cheech and Cheong telling everything you know, which is bloody little and decide to look for blame, no semblance of fixing anything or any positivity other than Micks relentless drive to let JA captain the team!.....(so I took some licence).
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