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
TKBK you are showing yourself as being very asute, I think your observations of Guth are correct but I also believes he had mitigation in that we were so impotent through our backline last year that he thought he had to do it all....in essence he did.
I think you will see Guth in a much more supportive role and taking those options much less frequently, more like he had been in the previous year, when he should have won the Dally M.
"What we really needed against Penrith was something unpredictable in attack'.
..........or something less unpredictable ie: refs
Gutho should take a slight step back from the play making role and be more the fullback following through the middle seeing we are the kings of the off load. He shouldn't stop getting invloved in play making but not to the point that every team knows he is about to do the long pass to the winger because thats what always happens. I would like to see the team put a lot more set plays into their game plan because when busting up the middle isn't working the attack ends up side to side passes which allows the opersition to slide.
DB has a truck load of potentual but we need to see results. Both he and Moses need to be linking up on either side of the field and their running game needs to be used a lot more. Everything I have said has been spoken about numerous times by every NRL expert many times but what I don't understand is why it doesn't happen. DB is a good defender and that is great however he is part of our spine so attack is something he should excell in but his numbers in that regard are not that great. I'm sure there is a lot more he could do to spark our attack without loosing any edge in defence.
There were so many games where if we converted pressure into points the oppersition would have hardly touched the ball, but somehow we end up handing over the ball and in no time we are defending our line again. Another season on it's way so heres hoping we can get our attack firing and can put some big scores on the teams we should be putting big scores on.
That post was a joy to read Wongy......when will you people learn to understand change and why it happens. You sit around asking the question that everyone else asks and that equates to not being as stupid as stupid does. Look at our prime two dummies Chief and Mick, crawling out of one hole into another Dumb and Dumber were never more active!
You better than that poppa, give it a rest
I'm sending you Sydney's finest cheerleaders, no need to thank me
What we want from DB is for him to start having more influence in attack. He's got too much talent to play second string to Gutherson and Moses all game. We need him to attack the line, use his speed, add some flair and make the opposition second-guess. His lack of involvement is a coaching deficiency for sure.
a lot of what you say sounds rightish Wongy, however Reynolds decline in his ability to assist saw him let go by the club. Interesting.
I wonder if the Broncos were hoping they could get him to improve in that area and bolster their attack, mmmmmmmmmm i guess thats what we are hoping Dylan can do too. Improve !
Naive stuff BE, context and circumstances are not comparative.
Trial game against Panthers announced 5pm 26th February at Bluebet Stadium.
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