Sterlo's Analysis 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6VKPHTaTQA&t=130s

Related Part = 1:20 - 6:40 

Throughout the video, Sterlo highlights:

  • the flaws of our defenisve system (how it is too compressed)
  • the poor decision making of the inside defenders
  • why we need to use the touch line as a 'defender'
  • poor communication (Fergo jamming in while Opacic slides)

“Outdated” Defensive System?

As BA says himself, eels are a power-based team. Therefore, we are not only a power team in attack but also defense. Obviously winning the ruck is integral for defence for all teams, however it is even more crucial for eels. Because we are so compressed in defence, when teams dominate us through the middle and get quick play the balls, they are able to spread the ball out quicker which exposes our compressed defence. The fact that we struggle to slide, and Fergo jamming in shows how we struggle to adapt as soon as we lose the middle and teams attack our edges.

Thus, could argue that BA's defensive system has not adapted since the 6 agains?

BA's systems make sense for the old rules because you could give away a penalty to reset the defensive line. However, with the 6 agains its harder to stop momentum and speed of the game which exposes our 'outdated' defensive system. Perhaps I am overreacting?

Right Edge

I think D Brown back this week will really stiffen that’s side defence. He can make 1 on 1 tackles and slide quickly in the defensive line or cover defence. I hope Blake doesn’t compress too much next to D Brown because it may cause Dunster to panic and jam in (like Fergo does). They need to trust each other. Hopefully Blake’s combination with Dunster is as good as last year’s game against the bunnies.

One Out = Tired Fowards

It is no surprise that this year and last year our forward were smashing other packs early in the year. However, the constant one out and the high minutes are starting forward pack plays wears them down. Our forwards really need a rest and a change of game plan because they are getting fatigued from the constant gang tackling. You rarely see Paulo isolated against a defender. Therefore, our forwards are gaining less meters and their first contact in defence is poor which allows teams to roll up the middle and gain momentum easily. Despite the high work rate our forwards endure, some of them need a rev up (Paulo, Matto, Lane).

One Out = Shit Meters From Back End 

Our wingers and centers continue to get smashed if they do one out from the back end. Teams just compress their defence and man handle players like Sivo. Simple plays than can isolate a defender against Sivo would help provide meters from the back end.

Attack

I am not too concerned with our attack. I think it's an easy fix.

  • No more one out. Use our offloads. Play like the end of the south's game. Attack from our own half.
  • Run Mitch run - lethal runner of the ball. Ran once against South's and caused a line break. Never saw him run again. Just look at his running game against the warriors in the first 30min. Exceptional.
  • Play more direct not sideways. At the start of games, we always go sideline to sideline.
  • Use our kicking game to score. We have scored many tries of kicks this year because we have good targets. People say that they only scored of kicks, but against the best teams tries are normally scored of them. So, use them well.
  • Mitch and Dylan need to touch the ball more regularly inside 20m. Just watch Cleary and Luai.

Line Up This Week

Blake & Dunster combination

I think BA put Dunster and Blake together based on the Rabbitoh’s game during the final series. They defended really well together. They suit each other's style because they both like to rush out of the line to stop the ball, but also slide when necessary. 

Why Not Niukore at Centre?

I think BA wants to try his options during the regular season before using Niukore as a centre. He knows Niukore can do the job if required come finals time, but since it is not do or die yet, if BA can find someone else that can do the job it will help BA a lot of as Niukore can go to his preferred role of a mid/edge player. 

At full strength, for this year, I support the edge of Moses, Opacic, Sivo. D Brown, Niukore, Blake/Fergo (given he went well with Niukore earlier this year). Next year, if Penesini is ready he can take Niukore centre spot so Niukore can move to his more preferred mid/edge role. Then Blake can play on the wing after a full pre-season there. Then bye bye Fergie Ferg.

Dropping Waqa Blake?

Well obviously, Fergo has been rested this week because he is not named in the NRL or reserve grade side. But a lot of people here also want Blake to be dropped. Firstly, he defended well against bunnies. Just one missed tackle (although a horrible tackle) and 22 completed tackles. He defended well with Dunster against bunnies last year and if this combo goes really well, then how good would that be? Niukore can continue to provide impact of the bench. Worst case scenario, BA can go back to the Niukore and Fergo combination since he knows it has worked. But given Niukore is useful in other positions, if BA can find a combo just as good, no need to avert to the Niukore and Fergo combo.

Is Fergo The Scapegoat?

Somewhat. There was some shit defence inside of him that left him with no option on a couple of the tries. I would say though, when he jams in, he needs to try be quicker to ensure the ball does not get past him. Needs faster reaction, however the problem started way before him in some tries. There were also a couple tries where he jammed in when Opacic was sliding. I don't mind Fergo being dropped. His knees needed a rest. If Fergo comes back in the team, I think it can only be with Niukore inside of him. I don't see or think eels should resign him.  

BA’s Coaching Career

I think most of us here love BA for what he has done to the club. He looks like a really hard worker for the club. However, I and most of this community question whether he has the knowledge himself and the staff around him to take us to a premiership. Kidwell (defensive coach) is coming under a lot of scrutiny for our defensive system so should he be removed from the club? If BA does have the faith of the board, surely, we need to get him better assistants around him.

P.S Anaylsis on each try scored against us in rd 12 will be uploaded tomorrow. Just wanted to release this part before it was too late. 

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  • BA looked a beaten man at that presser last week. I think all 3 coaches should be moved on, much as I like BA as a bloke, but unfortunately, we have BA next year too, unless we show him the door early, although I don't think we have anyone at our club who is strong enough to do that.

    In relation to BA's assistants. There has been talk previously on here that BA doesn't appoint assistants who he would know would be a threat to his job. Maybe they are right, as Kidwell would not get a gig anywhere else, and as for Murphy??????????

  • Sterlo's critique has been consistent:

    - too much one-out running from their own end. I would add that this not only sees the Eels struggle for territory against good line speed and good first contact, but might simply fatigue the players. Is it a coincidence the Eels have fallen flat 2 seasons in a row? Exactly the same problems? BA in my opinion is using the whip when he needs to use the brain.

    - last year Sterlo said Fergo was standing back too far late in the tackle count, inviting the run but being in position to neither get up to stop the play or drop back to defend corner kicks. I did not hear Sterlo blame Fergo for jamming in. The issue in his still frames was the inside defenders not pushing out, JA not taking anyone, and Opacic lacking peripheral vision. This suggests Fergo is the scapegoat, at least for fan critique, because it's not clear if BA dropped or rested Fergo (not named in reggies). 

    I have been saying for a while that BA's defensive system out wide relied too much on the unique defensive vision of MJ, who always made the right read (jam or slide; which player to take). Waqa has never been capable of it. As Sterling notes, the Eels do not use the sideline as defender. This deficient defensive system gets exposed by quality rushing attacks, specifically 5/8's who go right to the line or FB's with quick hands or feet. 

    I personally will not put much stock in BA shuffling the deck chairs and the Eels securing a win over the Knights. Against better teams, BA's systems don't work. It's BA who needs to change if the Eels are to improve. 

    • I agree with you, his time is up and he should move on. 

  • Niukore is desperately needed in the middle this week anyway with Paulo out. 

  •  Re Fergo - i find it hard to believe that a winger is the root cause of our defensive problems...  We have had issues for the past several years when we have played the Bunnies, why haven't our "brains trust" i.e. BA, DK and whoever else come up with a plan to stop them.  Seems to me to be a coaching issue.. 

    • If one looks at most teams, the aspect of the jamming in is there as well, difference is that they hold back until the last, the root area of where Sterlo talks about is that there are inside players, primarilly with Matto, & JA in these games especially the one against the bunnies.  There was that was highlighted where the eels had players scrambling and getting in each others way. Opi read the bunnies play but also came in from his side, which left 3 souths players facing up to Opi and Fergs, one of which was a decoy runner, who was Opi's main watch, he also had to watch the inside player that passed the ball when Fergs came in, leaving the gate open.

      The previous game was similar with the side being squashed together, at times I saw Fergs starting to move in/jamming towards his centre partner who was also going in, this left Fergs not focussing on the danger man in the opposition, as soon as fergs went in, the ball was passed and try scored.

      Other times in the previous game also was there was at least 3 defender bunched together, we had a rookie in JA in that spot on both games as well.

      The roles as Sterlo highlighted was that the eels positional defense was ok as there was the same number of defenders to the attacking players, we had to keep that line opposite each other, the aspect when JA ran around at the back packed that area with too many players, Sterlo showed it better than I can explain.  

      I would like to know how many tries have been scored down that side this year, even what Blake was not there, not as bad as we are now but bad enough.

      • I would argue that Opi didn't read the play at all, he didn't identify the man out the back..  by him coming in on JA's man left JA with nothing and Fergo with a 2 on one.  I think Sterlo was making the point that the players didn't know what to do in certain situations, that responsibility falls squarely on the coaching, not on a winger.

        Contrast that with the Bunnies who you could tell had a plan to shut down our attack when Gutho is 2nd receiver and the ball is heading right.   From my recollection (a bit foggy) there was at least 2 times when the Bunnies read what was happening and a defender came out of the line and smashed Gutho just as he received the ball, they knew what to do in certain situations.

        I'd be dropping DK before Fergo.

         

        • Because Arthur was so passive and doesn't slide well, Opacic always felt that he needed to mark his inside. Arthur need to be up with the defensive line. But Opacic was also at fault on some occasions. 

          • Funny how we are talking about the inside men, but the outside one was dropped. 

            • Well technically, the outside and inside men were dropped/made way. JA and Fergo out. Dylan and Dunster in.

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