Its a long story and article but, makes for good reading. Could not Copy and Paste.
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More stuff to read
"Great point. I am not sure who it was who said it but i heard once that sometimes when you have a naturally gifted player coach, they fail due to believing what they do so naturally others should do as well. They don't understand that not everyone…"
"Hey Pops,
I know how you feel, you don't want to go in all guns blazing but don't think Bluey does either (won't speak for him)?
It may be a case of no one needing to be replaced, Pops? Maybe we just need an addition, someone who's skillsets really…"
I know how you feel, you don't want to go in all guns blazing but don't think Bluey does either (won't speak for him)?
It may be a case of no one needing to be replaced, Pops? Maybe we just need an addition, someone who's skillsets really…"
"Naturally gifted players make the worst coaches. Thats common knowledge. It's very rare that players who've never had to work hard to be the best can show others how to work hard to be the best. "
"No one. We're signing no one significant at all. They'll just spread the cap around so we're cap compliant but if you're after a big name I think you'll be disappointed. "
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Can't fault what you said Grunts, BA copped the criticism and now he had to cop the applause.
After reading the article and list of players let go, & not a small number were his recruits, the whole aspect of initial fair recruitments with players of fair (at best) quality and in most ways better than those let go, also the general instability with the club and we don't have to dig too deep to see the reasons behind those bad years and "if only" recruitments to see that BA only had two directions to head in. 1: Siberia, 2: Parradise.
I believe he got to Siberia in 2018 was a big learning year for him and for those players he both let go and kept from the earlier squads, the list showing the 2019 changes really highlights a real forward movement, and not just through those who played in those positions but the clubs review which included the coach being involved made for a big change. The cold of Siberia had a big impact on the club and team overall, and one only has to look at those numbers let go at end of 2018.
We lost quantity and gained gained quality, and was repeated for this season as well, but losing 4 medium quality players who had not shown much in their last year at the eels, then to gain only 2 primary forwards and a replacement half were good calls and the 2 forwards really have tightened the club overall, the best part is both are ex eels and return home. I don't really expect more of that but would not surprise me though.
Seems that there are more than able asssistants for BA as well much better than in the past. The overall article is on that I found good reading and one well processed by the writer of it, now, not just to maintain the line of where we are now but improve it.
Well said grunta.
I also think Mark O’Neill should get his fair share of the credit. He’s the one who has negotiated the team friendly contracts with Mitch, Gutho, Lane, Dylan, etc, plus the steals that are RCG & Waqa.
100% Brett. O'neils done a terrific job. He came in after the spoon into a tough environment and has excelled so far.
As much as the Gutho re- signing and a couple of others dragged on , he got the job done and good value.
Mahoney still unsigned thus far is his only blemish. He was much maligned on here when appointed but it's as a astute signing as any in recent memory. He deserves a lot of credit.
I was wandering at what stage he'd receive praise on here.
Agreed Coryn, i read a story where after a flogging in 2018 he sat on the same plane with Anasta. And Anasta had critisised the team quite a bit during the game and BA came up and asked what did he think we were doing wrong and what could we do to improve the side. Not many coaches would do something like that.
I have been critical of BA quite a bit over the years, but i have to give credit when credits due. He been involved with some excellent recruting after the failure of 2018 and has us playing some very exciting footy. He seems to have learnt rom his mistakes and was happily to admit he has made plenty of mistakes along the way. Not many coaches would admit to that either.
Alan, I doubt that even those who really hung on with BA over time, had more than a few doubts, and I include myself in that category but, only up to a point. That point line is that I agree that he was part of the mini show when the whole review took place which really brought out the various needs area and not just the players either.
We tend to forget or ignore the ground work that Gurr and Max had on their plates, in different ways though. The review I still believe had to happen, and the new constitution and board arrangements came as a result of those times, same as has been suggested with Mark O'Neils oppointment, being a skeptic at times I wondered about that appointment following his leaving the Tigers, but seems he fits the bill nicely and the whole club and those involved with the RL side of things are very much running like a well oiled and maintained machine.
After too many years of under achieving/performing I am more than pleased to see where the club is at, at the moment, & I doubt it will go back to those days either.
One other point in this is that BA is known to go around the junior areas which encourages the younger generations to play RL, Gurr did the same and to me it brings supporters to the club as well. We have lost a lot of players to other clubs but seem to be fitting well with those we have signed. The signing of RGC also was a top move, only 3 newbies and 2 have proven their worth, plus Matterson.
The biggest differance between the squad of 2018 and this year which has been catapulted us as a genuine contender from pretenders last year is SIZE and no dickheads.
I remember on several occasions our forwards being bashed big time in 2018. Bevan French and George Jenning being ragdolled into touch.
Dickheads that left. Kenny Edwards, Norman, Williams and Hayne.
Our forwards now not only have size but skills. Look at the ball-playing from Junior and Matto and their off-loads. The size of Lane, Waqa, Fergo and Sivo. Mitch Moses is no longer a turnstile. Dylbags probably has the soundest tackling technique in the club. Waqa and Fergo are pretty decent one-on-one defenders but struggle to stay on the same page as a defensive combo. If we manage to sort that out we won't having any obvious defensive weaknesses.
Champion teams have great defences. Look at the Storm and Chooks. Their defense is their foundation that leads to premierships. That's what we lacked but now possess. We just have to beat them now to get the monkey off our back when it comes to those two.
Coryn, good post and what you have said in the last paragraph is one of two concerns that I have, & both are fixable, the first is around the right side defence of Fergo and Waqa, they need to set their positions and tighten up their work there, Fergo needs to stay on his line and watch the play, often going in to help Waqa but has eyes only for the attack against the centre, with him facing Waqa, he is blind to the opposition winger who gets past him. Once that area is fixed he can then look to making his hard runs for tries.
The other aspect is the lulls in the game, a good example is the Raiders game, however they have been somewhat a bogie team for the eels. The changes for the coming game with the loss of Stone and Kafusi may be heavier than I would like it to be.
Good post Coryn and agree.
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