For me, our poor form over the last couple of months is due to our speed of the play the ball. It's been mentioned on here and Peter Sterling also eluded to it on Triple M the other day.
We've been absolute dog shit at getting off the deck quickly after a tackle. Whether it's our forwards backing into the opposition defensive line or Sivo and co having a little hissy on the ground, our ponderous ruck is allowing the opposition to dominate us and the likes of Moses are being completely nullified in attack.
Our sweeping backline plays have gone missing, line breaks have dried up, Moses' try assists are disgustingly low and we seem to only rely on the power game and offloads.
The game against Penrith for me was like the Covid-19 awakening. It was the most depressing game of the season. We had no answers to Penrith whatsoever. They where in our face the whole frigging game. The slow play the ball was on repeat and the monotonous 5 hit ups then Moses hoisting the ball down field only to be caught on the full by Edwards made me very ill.
The Eels have been playing off the back foot for too long and getting away with it against lesser or depleted sides but against quality opposition (Souths and Penrith) we're being sodomised and this will continue if changes aren't made.
If BA doesn't work this shit out (forwards giving our halves the platform with faster ruck speed) then it's gonna be another straight sets defeat in the finals.
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Agreed to some degree... however in the Penrith game the forwarded were rooted and gassed out due to the constant repeat sets of six which resulted in slower play the ball. I believe Penrith had double the completed sets of six a team normally gets in the first half.. damn six again rule.
Can’t wait for Friday. Won’t be happy unless Brisbane are smashed similar to end of last year
At the start of the year we were fast at dummy half, forwards doing hitups were catching the ball right next to the dummy half and making yards. Now the forwards are catching the ball a few metres back and barely getting past the last tackled player before the defence is in their face.
When the opposition has the ball our defence is not meeting them, whereas at the start of the year we were sprinting off the line.
It's that old saying, 'you've got to meet them to beat them' which appears to be lacking.
Most attack starts from the 9, Reed played well against the Warriors, he was engaging one of the markers, couple of darts.
He also needs to use his kicking game more often.
According to NRL stats, when we got belted by Souths 38-0 our play the balls were faster than theirs (3.3s vs 3.77s). What I would like to know is when the play the ball speed clock is started. Is it when the ref calls held?
I agree that our fowards haven't been the same as the start of the year in terms of attack. Obviously this impacts Moses, but still Moses runs way to horizontal and is apart of the problem in attack.
Poppa the apparent genius is not sure which of those 8 games we actually dominated, or played decent footy. Can you help him out and point out were and who we bashed. By the way i agree with you.
No.
I think our creative plays coming out of our own end are crap. Also Moses needs to take the line on more at the same time he needs to have the support. Lane needs a week off to rest. Matterson needs to harden the eff up and run hard and straight. Sivo needs to drop weight he’s too bulky to be an effective winger.
So you realy think players are playing shit because they believe we are already top 4.
Well fellas right now you could end up in 5th spot.But i doubt any players are thinking that way.
Year see where your coming from. Well tonight they need to find form and make a statement. Win by 6 or 20 as long as we start to play as a team. Hunt as a pack, bodies in motion and our spine clicks in to gear. I realy hope Reed stands up tonight.
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