I love the bloke but last two games when it really mattered he went hiding.
And if you watch the press conference BA eluded to it without naming names.
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The free-falling Eels are staring down the barrel of another nail in their season’s coffin. They sit like ducks in the target arrow of the public's microscope just waiting to dissect their ANZAC performance.
Despite the Eagles superior position…
The free-falling Eels are staring down the barrel of another nail in their season’s coffin. They sit like ducks in the target arrow of the public's microscope just waiting to dissect their ANZAC performance.
Despite the Eagles superior position…
"Sanders defence in the halves is actually better than Hands. NSW Cup stats would back this statement up as well. Hands is actually a poor defender in the halves. He is barely cup quality in cup. Hands is an out and out hooker in my opnion."
"I see hands on the bench as coverage for sanders in case his defence doesn't hold up rather than just to relieve lussick."
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Does go missing when the games are tuff or we are loosing or if he does get involved throws stupid passes and rubbish kicks. No where near a top class player. Never see quality halves like Sterling, Johns, Cronck, Langer just to name a few go missing or crack under pressure when the game gets hard or the team needs a lift. Mosses has ability but has a long way to go to be a top half.
I was at the game last night. Had a great night, heaps of Eels fans around. A few drinks at the Transcontinental, a nice dinner and really enjoyed the game. I liked the Blue and Gold banners hanging off that pub on Caxton Street.
Yeah Moses was fairly average last night, some of his kicks were poor. Our left side attack were given plenty of opportunity but things just didn't work out. Dylan Brown also didn't have a great night but that's footy. He is a special talent and we just have to be patient with both our halves.
We certainly had several opportunities but just failed to capitalize. Blake and Ferguson will be lethal once they get a bit of game time up together.
Kane Evans was super impressive, really hit his straps in the last few weeks. As the other blog eludes to, when Junior and Evans go off we seem to go backwards a bit. I guess this is where next years recruitment plans lie.
I'm really looking forward to next weeks game against Manly.
No complaints from me Tad, as I said I had a great night and the team is going fine IMO. There is plenty of upside to what we’ve already got, just some fine tuning is all that’s needed.
That was just a quick summary of my thoughts, cheers.
We have 2 young halves one of them quite young in DB, who I believe is still playing hampered with his back, hopefully a full off season with minimal contact training before the trials next year will see him given a full clear and should help the halves situation.
As for MM, he has said he's had good help from Sterlo, but while Sterlo is a good commentator and has a good view of the game its a while since he's played, I would like to see MM get some coaching from one of the more recent retired half back, in the end I'm not sure that he needs a lot of coaching but the primary area of concern is the need for more variation in his overall game play especially his kick options, they are too predictable, other aspect of that is that too many are kicked for distance and our defence does not get to the ball taker in time to be effective in tackles.
I would also like to see some changes in the assistant coach ranks next year.
He is the Eels go to man. Has the highest try assists in the nrl. This makes it easier for the defence. It makes him easier to single out and mark.
Having said that the last two games have not been his best.
John, good points as him being the go to man and highest try assists, the aspect that he is well marked shows why we need the other half in Dylan to also be involved in the kickin duties, not sure he's up to any of the hard kicks and how it may impact his back, but Gutho could be one to come in and do some kicking as well. What of Blake didn't he nicely place a kick not far back and score off it?
What is being seen atm with him is the same style as he was doing last year where there was little or no variation in the kicks. Is he trying to play his hand too much or over thinking it? For such a vital and important role, there is need of variation, while he's basically a rookie in many senses as far as the leading of the teams attack, while hes still only 24, turns 25 next month its young for his position and role so there's a lot of room to improve and learn how to read a game.
So easy to Blame the halfback and or the coach.... mmmmmmm 40 missed tackles or something i heard....and some 50/50 calls against us....Its a Team sport where we are coming from Wooden Spooners to Top 8 and pushing a lot of sides with basically the same team. Yep we got problems but none that cant be fixed with a couple of hard head origin quality forwards and perhaps some experience to our spine. Gutho / Mahoney / Brown and Moses will all benefit with experience. We must have the youngest spine in the comp, but im only guessing. I dont think any except moses with one game have any NRL finals experience.
Get off the Moses bashing !!!! He is an awesome player, and will continue to get better. Especially when the 5/8, and dummy half take some pressure off him with options and keep the opposition guessing. The way it is now they know exactly who is gong to get the ball at or near the last and when we start an attacking raid.
Options or lack of options is whats missing !!!!!!!
BE, I am not into MM bashing at all if you are directing that at me. I have repeated what I have said elsewhere regarding some areas of his play, and also acknowledge the amount of times he has been the match winner for us with his kicks and plays. He has had pretty good variations in many matches but also some totally opposite games as well, those games are ones where we have often lost, the two missed goals last night were a reason why we lost and not THE reason, each team has 17 players and everyone contributes to the end result, win lose or draw.
When Mitch is reading the game well the team is also going well, the aspect that Sterlo has helped him and his willingness to have that help made known in the public arena is testimony to his desire to learn more and do more. As for the Coach aspect, I have also been very vocal in my support for BA, but I not that fussed with the defence coach that was brought to the club though. Thing is, no player is beyond the need to get help and listen to advice either, on that score I come back to the Sterlo point and as we all well know he has said frequently enough he's there to help where/when needed and able but not in full time capacity, on that score we do need halves coaches to help them out, and getting such a person it would be good if he had the credentials to help in kick duties, and attack variations as well..
Options/lack of, what do you see as the area in which we can find that missing piece of the options puzzle?
Its not directed at anyone in particular Col, and everyone is allowed their own opinion, but it is directed at people that cant see that the forwards are not dominating and giving space for Moses to work in and also cant see that the 5/8 and dummyhalf are very very inexperinced and are not being used as attacking weapons.
Moses is easy to hammer because he is the one calling for that ball, he is the one putting his hand up to create play., He is the only one saying ill create something, i will kick it, Honestly thank God we have him, who else can, or will or just does it. Not one other player is doing that consistantly. The opposition know this and target Moses and take away his space and they crowd his side of the field knowing the ball is going in that direction. All of the best halves including Thurston, Lockyer, Johns, Sterling, Mortimer all say the same thing. If the forwards are not dominating and creating space then they cant do their job, and when they have a good dummyhalf and halves partner, the pressure is removed and options are bountiful...
The missing pieces Col, well i see it as 2 hard edged, skillfull forwards with that forward winning mentality to compliment what we have. A Fifita amd a James Graham, or even a Wade Graham and a Klemmer for instance, next its experience in the spine and we can only get that with time if we stay with Brown and Mahoney. I havnt got a problem with that, but in saying that ive accepted that they wont play like we need them too for a couple more years. thats really the missing pieces for our team to be top 4 and an honest top 4 at that.
P.S you make a good point re defence - ours is terrible under pressure and duress and especially when fatigue sets in.... Our forwards are no where near as fit as other teams thats a fact, and shows why we are near last in the comp for trys scored under the posts / in the middle.
Well this is the 3rd attempt to reply to you BE, so hopefully this gets through ok. Good reply and for me I agree pretty well with what you are saying. IIRC when MM came to the club he was pretty vocal about wanting to be the primary leader, and he's been given that chance and generally done ok, problem I see is that its in the tight games where he loses some degree of confidence and does not read and plan the moves with enough time to think and mental planning, he turns 25 next month and should be growing/learning this part of his game better. In the games where we are going ok he is able to carry the decisions with more aplumb, and usually I would think not worrying as much about the opposition. Against the pups and mules he was under pressure/duress more than the winning games, thus confidence is down and a form of panic rather than the calm planing comes to the fore.
His halfve partner is I believe affected still with his back spasms, thus a bit more restrictions on him that MM has to carry to a degree, a full off season and proper medical treatment for his back should have him ok for next seadon, What I would like to see is the two of the change rolls at times also DB interchange with Mahoney at DH, I think Dylan can read the game and with plans in feeding Mahoney from DH, who can make some good breaks could work quite well and the 3 can compliment each other, It would also keep Gutho out of the DH role and have him concentrate at the back.
MM is to me not as compossed in tight games, he does not seem to be able to make the plans/plays for his role as the teams leader/director, that is usually seen with his goal kicking not being as succesful, when the eels are in front and the game in hand he is more relaxed and comfortable with his role, Pressure games add pressure to him and he's not really dealing with it completly/properly, as is needed.
Forwards, Our run on squad is usually ok, and usuall can hold the opposition, but when the bench is involved that's where/when the rut starts, thing is when Evans seemed to get 3 stints on the paddock that added to the teams performance, problem is/was that two of the bench players were simply not good enough and one other barelly so, Alvaro was the pick of the three forwards, but Terepo being basically useless and showing nothing of any form on the field. Gowie, did well some weeks back and there was talk of him getting another year, please David reject that idea, and retire from playing and accept the role that was offered to work with the eels from next year, He badly missed three tackle attempts and one that he was badly pushed aside by Fifita, Next week against the gulls he can expect more of that if he's on the bench.
Marata for me did ok, he is the replacement for the 13 spot until kamikazi comes back, but hope he has a parachute on to slow him and keep him alive. I would have Stefano to play two stints and replace Evans as he has another 2 stint breaks like against the mules. Tim Mannah for a spot on the bench as his farewell game, he scored a try with Wenty today who are now in the finals as well. He wont let the team down as he's eels through and through, nice retirement play at Cumberland. Then I would have Kafusi at 16 can play front row, or other forwards spot. 17 could be Stone or Taka, but none of them for only 15 odd minutes though.
I am not sure what is planned player recruitments for next year BE, RCG could be one that comes to the eels, then who else would be here. We have enough backs as it is, and seeing the players who are off contract next year out of the 10, still listed as off contracted, I would only see 5 of them worth keeping, that would mean we will have lost 10 players from this years NRL squad. I think we could have around 5 from the young brigade take spots but where do we get 5 others from. We need strong and hard forwards, not old hacks either.
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