We are seeing a lot of focus on this area and we are all defensively saying.....we can see the improvement and are heading in the right direction.
Fair enough its true!.....My/ Our good mate "Bluey" is saying this every week and I assure him don't worry be patient. He says I am but I keep looking at the points table. Lol
Just the same there is a "nag" here that I am watching and I have no answers i.e. we are coming in with the ongoing improvements and execution regularly ...is execution a discipline or a skill?
Two players come to mind and no Hopgood is not in my sights. Kautoga and Samrani who both show ability and have improved immensley, but regularly they fall short on discipline and skill, those 2 were the source of breakdowns that cost us that game. If I can see that and isolate it, then Ryles does as well.....how do you read his approach? This is not a criticism of Ryles.
I have seen enough of Ryles this year proving me wrong in these type of examples and each time, the individual seems to have a cracker after a critique, so yes I understand why Ryles perseveres but maybe there is balance between them (aknowledging Samrani has been doing a job outside his natural position). Tuilagi seems to have run this "gauntlet" this year already. Seems to have come back better.
In both their cases they were lazy and ill disciplined. I would not mind them going back to Reserve Grade just to see them dominate (they should if they are who we think they can be) and increase the discipline. It doesn't mean that they are being dropped for any reason other than experience. We seem to have Matterson back on board and he is ready for more minutes. I cannot think of the ready made replacements but I feel for what it is worth that in those 2 and Tulagi we have some errors that are always waiting to happen.
One last point, Sean Russell and in relevance to the title of this blog, he has surprised everyone with his consistency this year and it's built around defence. We can possibly see him going back to Cup when Simmonsson returns but what do you guys say about him being tried as an edge forward, his defence is arguably better than the 3 forwards I have discussed and his attack would be well balanced with more speed than most forwards. His aerobic ability to handle it maybe an issue, but he won't be the first or the last centre to graduate to the pigs. This could be a natural progression for him and free up room for either a marquis centre or one that is already in our pathways.
Just some more points for discussion.
Replies
Samrani seems to be the one they are developing into an edge forward but I think Russell would be an option worth looking at too if we get some more centre depth first. If Aitken can make the move from centre to edge forward I can't see why Russell couldn't.
Yes, its a generalisation but I love the idea of our edge forwards scoring long/er tries. Jack Williams has added a dimension we haven't had in "donkey's" years......when you look at Liam Martin and Hudson Young, the current NSW pairings then that is the sort of mobility we should be looking to attain.
That said unquestionably Kautoga. Samrani and Tuilaga represent those same value's. In saying that I think Sean may have that experience that makes it closer to NOW.
Qualification......assuming he can handle the "work load".
He would need to pack on the kg's and have a full pre-season before considering it.
Aitken is no bigger than Russell and he has been playing edge forward for a few years now and also Salmon has been playing lock, both no bigger than Russell.
Sean Russell aka 'Ben Smith' could work...
Not sure about that LB, he is around 90 kilos according to his profile and that would be the end of last year. I reckon he maybe 92/93 wich is about 14 1/2 stone.
This day and age with the smaller more mobile forwards he would be ok, If you look at the size of the centres he has cleaned up in recent times, I don't think size will be the issue. I think it will be more about his constitution in wanting to be a forward or not. If he has ambitions he needs to become a forward. He will never hold down a permanent first grade spot in a top team and that's not taking anything away from the job he is doing.
My further guess is he will build up to 15 stone plus which would be ok. He is 188cm, Martin is 183 and Young 182. Martin 15stone 10 and Young 15 stone 4..... mind you a lot of these stats are not reliable IMO.
Ryan Materson was probably about that size when he play second row for Rooster's. He is 193cm and now weighs 16 stone 12lb.....he was never as quick as Russell (not that he is quick) and he grown /built up that much.
If Russell wanted the job, I would start him on the bench, but if he doesn't want the venture forget it.
PS No need to think about this until Simmosson comes back and Russell can't be fitted in.
PS 2 Ben Smith was a alround bigger build alround Zip Zip but plenty of Australia's great second rowers came through the centres. Not that BS was ever good enough to do that.
Sean Russell huh , yeah may be an idea there is no doubting his heart and to play first grade for 5 years and he is only 23 is a testament to his hard work....But his hands, ability to see a play unfolding the lines he will hae to run to be effective does he have the footy IQ not sure but he sure has the heart and willingness
When I look at the mentioned I see rocks or diamonds.
@EA and I been having this too and fro around Russell's handling how one week he can give absolute pearler catch and passes and the next he's some donkey with the blinkers on and can't execute the same pass weekly.
The key to all this is bringing the best diamonds and rocks obviously there worst closer together that's all it is.You grab a bunch of 1%ers around your team and they add up to wins.
Katonga just needs to be a bit more disciplined with the pill.First time in FG.Now he knows what it's about buckle it up see the picture a bit clearer no what you want to do before you do it.
Hopgood make all your tackles and as above more disciplined with the ball we know the skills there just pick your moments again see it before you do it,
Basically execution is sweating on the small details.
Hoping Katonga isn't the next Penis Hands Terepo. Has looked good in attack and tackles hard. Just needs to sort out the errors, might need some time in reggies to sort him out before it becomes a habit
We have Will Latu learning the ropes.
If we buy some good quality middles, then Jack can stay wide.
Kataioa, Kelma, Samrani and Latu can fight out the other spot
Get SOME GOOD PIGS instead