Yesterday's game was unfortunate. Not just for the putrid 32-10 scoreline to honour Junior's 200th after looking up for the game in the first half or the second half implosion. But because it told us that we are not going anywhere, despite our hope for this ongoing improvement and the highlight reels of attractive football.
Entertaining the football world with this fast fizzy game...that is a bit like BAZBALL (Cricket Parlance) brought to the Rugby League world.
The following is a post I made yesterday on the game day blog at half time.
"TDS made a bit of difference when he came on, his service and enthusiasm was encouraging.
Like everyone else I am pissed off with the referee and our unforced errors, what happened in that last 30 seconds, we lost control, got it back and still fcuked it up.
Being pretty is nice, but unless you put it to bed, no point in dressing up."
I probably can't add much to that half time comment, notwithstanding the score change and events of capitulation in the second half.
I think the coaching staff and Ryles have given this style a good go. But, we simply are not good enough to do it — at least, not yet. We found that out a bit yesterday.
Kitione Kautoga keeps improving despite coming off injured in the 39th minute (Getty Images)
Positives — Isaiah longi's game continues on its exponential path. Tallyn Da Silva looks promising, and Bailey Simonsson has gone to a new level as the centre we so sorely need. A stong runner, and strong tackler. His flick pass to set up Lomax's try in the 33' would've made Matt Gidley proud. Sam Tuivaiti was also very good and fit after his injury. Dylan Walker was Walkerish.
Negatives — Joash Papalii is not going to be our future 5/8, though he is a fine Reserve Grade backup at fullback. Yesterday's experiment with his move to 5/8 and Brown to hooker was a disaster. But it's a move, I can understand was worth trying. It just did not work.
Promising debutant Taylln Da Silva and new-nine Dylan Brown discussing raking strategies pre-game. Brown got head-taped to look the part, but only Da Silva was prepared to run the ball, yesterday (Getty Images)
Dylan Brown was only passing and tackling from dummy half, which showed he didn't want to or deserve to be there and that rightly pissed Ryles off to explain his benching after 29 minutes and non reappearance till six minutes from the end. Ryles did this to tell everybody he was not injured and just didn't contribute, and probably more to the point — didn't really want to put in enough, despite Ryles' claim of Brown's 'selflessness'. Actions speak louder than words. We only need to use Brown to suit our requirements now, not his. Unfortunately, this may mean him starting as a 5/8 until we can find, locate or select someone that could have a future there. It could be the case that a talent youngster from our NSW Cup team (say a Matthew Hunter or Te Hurinui Twidle) that beat a talented Panthers team yesterday, might get a go while Brown shakes hands with the Reserve Grade Coach.
Finally in summary, let's stop worrying about being pretty and focus on the fundamentals starting with better ball control, reducing errors (20 v 9 yesterday) despite the Panthers having the lion's share of possesion (54%). There is a balance in this process. There's nothing like adding smart to a pretty face.
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Yep... it is all about balance and the "reality check" is what is needed. Even going back and just getting ourselves a couple of relative error free games, cannot be a bad thing at this point. Bazball analogy still has the requirement of elite ability....it is just a tactic at the end of the day.....we need to understand when to get andretain that balance.
I was having a listen to Beauden Barrett the AB 10 on the weekend against France and with the fast moving defensive lines he used the kick in behind them all over the park to plant the seed.NSW didn't do this against the morons rush defense and I see Parra use it as a last option also.If we want to continue along this line of thought process and play we must use every avenue to be successful at it.Right now we aren't we have it in our mind that last pass needs to be money or on the weekend the miracle round the corner from Simonsson.For me it's low % and this is where our coaches have to have a look at this short kicking game and depth adjustment against the rush defense.Tempo into the line from our halves is another one also.
Katoa Cleary and co are very good at it but obviously we aren't so it's another aspect of our attack we need to have a good look at.
Its all a learning process and the quicker we get set combinations the better if we continue to change it up we'll be what we'll be right now with regards to selections.
Again I agree with all this. JAC has made a career out of scoring tries from the early kick in behind the line and yet we never do it. It's interesting you bring up tempo with Cleary and Katoa, Luai also does this a lot so it shows it must be a Penrith trait. I actually saw Dylan Walker do this on the weekend
Yes I noted that Sandon Smith was quiet proficient with this at Roosters as well.
I don't understand the negativity towards him re being dropped and no apparent interest from us. Does anyone know much about him personality wise.
Was he seen out at a nightclub with Dyllan?
No kicks for JAC as the go to play has become in the air for Lomax. Way overdone and predictable lately. No variety and opposition defences know it.
For so many years, you have been able to predict the outcome of Eels games with reasonable accuracy based on the first couple of sets in attack or defence (sometimes both). The last 2 games have been classic examples of this. Dragons game - conceding a try on first defensive set after a stroll through the ruck. Not good enough. Dragon’s confidence soars and they blow Eels away for the remainder of the 1st half. Despite improved 2nd half, completely different game if Eels manage the first few sets more positively.
Yesterday v Panthers, failing to get to kick on first attacking set, compounded with a follow up penalty. These simple failures at the start of matches are simply inexcusable. While Eels were more resilient in defending errors in first half yesterday (so many errors), too much petrol used by Eels, too much petrol left in Panther’s tank for 2nd half. Eels get to their kick on first set yesterday, good kick chase, good defensive set, who knows how different the direction of game could be?
Eels also clock off far too often in the final couple of sets of first halves, just waiting for the sheds. How many times do they hand back momentum to opposition teams heading into half time. Yesterday they were very lazy in defence in final couple of sets in first half - not helped by all the defence needed after so many turnovers. The concrete boots displayed by nearly every player at the time of the stupid Lomax field goal attempt was embarrassing. They all just stood there, hoping for the best, assuming that the ball was going dead. Zero effort off the ball. Not sure what that looked like on TV but live at the game it looked horrible. I said to my young fella right then at the game that Panthers will score before half time and it panned out just that way. Even Ivan mentioned in his presser how Eels “opened the door” for his side.
Ryles is absolutely right when he regularly refers to “little effort areas” that the team are not getting right and are compounding into bigger momentum shifts - sometimes immediately but sometimes a bit further on. He talks about “effort off the ball(or lack of) that most people don’t notice”. Well, he notices them and I believe it is these exact things he is referring to when he repeatedly talks about “taking our lessons”. Even the players when interviewed keep repeating those lines - “taking our lessons” or “our learnings”
While another frustrating season, I am optimistic about Ryles approach moving forward. He knows he basically has a free swing this season. He pretty much publicly admitted to this in his presser yesterday with his “our future is now” comment. I believe he is instilling a clear understanding within the squad about expectations and the direction for next year and beyond. He is giving, or has given players a fair opportunity to demonstrate whether they are someone who is capable of taking those lessons/learnings on board or not. Those that are will stay, with more experience under their belt and higher expectations moving forward. Those that are not will slowly disappear. The challenge remaining will be how to attract the type of players required to fill the gaps.
Good post Ols School!
To be totally honest , Junior Paulines 200th game was celebrated exactly how his career over the past few seasons deserved . Soft as fuck runs , error riddled and a thumping on the scoreboard .
He got the result that reflects his game .
Another great read, Pops. Nice work.
Interesting reading yours & others comments on pulling back the expansive play.
NoS I try not to overthink this but I've never cared for what it looks like as long as we get the results.
Id prefer we had an identity of who we are which we have skill and finesse vs the last coaches physicality and attrition both styles have there merits and you definitely have to have night and day players roster wise.
Theres certain things that are just must haves in an nrl foward pack and physicality is the #1 thing .Close games are won in the middle of the park.Finals footy is won in the middle of the park.If you have a look at the Riff run they are built off middle defense and 2 physically dominating props and a bunch of workers with Yeo being the 2 way run pass option.
So for me when I see Junior passing every other play and not punching holes and rolling the ruck for our hooker and creating space for our halves off of those runs or offloads I begin to think what's the point.
Back to the physicality when we fall behind we need a game changer in the middle third to come out of the line and smoke somebody to change momentum.Nathan Brown was that guy for us for a good 3 years and who is that now for us.We don't have that guy.
In this game physicality wins the game skill decides by how much at the moment we've got the how much down but we are missing in the physicality in attack and defensive stakes especially.
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