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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Basically this is the reality of what a rebuild retool what it looks like.
To win we have to win everywhere wheather that's decision making on and off the field S&C recruitment talent aquisition on and off the park it's a all encompassing equation we are just going through the equation.It does tell you how far we are away though there won't be any quick miracle fixes here and as long as everyone understands that then fans as a whole will be better for it.
We've done a lot of good things this year and the last 7 games I see there will be more pain to come.
I actually saw JR snap at journo in the media conference yesterday and I think the season is starting to get to him also.
Pops / Coryn both spot on observations.
I feel like Ryles has been left holding the handbag in the recruitment stakes. Ryles has identified whom he wants, we have the money available for who he wants, but we can't get those signatures accross the line. Very very dis- heartening and to me it's begining to show in Ryles pressers.
'In recent times we have missed out on nearly a whole first grade teams worth of talent that we have tried to sign. That is very very telling. It is leaving us with no choice but to turn to youth and gamble on potential.
'My next fear is that if we do unearth a star with this method, that another club will just sweep in and sign him, leaving us with our D%^k in our hands.
I wish the club would prioritise a real great, respected, NRL operator, list manager, negotiator , closer type of Football manager. The club finally deserves one. To me it's the missing piece. Can I suggest we throw the Commonwealth bank at Gus Gould.
That's precisely what happens when you go so hard with junior development. You become a development club for others.
Its all well and good to invest in youth but recruitment needs to also be an important ingredient when it comes to building a premiership winning squad.
I think we need some experienced journeymen who've been there done that, we need one or two hard, tough forward leaders and we also need to have at least two experienced players in our spine. 1 isn't enough.
What we see with the Eels currently is a spine that solely relies on Moses as its star and that's risky (we know how injury prone he has become)
We see a forward pack that's screaming out for a hard edged leader, we haven't had one since Moi Moi (Paulo isn't that and never was).
We do have a some good talent coming through, but to give the youngsters a chance of developing into the talent we think they have, we need to surround them with some experience.
We've lost so much in such a short time and have not adequately replaced it - that's the real worry and that has to be top of the squad development agenda.
Very astute Coryn and positive in context!
I wouldn't really call that a snap? He said fairly calmly I couldn't give a rats arse about Penrith. Well said in my opinion
Absolutely, in my opinion he didn't go far enough, he should have unleashed on the officials. Maybe then we won't be the whipping boys for these farkkers of referees.
All I hear about the improvement in this young side, well what about the bloody improvement in the officiating? When's that start?
He started the year so calm despite results, honeymoon is over for him now his expectations are getting higher. Season is getting to him, as it would all rookies but also I think he is more frustrated due to seeing good plays and system working at times then dumb errors still sealing through the squad.
I think you're being a bit too critical ofJoash at 5/8. I think he did well everytime he had the ball. He wasn't afraid to run, he was squaring up the defensive line really well and he did great in our first try.
That was what? His second game at 5/8 for us? Happy to give him time...
In regards to our playing style, I'm a fan. It's fast-paced which is how the game is these days. For about 10 years, our team has been way too systematic and one dimensional (the power game). Ryles has scrapped it completely and of course it will take time before we see the benefits come to fruition.
The biggest issue with us this season is our completion rate. Without strong completions, you can't build pressure. Fix that and we win a lot more games this season (Sharks, Dolphins, Panthers 1st game, Dogs 1st game). Win those and we're well into the top 8. Unfortunately, the errors come down to a lack of experience. We have a very young team and a lot of new signings. They're all learning and it WILL take time.
I'm optimistic for next season. Unfortunately with the way our Draw was this season, it started easy and finishes hard. If the season restarted now, we'd have won a lot more of those earlier games I reckon.
He will get his time PB, Ryles has said so. You cannot expect Ryles to say much different just the same.
My comments get read by no one that counts but I will say now Joash "ain't" no 5/8 for us if we are fair dinkum. Maybe developing him as a back up has merit. I still like Sandon Smith especially now that Robo has shown his hand for the future.
Part of my heading is "Reality " I think this is something we need to understand....Joash is a style of player that is limited, he is not super fast, he is agile and tricky, he is not super tough or strong, he is determined and adequate.Adequacy is fine, but not if you want to be elite.
I look at the sunday paper yesterday in Brisbane and they named the top 10 players to watch at the upcoming schools national championships, Roosters had 3, Broncos 2, Dogs , Cronulla, Tigers, Manly, St George, Titans and a some others, but not one Parra.
These kids are being cherry picked from an early age, why are we missing them.....the number one guy was from Fairfield Patrician Bros (Roosters). Yes the same school Peter Sterling went to. I don't who our scouts are but we have to get someone with a set ofballs who is prepared to know and find out about these things and have the support of the executive to do so.The market for these guys (scouts) is huge, you read about them coming and going all the time. Matt Cameron CEO Penrith has this type of history.......we need to develop every sector of this business if we are going to be fair dinkum! History will show we have had good scouts in the past and they have been poached as well.
It has to be a total process, work around the cap issues for this, the Leagues Club can pay for the deveopment costs.
I still disagree on your take with Joash. Still too early to tell, but he has good footwork, he engages the line and squares up defenders well. Those are the non-negotiables for a good half. He doesn't need blistering speed as a half. Most of all, I think he has a great attitude and that goes a long way. I get Kodi Nikorima vibes from him to be honest and with Kodi being out injured now, we see how important he is for the Dolphins.
Regarding our youth and our recruitment, I'm with ya 100% - That's one thing we have never got right as a club. However I will say, we used to have heaps of parra schoolboys on those types of lists and they either amount to nothing or get poached by other clubs....The real challenge for a club is being able to transition the talented players into first grade. That's a whole nother beast. We don't do it well. We either lose the player to another club or rush in a player too early and into a losing team environment.
The 90's to present should have been a golden era for our club due to our junior catchment area. We missed the boat and now other club's have diversified their recruitment strategy and will poach our players more than ever.
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