This heading is probably something we don't like admitting to. Yes it implies criticism but I don't want to start looking for blame or scapegoats, just accept it and move on.
The main issue in my mind is the "Pezet" experiment. It hasn't worked and the future has to be now. If its not, then it is a pointless exercise.
Back to Pezet. It occur's to me that just about everyone is in concurrence that he is not up to the 5/8 role.
The fact that our Reserve Grade side is struggling and do not have a proper half, it is a good opportunity to let Pezet fill this role and see what he can achieve, and how our long term 5/8 potential reacts to having a "proper" half!....????.
After all the real point of having Pezet was a backup half for Moses and the developing of our junior 5/8 talent. Well the 5/8 role ain't working.
He has no speed. His defence is poor. And he show's me nothing much as a link man.
I believe all the rhetoric and dislocation, not to mention the poor form of Moses is directly related to covering Pezet's shortfalls. That included the positioning of Williams at lock and the dropping of JDB to provide cover defence for the Pezet shortfall.
We are in a remarkable good position with 2 out of 3 games, whereas we could be zero and 3 and in deep shit.
Lets not abuse our good fortune. Let's act now.
There is no way we will beat Penrith going forward with this current make up.
Finally, I expected with our back ups and juniors coming through that we were good things for Reserve Grade. But we are now showing issues there. Our junior's are struggling as well. The issue is our upcoming 5/8's are not exactly killing it!
Have we overated our position and personell?
How does this happen? Well, we, Parramatta, are total optimists with the exception of a few and we always want to see the positives.
All that being said, I continue to believe in Ryles and our coaching staff and the reality is he is still learning as well.
Just a smokey to end this discussion. Bevan French.
I do not know the contract implications, but if we get cap dispensation on Hopgood, how about making an offer for French to take the 5/8 position? He hasn't played for Wigan yet this season and I would be not against making an offer he "can't refuse". Obviously this could simply be too hard, but we are a long way short of what we want to be!
Please don't bring up the "french" defensive issues, he is now one of the best players in the world and a lot stronger defensively than when he was with us.
Replies
I did not like the pezet deal from the beginning and nothing has happened to change my mind, quite the opposite.
I think papalii looked better in the 6 role last season in the couple of games he got there and I would like to see him get another crack with pezet playing 7 in reserve grade and being moses insurance policy.
Here's one for you Pops I've already put the line through us for this year as currently constructed.The middle has been exposed already in all 3 contests We have half a spine and we just don't have the talent to go with the best not with standing Pezet.
Nothing JR can do here.The only thing that he can do is squeeze the lemon harder ringing every last drop.Fark I hated losing DB hated it and now I see what we've got to look foward to R & R kick stones.
Yeh! I understand you Coryn, i probably would have had similar views and this time last year I was the same. Just those 2 wins, probably a fluke against Broncs and the win against Saints was fortunate that they didn't know how to win.
This leaves us with the potential to realise some shortfalls and move on, trying to get to where we finished last year. The question is, will they be brave enough to bite the bullitt!......???
If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.
We are 12 months since DBrown signed with Newcastle and over 18 months since Takagi left for the Panthers.
The Pezet thought bubble was an idea by a rookie coach that should have been knocked on the head 2 minutes after it was floated by our very experienced GM of Football.
There is no scenario where the Pezet idea ends well - he either plays well and we've just ushered in new talent for last year's Premiers, or he plays average or poorly and we've just wasted a year and helped the Broncos identify the areas that need fixing.
The fact that this thought bubble was the best plan that we had is very, very, very telling.
French would be crazy to come back - his career has been fantastic in the SL and it was not great in the NRL. Unless he had a dire need to uproot his life and come back to Aus, I have no idea why he'd even contemplate it.
We really need to stop doing kneejerk reactions and figure out why our player recruitment planning is doing poorly and fix the actual problem.
You have become "hardened" Cappy and you have every right to do so.
What you are implying of course is a total stuff up and a needed revision from our board to the approach we are taking. I'm sure they were expecting more from our juniors/development programme as well.....Taiviti looks a genuine deal Teacum Brown could follow, we have a genuine workhorse in Guymer and further potential with Moretti.....the rest make up numbers, with the exception of Smith and the now emerging Da Silva. Ilongi looks like potentially a good player, but is yet to really do it.
Your analogy on French is fair enough, but I am more optimistic than you, but really would rate it a 5% chance i.e. 1 in 20, just thought he may have something to prove in the twilight of his career.
Given the retentions of Talataina, Fletcher and Papalii, I'd say the planning is there. We knew when Brown decided to go that Talataina and Fletcher were in the system. With Papalii already in the NRL squad, we were never going to market for a long term option. That would have left us in the same position we had when Talagi left. Ideally we'd not have gone to market at all for this year had Dean Hawkins stuck around, but he wanted to be a starting half and he wasn't going to get that gig long term.
I don't see it wasting a year if Pezet remains average. If it plays out like this too much longer then you can go to Papalii. But either way, this year gives Talataina the year to develop in NSW Cup.
Spot on Super if JR is unhappy with Pezet he has Papalii to come in. The Pezet signing was the only option for this year
Pezet was very poor on the weekend. He's an elite ball-player, but the rest of his game is non existent. He was a speed bump in defence, whilst the dragons had 3 line breaks past him. He seemed to get his head down and went missing for the rest of the game.
The only question is whether talataina or papalii are any better at the moment.
I think Joash is an upgrade, the others haven't done what he has yet!
I was prepared to give the Pezet experiment a go due to the lack of options but it's failed. There is no upside from here with him.
"He's young and we need to expect mistakes and work with him to make him better" - ABSOLUTELY NOT. He's here for 12 months only, we owe him nothing. That's not personal at all it's just business. He can't deliver what we need today, so if we are going to persevere with mistake riddled rookies, then let's put that investment into one of our own. Or alternatively give the 6 to Dylan Walker and let him and Moses have some fun together.
Agreed we've had 18 months to solve this 6 problem and have done sweet FA. Just like when Mahoney left.
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