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 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.
We all share your frustration Mutts.....we all seem prety common in agreement with this one.
Jonah Pezet signing dosnt bother me. What bothers me is the absolute terrible calamity of events that was allowed to happen by the R&R committee that took us to the exact point where the only option left was to sign and try Pezet. It was no great plan, it was no experiment , it was bourne out of necessity, it was the lowest backup plan that had to be used in case of emergency. Our absolute lack of foresight and ability to identify and sign the right player to 5/8 is a direct indictment of parts of the R&R committees ability, it is constantly exposed, we see it in our Middle position, we see it in our centre position, we see it at 5/8, we are seeing it on 1 wing. The problem isn't in who we have signed, most are very capable 2nds or backups. The problem is who the club have missed out on.
Thats the real problem and until, we address the absolute root cause of this problem , it continuous to raise its head time and time again through the inability to sign identified talent, through offering obscene player contracts to the wrong people, by mis reading junior potential, by not understanding how to sign and keep the right players.
When will we wake up.
Agree BE, our R&R need a review and overhaul.
Have you already forgotten the game he had against the Broncos last week? He had a blinder and showed us his potantial over the season.
The truth is Poppa that these young kids take time to perform consistently in the NRL, and althought we only have him for 1 season, we don't have any other options. I agree we need to go out and buy another top-teir 5/8 as i'm not 100% sure Papali or Lorenzo will hit the mark, but we should be considering our options now and moving quick if we can.
I love French, but if you want someone to defensively perform better than Pezet, French is not the answer. He is a brilliant attacking threat, but he would be the same defensive liability as Pezet, perhaps worse.
I'd be looking at Burton, Purdue, or someone from the Titans, they always fuck up their halves.
Pezet didn't have a blinder against the Broncos. He got exposed massively with defence. He got extremely lucky with the Broncos fumbling his rubbish kicks and Tualagi running into paper thin defense.
Looks good for his second game in the blue & gold to me Muttman, I think we just need a little more patience.
Storm gave us a bath because they know how to beat us, being realistic... the same will happen with Panthers this week sadly. I do believe he will have better games against everyone else though. He was never an elite signing and wasn't framed as one, he's a stop-gap until we figure a solution out. This means he will have some good games, and some bad games. We just have to temper our expectations as it's his first full season in first grade, it's going to be bumpy.
Totally agree Mutts,
Clint I think you are looking at the rhetoric and not whats actually occurred. The French answer is more of the same, he was always a brilliant footballer, badly handled by BA......his defence was technically very good, the refs of the day allowed him to be rag dolled and we didn't nothing to help.
The reallity is we will not get French, not that he has weaknesses and Pezet to me has no strengths, completely overrated. This is not a young player to be patient with, he is gone next year and I can only imagine what the Broncs are thinking about that.....Mutts is totally spot on with his analysis!
I think we see eye-to-eye about French.
Pezet needs more time in first grade to get the consistency we were all expecting. He's going to get turned inside out by the better teams, honestly, what rookie isn't like this? We just have higher expectations because he was a Storm junior. Let's bookmark this conversation and review how he's going before Origin begins. I think he will get some of this attacking consistency and defensive resolve that we're hoping for by then.
Now that i do agree with in that Pezet is overrated. He was rated as a great signing and brilliant, i would not say that at all.
And Mutts is right, 2 of his try assists were luck and his try was luck from a poorly excecuted kick.
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