Look at other sides and especially their young talent, they have a bit of arrogance and attitude as they know they are good players and ooze confidence which our players lack. I think BA and the club went too far down the path of recruiting good blokes as the safe option, knowing they train hard, wont stray from simple game plan and won't get in trouble instead of naturally talented players who need more work to man manage. It is another example of an unbalanced squad, just like our NRL side being heavy in the forwards but very light in the backs. You need the good blokes to drive a good culture but you need the odd ratbag and young guns with attitude to add balance. Yes we have Dylan Brown who got in trouble but who at our club has a bit of attitude or arrogance on or off field. We are the nice guys of the NRL, our coaches don't call out the refs for poor decisions and, we don't push the limits on line speed, slowing the ruck or intimidating opposition. We don't drop players when they have a bad game or 5, or move them on when it clear there are better options on the market for the same or cheaper price.
Just like our weekly game plan, the clubs reluctance to move on from BA is another example of going with the safe option over taking a chance.
We retain and recruit on personalities over skill and it has resulted in a lack of depth and options to replace players with poor performances. Rankin held up the development for years over a more natural half but was always reported as a great person and natural leader with future in coaching. That is fine but his skill level didn't measure up what was required from a NSW cup half. Our reserve forwards lack the fear factor, aggression or athletic abilities of what the modern front rowers need. As for our backs, they are about as exciting as a BA press conference. They lack speed and natural ability of other young outside backs. They don't even make up for it with huge work rates by helping out the forwards or great defensive reads, but they are all great young blokes who couldn't offend the worse Karens of society if they tried.
Take Penrith for example their young guns have a bit of attitude, blasting music, doing gang signs after tries and having a fuck you attitude when the media went after them for issues. In other teams, young guns wear the latest brands dress like wannabe gangsters and walk around like they are a 10 year veteran superstar. They sledge older players and mock opposition after running away for a try but most back it up when offered NRL opportunities. Our players play safe with little flair or creativity as a result of the safety first mentality of the club but are the kind of guy you prefer your daughter brings home, safe and reliable.
It's time to take some chances and maybe Lomax is the start, I just hope he has a coach that brings out the best in him without limiting him with to much structure. He goes against the type of player we recruit as he has definitely had attitude issues and isnt afraid to upset the apple cart. I would like to see us try and get someone like Tristan Sailor as well. I am not saying we need to ignore the no dickhead policy, but we need to take some risks and rely on strong leadership to turn them around.
Hopefully if we get rid of BA they don't wait till the end of the year. I think an interim coach can definitely give a different voice to the players and get better performances from them. It will also show the new incoming coach which players were unable or unwilling to show an improvement under a new coaching structure.
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I think we should be sniffing around South's for recruits . It's blatantly obvious there's a real divide amongst that team. The Fatrells and the non Fatrells . They have speed to burn and are always blooding new young stars. The dragons is another we should be leveringing the Lomax signing to scout. They have ample talent always sitting waiting for their shot. Young Bostock couldn't get a start , now look. There's about 40 more Amones ready to roll too. It's time we do away with this development club dream and start hiring the best , not the closest to the stadium.