So am i bandwagon fan now? well i mean you could put it that way of some sorts, though i am not enjoying last nights win as much as i should due to guilt of how i spoke about the team and staff the past month, thinking a win and performance like that was not possible, the fact it was turned around so quick is more impressive.
So i do apologise more so to BA, last few weeks i wanted him gone at the end of the year or at least move his assistants on always mentioned the bloke he is and nothing but a gentleman but i thought he was forgone of ideas and he showed that last night he has got them up and had the players fight for him in extreme fashion. To say the least i was proud that they proved me wrong and i am thrilled they made me look like an idiot as it makes us the talk of town of shock. Even Murphy's game plan in attack was different at fast utilising players differently in a empathany fashion.
I say for now though as though it was a great win, it was one win and we need to keep going. If anything this adds more pressure on BA moving forward, he showed he can coach them to great performance and the cattle is there to knock any team off we have to carry on with it. Forget Penrith next week as we are resting players and so will they so more so giving minutes to those reserves and experience to some kids and resting the bumps and bruises of those in the 17 so they are ready to go for week 1
So pretty much going from it is official we are playing Newcastle to now possibly playing Cronulla or Canberra in week 1, or if we beat Penrith facing Melbourne once again, though the mentality is and always should be beat whoever is in front of you and now they've done that and the playing group are on a high BA coaching effort continues with bringing them down to earth and humbling them for the real test of being contenders to actual champions
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Something BA said during the week in shifting D Brown to the right during the season made me realise there is more to BA's plans than meets the eye. The idea was to give Brown some time to work on his kicking game, as there is apparently less pressure on that side of the field. This seems to have worked a treat as Brown is now working well with Moses on exchanging kicking duties. That has meant many more options in attack, which showed last night.
The other aspect is that BA is aware that we have faded during the finals in previous seasons. This year the fade came early. Was this part of an idea to ease back for a few weeks and then pick up in the last few weeks? If that's the case, the team eased up too far!
Moving forward, we need to be able to match other teams game plans. We still struggle against Souths and Easts, so we'll need to work on that as we are likely to have to play them if we want to go deep this year.
Resting players is a positive change in his approach to finals and an approach he hasn't done recently so will be good to see if he can get us up. I've said before when abusing him, get us to week 3 and i'll happily see him in the box for 2022.
It's very unlikely we will meet the roosters in the finals unless we both make the gf. Manly are almost certain of getting 4th spot leaving the eels and roosters taking 5th and 6th between them putting us on opposite sides of the draw.
Last week synopsis:- Team good enough coach not good enough or team not good enough and coach good enough or team and coach not good enough
We beat the storm for thesecond time; we have team good enough and coach not and coach good enough but team not options still possible but also have the potential team and coach good enough to at least go deep into the finals.
Let everyone agree to get behind the last and more optimistic option for at least the next 2 weeks. Let positivity and optimism reign compiments and no insults
Angel i mentioned it is a win but still need to show it all the time before we are a threat completley, can enjoy this but let's see how we back it up.
Criticism has been warranted based on what we've all watched this year. Not just in our recent losses but in our form since about round 10. One dimensional, predictable, overloading our middle forwards, having no plan B. We were 4 hit ups, one predictable backline shift then a Moses kick, repeat x 1000. This was good enough to beat 10 or so teams in this comp but when we played quality opposition we got exposed. Big time.
Maybe the criticism and the noise about BA's job was the rocket he and the team needed? Maybe the boys played to protect their coach? Maybe BA finally realised he needed to make tactical changes or face oblivion.
Whatever it was we saw a completely different side with different tactics. We played to our edges, fast and direct. Suddenly the Eels were making yards each set and threatening with ball in hand. Gone were the predictable backline shifts, the inevitable one out hit up. Gone was relying on kicks for points.
BA and the boys deserve praise for that game against the Storm. They were awesome. I'm so happy. They deserved the criticism for what they've tossed up previously, no need to apologise for that. They got the message!
PS: Someone please lock up Lussick for next year!!!!!
Same thoughts here Muttman ! It was all warranted criticism because we all just wanted to see them perform to their potential that’s all. Surely there’s no one here that could say they have been?
Cant wait to hear Kent’s thoughts about our recruitment and roster now haha! Like we knew, turns out BA and O’Neill have got a pretty good cap compliant side together that can match it with the best 💃🏽
I see your point Mutt I love being proven wrong as much as proven right, why I love discussion and debates. Apologising mainly for doubting they could do anything again this year I'm still not 100% sold on BA turning it complete around as I want to see it again but it is a good start
Thought Lussick wasa already signed back over to the UK?
Lesson Time LB
There is no need to apologise unless you believe you did or said the wrong thing.If Parra fcuk up next week, you should not therefore say "i told you so" either. JUst state how you see it and how great it was to see them go such much better (usual rhetoric).
The other thing and this indicates to me you a pretty young and therefore a little naive. There is no way it was Murphy's game plan in attack, unless you have inside information. Murphy maybe be styled attack coach but it will be BA's attack and defence plans as discussed and implemented in consultation with those respective coaches. Those coaches as assistants will try and "coach" said plans.
Without having any information to the contrary, the value of your assistants becomes an arrangement of ability to convince the head coach the best way and in turn coach same into the process.Your persona as the head coach in turn allows the degrees of all these happenings.One of BA's greatest weaknesses in my opinion.
What you saw last night was a difference in determination and then self belief. THe obvious shortcomings of Waqa and Dunster in the first half was a result of "there they go again" attitude. What happened differently in the second half was someone said "could be the coach, captain or a senior player". "we can win this guys but we have all put intogether and help the boys on the left because that's where we are leaking" that is the attitude difference you saw once that "self belief" came to the for.
There are no simple answer's in instilling this mind matter, other than sides like Storm just carry naturally into every game.
We are vulnerable to having done to us what we did to Storm last night, losses to St George and Canberra this year were examples of such ambushes.
You may note that Penrith have become vulnerable since Origin time and are just starting to comeback into that type of self belief that made them ny unstoppable. Storm will overcome it but as Bup said in a post last night, he loves seeing Melb getting behind and panicking when they can't catch up (unusual as that maybe)...... do you see the similar characteristics in our immature game. This is how the coach failed us when a change up is required.
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