Team makeup and how group dynamics effect our side

I saw a post about how we need more harden and not god botherers. This is not the issue. I frequently say to people that the eels boys are one of the most sportsmanlike teams in the comp. we don't go dirty tactics and we don't dive. IMO the issue is the large amouht of Polynesian players ---- NOT that they are the problem but that we need a coach who knows how to coach them. From what I've seen we have had coaches who have tried to coach the eels from an Australian standpoint. We need a coach who coaches them to embrace their skills. This also applies to the indigenous players who play better in open play. Our team makeup has changed dramatically over the last 5 years an our gameplay hasn't. We need to stop training like a Sydney side and start training like a warriors side. I think it would be interesting to see which side outside the warriors has more islander heritage. I think we could be a real force if our coaches realised this --- for years our best football has come from second phase and "entertainer" style attack. I would look to an islander or kiwi coach or assistant coach ---- not Kearney as he coaches similar to Bellamy which is fine when you have a once a year team of internationals...

"1.longi 2.simmo 3.penisini 4.russell 5.samrani 6.papalili 7.mitch 8.paulo 9 smith 10.debelin 11.williams 12.kautoga 13.moretti 14.walker 15.tuivati 16.brown 17.tuilagi 18.pezet 19.dasilva"

"Guymer is a younger version of what de Belin is here for. Cleaning up the middle with 2nd and 3rd man in attempts, get through work and do your share in attack. Guymer can definately do that."

"Yep agree. Though clubs like Canberra and Brisbane do it and did well, i just do not like it. I don't mind doing what BA did in between 2020-2022, where he would have Mahoney play 80 each week but then around Round 8-10 he would bring in like…"

Replies

Jose Martinez May 10, 2015 at 8:57pm

I don't understand how them being Polynesians is a detriment to there play. They don't all play the same style mate, that's a pretty ridiculous stereotype.
shane May 10, 2015 at 9:00pm

And like the kiwi's never win a comp. How well have they gone since being in the comp, not that good except the year they made the finals. It,s not that polynesians can't play, they can but you need the right mix. Being able to entertain is good but you will not win if you can not defend. As the old saying goes it is defence that wins the game. The best the warriors were was when they got some australian players like Price and they started to play like a top 4 team until injuries hit and they did not have the replacements for the injured aussies and they fell away. Right mix wins. all flambouyant and you look good but never reach the gold.
Beer Baron May 10, 2015 at 9:21pm

Haha I knew this would happen. I'm not saying the Polynesians can't play, they can definitely play! What in saying is that we are not tailoring our strategies to their strengths. Im also not saying that they cannot defend they are some of the hardest hitters in the game. My point is that we have a good mix and if coached to ther strengths, not by a formula of traditional nrl teams we can be a force. For the record the warriors have done better than us the last few seasons and if they were coached in the right mix as you have said before with price and co they would have gone further. It's not the mix it's the coaching of that mix so climb down of your high horse lol
Gower Power May 10, 2015 at 10:31pm

I guess this is another interesting view to take. It really is hard to find exactly what's wrong with the team. We get a new coach and a whole bunch of new players and we still suck. Even Choc seems to give up sometimes, and he was meant to be a star for us this year.
- Trini Lopez calling Go Go Gomez > Gower Power May 11, 2015 at 7:25am
  
  You’ve nailed my biggest frustration, GP. It’s been slowly killing me for years,
Hugo May 10, 2015 at 10:36pm

We were sitting watching the Warriors the other day and the misses says - they look like the eels.
She is right.
The similarities between the eels and the Warriors are uncanny.
Both the eels and the Warriors play better when they free up and ad lib.
Maybe we just have to do that ?
- Beer Baron > Hugo May 10, 2015 at 11:14pm
  
  My point exactly