We've all heard about the passion of Ricky Stuart. Now whilst I believe that will be good for the team and the club I also believe he will try a new game plan to suit our roster. I'm not talking about Hayne and Sandow, I'm talking about the forwards. We have forwards that are very skillful but don't have the right game plan to take advantage of that. Both Paulo and Maitua have played at 5/8, Horo has shown his ability to offload. Matt Ryan can run good lines and has shown his ability to hit a hole.
Now, on to what I believe Ricky will try to do with our game plan. Fuifui and Mannah will probably be the starting props. Both punch up the middle well, for any arguing against Mannah, he is the only Eels forward to average over 100m this season. I know Ricky respects Mannah's attitude and this may also see Mannah receive the captaincy. Talking to Nathan Cayless, Sticky sees Mannah as a captain. We may see Mannah develop an offload or we may see him and Fui concentrate on gaining as many metres as possible and get the quick play the ball. Now, depending on how fast Ricky wants the front-row will determine who is on his bench. Mitchell Allgood will be back next year and was showing good form until being injured. Justin Poore has improved this season and I can't see Sticky dropping him straight away. If Stuart wants a speedy team Poore and Allgood will probably fight out the one bench spot. I think Nathan Smith will be the replacement hooker with Lussick and Paulo the final member.
I believe Ricky will try to use a similar style to NSW. A fast forward pack, relying on speed to get on top of oppositions rather than size. It's obviously not going to be exactly like NSW given we don't have a Gallen type prop who can play 80 minutes. He'll probably use Mannah and Fui to get the team rolling forward early. Ben Smith, Matt Ryan and Reni Maitua to start with Smith to play 80 minutes in a Hindmarsh type role. Maitua to act as a third ball player and all round annoyance factor for opposition halfback. Matt Ryan, hard running back rower, used as straight runner in sweeping plays. Paulo on bench as X-Factor, can be used as 5/8 if needed but mainly to give Maitua a rest or replace Ryan if extra kick is needed. Lussick to be used as enforcer. Allgood/Poore replacement forward. Both Fui and Mannah can play long periods these days and Lussick can shift to the front-row if needed.
I see our forward pack using a very fast game plan next year. It will bring players like Sandow and Hayne into the game. If the game plan works Sandow and Hayne will look extremely dangerous. They'll have time and space to do their thing and that means danger for the opposition team.
Replies
interesting super but i dont agree with your thoughts on our pack.
We have the least skillfull forward pack in the comp, how you can see us as skillfull is beyond me..
We have props with a one dimentional game, horo is not even holding down a spot n may not next year, paulo is the only one with any skills, as a pack they are weak, have no starch or grit n bar hindy they lack pride n desire..
Mannah is not captain material and his game has gone backwards, poore is a total joke n thank god he is going, smiths game has been pore of late, our hooker situation is hardly sorted, matt ryan has only just started his career..
Ricky has to make some tough decisions n have a clean out and he will in 2014..
i think like most other eels fans you have greatly over estimated n over rated our pack, when rating a pack its very important to rate them on a scale of the rest of the comps packs, and we are right down the bottom of the packs.
we have no hard men, no leaders, apart from fui n lussick no grit or starch, ricky needs to recruit very heavily next year n build a team for 2014....and he will..
Paulo and Maitua have ball-playing skills, Ryan can hit a good hole and Horo has potential. If you mark these guys as having nothing then you'll always look at the negatives. I've always believed Horo has skill, he just needs a coach who can help him develop it. As for your comments on our forward pack, the game plan I've designed is to get around that problem. You don't need a forward pack that wants to pick a fight with anything that moves. The Roosters have JWH and they've come third last, Penrith have Tim Grant and they've come second last. Your point on Mannah as not captain material is ridiculous. You say he's got no agro, but you don't want that in a captain. How many fights did Cayless start? I've met Tim and I've seen how the players act around Tim and they treat him with great respect and think of him very highly. He has respect. Hayne is no captain because of his attitude. He's a lazy player at training. I've put forward Ben Smith as a candidate and he apparently gives away too many penalties. Mannah's our best option.
agree snake - Our forward pack is the least skilful and least creative in the comp - facts are we need to buy up in this area!!!!! Bring Back Mateo!!!!!!!
We clone Nathan Hindmarsh.
our forward pack is just too small, we need a big bopper or two, someone like James Tamou.
We've got Fui who can roll it forward. The point of my game plan is to avoid having to use a massive forward pack and use our small size to our advantage.
Two - ben smith in a Hindmarsh type role? I have never seen Hindmarsh give away as many penalties as that waste does.
Forget the penalties. Most of the team the penalties are pretty bloody harsh. Smith's one of the best one on one tacklers in the game and we need him to sure up our defence. Penalties don't hide the fact he's a very good defender.
we will just have to agree to disagree, i said paulo has skills, yes so does reni but the rest im not buying into it,
Mannah has no respect on the park from his fellow forwards, they dont listen to him, he fails to lift them as a pack, he is a yes man that cannot get the most outa refs or his team mates, and as for youve met tim n you have seen how the others act around him n they have great respect, lol, thats alot to learn from meeting him once lol infact its pretty funny, save your judgements for on the park, tim is over rated he is not a leader n we will see in the future just what a leader he is lol. imo mannah is not shrewd or smart enough to get the best out of the refs or the players, he has a hard enough time getting the best outa himself, we wouldnt even miss him if he left, he is a meter eater n thats it, and if he doesnt watch out he wont even be classed as that in a few years.
And super im not talking about havin a pack that wants to pick fights, im talking about starch, aggression, passion, ticka, multi dimentional, smart n tough, we dont have any of that, the worst offender is going in poore thats a start, now for ricky to build on the other things and get the best out of the golden boy mannah because he is a massive part of our problem, the cornerstones of your pack have to add alot more than getting a few meters n at present thats all he is good for, theres a reason why he was left out of origin, all of thge things above and they where a hell of a better pack without him, the same would happen if he left our team n we used the money on an enforcer, we would be a better team..
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