We had an off night last night. Brayshaw started well but they were able to do something to nullify him. Oliver was off for the first time I have seen, I hope it is not because of the shoulders.

Viney and Jones clearly were not fit to play. Not everyone can be Dermott Brereton and we weren't playing in a grand final. Just rest them until they are ready. It's round 1 why did we jab jones to the point he couldn't even catch it?

In a close game, we want to win early in the season to get momentum, why were we playing Weid in the ruck and Petracca at his feet? Unless we are waiting for our odds to blow out for the premiership, to pay for the end of season trip it is madness.  It is very unusual for me to criticise a coach but that was [censored]. Weid is hopeless overhead but great below his shoulder line for his size. Max Gawn began like that so there is hope.

Petracca cannot start in any ball up in the centre. He is hopeless at it. It is even worse when Weid loses the tap and it goes to the opposition advantage. Please Goodwin when considering rotations do not allow the worst combination to come on together. ie. Weid in ruck Petracca with him waiting fir it.

We have Brayshaw, Viney and Oliver who see ball get ball. Petracca cannot. Harmes can see it, get it and defend. Petracca cannot.

If I see Petracca in the centre at a ball up again I will spew. He has strengths and if he becomes a legend of the club, like I hope he will, a big strength with be, outside play and converting shots on goal. But at the moment he can't covert a goal from a set shot. Despite his strength he will never be someone who uses it to advantage. He is more Jack Watts that Dustin Martin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good discussion point Wrecker.

Out of interest is the secondary bounce still subject to the 6-6-6 rule. If not it seems tome that a tactic that can be used is that Gawn takes the ball out of the ruck and then handballs to a running player... good result. If he gets tackled there is a secondary bounce for which we run a player or two in off half back

Besides Gawn there are 4 players to use in the middle. Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes and Viney. One of them can be benched when needed. On saturday I saw young Sparrow in the middle and was wondering why. I know Viney was out of sorts but a first gamer ?

4 hours ago, dl4e said:

Besides Gawn there are 4 players to use in the middle. Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes and Viney. One of them can be benched when needed. On saturday I saw young Sparrow in the middle and was wondering why. I know Viney was out of sorts but a first gamer ?

We tried out players early last year...  to see where they were at,  how they handle the situation,  and whether we can use them in the side again, or later on in the season.   Better in the Non business end rather than falter towards the finals.   

 

We find out what players need to work on, early and they can spend the rest of the season honing their lesser areas.   It also shows how certain players effect the team balance.

Remember we aren't building a new team each preseason, we are building with a view for the coming few seasons. 

 

We're not a List tapering away,  needing experienced add-ons, for quickie fixes...   we are still in development phase and building. 

Sparrow gives us a bit more leg speed thru the middle.  JKH would have given us more spread if not injured.

 

So IMO the club will Not be putting all eggs in the 2019 basket. 

Our centre clearance work against the Lions was also bad.  Max was winning the ruck, but we weren't getting the clearance.

I think adjusting to the 6-6-6 rule is a fairly significant issue for us at the moment.  Where as many teams just used it to clog the oppositions forward 50, we used it extensively to get that spitter  (often ANB) off the back of the square and assist with centre bounce clearances.

I do wounder if we should do something risky like just use on of the back flankers (probably Hunt) to run through the centre square to assist with our centre clearances.  The opposition would be left with the choice of running with them or letting them run through unmanned and most times I think they would follow them through.

Sure our tactical guru would be working through this issue with the on ball brigade in the off season and will be interesting to see how it all falls out once the dust settles.