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We (statistically speaking) have the best defensive effort of the round only missing 15 tackles. In fact this is the best defensive effort by any team in the NRL since the Bulldogs beat Parra in Round 19 (nearly a month ago).
For those who read Taylor's article in the paper on Friday you just know this is no coincidence. I don't want to take anything away from Smith, who knows maybe Taylor had nothing to do with it he just knew that defence would be the focus all week for first grade. Regardless I reckon someone is finally starting to make the right noises at the club.
There was a moment where SKD and RTS were outnumbered, typically SKD would rush up and leave his winger isolated or back track and the opposition would take advantage of the overlap but RTS rushed out of the line and all the inside men slid well and shut down what looked like a very promising attack. I can't remember what minute it was so can't get show the footage but you watch any good defensive side and that's been the way they've been defending for the past few years, it's the most successful way to nullify overlaps on the fringes. It was just the one occasion so maybe I'm reading way too much into it but I also didn't see anyone (apart from FPN on one occasion) rushing out of the line which is promising as we have been more guilty of that than any other team in the comp.
I'll be really interested to watch our defensive structure over the last few rounds to see if this was just a once off or if someone is actually tweaking our defensive structure behind the scenes.
Thoughts?
For those who read Taylor's article in the paper on Friday you just know this is no coincidence. I don't want to take anything away from Smith, who knows maybe Taylor had nothing to do with it he just knew that defence would be the focus all week for first grade. Regardless I reckon someone is finally starting to make the right noises at the club.
There was a moment where SKD and RTS were outnumbered, typically SKD would rush up and leave his winger isolated or back track and the opposition would take advantage of the overlap but RTS rushed out of the line and all the inside men slid well and shut down what looked like a very promising attack. I can't remember what minute it was so can't get show the footage but you watch any good defensive side and that's been the way they've been defending for the past few years, it's the most successful way to nullify overlaps on the fringes. It was just the one occasion so maybe I'm reading way too much into it but I also didn't see anyone (apart from FPN on one occasion) rushing out of the line which is promising as we have been more guilty of that than any other team in the comp.
I'll be really interested to watch our defensive structure over the last few rounds to see if this was just a once off or if someone is actually tweaking our defensive structure behind the scenes.
Thoughts?
Yep our defense is brilliant.
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