Hornby retirement will fuel Pearce rumours again

[roosterproud]

ok im guilty of a goatism

[Rooster_6]

I agree. 100m a game is par which our forwards just never do consistently. I lay the blame squarely on Friend with his shithouse service. By the time he actually gets around to passing the ball, the defensive line is already up, the quick play the ball is nullified, and our forwards are getting belted. Our pack does make a lot of hitups, it's just that Friend kills it for them.

The problem isn't metres per run, statistically the majority of our players are up there with the best in the comp, it's runs taken by our forwards.

[Guest]

ok im guilty of a goatism

Better than being guilty of Goatse.

[Guest]

The fuel is on the fire already.

[Cockadoodledoo]

The problem isn't metres per run, statistically the majority of our players are up there with the best in the comp, it's runs taken by our forwards.

When backs take dummy half runs, Friend doesn't need to get involved.

[Waylander]

Three things:

1. Friend may not be so indecisive if he could find someone who actually looked like they were ready to take a proper hit-up.
2. If our forwards DID learn to stand a little deeper and run onto the ball (preferabally with more than one option at a time), they might start to make more metres.
3. If we thus gained more room for Pearce, our one & only play-making option, he may just have enough time to do something that would have you believing he is worth persevering with.

I'm prepared to see what 2013 brings, with more creative options available and another year under the babies belts.

[Cockadoodledoo]

Three things:

1. Friend may not be so indecisive if he could find someone who actually looked like they were ready to take a proper hit-up.
2. If our forwards DID learn to stand a little deeper and run onto the ball (preferabally with more than one option at a time), they might start to make more metres.
3. If we thus gained more room for Pearce, our one & only play-making option, he may just have enough time to do something that would have you believing he is worth persevering with.

I'm prepared to see what 2013 brings, with more creative options available and another year under the babies belts.

Point 2, would you not think by now our coach would have pointed this out if this is what he wanted?

[stsae]

Point 2, would you not think by now our coach would have pointed this out if this is what he wanted?

Yep and that IMO is fair criticism of Smiffs game plans.

We have these big bad forwards who make very little meters compared to most other forwards in the game. We also had wingers who are good at getting meters out of dummy 1/2 but ordinary when it comes to contributing points.

I'm really hoping with the emergence of some youth and pace on the flanks, and some more ballplayers inside them, we move to a forward dominated meter eating attack that actually uses the space gained by these big blokes to feed quality pill by decent playmakers to fast finishers on the flanks.

Like how footy should be played, IMO of course.

[Cockadoodledoo]

Agree 100% mate..

[Guest]

Honestly, i think there has been too much blame laid on Friend. He is now getting blamed for our whole attacking structure. He is also to blame, it seems on our forwards not taking enough hit-ups.

Lets be realistic - he has been poor, much like the whole team.

He has been indecisive at times, not being sure as to which way to attack. He has favoured the blind side a bit much. HOWEVER HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE REST OF THE TEAM IS DOING.

1-17 we play like headless chooks. No structure, no clear direction.

Not looking at the stats, i'd fathom a guess that Friend is second to Pearce in terms of attack (T, TA, LB, LBA) on our team. That's not really something to crow about because he only has the invisible man and the broken moth to compete with but the point still stands.

People accuse him of being directionless. Well what about our experienced halves to shoulder the blame. They both had shocking seasons. Apart from Melbourne and Tigers - most dummy halves just take directions from their halves (Also take note on the next blind side run and look at who is calling for it).

Worst of all - people dismiss the importance of his defense in the middle. With the departure of Nate and to some extent Ryles - we have been left with a bunch of impact forwards who don't seem to like getting their hands dirty (Boyd Cordner is the obvious exception). I have noted the same with people who defend SKD noting his attacking prowess. I'm sorry but in Rugby League, defense is 50% of the ball game. Calls for Seluini to be starting hooker are ridiculous because he is yet to show that he can play big minutes in a defensive role. It is all good and well to have big darts out of d/h late in the contest around tired forwards - but can he do it from the start of the game while shouldering a bigger defensive load ? I really don't think so.

All in all - yes he is having a poor season, yes he has contributed to the team's poor season but he has 25 blokes to share that contribution with. Oh and i haven't even started on the dumbass coaches who do not address his problem areas.

[Guest]

If Pearce goes who is the next halfback option. Reynolds has just resigned. Politis doesnt have enough money to get Thurston off contract in 2013. Panthers are in the race for that but that is the best replacement.

[fletch]

apparently 2gb are reporting that the Eels are going to release Sandow, cue the Pearce to Eels rumours to start now.

[melon....]

Elo, I think the Roosters/Dragons will be fighting over the same coach come 2014, the winner might also get Pearce.

Stomachcramp to the Merge. And he wont need Junior.

[Guest]

apparently 2gb are reporting that the Eels are going to release Sandow, cue the Pearce to Eels rumours to start now.

And what pay him out $2.2m ????? (That's 4 x $550k btw)

[Guest]

And what pay him out $2.2m ????? (That's 4 x $550k btw)

whoever picks him up will pay a part of his salary, more than half I'd imagine, with the eels to pickup the balance.

I'd be surprised if Stuart didn't persevere with him for at least a season