Areas Of Improvemnt For 2011?

[redwhiteandbluester]

- Tactics... Smith REALLY has to study up on the rules and find out some loopholes, so that we have a unique, surprising, but legal style that people aspire to copy. That and we need to know how to crack more physical teams... IMO we have always struggled against more physical teams, particularly when the weather cramps our usually open, creative playing style.

I pray this isn't a priority of the coaching staff.

[Headless Chook]

I'd like us to be more aggressive in defence. Our defensive structure was too passive and was more about containment than aggression. We seemed to move up a few metres, hold our line, then when the play was being made by the opposition quickly slide across to get numbers to stop it. The Wests Tigers showed us how to upset Saints rhythm by using a fast moving defensive line. I think back to our golden run 2002-04 and long for the days where teams would struggle to make 20m a set against us because of the toughness and speed of our line.

[Johnny Tobin]

I'd like us to be more aggressive in defence. Our defensive structure was too passive and was more about containment than aggression. We seemed to move up a few metres, hold our line, then when the play was being made by the opposition quickly slide across to get numbers to stop it. The Wests Tigers showed us how to upset Saints rhythm by using a fast moving defensive line. I think back to our golden run 2002-04 and long for the days where teams would struggle to make 20m a set against us because of the toughness and speed of our line.

I think that may come with another offseason.

We always knew that they would need two offseasons to really step up.

This season was a bonus.

[stephenj]

just love the signature, its a classic!

[Vasco]

I thought our defence was pretty aggressive in the first half. We were smashing their forwards.

[Johnny Tobin]

just love the signature, its a classic!

I was trying to find five of them for all the ****s masquerading as officials.

[TheLoneRooster]

The amazing thing is that this team has significant amounts of improvement in so many areas of their game. This is where I see some attention is needed:

- fix the lack of depth in the outside backs
- stop conceding so many metres in a defensive set
- start averaging more metres in an attacking set (more pigs need to reach the 100m mark)
- Myles needs help from either Anasta or MAubs
- stop the low percentage offloads
- find some patience from somewhere as many times this year impatience cost them
- don't let Nathan Gardner and Akuila Uate (or anyone else for that matter) embarrass you again
- beat the teams you are expected to beat
- get better at playing a wet game
- back three must retrieve the kick and return the ball at speed

Oh, and start winning your fair share of penalty counts.

[stephenj]

with an ounce of luck and some reasonable refereeing we could have gone into half time 30 nil up!

[Chook Norris]

Smith has us going into the game playing "what you see in front of you" This works with most sides as there are bound to be defensive lapses, but it's clear that against the dragons we needed to go into the game with more set plays.

Other than that, our defensive patterns have improved monumentally over the year.. and i don't think it's fair on the boys that the score in the GF blew out to the point it did.
As mentioned, we need to play more direct.. Pearce and Friendy in particular, and stop spreading the ball at every opportunity.
We probably need one more big hole-hitting second rower.. as opposition sides have particularly stamped down on Maubs' game

oh and our forwards really need to harden the f**p in attack.. they are really inconsistent in that regard. I think it's fair to say that most of our 'roll-ons' begin when SKD and Perret scoot from dummy half with a quick ptb.. it should really be the other way around

[Guest]

I think a lot of our improvement comes down to sheer experience and hard work. Lack of depth in the outside backs? Stick with Linnett, Leilua or Carney and they will learn. There is potentially one or two world class backs in those three. Offloads, going wide too often, looking for the big play, not earning repeat sets and impatience? Experience. Lack of urgency in ball returns or defence? Hard work. Not making metres? Hard work on running good lines, urgency and experience to see those holes and hard work with your halves.

There is a lot we have to improve but not a lot of changes need to be made. If we keep working hard then with the sheer potential of the playing group we have then we can win multiple premierships.

[Guest]

The lack of work done by the fowards is a bit of a worry, freind and Myles are bloody good workhores that would be welcomed by any team but guys like Braith and Aubbusson in the second row seem to be letting them down a bit.

Watching a few games at the back end of this year, you guys will be stuck in your 20m on the 4th tackle and Braith is directing play like a halfback when all you need is a foward to bustle it up for 8-10 metres, same goes with Aubbuson.

Myles and Freind can't do all of the work! haha

You also seem to be lacking that genuine game breaker, someone that can bust through three or four and sprint 100m and score. Carney is an X factor but not like a Hayne or Uate that can burn guys over 100m and bust tackles and keep going. Basically genuine pace.

One more thing, is the direction of the team, Pearce always seems to be overruling Carney and Anasta for that fact, if you get my drift?

Like on the last tackle you would rather Braith or Todd have the ball, as they re the better kickers in my opinion. He comes across as a bit of a hog during the game and often runs it at the line instead of passing, most times comes up with nothing.




Other than that the roosters game is pretty clean cut, almost perfect.