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Let's see....
Firstly, are our wingers nailed to the ground? Good players and all (despite Carney's handling issues this evening), but they just cannot seem to get off the ground to catch the ball. Now maybe it's a tactic to use the cross-field bomb, or our halves can't grubber, but it just isn't working. It's a 50/50 option at the best of times, unless you have Folau on your wing, and with us it's about a 90/10 option. Either grubber for the corner or find a second option. At least move Mini to the wing to give us some aerial ability. And get some bloody pace in to our backline!
Our forward pack isn't balanced. I think we are carrying a few too many "utility" forwards who can play multiple positions well but aren't dominant in one position. With our genuine props, Ryles isn't the player he once was, we aren't getting enough out of Masoe, JWH can be rocks and diamonds while Kennedy is the only player who wouldn't look out of position in a rep side playing long minutes. Masoe and JWH haven't been bad by any means, but we need more out of them. With FPN and Conn, they are stop gap solutions at best when playing prop, and don't really dominate in the backrow either, at least not in the case of wide-running, line-bending or tackle breaking etc. We should persevere with them, but I still think we need to be sniffing around for a dominant prop.
Our kicking at times was good, but it was really dumb for the most part. Why we weren't kicking for the corners early set after set is beyond me. Why we weren't looking for repeat sets on the fourth or fifth drove me insane. The bombs need to go. The grubbers need to arrive. The early kicking needs to become the norm. It's really not that hard. Second, third or fourth tackle kick for corner. Turn forward pack around to tire. Belt them in defence. Get ball back. Second, third or fourth tackle kick for corner. Turn forward pack around to tire. Belt them in defence. Get ball back. Second, third or fourth tackle kick for corner. Turn forward pack around to tire. Belt them in defence. Get ball back. Score try. Get ball back. Score another try. Win. Go home and root the missus.
My biggest problem is our shithouse defensive line. We barely moved more than two metres of our lines and just let them come to us, giving them at least ten metres every time. Often more. You can't do that and expect to win. You can't give them 50-60 metres every set of six. Not when Soward can drive you back into your corners with his kicking or some of their other stars just wait patiently for you to make a mistake. Stop waiting for them and get up in their faces. Their forward pack is great but can go soft if you bash them. Without their forwards Soward has nothing. Without Soward....
Another thing that gave me the shits was the lack of chasers on the Creagh try and the Morris. It's not much of a coincidence to see the form player in our side the only one chasing Creagh (Kennedy). And what about Morris? Don't let him improve his position, especially when you have to run less than 5 metres to tackle him. Put some effort in.
Finally, I think we are a few players short of a quality side. Said it before but we need to both buy and bring up some youngsters ASAP. We need a workaholic forward. We need a Mini replacement. And we need a good winger. If we don't start looking for these players both in our reserve grade side and from other clubs then last year was wasted. Totally wasted.
Look, we played better than we have done and put plenty of effort in but there is a long way to go for this side to get back to the finals. We are still a long way from been a St George standard side. At least two years. And that's the standard you need to be to win grand finals.
Firstly, are our wingers nailed to the ground? Good players and all (despite Carney's handling issues this evening), but they just cannot seem to get off the ground to catch the ball. Now maybe it's a tactic to use the cross-field bomb, or our halves can't grubber, but it just isn't working. It's a 50/50 option at the best of times, unless you have Folau on your wing, and with us it's about a 90/10 option. Either grubber for the corner or find a second option. At least move Mini to the wing to give us some aerial ability. And get some bloody pace in to our backline!
Our forward pack isn't balanced. I think we are carrying a few too many "utility" forwards who can play multiple positions well but aren't dominant in one position. With our genuine props, Ryles isn't the player he once was, we aren't getting enough out of Masoe, JWH can be rocks and diamonds while Kennedy is the only player who wouldn't look out of position in a rep side playing long minutes. Masoe and JWH haven't been bad by any means, but we need more out of them. With FPN and Conn, they are stop gap solutions at best when playing prop, and don't really dominate in the backrow either, at least not in the case of wide-running, line-bending or tackle breaking etc. We should persevere with them, but I still think we need to be sniffing around for a dominant prop.
Our kicking at times was good, but it was really dumb for the most part. Why we weren't kicking for the corners early set after set is beyond me. Why we weren't looking for repeat sets on the fourth or fifth drove me insane. The bombs need to go. The grubbers need to arrive. The early kicking needs to become the norm. It's really not that hard. Second, third or fourth tackle kick for corner. Turn forward pack around to tire. Belt them in defence. Get ball back. Second, third or fourth tackle kick for corner. Turn forward pack around to tire. Belt them in defence. Get ball back. Second, third or fourth tackle kick for corner. Turn forward pack around to tire. Belt them in defence. Get ball back. Score try. Get ball back. Score another try. Win. Go home and root the missus.
My biggest problem is our shithouse defensive line. We barely moved more than two metres of our lines and just let them come to us, giving them at least ten metres every time. Often more. You can't do that and expect to win. You can't give them 50-60 metres every set of six. Not when Soward can drive you back into your corners with his kicking or some of their other stars just wait patiently for you to make a mistake. Stop waiting for them and get up in their faces. Their forward pack is great but can go soft if you bash them. Without their forwards Soward has nothing. Without Soward....
Another thing that gave me the shits was the lack of chasers on the Creagh try and the Morris. It's not much of a coincidence to see the form player in our side the only one chasing Creagh (Kennedy). And what about Morris? Don't let him improve his position, especially when you have to run less than 5 metres to tackle him. Put some effort in.
Finally, I think we are a few players short of a quality side. Said it before but we need to both buy and bring up some youngsters ASAP. We need a workaholic forward. We need a Mini replacement. And we need a good winger. If we don't start looking for these players both in our reserve grade side and from other clubs then last year was wasted. Totally wasted.
Look, we played better than we have done and put plenty of effort in but there is a long way to go for this side to get back to the finals. We are still a long way from been a St George standard side. At least two years. And that's the standard you need to be to win grand finals.
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