Robbos Coaching...

[Rooster90]

Now, Trent Robinson has proven he is one of the best in the business and I hate to criticize someone who clearly knows more about the game then me....
But imo some of his coaching decisions this year have been baffling.

Playing both Hutch & Connor at hooker every week without ANY success
Switching Angus and Sitili from their preferred sides at the start of the year for no reason, only to switch them back recently
Keary has shown (both at Souths and here) that he is not an organizing half but a rep level 5/8, why not play him there?
Momo has let in 1000x tries this year and doesn't offer much in attack (at least someone like Chris Walker used to score as many as he let in), why not give AK a go
Defending Momo and Naiqama on the same side was always a recipe for disaster...does he even review video or watch Bears games
Bench rotation is strange - leaves Collins on for the first 40 every week even though he is blowing after 15.
Then only plays the likes of May/DSF for 3mins, 12mins, 14mins in consecutive weeks (in fact the most minutes either have played this season was May yesterday for 25mins)

I fully expect to see the exact same team next week, as one of Robbo's biggest flaws is that he believes in his system (Roosters Way) so much that will never admit fault
This might of been okay when we had the likes of Aubbo, Cordner, Friend, Cronk etc
But the Roosters Way of dropped balls (in our own end, especially after scoring), giving away penalties and then trust the defense doesn't work with the current players.
There is no toughness anymore (we never used to see the likes of Mark Nicholls, Cam Murray, JFH and Adam Elliot score tries like they have through the middle)

Is it Loyalty? Stubbornness?

Something has to change and if they are waiting until after the Origin period to "flick the switch" it might be too late

I hope this is one of those posts that can be bought back up at seasons end to be laughed at but

What is everyone else's thoughts on where to from here?

[Dr. Voodoo Man]

Imagine if we had Jake Friend doing the job for 80 minutes? With Verrills always injured what else can Robbo do?

[DP1990]

Imagine if we had Jake Friend doing the job for 80 minutes? With Verrills always injured what else can Robbo do?

Ben Marschke ? (the only bloke in our top 30 that is a genuine hooker and not side lined with an injury)


Unless he has done something despicable which has put off the team, Robbo and the staff, I don't know how he still hasn't had a crack this season !

[Rooster90]

Imagine if we had Jake Friend doing the job for 80 minutes? With Verrills always injured what else can Robbo do?

Play an actual #9 in that position, we have had 13 rounds of a failed experiment (minus the couple Verrills played)

Why not give Marschke a go, at least you know he is capable of making 50 tackles a game....shit even young Deakin can't be worse than the alternative
at this stage I'd even be willing to throw Lam in at least he played hooker in the past

Hutch is a 5/8 or back rower, has a decent enough kicking game and can run a line
Watson is a ball runner nothing more, works fine as a bench 13
Both have shown they can't throw an accurate pass 10m let alone 5...why keep trying

[Dr. Voodoo Man]

Yeah I like Marsche or Lam. Can't be worse surely. Watson is awful from dummy half.

[RoosterBooster]

If you watch English football, I often think Robbo is like Pep Guardiola. He often over complicates when the obvious answer is right in front of him. It’s almost like he thinks he is smarter than everyone , or as you say stubborn. As you say, play a specialized hooker in the role , not two edge forwards.

If you had watched any bears games you would see Naiqama is clearly not up to it with regards to defense and bringing the ball back. I can see this as a casual that goes to the home games. Egan Butcher clearly looked short of a run in the previous Bears game as he still coming back from injury. Don’t then bring him into first grade a week later and expect him to play well . Momo is similar if not worse then AK, there was no need to recruit another outside back when we him, Smith and Carr at the Bears. I worry Robbo can only win comps with elite players ( SBW, Cronk etc) but not when he needs to take average players to the next level, I.e what Melbourne seem to do.

[Ray Stehr]

I think Robinson is arrogant, he's fallen for the "I'm a genius coach" line. Our rd1 effort says a lot about him. I know he has this flick the switch mentality which may have worked in 18 and 19 but ever since that debacle against souffs we have shown a very soft underbelly. We either need some new players or maybe even a new coach, either way we have lost our fear factor. Losing Mitchell has had a huge effect on our team.

[Easts75]

Not sure if it's the coach or the recruitment but it feels like an eternity since we have gone into a game against Penrith, Storm and fark me even Souffs and that i have been confident of a win. We definitely are about to go through changes with SST,JWH and even Keary at the end basically. No current players in our 30 are even close to filling the void they will leave

[Maxy Walker]

Now, Trent Robinson has proven he is one of the best in the business and I hate to criticize someone who clearly knows more about the game then me....

No need to read any further than this

[Rooster90]

If you watch English football I often think Robbo is like Pep Guardiola. He often over complicates things when the answer is obvious. It’s almost like he thinks he is too smart, or as you say stubborn. As you say, play a specialized hooker in the role , not two edge forwards. IMO he has always been bad at bench rotation. If you had watched any bears games you would see Naiqama is clearly not up to it with regards to defense and bringing the ball back. I can see this as a casual that goes to the home games. Egan Butcher clearly looked short of a run in the previous Bears game as he still coming back from injury. Don’t then bring him into first grade a week later and expect him to play well . Momo is similar if not worse then AK, there was no need to recruit another outside back when we have Smith and Carr at the Bears.

You just described Brian Smith, who Robbo owes a lot of his coaching methods to

[Ray Stehr]

The losses to Newcastle and the dogs were embarrassing, I blame Robinson for those losses.

[BigCok007]

Must admit Robbo’s approach can be really frustrating sometimes. I think there has to be changes from last weeks side Momo needs confidence and a few weeks in reserves, AK deserves a shot. Marschke should get first go at dummy half and either drop Hutch or Watson. I think we’re too deep on 6 and 7 to change now, we’ll likely drop more games. If Keary can just get deep into the line we might have a bit more opportunities out wide.

I really hope the Raiders team song lit some fires of revenge yesterday cause it’s really unclear what team is going to turn up each week, and I’m trying hard to see us beat Melbourne if we turn out a similar team

[Roosta4life]

If you watch English football, I often think Robbo is like Pep Guardiola. He often over complicates when the obvious answer is right in front of him. It’s almost like he thinks he is smarter than everyone , or as you say stubborn. As you say, play a specialized hooker in the role , not two edge forwards.

If you had watched any bears games you would see Naiqama is clearly not up to it with regards to defense and bringing the ball back. I can see this as a casual that goes to the home games. Egan Butcher clearly looked short of a run in the previous Bears game as he still coming back from injury. Don’t then bring him into first grade a week later and expect him to play well . Momo is similar if not worse then AK, there was no need to recruit another outside back when we him, Smith and Carr at the Bears. I worry Robbo can only win comps with elite players ( SBW, Cronk etc) but not when he needs to take average players to the next level, I.e what Melbourne seem to do.

Perfect comparison. Robbo's decision to drop Manu, play Tupou off the bench and move Matterson + Aubo to the centres in the 2017 prelim still boggles the mind.

[bondi paul]

Unfortunately our recruitment, re signings and development is questionable and so too is the coaching staff and dare I say it but also the captaincy.
Head coach Robbo really hasn’t been able to do much for our up and comers in his tenure at Easts other than last season with Walker and Baker (and his no choice to use many unknowns who performed admirably due to the horrific injury toll) and the intro of Big Joe this year. The non use of many of them this season would certainly be frustrating. Marshke for one.
What’s left of the experienced players are mostly average players at present ie Butcher, Crichton, Watson and Hutchinson who are not shining under the Robbo, Ryles and King partnership.
Robbo is now in a position without players of the champion mentality factor. He has many champion players in his time and unfortunately now it’s slim pickings.
I’m not being critical of Robbo as it’s just my observation. It’s dangerous putting anyone on a pedestal as it often leads to massive disappointment. He talks the talk but can’t walk the walk with this squad.
I find Robbo somewhat unconvincing in interviews and post match pressers much like the roosters current style of play under the Robbo, Ryles and King partnership.

[Bahrain Rooster]

Perfect comparison. Robbo's decision to drop Manu, play Tupou off the bench and move Matterson + Aubo to the centres in the 2017 prelim still boggles the mind.

Did Tupou even get on in that game? That was really weird.