Our attack lacks structure - intentional?

[Guest]

The after game panel with Gasnier saying "The Roosters attack has no structure and makes it hard to defend against". Is this intentional on Smiths part? The commentators were saying a similar thing during the game.

I wonder if Smith encourages this type of play? I find it hard to think week after week our attack seems to not get any more creative. Mini at dummy half, he will have a run. SKD at dummy half, he will have a run. Perrett at dummy half....oh hang on he did a runner.

A forward has a run and no one is there to maybe, just maybe take an offload. Hell we drop the ball enough we should at least think of that.

Last nights game was a better dipslay but our attack was not a big improvement. Players taking 2 tackles to get back on side. The players are all bunched up with maybe thinking that the only way to get the ball is to be the first receiver as we don't know how to pass the ball.....

JL

[Guest]

The lack of structure hes been a major problem for a while now. There is no plan, there is no direction and no one taking control. Comical stuff.

[Guest]

It's Smith's adlib style of coaching, "play what you see in front of you". It works if you have smart players who can read a game. We have the dumbest rake in the comp along with the stupidest captain and a halfback who is not quick between the ears = mostly dumb play.

The only structure we have regularly is where you see our centres and wingers taking hit ups out of our end. Every other team knows we do that exclusively and they hammer us.

26 years and Smith still believes this style of play will win him a title. I doubt he's going to change anytime soon.

Chook.

[Guest]

This is the coaches fault and the most obvious reason why Smith needs to go,their is no defending Brian Smith!
Everyone can see the broing one out runs set after set,the boring bomb options when all else fails!
We have nothing in attack,we desperately need a new coach and a new change!

[Guest]

It's Smith's adlib style of coaching, "play what you see in front of you". It works if you have smart players who can read a game. We have the dumbest rake in the comp along with the stupidest captain and a halfback who is not quick between the ears = mostly dumb play.

The only structure we have regularly is where you see our centres and wingers taking hit ups out of our end. Every other team knows we do that exclusively and they hammer us.

26 years and Smith still believes this style of play will win him a title. I doubt he's going to change anytime soon.

Chook.

100% right Chook.

I honestly like the approach when it comes off it's very hard to stop. The problem is you also need quick play the balls and the other team on the back foot to do it. I just don't think it can be done in the modern game. The defence is much better these days and the ruck slower from wrestling. You need some structure.

That's why I have said Smith's time is up now. I like and respect him as a coach but the game has passed him by, with this style it's too hard to win. All the other teams pretty much play the same way now. Unless the rules and the pace of the game completely change we can't win with this style.

[Danish]

We have an exact structure....

GENERAL PLAY:
Inside our own 30 - Wingers and centres take dummy half runs and hit ups, forwards are not to touch the ball.
In between the 30m lines - forwards run the ball and try to do stupid short passes to each other before the line.
Inside the attacking 30 - Pearce handle the ball every tackle, dump it off inside to a flat footed forward. If Arona is on the field he is contracted to do this at least 3 times per set. Passing to a centre is strictly prohibited

LAST TACKLE OPTIONS:
If inside our own half - locate fullback and kick ball directly at him
If inside their half - put up a bomb. Have 3-4 players chase but none are allowed to contest

HOOKER STRATEGY:
- Take the blindside at all times
- If you must go to the open side, take 3 steps down the blindside first, do a pirouette then throw a lofted pass back to Anasta, Pearce or better yet a flat footed forward


Thats the roosters in a nutshell. Players who don't conform to the above strategy and try to play an attacking brand of football e.g. Taka, Guerra, Mitchell, Linnett etc will find it hard to hold a first grade spot

[Guest]

Look at what happens when it works, we made the Grand Final.

It's ugly as hell when it doesn't.

[Guest]

Sorry thats just plain wrong.

The lack of structure is caused by the players having no idea what structure they are supposed to implement.
Smith is back in his old habit of changing the game plan at least 2 or 3 times a week, texting players at all times of the day and messing with their heads.

This is why they do not like Smith and this is why we are travelling so poorly.

The Roosters made the GF in 2010 beacuse Smith was not in "old" smith mode and was far more sensible and realistic with his coaching approach. His reversal to "old" smith and ****wits like Carney and Myles are the sole contributors to last year and this years standing.

[Guest]

The lack of structure is caused by the players having no idea what structure they are supposed to implement.
Smith is back in his old habit of changing the game plan at least 2 or 3 times a week, texting players at all times of the day and messing with their heads.

And would you care to share how you know all of this Miss Tee? So many of you claiming to have intimate knowledge of what's going on.

I'd like to see a new rule on the chookpen - if you claim to have knowledge, share your source. If your source is the telegraph or some other completely unreliable media or your just making sh*t up then fess up.

For mine this whole lack of structure thing about the Roosters has become a giant cliche. Paul Kent wrote an article on it last year and its just snowballed into this huge thing where everyone just says it because everyone else is saying it without much reference to whats really going on.

There is structure there. Whenever we got into attacking positions Pearce was organising plays but dumbass Friend kept going the other way.

I also noted that according to the fox commentary Smith told the team at half time to get back to the structure and stop ad libbing. So he is trying to coach it the players just aren't necessarily following it.

[The Brain]

And would you care to share how you know all of this Miss Tee? So many of you claiming to have intimate knowledge of what's going on.

I'd like to see a new rule on the chookpen - if you claim to have knowledge, share your source. If your source is the telegraph or some other completely unreliable media or your just making sh*t up then fess up.

For mine this whole lack of structure thing about the Roosters has become a giant cliche. Paul Kent wrote an article on it last year and its just snowballed into this huge thing where everyone just says it because everyone else is saying it without much reference to whats really going on.

There is structure there. Whenever we got into attacking positions Pearce was organising plays but dumbass Friend kept going the other way.

I also noted that according to the fox commentary Smith told the team at half time to get back to the structure and stop ad libbing. So he is trying to coach it the players just aren't necessarily following it.

We used to have a player that could impliment structure and follow a game plan -Freddy - we havnt had another fotball brain play for yus since but I reckon Maloney will come close.
I really though Pearce was having a great game especially in the second half when he chose to run more.

Smith loves attacking sides but under the current rules and the way the game is played its hit up dummy half run kick ...........I know earlier this year he was adopting what the other coaches are doing ...may be the players struggle with the simplicity of it all.
Good to see that some of the young blokes like Guerra Cordner and Moga are developing more confidence every week with Maloney next year and SBW I believe we have the nucleus to be a real good side .Pearce will fire with those blokes . I know SKD can be the odd clutz but gee he can be a match winner too we will also have another good winger and then blood Tevesheck during the year and it all points to a promising 2014

[dj_sta]

We used to have a player that could impliment structure and follow a game plan -Freddy - we havnt had another fotball brain play for yus since but I reckon Maloney will come close.
I really though Pearce was having a great game especially in the second half when he chose to run more.

Smith loves attacking sides but under the current rules and the way the game is played its hit up dummy half run kick ...........I know earlier this year he was adopting what the other coaches are doing ...may be the players struggle with the simplicity of it all.
Good to see that some of the young blokes like Guerra Cordner and Moga are developing more confidence every week with Maloney next year and SBW I believe we have the nucleus to be a real good side .Pearce will fire with those blokes . I know SKD can be the odd clutz but gee he can be a match winner too we will also have another good winger and then blood Tevesheck during the year and it all points to a promising 2014

Are you serious ?! This time last year we were saying the same thing about 2013. This year we are saying its going to be a promising 2014.

Whats the point of continously throwing away the current season to because we are focused on the future seasons and they never seem to come. And they wont unless we change.

We need to start focusing on the now, and whats happening right now. Fix that and the rest will flow on.

Think about it, if we were playing well or atleast making an effort (forget about winning), I guarantee the boys and everyone associated with the club (including us) wont even worry about 2013 as we know this bunch of players are coming together nicely and the additions (Maloney and SBW) will only make us better.

But we cant even get this season right which means next year we are going to have start from step 1 again meaning this year is total waste of time.

[The Brain]

Are you serious ?! This time last year we were saying the same thing about 2013. This year we are saying its going to be a promising 2014.

Whats the point of continously throwing away the current season to because we are focused on the future seasons and they never seem to come. And they wont unless we change.

We need to start focusing on the now, and whats happening right now. Fix that and the rest will flow on.

Think about it, if we were playing well or atleast making an effort (forget about winning), I guarantee the boys and everyone associated with the club (including us) wont even worry about 2013 as we know this bunch of players are coming together nicely and the additions (Maloney and SBW) will only make us better.

But we cant even get this season right which means next year we are going to have start from step 1 again meaning this year is total waste of time.

It all happend at the end of 2010 mate ----- We lost Daniel Conn who was unreal and our best forward in the latter half of our season we hadthe idiot Carney on the piss throw in Myles and FPN...what we bult quickly in 2010 went down hill fast -I think six or seven player are now gone since we bought no one and have taken the punt on young blokes some of those are paying off slowly. if we only had to bleed in 2-3 of them, easy but so many at once -obviously harder than what it looks.I dont accept the situation as it is but I can live with it. Last night proved that doing the little things right we are competetive.
Mostly this year our back line has been the biggest problem- next year we have a new winger and an experience Moga so I expect more from them.....and I am sure by next year we will be flicking a couple of more blokes

[tri-hard]

I hate to be positive, but with that side, Sonny Bill and Maloney, we will be very hard to beat next year.

[BallyChook]

HOOKER STRATEGY:
- Take the blindside at all times
- If you must go to the open side, take 3 steps down the blindside first, do a pirouette then throw a lofted pass back to Anasta, Pearce or better yet a flat footed forward

Danish, last night watching Friend go down the blindside repeatedly on 3rd & 4th tackles when we had an attacking backline out to the right was criminal. I'm over this team not improving. We should be better than we are.....it can only be put down to poor coaching

[Guest]

We have an exact structure....

GENERAL PLAY:
Inside our own 30 - Wingers and centres take dummy half runs and hit ups, forwards are not to touch the ball.
In between the 30m lines - forwards run the ball and try to do stupid short passes to each other before the line.
Inside the attacking 30 - Pearce handle the ball every tackle, dump it off inside to a flat footed forward. If Arona is on the field he is contracted to do this at least 3 times per set. Passing to a centre is strictly prohibited

LAST TACKLE OPTIONS:
If inside our own half - locate fullback and kick ball directly at him
If inside their half - put up a bomb. Have 3-4 players chase but none are allowed to contest

HOOKER STRATEGY:
- Take the blindside at all times
- If you must go to the open side, take 3 steps down the blindside first, do a pirouette then throw a lofted pass back to Anasta, Pearce or better yet a flat footed forward


Thats the roosters in a nutshell. Players who don't conform to the above strategy and try to play an attacking brand of football e.g. Taka, Guerra, Mitchell, Linnett etc will find it hard to hold a first grade spot

Brilliant analysis there Danish, totally spot on.

And this is the game plan that all the other clubs adopt when they play us:

1. Play a simple game and be patient
2. Wait for the Roosters to make mistakes (won't take long)
3. Get close enough to the Roosters' fragile goal line defence
4. Score lots of points

You don't have to develop the world's best strategy to beat Easts at the moment.