How to drop a player

[The Skeez]

With the form of a few of our team and our coach having such a gentle touch with the players, how would he drop an established player to reserves?

Two other perennial premiership favourite teams with very experienced coaches this week dropped playmakers different ways.

Craig Bellamy straight out dropped rookie Brodie Croft to reserves which is understandable given his experience.

However, Wayne Bennett in his typical style, perhaps invented a minor injury for Kodi Nikorima, a corked thigh, and rested him.

Both teams had wins, that in context significant. The Storm smashed Newcastle to restore their home pride. The Broncos won away to a strong starting Warriors outfit. Both coaches made a change and got the required result showing it does work.

If Trent had the gumption to drop an underperforming player, let's say, the hooker who also happens to be our co-captain, how do you think he'd do it?

[King Salvo]

Not sure how dropping Friend changes a thing frankly- too many players are living on past glories in this squad - the real issue is the lack of depth to put any pressure on players for their positions and also cover for injuries and possible rep games as well as other factors I have said previously but wont repeat.

Only Cordner may get a run in SOO and that is not certain either as his form has been very ordinary to say the least - he has not really developed as a player as he should have - no ball skills/offloads for instance at all in his game - only runs the ball and since Pearce is gone -even that part of his game has gone backwards and when he does run it is easily read by the defence.

A revamp of the squad is due one has to say amongst other changes I wont elaborate on.

[Random Rooster]

A revamp of the squad is due one has to say amongst other changes I wont elaborate on.

Please elaborate.....i need to know!!!

[Arties Pie]

Not sure how dropping Friend changes a thing frankly

It's not as if we don't already have his replacement in the top 17 already, the team did very well last year when Friend was out injured so in my humble opinion there is no downside in dropping him.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

I'm certain to be howled down for this, but I'm glad you mentioned Cordner's lack of impact. Definitely a trier but way over rated, especially on current form , but even going back to last year. He is on HUGE money and I agree that he should have an offload, a step, a big hit in him, something. He puts his hand up for plenty of runs so gets plenty of chances but rarely produces anything. He is solid in defence nothing more. And certainly no great shakes as a captain. Just an average first grade in my opinion.

If anyone is going to be dropped it has to start with Friend. Dummy half is our accelerator, the most important position on the field and it's just not working. Sure he makes lots of tackles, but are they really effective? He makes lots of mistakes too and gives away lots of penalties. Maybe a move to the bench? Bring him on as a forward interchange but not dummy half. But even that is a band aid. We have made a huge mistake making him captain and until we admit that and bite the bullet nothing will change.

If anyone else is to be dropped it has to be Napa or Hargreaves or both. They have minimal impact and have been poor for a long time. Our coach has failed badly in not strengthening our forward stocks.
Had to think that we have spent TWO MILLION on a half and a fullback who both have great skills, but neglected the machine that gives them an opportunity to use those skills.

If your pack can't win the ruck, intimidate in defence and go forward in attack with offloads and quick play the balls the rest is just up to flukes.

Our win against Cronulla with 4 tries off kicks was lucky in the extreme, they made 6 line breaks against us and just bombed their opportunities. Then
Souths did exactly the same thing but finished it off.
We are in deep do do and yes in a perfect world I would drop Friend and Napa but it probably won't happen.

As to your question of how......just DROP them, no pussy footing around. Bellamy had the right idea.

[Thirteen]

There is zero depth and nobody worthy of promotion. The team will be exactly the same when named on Tuesday.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

There is zero depth and nobody worthy of promotion. The team will be exactly the same when named on Tuesday.

And who's fault is that ? Surely not Robbo, he is a genius. We should have gone after Kassiano or Latimor, or Graham, or Packer.

[Rooster_6]

I'm certain to be howled down for this, but I'm glad you mentioned Cordner's lack of impact. Definitely a trier but way over rated, especially on current form , but even going back to last year. He is on HUGE money and I agree that he should have an offload, a step, a big hit in him, something. He puts his hand up for plenty of runs so gets plenty of chances but rarely produces anything. He is solid in defence nothing more. And certainly no great shakes as a captain. Just an average first grade in my opinion.

Rubbish.

Boyd Cordner is world class. Simply saying he 'takes a lot of runs' ignores the quality of those runs and the speed of his play the balls.

You also seem to be ignoring the fact that he entered this season as the most prolific line breaking second rower in the game. Is that not 'something'?

This post takes the cake.

[Mickie Lane]

2015 they were 3 from 6 & finished minor premiers. No one got dropped then & no one will be getting dropped now.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

Rubbish.

Boyd Cordner is world class. Simply saying he 'takes a lot of runs' ignores the quality of those runs and the speed of his play the balls.

You also seem to be ignoring the fact that he entered this season as the most prolific line breaking second rower in the game. Is that not 'something'?

This post takes the cake.

You are probably the biggest OSTRICH on here. Take your head out of the sand. Show me where there are stats for THE MOST PROLIFIC LINE BREAKING BACKROWER IN THE GAME. I can't remember the last time Boyd broke the line, I think it might have been when he dropped the ball or didn't pass it so we missed a certain try in last years qualifying final.
Boyd has certainly been very good, but not this year. Last year he averaged 30 tackles and 150 metres per game, this year he has only gone over 100 m once, he is averaging under 100m per game and making 24 tackles, That's 33% DOWN on metres and 20% DOWN on tackles, so a very AVERAGE performance. That's
just the FACTS,
I'll certainly take the cake though. I like cake. Cheers

[Rooster_6]

You are probably the biggest OSTRICH on here. Take your head out of the sand. Show me where there are stats for THE MOST PROLIFIC LINE BREAKING BACKROWER IN THE GAME. I can't remember the last time Boyd broke the line, I think it might have been when he dropped the ball or didn't pass it so we missed a certain try in last years qualifying final. I'll certainly take the cake though. I like cake. Cheers

Yeh his last linebreak was in the semi final last year however not exactly how you remember it unsurprisingly, you've might have some sand in your eyes? Fair to say he's missed the guy who put him into that hole.

https://youtu.be/-OOzZPk1nPM?t=1m35s

'Boyd Cordner rarely produces anything'.... and I'm the ostrich.

[NorfolkStreetKid]

Boyd has certainly been very good, but not this year. Last year he averaged 30 tackles and 150 metres per game, this year he has only gone over 100 m once, he is averaging under 100m per game and making 24 tackles, That's 33% DOWN on metres and 20% DOWN on tackles, so a very AVERAGE performance. That's
just the FACTS, And thanks for the video, but I am sure there was another one closer to the line where he would have scored on his own but passed and bombed the try. I don't want to get into a slanging match about Boyd, as I said he has been very good, even though he lacks a step and an offload, he runs hard and is great when he is put into a hole, but he is down on form this year. Cheers

[The Skeez]

Cordners go is to land on his elbows and knees and get a quick play the ball. The guy who runs next benefits most... Keary or Cronk pushing up with the Hotstepper Tedesco looming.

Now Cordners best runs are when he plays after a Ferguson damaging run.. that's when we look likely.

Anyway, I don't think they'll drop Boyd. Wrong captain.

Who wants a calf strain, hamstring tightness?

[Rooster_6]

Boyd has certainly been very good, but not this year. Last year he averaged 30 tackles and 150 metres per game, this year he has only gone over 100 m once, he is averaging under 100m per game and making 24 tackles, That's 33% DOWN on metres and 20% DOWN on tackles, so a very AVERAGE performance. That's
just the FACTS, And thanks for the video, but I am sure there was another one closer to the line where he would have scored on his own but passed and bombed the try. I don't want to get into a slanging match about Boyd, as I said he has been very good, even though he lacks a step and an offload, he runs hard and is great when he is put into a hole, but he is down on form this year. Cheers

He's had a slow start to the season but you've got to remember he had a short pre-season due to World Cup commitments & getting stem cells put into his dodgey knee.

Sure it took him a while to get going but he's made well over 100m in his last two outings.

Boyd Cordner is the furthest thing from our problem, if the rest of our side came to game day with the same attitude and intensity we'd be almost unbeatable.

He also might not have made a linebreak this season but as a hole running backrower with an awesome track record that's a reflection of his halves, more than it is him. He's been running through some enormous holes this year and been completely ignored.

[Bondicigar]

Yeh his last linebreak was in the semi final last year however not exactly how you remember it unsurprisingly, you've might have some sand in your eyes? Fair to say he's missed the guy who put him into that hole.

https://youtu.be/-OOzZPk1nPM?t=1m35s

'Boyd Cordner rarely produces anything'.... and I'm the ostrich.

Yes we could have had the same combo this season. Pearce springing out of dummy half on the back of a quick play the ball and putting corder into the back field off a short flat pass.