Quote: Wilde 3 "There is set to be a big overhaul at the end of the season, with some exciting players coming in to the club....but with potentially only 2 players playing on Saturday who will not be here next season, are our real issues being resolved for next season?
1. Jamie Shaul - For me, this is one of the biggest issues with our attacking structure. Every game, the ball is passed out the back to Shaul, and he stops, comes back inside, running behind his own men and then has to take the tackle. Shaul tends to run into the space that his centre and winger needs, he cannot straighten his line, to attract a defender and then give the pass. He cannot put his centre or winger over for a try - and if you look at our competition in SL, they all have a full back who can do this - Ratchford, Coote (or Welsby), Tomkins, Evalds, Matautia. It means we are losing a pivot. Other teams have 3, and we are working with 2. For me, I would be asking Connor, or even Tuimavave (some of his best games at NZ Warriors were at FB) to be training there for next season.
2. Connor Conundrum - for me, Connor will only ever be a decent 6, but he is an International centre. He has begged Radford for game time at 6, and due to Kelly's lack of fitness during the year, he has had plenty of chances. I don't think he has the mentality to play as a half. If something doesn't go right, he sulks. Compared to Hastings on Saturday, things didn't go well at times, but he focussed on the next play. If he is adamant he wants to be a 6, I would cash in.
3. Defensive Structure - I think most are beginning to see what we try to do in defence. We only rush out if the opposition are 15 metres or less from their line. If they are past that, then we wait for the attackers to come to us. This is giving sides a good 50+ metres per set, and allowing a decent kicking position, meaning we are coming off our own line a lot of the time. Now, whether that is to conserve energy in defence, I don't know, but it isn't working and is counter-productive, as you have to work harder to get off your own line. It also means that our wingers are trying to play the ball as quickly as possible to get the momentum of the set started, and they lose the ball at the play the ball!
4. Mentality - there seems to be no grit, and no steel to the current crop of players. To get into an arm wrestle, to fight lost causes, to put their body in the line, to make a big hit to raise the side. Players like Manu Ma'u will bring that, but little is known of Sao and Satae at this stage to know if these players can re-invigorate the squad.
5. Sneyd - I fight a battle all the time over this guy. At times he has won us games, but then you look at how Hastings played for Salford, and I wish we had a number 7 like that. He runs at the line, tells his forwards were to run (and has them RUN ON TO THE BALL!!), can kick, can pass, can defend. Now I know we won 2 challenge cups, and he got Lance Todd in both of them (don't know how in 2016 by the way!), but you look at what Hastings does, and Sneyd doesn't run at the line, he doesn't commit defenders, he is an appalling tackler (Hampshire went past him like he wasn't there last week) and he got thrown off like a school kid against Saturday. In relation to point 1 about Shaul, is he not able to be a pivot, because the passing inside him from Sneyd/Houghton not crisp and quick enough to take some defenders away?
Tactics - Most fans who have seen us play the last few seasons, can pretty much tell you how a set will go. Faraimo, Naulago and Carlos will have a run from DH, or 1 off the ruck. Drop off to a prop, then a drop off to Manu. Then a kick. If we are within 20 of the oppositions line it will be a crossfield kick. Then repeat. Next season we have a group of players who are known for offloading, Josh Jones is 3rd in SL, Ma'u, Sao and Satae all have great stats for offloading, and we all know what Fonua can do. We need to be encouraging this next season, and practising our 2nd phase structures. Currently, our players switch off before tackles are even complete! Shaul twice I counted, was too busy looking around at what was happening for the next play (which he wouldn't even be involved in) rather than focussing on our ball carrier getting an offload away, and was caught unaware both times!
This has probably turned into a bit of a rant, but I guess to conclude, we cannot just expect these new signings to come in and transform us into a SL winning side. There are many different facets of our game that need to change for us to get the best out of the players we will have in our squad next year'"
Maybe but its a good rant and very much on point
The difference between Hastings and Sneyd is chalk and cheese.In your summary no 5 regarding Sneyd another point which was not made was that his passing can sometimes be atrocious.
A poster criticised me yesterday for my comments about Jamie Shaul.I also mentioned that he loses concentration at the play the ball and misses the chance of receiving an offload or picking up a loose ball.
As you say it happened twice on Saturday so i am pleased at least someone else notices these shortcomings
