I think our squad is very average and I suppose that is where we differ in opinion. I've seen nothing from the majority of the players to suggest anything otherwise. Individual errors blight our performances and many of the players cannot reach the level of consistency required at this level in the basics of the game.

9th/10th finish would be about right for this squad in my view. Agar has tried to start recruiting better players. Visa issues have set that back this year and next year's recruitment is good so far but needs to add more quality. Agar should be given next season with an improved squad. If there is no improvement with better players then he should go.

As usual, Tony took the ball up well and supported. As usual he c0cked up in the key FB role of taking a ball on the full.

Horne was all-round disappointing today (Richard, not Graeme)

My god, Tony made 1 error today that didn't cost us any points, thackray knocks on, they score from the following set which at the time of the game really deflated us! No thread about thacks though.
Which just goes to prove that people on here will take any slight opportunity to start a witch hunt against someone who has been quality for us over the years but still can't get over a decision made by a coach 2 years ago!

On the contrary. I too think we have an average squad, but I also think that other average squads are doing better than us at this point in the season.



But when you look at the squad we have, we should be doing better. We should be able to do the basics right:

Motu - former international
Raynor - international
Calderwood - international
Yeaman - former international
Horne - former international
Berrigan - international
Manu - international
Radford - former SL winner
Briscoe - future (current?) international
King - former international
Thacks - has he got a cap or two?
Cusack - has he got an NRL winner's medal?

I'm not saying we should be topping the competition (and I know we've had a few injuries), but we have a number of players who, if they were performing better, could turn us into a reasonable play-off quality side.

In a nutshell.

This is nothing to do with a witch hunt. It's all to do with a coach continuing to play someone who clearly has not got the aptitude to be a first choice full back. You always know you're going to get the effort from Motu but a full back he is not. It gets heated when the last person in the defensive line coughs up possession as often from the high kicks. Remember, it was only down to a sypmathy call in the Salford game that we managed to hold on for a win. The previous game at the KC, another high ball missed and a try. The point is, this is bread and butter stuff. If a ten year old was making as much of a mess, he would be moved. The Jamie Thackray comment holds no water either. The difference between a genuine mistake/error and talent are two different things.

Horne R has made a much better job of the full back role. And regardless of who he has playing at seven with him, he's underperformed. We're a team of one trick ponies, the opposition have worked us out !! The ball turned back inside at the ruck, the Horne step. It'll be much better when Cooke is back on his four year deal, at least we'll have options.

And yes I am damn upset by Sharpe's decision to ditch Briscoe, just look at what it's costing us.

Totally agree... Cookie back for 4 years

So taking the ball up and carrying it correctly as to make sure the collision does not dislodge the ball isn't a talent? IMO catching a ball from 20/30 foot in the air is a lot more difficult. Both were a genuine mistake, thacks cost us points, end of!

yep

any fullback who lets the ball bounce and have no postional sense isnt a fullback imo.

and before u start i aint a briscoe lover I just think tony is a poor fullback

Excellent summary, although Thacks made 3 big errors today and was a liability. Tony isn't a FB.

Agree with what you say,a full back who doesn't want to know the high ball is a liability, and more than that he is not a full back.A full back's job is to gobble up everything thrown at him,afraid Motu is a liability under the high ball.Young Hally was dropped and shipped out,he's probably no worse than other players but they are on bigger contracts.Whilst we have the present coaching set up i can't see things changing.

I never said a safe carry wasn't a talent. What I was hinting at is that losing the ball in a tackle may well be an error but not catching as many high balls is a talent issue.

Maybe Thackray did cost points today, and all our players have cost us points over the years. If you look at the amount of carries Thack's or any of the forwards make and the amount of times they fumble, the percentage is reasonably low. Look at the error rate for Tony under the high ball and it's massive by comparison. Also, look at the attention the forwards receive in the tackle. Tony often fumbles when there isn't an opposing player within 20 yards of him.

Fair enough, but why does he keep making them? If the ref hadn't disallowed the Salford try last week we'd be in an even worse position than now.

Motu's confidence under the high ball is shot and other teams know this. He needs to be saved from himself.

Perhaps one of those days then !!!! We all have them, perhaps not four games on the trot though