Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:37 pm  

Which was better:

Last season. Lomax - Gaskell - Pryce
This season. Lomax - Lance - Gaskell

Also was Lomax better last season or this season.

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:11 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

Which was better:

Last season. Lomax - Gaskell - Pryce
This season. Lomax - Lance - Gaskell

Also was Lomax better last season or this season.

Pryce didn't really play for his last two years but I'd take a fit pryce over any of our halfbacks.

We are effectively asking two fullbacks to play in the halves at a top level which IMO is pure stupid.

It's a tough ask for lomax and lance and in a way I feel sorry for them because it's hard to change postion when the other half is also changing postion.

Lomax could be a good scrum half if he had a top class experinced stand off with him, someone like finch or briers. That would allow lomax to drift in and out the game instead of being asked to do to much.

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:44 pm  

I would say as a combination the half backs played better last year, i know Hohia is new to the club but sometimes i get the impression that they are trying to do to much as individuals rather than whats best for the team, even daft things like kicking to touch from a pentalty they both seem to go for the ball to kick it rather than Lomax going for the kick and Lance talking to the line saying what moves he wants when the the team is set.

Generally i just feel saints attacking plays are so slow and predictabe, might be being a bit harsh but the only decent move was Shentons try in the build up when Hohia gives it to Wellens?? i do believe he passed it to the wrong person, luckily enough hohia came on the run around and we finished the try well. Dont get me wrong it was a great try, but my point is we only crossed the line once in 70 mins and i feel it was more off the cuff rugby rather than a set play, and IMO our set plays are so basic and done so slowly if we come across a well orginized sliding defence we will hardly score any points. Also the amount of ball that goes to ground when we are attacking is slightly embrassing.

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:12 pm  

Dime_Bar wrote:

I would say as a combination the half backs played better last year, i know Hohia is new to the club but sometimes i get the impression that they are trying to do to much as individuals rather than whats best for the team, even daft things like kicking to touch from a pentalty they both seem to go for the ball to kick it rather than Lomax going for the kick and Lance talking to the line saying what moves he wants when the the team is set.

Generally i just feel saints attacking plays are so slow and predictabe, might be being a bit harsh but the only decent move was Shentons try in the build up when Hohia gives it to Wellens?? i do believe he passed it to the wrong person, luckily enough hohia came on the run around and we finished the try well. Dont get me wrong it was a great try, but my point is we only crossed the line once in 70 mins and i feel it was more off the cuff rugby rather than a set play, and IMO our set plays are so basic and done so slowly if we come across a well orginized sliding defence we will hardly score any points. Also the amount of ball that goes to ground when we are attacking is slightly embrassing.

We are very very predictable and our set moves are shocking when you compare it to other teams. It's the same move all the time and we have no dummy runners or options.

Because lance and lomax ain't natural halfbacks it's to slow, lance maybe quick on his feet but he's very slow in the head when it comes to rugby. We seem to go across the pitch to much.

It was always going to be a problem this year from the min super Royce said he's playing lance at 6.

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:42 pm  

St pete wrote:

We are very very predictable and our set moves are shocking when you compare it to other teams. It's the same move all the time and we have no dummy runners or options.

Because lance and lomax ain't natural halfbacks it's to slow, lance maybe quick on his feet but he's very slow in the head when it comes to rugby. We seem to go across the pitch to much.

It was always going to be a problem this year from the min super Royce said he's playing lance at 6.

Very true. Overall Lance isnt a bad player, we are just using him wrong, if you told him we are doing play x y and z with his chiming in from fullback he would be great, if you tell him to set up and organize play x y and z thats when he struggles. When the ball gets to him he may aswell lie on the floor. he thinks about it too much when he is in possesion rather than making a decesion right away and that why i think the ball either ends up on the floor or passes it too a player who already is being lined up.

IMO stick him at FB drift in and out of the play dont give him to much responsibility plus as he shown chasing myler down he has abit of much needed pace.

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:56 pm  

St pete wrote:

You've bacically said everything I've been saying all year. I've been banging on and on that we made massive mistake in signing Laffranchi to play prop, he does a ok Job against the lesser teams but it becomes clear he's not a prop against the top sides. I'm not having a dig at him as he always put in the effort but he's not a top rate prop.

I've also banged on about lance, he's not a stand off and won't be for as long as he lives, hes a fullback and thats that!

I've also been going on and on about TP playing 2nd row, he gee to lazy outwide and we miss his big runs down the middle, he's big strong, makes big yards and also had great off load game. Why have we moved him?

Possibly because he is not fit enough to play prop down the middle.
Perhaps the coaching staff see him more as a strike weapon into the corners in the same mode Ali Lauitiiti and David Solomona (esp. when they started to lose their stamina).

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 10:01 pm  

No1 Saint wrote:

I'd love for someone to please explain to me what Wello offers the team at the moment?

Well, wello was poor against warry but so was just about eveyone else and he scored a very good (consolation) try.

Against, Hudds he was, if not the man of the match, very close to being so. He IMO, made some excellent match turning tackles in the second half of that game when Hudds broke through on three occasions with only him to beat.

I'd give him another year and its unfair to place all our problems on him.
He needs to pack in the pathetic man trying to fly impersonations though.

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 10:36 pm  

No1 Saint wrote:

Gaskell back in at 6 is essential, he is halfback and he can kick which gives him 2 advantages over Hohaia straight away.....At the end of the day what harm could it do ?

How about him getting humiliated and smashed to pieces against Wigan, Wire and Leeds in the last league game and in the playoffs ruining his confidence and maybe threatening his future development as a player? The worst thing you could do with Gaskell right now is bring him into the team cold for big games that we are likely to lose convincingly after most of the season sat on the sidelines. Sit him in the stands, protect him from the oncoming farago, let Hohaia take the flak instead and start again fresh next season where we'l have a full season to build him up, have a good look at him and get him ready for the big games to come if he's ultimately up to it. That's the way to do it.

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:28 pm  

I'd be more than happy to have front row of Perry and Puletua with Clough and LMS coming from the bench...Laffranchi can move to 13 and have Wilkin, Soliola, Flanagan and Flannery playing in the second-row:

Wellens
Makinson
Shenton
Jones
Meli
Lomax
Hohaia
Perry
Roby
Puletua
Flannery
Wilkin
Laffranchi

LMS
Clough
Flanagan
Soliola

Re: Drastic changes needed ASAP! : Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:37 pm  

saint at wire wrote:

Well, wello was poor against warry but so was just about eveyone else and he scored a very good (consolation) try.

Against, Hudds he was, if not the man of the match, very close to being so. He IMO, made some excellent match turning tackles in the second half of that game when Hudds broke through on three occasions with only him to beat.

I'd give him another year and its unfair to place all our problems on him.
He needs to pack in the pathetic man trying to fly impersonations though.

He really does need to pack in the Icarus impressions. Really winding me up with that now.

His performance against Warrington is his norm now, that's how he plays. He can still come up with the odd good tackle, the odd high ball take and he'll get on the end of breaks through the middle. But he's got no life in him at all. He's playing like a 32 year old whose body is shot and seems to be really struggling. His body language needs to be sorted out if he's staying in the side, sulking your way through a match you are playing terribly in is no way for a captain to behave. It's unbelievable that we've given him another playing contract.