Albion wrote:
I couldn't agree more; I'm sure that I read that we had 90% territory in those first 10mins and then throughout the game the pack got us in some great positions, but as you say:
Spot on.
I agree entirely. Mugwump is bang on the mark on this thread.
Our pack, whilst not a classic lineup by any means and lacking in aggression, is capable of laying a sufficient platform. As you mention we had masses of possession against Wigan in both the derbies we've lost this season. We've also spent significant time in their 10 to be in a position to post sufficient points to win the games. In the LP derby we had enough position to win several games, but we couldn't do it. I find it really funny that we are all bagging Perry and the forwards, when we are also starting threads about how clueless we are in the opposition 10. We wouldn't be in those positions without a decent pack.
I'm in full agreement that the backs need to be changed. A new fullback would give us that element of unpredictability that causes defenses to line up wrong. Look at Sam Tomkins' try for Wigan, blissfully simple and scored because Tomkins joins the line, causing Lomax to shoot out to 'his' man and open up a hole big enough for a bus. Had that been us, the pass would go to Wellens who would have been struggling to keep up and would have thrown a pass to a flat footed centre or fallen at the feet of their defenders. I cannot state how enormously important having a proper fullback is these days.
Beyond that I'm not conviced whether the issue is the players or the coaching. Since Anderson left we don't seem to have any idea what to do in the opposition 10. We score against the minor sides as they make the mistakes without any clever work from us, or from barging over. Against the big sides, we are clueless. They don't even seem to attempt moves or have any structure to the play, it seems to be 5 off the cuff movements of the ball, more often than not to a flat footed player. We waste so many tackles in the opposition 10 and need to be far more ruthless. The one move the players seem to have, the one that Shenton scored from in the Grand Final is a good example. It's a set move that is very effective, but we even seem to have forgotten that, probably because it doesn't work anymore as teams can read it so easily now.
Hohaia pretending to be a halfback whilst having little experience of playing there, combined with a junior half in Lomax and nothing at all from fullback means our three creative players are next to useless when we're camped on the opposition line.
