: Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:39 pm  

JWP wrote:

During his year at fullback, he was never dreadful Rob, okay, maybe the first couple of games he played there. From about game five onwards, he was a revelation. With ball in hand he was the best fullback in the league that year, and defensively he was solid if unspectacular.

I'd agree with that but what happened the following year when there was no Nat Wood to lead him round the park?

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:52 pm  

The funniest bit was when he was talking about Dorn's natural instinct being to go for an intercept rather than to defend well. Something along the lines of "The irony of that isn't lost on me by the way". I choked on beer with laughter.
On the whole I found him interesting and informative. I enjoyed his discussion about defensive structures, its a part of the game I often miss.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:05 pm  

GB wrote:

I'd agree with that but what happened the following year when there was no Nat Wood to lead him round the park?

Why is it that Cullen is so knowledgable about the game and seems to have all the answers but he is still out of a coaching job,

Perhaps he has found his niche with sky. He could aways talk a good game,

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:17 pm  

GB wrote:

I'd agree with that but what happened the following year when there was no Nat Wood to lead him round the park?

Simple, he got shifted from fullback to accomadate Reardon.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:44 pm  

Going back to the point of our forwards hitting the floor on their elbows.
I saw Long gesturing to his forwards holding his arm up and hitting his elbow as if to say land on your front.
I have been critical of some of the warrington forwards in the past in this department. Leikvol used to do it and Morley is good at it but some of our forwards will put an awful lot of effort into driving forward after the "collision" rather than getting to the floor.
This problem is magnified because the majority of fans in the HJ will cheer and applaud a prop who manages to gain an additional 3 of 4 yards (Dont get me wrong here I like to see forwards driving through the line but I also recognise how effective getting to the floor can be)but in doing so will take 4-5 seconds providing the defence with a breather whilst they retreat 3 or 4 yards knowing the tacklers have him wrapped up . This goes back to the days of winter rugby but PTB speed is king these days and that is how Saints got out of trouble.
When Saints were being penned in by us early in the second half each drive was almost a dive for the floor even by their forwards and it worked.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:51 pm  

Cullen for Widnes

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:10 pm  

highwire wrote:

Going back to the point of our forwards hitting the floor on their elbows.
I saw Long gesturing to his forwards holding his arm up and hitting his elbow as if to say land on your front.
I have been critical of some of the warrington forwards in the past in this department. Leikvol used to do it and Morley is good at it but some of our forwards will put an awful lot of effort into driving forward after the "collision" rather than getting to the floor.
This problem is magnified because the majority of fans in the HJ will cheer and applaud a prop who manages to gain an additional 3 of 4 yards (Dont get me wrong here I like to see forwards driving through the line but I also recognise how effective getting to the floor can be)but in doing so will take 4-5 seconds providing the defence with a breather whilst they retreat 3 or 4 yards knowing the tacklers have him wrapped up . This goes back to the days of winter rugby but PTB speed is king these days and that is how Saints got out of trouble.
When Saints were being penned in by us early in the second half each drive was almost a dive for the floor even by their forwards and it worked.

To expand on that... As well as the hitting the floor and playing with speed there comeback coincided with Roby and Cunningham being on the field at the same time. Scoots from dummy half combined with them popping up little balls for the forwards (and Pryce) running behind the ruck killed us. To me there was a very clear change in pace and style from the Saints forwards. When you take into account the daft turnovers on our part in our own half we were doomed. I said to my friend when Harrison dropped the ball that it was game over. We were clearly not capable of keeping up with that change in pace at that point in the game. I'd also like to point out that it was Morley and Carvell propping at that time. Rau and Woody were immense coming out after half-time. Morley was particularly poor when he came on, then again he came off early with injury so you can let him off this once. Just once though.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:17 pm  

woolston wolf wrote:

Why is it that Cullen is so knowledgable about the game and seems to have all the answers but he is still out of a coaching job,

Perhaps he has found his niche with sky. He could aways talk a good game,

Have you ever thought that he may have not actually been looking for a job.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:33 pm  

And, as he said himself, RL coaching is a niche market. There's not an overwhelming amount to choose from.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:54 pm  

Lefty wrote:

Have you ever thought that he may have not actually been looking for a job.

I personally believe he is looking for another coaching job. I also maintain, as I said when he was our coach, that he was coaching at the largest club he ever would. Let's see.