Re: Pre-season. : Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:50 pm  

Herman saying they were sloppy at discipline especially at square marker!

I’m seriously concerned about our discipline and a lot on this board have been for years.
Just way too many penalties and errors like knock ons

If we beat Rovers then our discipline needs to be red hot and I can’t see it being

Re: Pre-season. : Mon Jan 22, 2024 9:50 pm  

Sao and Okunbor played 2nd row yesterday and looked good. I think they will be our starters.
Ashworth can play there and yesterday showed he had a good pair of hands for a forward too.
Brown, Fash and Cator as further back up isn't too shabby.
If everyone is fit I can see Lane missing out.
We also have some decent youngsters coming through.
I'm not overly concerned at all.
My only hope is that we massively improve our discipline.

Re: Pre-season. : Mon Jan 22, 2024 10:03 pm  

I don’t get playing Fash at Loose Forward.

I know the role has become diluted in the past few years since Sculthorpe, Sir Kev and SOL have retired. Never mind Knocker, Casey, Harry Pinner and Mick Adams in the 80’s.

However, I still think a Loose Forward should be classed as a creative pivot. I like Fash, he’s a 100% committed grafting forward. First into the tackle and also willing to run the ball in. However, he has never been a ball handler. I’m fine with Fash playing Prop, but we need to get more imaginative at LF.

It is a role we need to redevelop and we continue our transition. More recently we’ve had Grimaldi, Jason Smith, McMenamy, Cooke and Westerman in that that role, that could put someone through a gap.

I’m not sure Cator at LF is the answer either. I know Joe had a horrid time out with injuries, however I can’t remember many times last season when he was that creative. However, early days but Joe did look ok during his spell at Hooker yesterday.

I just think over the next year, we need to find a better solution at Loose Forward.

Re: Pre-season. : Mon Jan 22, 2024 10:10 pm  

Tarquin Fuego wrote:

Herman saying they were sloppy at discipline especially at square marker!

I’m seriously concerned about our discipline and a lot on this board have been for years.
Just way too many penalties and errors like knock ons

If we beat Rovers then our discipline needs to be red hot and I can’t see it being

I agree.

Our discipline over the past few years has been shocking. Twice yesterday we gave away penalties at our own PTB, which is criminal. This was followed by multiple six again on the 4th/5th tackles.

Cut those errors out and we start winning more of the games we usually lose by 6-8 points and that will get us back into the Top 6. It’s within our gift and I hope we finally address this issue this season.

Re: Pre-season. : Tue Jan 23, 2024 8:03 am  

We are definite a forward short, one more would really improve our squad, that could be a backrower (meaning Sao could play prop) or a prop (Sao stays in the backrow.

I really hope Cator kicks on this season, if he can add an attaclking element to his game (which he showed on Sunday, against a championship side) that would allow Fash and Brown to fight for the 4th prop spot.

Re: Pre-season. : Tue Jan 23, 2024 8:06 am  

Biggest concern for me now is still halfback, we have better depth, but do we have the quality, doubts about Hoy at 6, think Smith could push him early season for that spot.

Id start Walker against Wigan and give Hoy and Smith both 40 minutes at 6.

Cator back to LF, see if he can show his attacking game against better opposition.

Re: Pre-season. : Tue Jan 23, 2024 8:55 am  

Is it me or have I missed something being over here in Melbourne?

Last season uncle Tony said the squad would be under cooked at the start of the season and it was a long game we have to play - well that was absolute garbage as it played out.

Now we are going at it like a house on fire and have to win the Derby!

Has Tony ever broadcasted why he’s done a full and total 360’ turnaround and why he was clearly wrong last year, despite having 20 years experience

Did I miss this bit from him ?

Re: Pre-season. : Tue Jan 23, 2024 9:35 am  

He said last year we were coming in undercooked as he wanted to focus on fixing the underlying issues we had due to long term injuries. He obviously thinks we’re more robust this year I would imagine

[Chris71]

Re: Pre-season. : Tue Jan 23, 2024 9:50 am  

Exactly this ^^^^^^^^^^, he made no secret of it and spoke in some detail last season about the reasoning behind doing it.

Re: Pre-season. : Tue Jan 23, 2024 10:22 am  

If Morgan Smith plays well again v Wigan, why not start him and Hoy in the halves v rovers, walker at fullback and Nu Brown at 13? Gives us more creativity than having Fash/Cator at 13