Player Alofiana Khan-Pereira

[MrFrankWhite]

Both Dallin and AKP would have to be considered two of the worst defensive wingers of the last 5 years in the NRL, right?

Nah your forgetting about

Isaako
Saab
Sivo
Marzhew
Ravalawa
Feldt
Even our own Kosi was worse

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Nah your forgetting about

Isaako
Saab
Sivo
Marzhew
Ravalawa
Feldt
Even our own Kosi was worse

why isn't Sloane on your list?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

why isn't Sloane on your list?

Forgot about him, but he was FB for 4/5 years. Also a terrible defender though

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I think a lot of our success this year has been down to Webby's ability to adapt to the new rules relative to other coaches (ie Ciraldo and Bellamy). With the faster rucks, there is a greater role for the smaller, faster outside backs as opposed to the slower but more powerful outside backs that have tended to drive the defensive systems we have been using. This is where injecting guys like AKP into our team this year has really been a masterstroke imo.

Compare that to teams like the dogs who have clearly responded to the rules by doubling down on their low speed/high power outside backs who are clearly struggling with the speed of the game. The fall of Montoya this year is a perfect example of it. They are still playing under the 2025 rules imo.

This is why I've always maintained Webby>Ciraldo even if the media think otherwise. Webby understands that you can't just copy/paste the Penrith system and expect to beat them at their own game. That's the mistake that he made in 2024 and the same one Ciraldo is making now. You need to adapt that system by introducing your own unique ingredients that cater to the squad that you have, not the one you used to have at Penrith. In that sense, I've really enjoyed i) how we have introduced speed on the edges (through AKP) and ii) the ball playing through the middle via JFH, Erin and Ford. Shows his real maturity as a coach. Ciraldo has yet to display that.

 

[WAH MAN]

I think a lot of our success this year has been down to Webby's ability to adapt to the new rules relative to other coaches (ie Ciraldo and Bellamy). With the faster rucks, there is a greater role for the smaller, faster outside backs as opposed to the slower but more powerful outside backs that have tended to drive the defensive systems we have been using. This is where injecting guys like AKP into our team this year has really been a masterstroke imo.

Compare that to teams like the dogs who have clearly responded to the rules by doubling down on their low speed/high power outside backs who are clearly struggling with the speed of the game. The fall of Montoya this year is a perfect example of it. They are still playing under the 2025 rules imo.

This is why I've always maintained Webby>Ciraldo even if the media think otherwise. Webby understands that you can't just copy/paste the Penrith system and expect to beat them at their own game. That's the mistake that he made in 2024 and the same one Ciraldo is making now. You need to adapt that system by introducing your own unique ingredients that cater to the squad that you have, not the one you used to have at Penrith. In that sense, I've really enjoyed i) how we have introduced speed on the edges (through AKP) and ii) the ball playing through the middle via JFH, Erin and Ford. Shows his real maturity as a coach. Ciraldo has yet to display that.

Playing what the refs are calling helps our cause greatly.

If the ref was stadium mic'd up tacklers might not miss the held calls.

Lofi still isn't a gun defender but he's benefited from being on the end of a better defence than we've been recently. And he's applying himself without fear which is cool to see.

I won't go to much into the dogs except to say that I love that they are struggling. And with Galvin as their marquee half

 

[CWC]

Isnt it amazing that once the team sorts out their defence as a whole, Dallin's defence seems to have improved out of sight...

Unpopular opinion but its almost as if Dallin's defence wasnt that bad all along, and he was simply put in poor positions that were fairly impossible as a winger?

Okay, maybe im being a bit tongue in cheek here. Dallin certainly has poor decision making as a defensive winger, but my point is that if defence on the inside of him is poor he either follows them in and gets beaten on the outside, or holds his line and gets beaten on the inside.

Both Dallin and AKP would have to be considered two of the worst defensive wingers of the last 5 years in the NRL, right?

2026 is the highest scoring, or poorest defensive competition of the last 10 years (AI Google). Theres no way that given the speed of the game currently which has resulted in so many tries being scored that BOTH of these fellas have fixed up their defence individually, to the point were no one is complaining about their D.

As a team, weve fixed up these issues which has resulted in less overlaps and 1 on 1s for both Dal and AKP to navigate. I think Dal got quite a lot of shit placed on him despite it not actually being entirely his fault

I thought Dallin improved a lot this year, might be the tigers and/or sharks game where he was tidying up other people's mess including going for multiple well timed intercepts when outnumbered

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I thought Dallin improved a lot this year, might be the tigers and/or sharks game where he was tidying up other people's mess including going for multiple well timed intercepts when outnumbered

Yeah im sure both have worked fookin hard on their defence, but what im saying is surely 2 *of the worst defending wingers after the first 10 rounds have largely gone okay defence wise, despite this being the best attacking year in the last 10 years or so.

Have they both miraculously fixed their defensive frailties, or now that our defence has solidified they've benefitted from a better defensive team inside them? Probably a bit of both tbh, but i feel its much more of the latter imo

 

[CWC]

Yeah im sure both have worked fookin hard on their defence, but what im saying is surely 2 *of the worst defending wingers after the first 10 rounds have largely gone okay defence wise, despite this being the best attacking year in the last 10 years or so.

Have they both miraculously fixed their defensive frailties, or now that our defence has solidified they've benefitted from a better defensive team inside them? Probably a bit of both tbh, but i feel its much more of the latter imo

Speaking of defense on the inside, I do enjoy watching Boyd tackling aggressively this year, sometimes too aggressive for my liking lol.