We don't have the 2nd least offloads this year, because the whole squad suddenly forgot how to. I have seen players throughout the season cock the arm in good positioning and then pull it back in for fear or kearney nostrils. Such a strange tactic to want to achieve, when every team successfully uses the offload to get a staggered defensive line.
We don't have open field runners to take advantage of the offload though....oh, wait.
I think it's fair enough. Fact is we barely earned the right to offload this season, you need some good go-forward and ruck speed before you start offloading and we never got that.
Jordan G
Guest
So every aborted offload was because of Kearney? Come on, that's just drawing conclusions to suit your own bias.
Our support play is horrible, can't offload when there's no support and even if there's support eventually, you only have a fraction of time to unload the offload.
Even a few offloads we do get away are usually catching the intended receiver off guard. Our anticipation and reading of the play is horrible, offloads need those things.
Kearney may want safety first, but to say we don't offload simply because of him is ridiculous.
We had 2nd phase in 2016, in 2017 we didn't simple as that. In 2017 Kearney tried to implement a new style of play, it clearly involved safety first football as you say. If Kearney didn't use the words "don't offload", then somewhere along the line the players decided thats what he meant. Because on countless occasions in games, players who would normally create some 2nd phase decided that wasn't the go anymore. You don't have to beat a team pillar to post for 80minutes to get the right to play some footy, thats like almost saying we were never in the oppositions half..momentum ebs and flows throughout a game. The chance of someone looking to offload became so slim, that everyone was just running one out with no support and when someone made a half break noone was there in support(possibly because of the whole festering no offload scenario). So either the coaching staff told the squad, shelve the offload. Or the players have very little footy IQ and took the game plan a little too seriously, and couldn't think on the fly if they should take opportunities or not.
Chances are it's abit of both. But if you think the coaching staff had nothing to do with it, then we will just have to agree to disagree.
Chances are it's abit of both. But if you think the coaching staff had nothing to do with it, then we will just have to agree to disagree.
Off loads and players backing up. That was good to watch
We had a player in Felatio Mateo who literally lead the comp in offloads.
I EXPECT NOTHING LESS.
I EXPECT NOTHING LESS.
That is just soul destroying to watch, who even are we anymore??
Offload King Theory
Ali Lauitiiti = 2002 Grand Final
Feleti Mateo = 2011 Grand Final
Coincidence???
Jordan G
Guest
Again you're applying black or white absolutes - it was either the coaching staff or the players are dumb.
While I wouldn't disagree with either assessment it's probably a bit of both where the priority was on completions and the players weren't smart enough to access the situation accordingly.
We were 9th in offloads for 2016. We offloaded more but it was hardly exciting play. The teams style of play has been becomming more vanilla for a few seasons now.
Jordan G
Guest
I posted something similar in a different thread, but I think it's more than just offloading. It's the threat it poses to the defence that forces them to adjust and creates space on the outside.
I don't think it's a coincidence our successful teams had a good balance in the backrow.
11. Ali
12. Guttenbeil
13. Campion
11. Mateo
12. Mannering
13. Luck
Not mention some great back up players like Stacey Jones and Lance Hohaia or James Maloney and Kevin Locke. Players that were always sniffing around the offload specialist...
Jordan G
Guest
McKinnon/Webb etc
Maloney was one of the best hole runners/support players in the NRL back then.
Another thing those teams had in common, a hooker who could catch defences out with speed.
PJ Marsh - Lance Hohaia
Hopefully Roache can fill that role going forward.
A very basic, fundamental RL skill that all players should have. Either standing up in a tackle to offload or putting a player through a gap when a defender commits to the ball carrier. My Dad taught me the latter before I was 10, draw the man then half turn your body so you are balanced and release the ball just in front of your oncoming colleague, pretty simple to do if you've got half an aptitude for ball games. WTF do players practice nowadays?
Kearney wants a team that can grind out victories. High completions and low errors. He's got that.
The other thing is not every player has talent for offloads. But we've seen these players bungle them at key points in games when they have no rights to even be attempting one.
So I support the short term pain of low offload, low error footy in the hope it leads us to the long term gain of high offload, low error footy.
Which players in our 2017 squad could be relied on to get the offload right under extreme pressure? And which players were likely to throw a dodgy one just in the hopes of getting a nice highlight for their reel? Kearney wanted to stop the latter more than he wanted to encourage the former. That took some balls imo.
It's a fundamental shift that will pay dividends if it's allowed to develope properly. But with all fundamental change there are growing pains.
The other thing is not every player has talent for offloads. But we've seen these players bungle them at key points in games when they have no rights to even be attempting one.
So I support the short term pain of low offload, low error footy in the hope it leads us to the long term gain of high offload, low error footy.
Which players in our 2017 squad could be relied on to get the offload right under extreme pressure? And which players were likely to throw a dodgy one just in the hopes of getting a nice highlight for their reel? Kearney wanted to stop the latter more than he wanted to encourage the former. That took some balls imo.
It's a fundamental shift that will pay dividends if it's allowed to develope properly. But with all fundamental change there are growing pains.
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