Middle Defense & Discipline

[delz]

Whilst I think we can match Melbourne with individual brilliance I am concerned about our Middle Defense and Discipline areas that Melbourne excels in.

If we are a chance to win this week both these areas need to be addressed & adressed quickly. I watched some of the highlights from previous games and it's noticeable the number of soft tries conceded in the middle ruck area close to our line. Smith and Grant will eat us alive if we don't fix this up.

Also discipline with the ball in hand and without is crucial and if we give them too many 6 agains we have no chance.

Nevertheless if we can match them in both these areas I think we have the players and ability to win.

 

[Woodsie]

I think this squad is a year away from being Melb's equal ... but that said ... on any given Sunday .. (or Saturday) ... we can beat any team.

 

[Dan]

Hear me out here. I think there may be a bit of Hasler planning in here.

We have been so lazy around marker and so obviously lazy in the middle defense. I feel like its been so obviously weak over the past few weeks and wasn't there beforehand. I get a little bit of a feeling that its been deliberate to have the top sides focus their attack at their weakness only for us to turn our attention there and disrupt the game plans.

I guess we will find out on the weekend

 

[silvereagle]

Hear me out here. I think there may be a bit of Hasler planning in here.

We have been so lazy around marker and so obviously lazy in the middle defense. I feel like its been so obviously weak over the past few weeks and wasn't there beforehand. I get a little bit of a feeling that its been deliberate to have the top sides focus their attack at their weakness only for us to turn our attention there and disrupt the game plans.

I guess we will find out on the weekend

Dan I am not so sure this has been a brilliant and deliberate Dessie ploy but definitely we have been very week down the middle corridor in a few of the "easy" games. This was more than obvious when Jake and Croker went off against the sharks a few nights back. I think you will find a whole different mindset from the guys against Melbourne on Saturday....particularly in defence and very specifically in and around that middle corridor. I think we will beat them and beat them well. Should be a good game.

 

[Disco]

It is good strategy at times to give away 6 agains.

 

[Ben]

Hear me out here. I think there may be a bit of Hasler planning in here.

We have been so lazy around marker and so obviously lazy in the middle defense. I feel like its been so obviously weak over the past few weeks and wasn't there beforehand. I get a little bit of a feeling that its been deliberate to have the top sides focus their attack at their weakness only for us to turn our attention there and disrupt the game plans.

I guess we will find out on the weekend

I don’t think Des would be letting try’s in up the middle on purpose. They work so hard to get in a position to win games and dominate in any situation. The try’s we have let in up the middle have been off quick play the balls and we failed to dominate the ruck and lost the contest. IMO it definitely wouldn’t be a ploy but more so a major weakness that has to be addressed

 

[Dan]

I don’t think Des would be letting try’s in up the middle on purpose. They work so hard to get in a position to win games and dominate in any situation. The try’s we have let in up the middle have been off quick play the balls and we failed to dominate the ruck and lost the contest. IMO it definitely wouldn’t be a ploy but more so a major weakness that has to be addressed

They've also been when the game is mostly sorted though.

Our lazy marker work has to be deliberate, it's too easy to fix and too obvious that we need to fix it

 

[Ben]

They've also been when the game is mostly sorted though.

Our lazy marker work has to be deliberate, it's too easy to fix and too obvious that we need to fix it

There will definitely be harder working makers against the Storm this week that’s for sure. Des will hopefully have these deficiencies addressed