Smokin Joe
Bencher
Been thinking about how many opinions there are on here about what type of players we need and how we should do things etc....
Realized just how almost polar opposite the two grand finals sides are and yet both made it to the GF.
When you look at the type of player that they have in their respective positions you realize how different they are.
The centres for the Storm(Olam and Lee) are more hard running tradesmen type and defenders,whilst the Panthers duo of Crighton and Naden are taller athletic types(more attacking types).
The wingers for the Storm(A-Carr and Vunivalu) are very fast and tall,athletic types whilst the 2 Panthers wingers are shorter,powerful types and more quick than fast.
The fullbacks are also opposites,Papa is a lightning quick, pop up everywhere attacking type whilst Edwards is a more solid dependable type.
Smith at hooker is a game manager and kicker whilst Api is more a livewire runner and tough defender.
The forward packs are also very different,the Storm are more an up and down hard running straight ahead type with an occasional offload whilst the Panthers are a more athletic and mobile and less conservative pack.(you see it in how the edge forwards play as well,with Bromwich and Kaufusi more hard straight runners where Kikau and Martin are more mobile and not so conservative)
Interestingly the real similarity is that both sides have 2 high quality halves,both with vision and great attacking qualities(even though not identical players).Cleary does more the game managing where Smith does it for the Storm and allows both their halves to just play what they see,whereas Api has more of a dart and run than Smith does.
I think DCE and Schuster working together will do wonders for us as long as Des gets rid of the up and in defence and works more a sliding defence,I hear people complaining that we give yardage easily but most sides do,you need to bend and not break I believe,give up some yards but don't let your line be broken whether up the middle or on the edges or out wide with kicks behind play etc...,this combined with having good goal line defence will be more useful than having to scramble when teams break the line.
it is too hard to try and keep teams pinned on their line for any length of time(although an improved short kicking game would help),with the new rules it is too easy to get out of trouble by a slow player getting off the tackled player or a guy offside etc...
Edit..If we can get useful service from Foran and Cust at dummy half(or another signing as it so far until season start) to help with game management it will help tremendously until Fainu(hopefully) returns.
Realized just how almost polar opposite the two grand finals sides are and yet both made it to the GF.
When you look at the type of player that they have in their respective positions you realize how different they are.
The centres for the Storm(Olam and Lee) are more hard running tradesmen type and defenders,whilst the Panthers duo of Crighton and Naden are taller athletic types(more attacking types).
The wingers for the Storm(A-Carr and Vunivalu) are very fast and tall,athletic types whilst the 2 Panthers wingers are shorter,powerful types and more quick than fast.
The fullbacks are also opposites,Papa is a lightning quick, pop up everywhere attacking type whilst Edwards is a more solid dependable type.
Smith at hooker is a game manager and kicker whilst Api is more a livewire runner and tough defender.
The forward packs are also very different,the Storm are more an up and down hard running straight ahead type with an occasional offload whilst the Panthers are a more athletic and mobile and less conservative pack.(you see it in how the edge forwards play as well,with Bromwich and Kaufusi more hard straight runners where Kikau and Martin are more mobile and not so conservative)
Interestingly the real similarity is that both sides have 2 high quality halves,both with vision and great attacking qualities(even though not identical players).Cleary does more the game managing where Smith does it for the Storm and allows both their halves to just play what they see,whereas Api has more of a dart and run than Smith does.
I think DCE and Schuster working together will do wonders for us as long as Des gets rid of the up and in defence and works more a sliding defence,I hear people complaining that we give yardage easily but most sides do,you need to bend and not break I believe,give up some yards but don't let your line be broken whether up the middle or on the edges or out wide with kicks behind play etc...,this combined with having good goal line defence will be more useful than having to scramble when teams break the line.
it is too hard to try and keep teams pinned on their line for any length of time(although an improved short kicking game would help),with the new rules it is too easy to get out of trouble by a slow player getting off the tackled player or a guy offside etc...
Edit..If we can get useful service from Foran and Cust at dummy half(or another signing as it so far until season start) to help with game management it will help tremendously until Fainu(hopefully) returns.
Last edited: