Who moved the goalposts??

[49erShark]

Hi guys, I'm stuck over here in US and have not seen a game. Maybe I'm lucky. But the drop from equal first to last seems massive. It seems from some of your comments that the changes, two refs etc have been aimed at changing the game away from what our team was designed to do well. Our team with it's dominant forwards and defensive system was designed to control the ruck and slow the play the ball, stopping the opposition momentum. Has the NRL speeded the play the ball up again trying to open up the play and we have been left behind? It seems Manly who were the absolute best at this are also struggling.

I know we have had issues with injuries and new players settling in but is this the fundamental problem? The NRL did it to us before in the Anderson/Noddy/ Nutley era except then it was halfway through a finals game against the roosters. That evil Gus Gould must be at work again? If the play the ball has speeded up the loss of De Gois would be an absolute disaster.

Anyway I'm interested in your guys opinion as you are getting to watch all the games across the comp.

On the positives Mitch Brown and this Wright kid seem to be devoping for the future.

 

[Great White Shark]

49er, We do not have the defense of last year. We made 41 mistackles last night, we conceded 6 tries. Last year's sharks would have aimed up better. We can say what we like but 41 mistackles (we lead the league in mistackles) shows a lack of commitment...nothing to do with anything else. Our attack last night looked better largely due to a Souths team that has an equally bad defense to ours...they were shocking. Next week we will go back to scoring 2 tries.
Sadly, the season is over (and it has barely started). Our commitment and intensity on the filed is shocking. Whatever anyone says, the stats over 8 rounds dont lie.
...and dont worry about Manly, they will be there at the end of the year, nothing to do with two refs.

 

[Sixgill]

I'm not going to write them off yet.

They're not playing well and look likely wooden spooners but we have rep season and plenty of games to go.

Warriors limped into 8th last year after coming good at the right time, then beat Melbourne and almost made it into the GF.

If all things were equal, then we've had our run of injuries and suspensions and should be able to string a few wins together when teams begin to underestimate us. Confidence will build, media will ease and the Sharks will strike.

 

[ROB SHARK]

19 weeks to go.
If we have a good last half of the season, i think we can slip into the eight.

Talking about the spoon.
I know Parramatta are ahead of us in the standings, but I think we are alot better team than them? your thoughts!

 

[chunk67]

I am writing us off!

 

[Capmar]

On the positives Mitch Brown and this Wright kid seem to be devoping for the future.

49er you are right. These guys are playing well but are not outstanding players.

WRIGHT has defensive issues & he is not lightning fast but at his age he is a great prospect

BROWNIE is playing well but is not fast, does not break tackles when bringing the ball back and is not elusive as a runner. His defence is faily good however and his effort can't be faltered.

Our strength is the 2nd row. Gallen, Matua, Williams & Tupou ALL offload in tackles but to whom? We have no support players without Kearney & Seymour is more of a kicker & playmaker. The other teams are swamping Barrett which stifles us as he is our only successful attacking player.

We need speed!! We lost the Souths game not because we don't create opportunities but we don't know how to finish them.

We need a Whesser, Karmichael, Billy Slater, Matt Bowen, Zillman, Preston Campbell, Darius Boyd, Minichiello, McKinnon etc. You see just by naming them you can see that the Sharks don't have an X factor at fullback. Mitch is playing well but on comparison to the guys above he is certainly outside of their class.

 

[JimBob]

OK, ok, ok lets stop here for a second... everyone on this forum has been b!tching about our attack all year and how we can only score 2 trys..... last night we scored 5 trys and still everyone is b!tching about now we don't have any speed......... we have Brown and Simmons...... even Pomeroy is alright so is Williams......and if you watch the kick from the scrum Brown shut it down but the thing you all gotta remember from the scrum kick... the bunny's had Nathan Merrit!!!!! IMO he is the fastest man in the NRL.

 

[sharkboy18]

Yes ur exactly rite Jimbob

 

[bort]

Hi guys, I'm stuck over here in US and have not seen a game. Maybe I'm lucky. But the drop from equal first to last seems massive. It seems from some of your comments that the changes, two refs etc have been aimed at changing the game away from what our team was designed to do well. Our team with it's dominant forwards and defensive system was designed to control the ruck and slow the play the ball, stopping the opposition momentum. Has the NRL speeded the play the ball up again trying to open up the play and we have been left behind? It seems Manly who were the absolute best at this are also struggling.

I know we have had issues with injuries and new players settling in but is this the fundamental problem? The NRL did it to us before in the Anderson/Noddy/ Nutley era except then it was halfway through a finals game against the roosters. That evil Gus Gould must be at work again? If the play the ball has speeded up the loss of De Gois would be an absolute disaster.

Anyway I'm interested in your guys opinion as you are getting to watch all the games across the comp.

On the positives Mitch Brown and this Wright kid seem to be devoping for the future.

both good options for the centers in the long term and thats where id rather see brown now but with the roster available he needs to stay at fullback

 

[jimmymac]

wright looks even slower than covell. when terry seuseu made that break off the gallen offload, i thought we were going to score for sure, but he looked like he was in slow motion. at least he was backing up i suppose, which is more than i can say about some of the more experienced players.that is where we miss kearney. brown needs to look at this, and be ready when we have the ball, to back up through the middle ahla luke patten or matt bowen.we bombed at least five trys against the bunnies, very frustrating.