Hetherington: is he losing the plot? Or sour grapes? : Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:37 pm  

Have a read of this. As a taster... Hetherington wrote: I think it is a bit of a concern for the game that coaches are coaching to stop the opposition and they are getting really good at it. It is a perfectly legitimate objective, but I think the pendulum has swung too far in that direction... Harlequins last week were extremely well-structured, well organised and very tough in defence. When teams like that are on their mettle, they are difficult to break down. Last week Leeds Rhinos weren't able to unlock that defence often enough and it was the same a couple of weeks earlier, when we played Bradford. Okaaaay.... So if I read it right, the reason that his lot have been (shock! horror!) losing games - which is clearly against the natural order of things - is because other teams have had the nerve to actually try and stop the opposition winning? So, because his team have lost some ascendency, we'll have to change the rules now. No change there, then. By-the-by, interesting to note the - probably unintentional - acknowledgment that Bulls beat Leeds NOT because Leeds were poor, but because our defence was GOOD. Très interéssant.... All very odd, given that Leeds timed their lying-on to absolute perfection when they played us - one nanosecond short of a penalty. Methinks El Presidente has thrown a tantrum, with the teddy currently well out of the cot?

Have a read of this. As a taster... Hetherington wrote: I think it is a bit of a concern for the game that coaches are coaching to stop the opposition and they are getting really good at it. It is a perfectly legitimate objective, but I think the pendulum has swung too far in that direction... Harlequins last week were extremely well-structured, well organised and very tough in defence. When teams like that are on their mettle, they are difficult to break down. Last week Leeds Rhinos weren't able to unlock that defence often enough and it was the same a couple of weeks earlier, when we played Bradford. Okaaaay.... So if I read it right, the reason that his lot have been (shock! horror!) losing games - which is clearly against the natural order of things - is because other teams have had the nerve to actually try and stop the opposition winning? So, because his team have lost some ascendency, we'll have to change the rules now. No change there, then. By-the-by, interesting to note the - probably unintentional - acknowledgment that Bulls beat Leeds NOT because Leeds were poor, but because our defence was GOOD. Très interéssant.... All very odd, given that Leeds timed their lying-on to absolute perfection when they played us - one nanosecond short of a penalty. Methinks El Presidente has thrown a tantrum, with the teddy currently well out of the cot?

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:45 pm  

The ref's do seem to be allowing a little more time holding down at the PTB this year. This obviously does not suit the fast game that Leeds try to play.

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:53 pm  

One word: Obsessed.

tvoc wrote:

GH certainly knows his target audience.

This dominance of the defence (robbers) over the attack (cops) would be best evidenced by?

Presumably a reduction in points being scored in the average SL match?

Well he's right, just about.

1 ….. 1996 ….. 32 _ 24 ….. 7363 ….. ( 56 )
2 ….. 1997 ….. 26 _ 21 ….. 6165 ….. ( 47 )
3 ….. 1998 ….. 25 _ 19 ….. 6048 ….. ( 44 )
4 ….. 1999 ….. 26 _ 20 ….. 9659 ….. ( 46 )
5 ….. 2000 ….. 27 _ 23 ….. 8315 ….. ( 49 )
6 ….. 2001 ….. 30 _ 23 ….. 8842 ….. ( 53 )
7 ….. 2002 ….. 27 _ 22 ….. 8345 ….. ( 50 )
8 ….. 2003 ….. 26 _ 23 ….. 8099 ….. ( 48 )
9 ….. 2004 ….. 28 _ 22 ….. 8410 ….. ( 50 )
10 ….. 2005 ….. 30 _ 25 ….. 9314 ….. ( 55 )
11 ….. 2006 ….. 27 _ 22 ….. 8251 ….. ( 49 )
12 ….. 2007 ….. 25 _ 21 ….. 7460 ….. ( 46 )
13 ….. 2008 ….. 27 _ 22 ….. 8014 ….. ( 49 )
14 ….. 2009 ….. 23 _ 22 ….. 3403 ….. ( 45 )

Does a four point reduction in the average aggregate from last season to this fully justify the whinge?

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:55 pm  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

The ref's do seem to be allowing a little more time holding down at the PTB this year. This obviously does not suit the fast game that Leeds try to play.

Seemingly not.

Except that is clearly gross hypocrisy, when you watched Leeds when they were playing us.

I did some timing watching the replay: they were exploiting this apparent extra time to perfection - it was a perfect five seconds almost every time, whereas ours varied up to that. I commented on that at the time IIRC? This was after me and all round me at the game screaming at the ref for Leeds' "lying-on" throughout the match. As it turned out they were not - just. They were just very very good at stretching it to the max.

Also interesting to note comments by Beaver and others, coming to play over here, that they find the game at the PTB faster over here than in the NRL?

Really strange, then, that he has a go at two clubs with English coaches, and him with an Aussie one?

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:00 pm  

Bully_Boxer wrote:

The ref's do seem to be allowing a little more time holding down at the PTB this year. This obviously does not suit the fast game that Leeds try to play.

I prefer to say that the refs are applying the same rules to both teams. How many matches have you seen where Saints hold down at the lay the ball and then scream blue murder if they are not allowed to jump up and PTB immediately?

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:03 pm  

rugbyreddog wrote:

I prefer to say that the refs are applying the same rules to both teams. How many matches have you seen where Saints hold down at the lay the ball and then scream blue murder if they are not allowed to jump up and PTB immediately?

Seem to recall that worked very well for them last year when we played them at KR?

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:04 pm  

Adeybull wrote:

Really strange, then, that he has a go at two clubs with English coaches, and him with an Aussie one?

Who Hetherington? McClennan an Aussie, call the cops.

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:06 pm  

tvoc wrote:

Who Hetherington? McClennan an Aussie, call the cops.

OK. Muppet award accepted

[Durham Giant]

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 5:51 pm  

It is exactly the same allegation as made against Huddersfield this season. What is interesting is that leeds are the masters of it and also wrestling.

i was really impressed with the fact that it is quite hard to get a Leeds player on his back. I saw Peacock and another of their other props practicing this before KO.

the complaint is about the fact that other teams have caught up with Leeds and Saints in this respect.

the problem is that certain teams get labelled and then the refs pick up on it and they get penalised. When you look at the comments it is all about trying to get you targetted so as to avoid the refs watching them as they are the little innocent victims.

: Thu Apr 30, 2009 6:20 pm  

I just don't see how defence can be said to be on top. This season there have in SL, yet again, been the same number of points conceded by defences as have been scored by attacks.

Hetherington's lost it. Again.