: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:55 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

Although they may be getting used to their partnerships, maybe it would be good to try Nero + Sheriffe and Sykes + Tadulala. This way both sides have at least one good tackler.

This is exactly what I would try.

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:01 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

Although they may be getting used to their partnerships, maybe it would be good to try Nero + Sheriffe and Sykes + Tadulala. This way both sides have at least one good tackler.

Well the current combo is not working on defence thats for sure. Menzies and Nero into the centres, Sykes and Jeffries into 6 and 7? Maybe try Rinaldi at 7 when hes back too, I struggle to see the benefit of keeping Deacs in the side at the moment.

[Bullseye]

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:09 pm  

Duckman wrote:

But I can find two other players in our team, who worryingly (and perhaps predictably) play down the same defensive side. If we go on missed tackles as a percentage of tackles made, then Sykes is at a 20% miss ratio (223 tackles, 46 missed.) We also have Paul Deacon missing 20% (50 missed from 245 made) and Sherriffe missing 35% (24 missed from 72 made). Jeffries also misses around 20% of tackles.

When you consider that the top of the missed takle count stat wise for the league is Scott Murrell on 76 missed tackles which looks bad, but we need to consider that this is from 689 made, meaning he only misses 11%. By the same measure Senior only misses 5% two of our top performers are Lynch who only misses 6% and Nero only misses 9%.

Having that much liablity down one flank is not sustainable, no wonder teams always seem to stroll in down that side. It needs addressing....but I'm not holding my breath.

You've just saved me a post! Having just trawled through the stats its obvious why we've shipped so many points with the right side of Sykes and Sheriffe. Add in Jeffries and Deacon and that's just too many turnstile defenders on the fringes.

If I had the time I'd be interested to see who has the highest percentage of missed tackles in SL. By the looks of it we're right up there with these three.

Looking at Sykes's stats for missed tackles over the past years they look like this:

Sykes:

2008 - 13% missed
2007 - 14% missed
2006 - 19% missed
2005 - 19% missed

Now he's up to a 20% miss rate. Defending has never been his strong point has it?

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:09 pm  

It's time for Macca to prove he has the balls to drop the underfperformers. If Rinaldi is fit, this would be my team.


Halley
Sheriffe
Menzies
Nero
Tadulala
Jeffries
Rinaldi
Lynch
Newton
Scruton
Langley
Worrincy
Burgess

Kopzcak
Godwin
Donaldson
Crossley

I do think we need another prop on the bench tbf instead of shifting Sam about, although he did have a good game against Cas imo. Also, if Sheriffe continues to under-perform I would consider putting Halley there and giving Platt another shot at FB. I know he is condemned by many, but he had a cracker in the reserve grade.

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:23 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

It's time for Macca to prove he has the balls to drop the underfperformers. If Rinaldi is fit, this would be my team.


Halley
Sheriffe
Menzies
Nero
Tadulala
Jeffries
Rinaldi
Lynch
Newton
Scruton
Langley
Worrincy
Burgess

Kopzcak
Godwin
Donaldson
Crossley

I do think we need another prop on the bench tbf instead of shifting Sam about, although he did have a good game against Cas imo. Also, if Sheriffe continues to under-perform I would consider putting Halley there and giving Platt another shot at FB. I know he is condemned by many, but he had a cracker in the reserve grade.

Given this line up - who kicks goals...

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:24 pm  

cieranblonde wrote:

Given this line up - who kicks goals...

Burgess.

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:25 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

You've just saved me a post! Having just trawled through the stats its obvious why we've shipped so many points with the right side of Sykes and Sheriffe. Add in Jeffries and Deacon and that's just too many turnstile defenders on the fringes.

If I had the time I'd be interested to see who has the highest percentage of missed tackles in SL. By the looks of it we're right up there with these three.

Looking at Sykes's stats for missed tackles over the past years they look like this:

Sykes:

2008 - 13% missed
2007 - 14% missed
2006 - 19% missed
2005 - 19% missed

Now he's up to a 20% miss rate. Defending has never been his strong point has it?

anytime.

As for Sykes, he has good moments in attack, is a more than useful kicker, which should be invaluable if we drop deacs for next year, but his defense is awful. He's out of contract this year, and I suspect he will be resigned, but is that largely due to his quota advantages of being home grown overruling his failings??? Would the same performances from an Aussie earn him a new contract?

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:27 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

Burgess.

Really?

Can't see it. We need someone who can kick and play consistantly well. Burgess is neither of these

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:28 pm  

cieranblonde wrote:

Really?

Can't see it. We need someone who can kick and play consistantly well. Burgess is neither of these

Burgess can kick. He won't be dropped either and he has had good games. If we have Donaldson on the bench he can kick aswell.

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:28 pm  

Ewwenorfolk wrote:

Burgess.

Id agree entirely that Burgess should be played and therefore developed in one position, not swapped around unless its needed through in game injury or whatever, and I think we need to go into each game with 4 props.

Im not convinced Sam would be the answer to the goalkicking situation if he was part of a rotating squad of props though, who kicks when he's being rested on the bench?