The changes that had to be.....

T

TrueTiger

Well-known member
I started a new thread because of all the differing conversations that are being had in many different threads and topics....
I read with enthusiasm the opinions and thoughts of others in regards to who goes where or who needs to play where,who is a benefit to the team and who is not...
In my opinion we have to clarify a couple of things and see the reality of where our team is in this point in time...
Hastings was a breathe of fresh air at halfback while Luke was great at 5/8,Simpkin showed us what he can produce given game time and fitness..
Tamou played a forwards leaders game and is here for that one purpose to lead and show the young guys the way of his many years experience...
Daine Laurie will keep improving as he deals with the mental issue of getting over the broken leg last year...
Starford showed his talent and ability,he will be a great centre in a couple of years time...

Im not going to give an in depth analysis of all the players just a couple who played well against the EELS but it was worth a mention...
Now here is the reality we have at this moment in time.....
Madge has copped plenty over the years from all of us,but to be fair a lot of us knew what an effort it would be to change many things within this team and club,it truly was a rabble when he came in...full credit to the man...
Madge is only just now putting the pieces together for a core competative,stable and strong side,it has been difficult with inexperienced youth,injuries and suspension...
We had a good win,but there is still plenty of work to be done,the only thing that will beat us is constant injuries and reshuffles week in and week out,our depth is extremely limited..
I expect Madge to make many changes again during the year when players are out...Its these changes that have to be made considering how limited he is,but for example if Simpkin is out,I reckon Madge would put Brooks to dummy half and Madden to 5/8,this is only my perception, but remember in the trial game Madden played really well with Jacko,while he was out Madden had Brooks,I noticed the difference straight away and given the chance alongside Hastings,Madden could very well prosper,but its only my opinion...
I just wanted to post this so that we can all have some confidence in Madge and the team and get behind whatever Madge plans for this team and squad,I have said many times that Madge knows better than us and he ALWAYS praises his players win,lose or draw...cheers guys and girls...
 
Madge made the changes to save his own arse. It was a Hail Mary play from him.
He is no coaching messiah…he stumbled upon a winning formula against Parra. Can he do it again v Souths, keeping in mind that their defence is far superior?
 
stryker 69 said:
Madge made the changes to save his own arse. It was a Hail Mary play from him.
He is no coaching messiah…he stumbled upon a winning formula against Parra. Can he do it again v Souths, keeping in mind that their defence is far superior?
Click to expand...
Did he really or was it for the benefit of the team,Hastings was always going to have that 7 jumper and Brooks was going to 5/8...if you blokes didnt realise that after all the chances Brooks has had at leading this team,that we needed someone of Hastings calibre which was proven in a high pressure game,then I dont know what to tell you..
WE HAD NOTHING UNTIL HASTINGS CAME HERE FOR THIS YEAR OTHER THAN MADDEN,....
Many people have said that our defense is so much better this year,but our attack needs work,and thats what he was hoping for except Hastings was suspended...
You can bag Madge all you like...HAIL MARY PLAY...wake up mate,he is a far better coach than most realise,he has had has beens and youth to work with and he is starting to get to where we need to be....
 
Hastings was always going to be the organising half whether he was in the 6 or 7. That Brooks was named as a 6 was to give the fans something. I would reckon that most Tigers fans wouldn't have known that Hastings was playing as the half if he was wearing the six.
 
Cultured_Bogan said:
Hastings was always going to be the organising half whether he was in the 6 or 7. That Brooks was named as a 6 was to give the fans something. I would reckon that most Tigers fans wouldn't have known that Hastings was playing as the half if he was wearing the six.
Click to expand...

That is true many supporters don't understand the difference between the number on the jumper and the role the player does.Numbers have been become more meaningless in the modern game
 
TrueTiger said:
Did he really or was it for the benefit of the team,Hastings was always going to have that 7 jumper and Brooks was going to 5/8...if you blokes didnt realise that after all the chances Brooks has had at leading this team,that we needed someone of Hastings calibre which was proven in a high pressure game,then I dont know what to tell you..
WE HAD NOTHING UNTIL HASTINGS CAME HERE FOR THIS YEAR OTHER THAN MADDEN,....
Many people have said that our defense is so much better this year,but our attack needs work,and thats what he was hoping for except Hastings was suspended...
You can bag Madge all you like...HAIL MARY PLAY...wake up mate,he is a far better coach than most realise,he has had has beens and youth to work with and he is starting to get to where we need to be....
Click to expand...
Hastings was bought primarily to play lock.
Brooks entered season 2022 as our first choice halfback after winning the club’s player of the year award last year.
If you think Madge made all those changes after refusing to make many for years, I don’t know what to tell you.
 
I thought originally JH was bought over to be a ball playing lock, then Peachey arrived and JH found himself at ⅝ through necessity.
Jackson is too slow to be wide of the ruck and Brooks isn't.
A no brainer IMO that JH ended up at ½.
Also what this move has done is given us more flexibility when AD does return.
 
One swallow doesn’t make a summer.

We played much better however, we need to do it week in week out. I think madden isn’t ready or not up to it just yet. It’s no surprise we lost some attack ability when madden come on and brooks moved to 9.

Hastings was good and it gave brooks time and space to pick his plays. Also defence was not rushing him because there were other attacking threats or Parra were lazy.
if you look at the first game they played together Hasting was average as Melbourne were up quick and he was pinned with ball In hand several times.

I think the intensity against Parra was out of sheer desperation Madge needs to get the players to lift like that every week. Because without go forward and defence we still loose 5 out of 6 games.

Win was great against Parra but will mean nothing if we lose the next 2.
 
TrueTiger said:
I started a new thread because of all the differing conversations that are being had in many different threads and topics....
I read with enthusiasm the opinions and thoughts of others in regards to who goes where or who needs to play where,who is a benefit to the team and who is not...
In my opinion we have to clarify a couple of things and see the reality of where our team is in this point in time...
Hastings was a breathe of fresh air at halfback while Luke was great at 5/8,Simpkin showed us what he can produce given game time and fitness..
Tamou played a forwards leaders game and is here for that one purpose to lead and show the young guys the way of his many years experience...
Daine Laurie will keep improving as he deals with the mental issue of getting over the broken leg last year...
Starford showed his talent and ability,he will be a great centre in a couple of years time...

Im not going to give an in depth analysis of all the players just a couple who played well against the EELS but it was worth a mention...
Now here is the reality we have at this moment in time.....
Madge has copped plenty over the years from all of us,but to be fair a lot of us knew what an effort it would be to change many things within this team and club,it truly was a rabble when he came in...full credit to the man...
Madge is only just now putting the pieces together for a core competative,stable and strong side,it has been difficult with inexperienced youth,injuries and suspension...
We had a good win,but there is still plenty of work to be done,the only thing that will beat us is constant injuries and reshuffles week in and week out,our depth is extremely limited..
I expect Madge to make many changes again during the year when players are out...Its these changes that have to be made considering how limited he is,but for example if Simpkin is out,I reckon Madge would put Brooks to dummy half and Madden to 5/8,this is only my perception, but remember in the trial game Madden played really well with Jacko,while he was out Madden had Brooks,I noticed the difference straight away and given the chance alongside Hastings,Madden could very well prosper,but its only my opinion...
I just wanted to post this so that we can all have some confidence in Madge and the team and get behind whatever Madge plans for this team and squad,I have said many times that Madge knows better than us and he ALWAYS praises his players win,lose or draw...cheers guys and girls...
Click to expand...
No coach in their right mind would change that halves combination. In their second full game together both looked classy. Madden, next.
 
The changes made worked and you can't take that away from Madge and the coaching staff.

I wonder if the enthusiasm from some of the palyers came from the changes or the embarassment of actually being in the wooden spoon position this early on. I'm hoping the former but knowing us it could be the latter.
 
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Cultured_Bogan said:
Hastings has played 75% of the matches he's featured in the halves. 8 games at fullback, 1 at hooker and 25 games from the bench.

I don't buy he was ever coming here to play lock.
Click to expand...
The club said it while he was still in England.
The club also said this is Brooks’s team for 2022.
If Doueihi was fit, he and Luke would be the halves.
Hastings is sheepish with the media regarding the change and is very protective of Brooks. He knows that he has been promoted over Brooks and is making the transition as soft as possible.
 
stryker 69 said:
The club said it while he was still in England.
The club also said this is Brooks’s team for 2022.
If Doueihi was fit, he and Luke would be the halves.
Hastings is sheepish with the media regarding the change and is very protective of Brooks. He knows that he has been promoted over Brooks and is making the transition as soft as possible.
Click to expand...

That's all fair enough, I think he was always going to be an insurance policy though.
 
stryker 69 said:
The club said it while he was still in England.
The club also said this is Brooks’s team for 2022.
If Doueihi was fit, he and Luke would be the halves.
Hastings is sheepish with the media regarding the change and is very protective of Brooks. He knows that he has been promoted over Brooks and is making the transition as soft as possible.
Click to expand...
We all have differing opinions in all conversations,however it was as plain as day to see how this team played with a LEADER IN THE PLAYMAKER role compared with what we have had.....Im not bagging Brooks he is a good footballer he just doesnt have what it takes to make the big calls on game day....HASTINGS showed all and sundry how to do it....
 
stryker 69 said:
The club said it while he was still in England.
The club also said this is Brooks’s team for 2022.
If Doueihi was fit, he and Luke would be the halves.
Hastings is sheepish with the media regarding the change and is very protective of Brooks. He knows that he has been promoted over Brooks and is making the transition as soft as possible.
Click to expand...
That's the thing though isn't it - its always been about protecting Brooks from day dot. Everyone at the club - players, coaches admin have been protecting him since he was graded. Any moving him from his preferred position was always going to be done sensitively, if how things have been managed through out his career is any thing to go by. Even now it's been all about allowing him to play his natural game instead of saying - mate you are not we need at 7.
 
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