Anyone want to explain Stefano / Madge's use of him

Earl said:
People were stating to re-sign him on anything when we were negotiating his salary.

I think he'll come good.

His been poor this season. Tamou and Musgrove have been great so Stef hasn't really been noticed.

We were rolled today and he really needs to step up.
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Yeah, and I am not just blaming Stef.

Why did Madge let him just sit there for 30 mins sec half when it was bloody obvious the pack were being bent backwards all game and several forwards were visibly out on their feet.

Surely you send a message down via the trainer and say "fire up big fella, we need you to change the momentum and urgently"...rather than just leave him sitting there. One criticism I have had of Madge for ages is he does not adjust his pre planned bench use according to the gameflow.
 
ElleryHanley said:
One criticism I have had of Madge for ages is he does not adjust his pre planned bench use according to the gameflow.
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Stef needed to step up when he was on. Same as most of them. We got mauled up the middle.

I agree with the point above though. Madge has to coach well. The players play well. I hope they review this type of stuff and try and learn from it. It'd be good to ask the question.
 
He needed more time, whether recovering or not and despite indifferent form. He's still a decent prop. Also think there was major mistake in swapping tamou and Musgrove too late and expecting kelma to tackle in the middle with no dominant defender with him. We really looked bad in those patches.
 
Don't understand Madge's use of the bench period..

Utoikamanu has been well below his best for sure.. if you're talking tonight only played 30 odd mins when we had bugger all ball made 20 odd tackles 1 miss

I'd be starting him ...get back to going hard from the onset for how ever long he lasts to build more fitness..

Missed Twal big time..
 
ElleryHanley said:
I am just disappointed as Souths lost TWO big props pre game...and played a park player, who is 20 k overweight...

Stef should have been a difference maker today.

Yet he ran for 30 yards.

3......runs all game.

3...!
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I commented on this during the game. It’s disgraceful. He is falling off a cliff this year and desperately needs a JWH type badass to light a fire under him whilst showing the way.
 
Geo said:
Don't understand Madge's use of the bench period..

Utoikamanu has been well below his best for sure.. if you're talking tonight only played 30 odd mins when we had bugger all ball made 20 odd tackles 1 miss

I'd be starting him ...get back to going hard from the onset for how ever long he lasts to build more fitness..

Missed Twal big time..
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Exactly. He has no hope of impacting a game coming off the bench when we are getting dominated.

Should be starting and Musgrove should come off the bench. Stefano is not a player that needs to be worried about, same as when everyone said Laurie was awful at the start of the year lol
 
ElleryHanley said:
I don't like to be the one...but he 'has' been poor all year.

People saying not fit...Shaq Mitchell is massively unfit and ran for double and worked harder.
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You have to put that into perspective though. Shaq Mitchell came on late, off the back of an existing dominant platform, and took late hit-ups.

Stefano came on to a dominated field, barely got any decent ball, spent all his time trying to shore-up the ruck.

It's like storming through a breach in the enemy lines after someone else has already blown it open for you.
 
Pretty surprised how people are turning on Stefano already. I guess it's typical of some supporters of this club.

The guy has only played a year and a half with the Tigers, most of it good to very good. He started slowly last year as well, then with game time and fitness came top-level output. Got picked for fringe Origin.

I think he also started well this year, but missing basically 2 months with an ankle injury - those are not so easy to come straight back from.

And then he's being thrown into the match off the bench, and some fans expect him to chalk up 150 metres and 30 tackles in a match where Tigers are being dominated and there is insufficient support from the other props.

Shaq Mitchell showed today, if the entire forwards pack is firing and laying a dominant platform, then you can make metres and look OK. But let's be honest Shaq Mitchell is fat and he'd struggle for a place in most teams.

You could put Payne Haas out there, or Glen Lazarus, or Shane Webcke, and they would make no difference if the other forwards were all being belted.
 
jirskyr said:
He started slowly last year as well, then with game time and fitness came top-level output.
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I saw him last week and his hit-ups were solid. He didn't get many chances out there yesterday.

I think the problem is people overrated him last year. The comments regarding how crucial it was we signed him and pay him anything he wanted were so over the top.

I think he can be a top class prop forward but he is a big guy who needs to play himself into the season.
 
jirskyr said:
Pretty surprised how people are turning on Stefano already. I guess it's typical of some supporters of this club.

The guy has only played a year and a half with the Tigers, most of it good to very good. He started slowly last year as well, then with game time and fitness came top-level output. Got picked for fringe Origin.

I think he also started well this year, but missing basically 2 months with an ankle injury - those are not so easy to come straight back from.

And then he's being thrown into the match off the bench, and some fans expect him to chalk up 150 metres and 30 tackles in a match where Tigers are being dominated and there is insufficient support from the other props.

Shaq Mitchell showed today, if the entire forwards pack is firing and laying a dominant platform, then you can make metres and look OK. But let's be honest Shaq Mitchell is fat and he'd struggle for a place in most teams.

You could put Payne Haas out there, or Glen Lazarus, or Shane Webcke, and they would make no difference if the other forwards were all being belted.
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Def not turning on Stef, who I rate...

Just surprised at the fact he was left sitting there against a Souths pack who were significantly short of props.

Again, Madge seems to have his set rotations and not adjust. The pack was being bent badly and the game slipping quickly in the first 15 after the break...yet Stef was left just sitting there.

Side note: with all respect, Lazarus and Webcke would have found ways to get more than 3 runs also 🙂
 
He’s definitely not anywhere near where he was last year. He also isn’t the first player ever to drop a little after having a good year.

I’d be starting him and giving him the opportunity to set the pace. It isn’t easy coming off the bench when the team is getting dominated and turning it around. Him and Tamou to start the rotating with Twal and Musgrove.

We definitely need at least 1 more decent prop for next year.
 
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