David Klemmer #264

[king_sirro]

That's extremely objective. Not every good player runs like Edwin Moses. And not every fast player is good.

People get enamored with explosive plays but overlook the grind in the middle. Klemmer is every bit as effective as Jesse Bromwich, but I bet nearly everyone here would take Bromwich over Klemmer. I've seen the clamour for Royce Hunt on here- a perennial bench player who contributes 20 minutes a game.

I'll tell you why Klemmer is underappreciated.

People love Pole on here, and for good reason- very exciting prospect. But that Bullemoor break should never have happened. Skips past Utoikamanu & Koroisau & then Pole, our explosive ball runner, doesn't cover his gap & Bullemoor is away.

You know who seems to always cover that gap? Klemmer. Twal should get a mention & Papali'i too.

Our middle defence is fragile, and Klemmer isn't the reason why. Pole & Sione Fainu are pretty poor at those effort plays in the middle. Right now, they are bench players.

When the game had to be won at the end- Fainu & Pole come off & Klemmer comes on for a reason.

While I have been critical of Klemmers physicality, or lack of it, he does defend well, much better than Pole. I love Pole but he has a long long way to go to get his defence up to standard. You would think with his mobility he would be a great defender but he is one of the worst middle defenders in the game.
Klemmer simply needs to take some opportunity to actually try and smash someone, and start carrying the ball like he wants to run through blokes. If he does that he is very valuable, but for some reason he doesn't try to get physical, he just makes his tackles and makes his ok carries.

 

[king_sirro]

100%. Pole needdd to be brought on. Klemmer unfortunately is past it. We need to try to move on. He makes Twal look Iike Payne hass.

You don't bring Pole on of your defending a lead.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

You don't bring Pole on of your defending a lead.

Pole needed to be brought on to lift the tempo of our team. Klemmer's hit ups were pedestrian and the team was falling back into its old ways. Pole has always had the ability to change tempo, like good test batsman do during long innings. Against the Eagles, you don't defend the lead because you will be beaten if you attempt it. You need momentum and attack.

 

[BalmainJnr]

Klemmer now hits the ball up with a hop and skip. There is no venom in his runs.

 

[king_sirro]

Pole needed to be brought on to lift the tempo of our team. Klemmer's hit ups were pedestrian and the team was falling back into its old ways. Pole has always had the ability to change tempo, like good test batsman do during long innings. Against the Eagles, you don't defend the lead because you will be beaten if you attempt it. You need momentum and attack.

I know what your saying, however IMO the safer play was to have the better defender on. That's the high 100% play, but I agree some penetration through the middle from Pole could have been significant.

 

[king_sirro]

Klemmer now hits the ball up with a hop and skip. There is no venom in his runs.

I've mentioned this before. Someone needs to pull him up on that hop and skip. Just charge onto the ball. If he does that he becomes very valuable.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

I know what your saying, however IMO the safer play was to have the better defender on. That's the high 100% play, but I agree some penetration through the middle from Pole could have been significant.

I believe Api's try came off a very quick hit up and play the ball from Pole.

 

[king_sirro]

I believe Api's try came off a very quick hit up and play the ball from Pole.

Yea he is a gun in attack. Fantastic mobility and footwork

 

[Tom Shines]

I'm not a fan.

However, he's got another year to run though [2025]

Has Klemmer got one or two years left ?
Praying it’s only one

 

[Tom Shines]

Stats can lie.

How many of those metres were run at pace and gained us some momentum?

Old mate loves him some running metres stats ..

 

[TigerSJ]

Klemmer now hits the ball up with a hop and skip. There is no venom in his runs.

He seems to have lost weight and strength. He has become a lightweight with little power and too upright.

 

[Roar_Power]

Our middle defence is fragile, and Klemmer isn't the reason why. Pole & Sione Fainu are pretty poor at those effort plays in the middle. Right now, they are bench players.

A big reason for this in my opinion is Stefano.

 

[innsaneink]

Stats can lie.

How many of those metres were run at pace and gained us some momentum?

Well, you tell us
Do you think he walked some?

 

[Buttface]

You don't bring Pole on of your defending a lead.

Yep, everyone gets excited about attacking, even the commentators, pole missed 5 tackles last night, but his A game is exciting. They carried on about Mason a little and all I could think about was how he had let the ball bounce once already. There’s at least two sides to a game.

 

[mikey]

Yep, everyone gets excited about attacking, even the commentators, pole missed 5 tackles last night, but his A game is exciting. They carried on about Mason a little and all I could think about was how he had let the ball bounce once already. There’s at least two sides to a game.

Both have things to work on.
I did like some things Mason did last night - showed some promise.
Pole as others have mentioned could work on D.

 

[Wiz]

Most of our players need to work on something. I do wonder about the teaching and developing that goes on in our club as a lot of players have major holes around what I would consider to be basics. For example, both Mason and Luke L are suspect under a high ball. I wouldn’t have thought you could play first grade on the wing/fullback in those positions unless you are at least competent in that skill. I’ve seen quite a few hookers over the last decade who had an extremely poor pass from dummy half. Again, another basic skill for that position.

 

[Bula]

I've mentioned this before. Someone needs to pull him up on that hop and skip. Just charge onto the ball. If he does that he becomes very valuable.

He looks like Phil Tufnell running in to bowl and just as scary.

 

[stephen]

Both have things to work on.
I did like some things Mason did last night - showed some promise.
Pole as others have mentioned could work on D.

Thought Mason recovered well from a shaky start. Looked sharp in attack. Has to work on defence & bomb defusal to progress. Always good to see a young bloke pick himself up & keep trying. He's got spirit.

 

[BAGNF05]

That's extremely objective. Not every good player runs like Edwin Moses. And not every fast player is good.

People get enamored with explosive plays but overlook the grind in the middle. Klemmer is every bit as effective as Jesse Bromwich, but I bet nearly everyone here would take Bromwich over Klemmer. I've seen the clamour for Royce Hunt on here- a perennial bench player who contributes 20 minutes a game.

I'll tell you why Klemmer is underappreciated.

People love Pole on here, and for good reason- very exciting prospect. But that Bullemoor break should never have happened. Skips past Utoikamanu & Koroisau & then Pole, our explosive ball runner, doesn't cover his gap & Bullemoor is away.

You know who seems to always cover that gap? Klemmer. Twal should get a mention & Papali'i too.

Our middle defence is fragile, and Klemmer isn't the reason why. Pole & Sione Fainu are pretty poor at those effort plays in the middle. Right now, they are bench players.

When the game had to be won at the end- Fainu & Pole come off & Klemmer comes on for a reason.

I personally find it really hard to judge defense in the middle. Normally there’s mitigating circumstances. Api misses heaps of tackles but he’s throwing himself at everything.

I think our middle defenders are let down by our backs, they should be resting more often but we don’t convert opportunities to points. When we start scoring more I suspect our forwards play with more energy.

It stood out to me last night that Klemmer was just trying to wind the clock down when we needed some energy.

 

[BAGNF05]

Well, you tell us
Do you think he walked some?

He doesn’t bend the line or intimidate anyone like he used to. Who told him to trim up? Put him on the Luciano diet I reckon.