Tucker
Well-known member
Yep let’s bury our head in the sand.
We won two more games than last year…yay! We are on the up!!!!!
LIVE GAME Round 27 vs. Eels
- Thread starter KingRobbie
- Start date
Live Game Discussion
We won two more games than last year…yay! We are on the up!!!!!
Our side last night played how a young inexperienced side is expected to play. We were in it for 50 minutes then Api got sinbinned and never came back plus Feledy and Latu were off for the last 15 mins with no backs on the bench. The Eels were more experienced and luck went their way a couple of times. Not a surprise how it finished but am feeling confident for next year
BAGNF05
Well-known member
You’d have to think the moment was too big for a number of guys who are still on their L plates and others who really should’nt be playing FG.
851
Well-known member
Him and Pole are our 2 worst defensive forwards, we can't carry players who are a lazy arm grabbers, costs us tries every week, one is gone, maybe both, me I won't be too disappointed if both go
I think just they wernt as good and more importantly as experienced especially in the backline.
Bigscreentv
Well-known member
To be honest it’s still a flow on from the Cleary roster. Once you sign a bunch of duds on big money you pretty much need to buy really well , which is hard when you’re last, or take the time to develop your youngsters, and that takes time. People complain, but what’s the solution? Hire someone that gets short-term results and in 3 years we are back at square one?
I’ll be the first to admit that Benji has made mistakes on certain things, but his long-term strategy is right and that what counts. We need to be patient, at least until half way through next year. If it’s still the same, then we kick up a stink, but until then we need to be patient. We will be much better next year.
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851
Well-known member
See how Flanagan handled the press conference last week, and his side lost by 4, compare that to Benji this week, a sold out home crowd all to play for, it's chalk and cheese
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
The lack of respect he showed for his own teammates, staff & fans with his efforts since April is downright disgraceful. A supposed leader & SOO player! Most fans have long memories and he will have to accept the reception he will get from WT fans as long as it’s above board.
I have my serious doubts whether he will transform into a machine at the Storm with his attitude & inconsistency. The Tarzan Jane analogy comes to mind.
BalmainJnr
Well-known member
Agree. Talent and inexperience is one thing but at the crux of our club for a long time has been a lack of mental fortitude and desire. How to we change this at WT? Cycling through personnel year after year hasn’t flushed the soft underbelly out of the club.
TSP
Well-known member
I think the Benjricho youth policy has a couple of obvious flaws.
First and foremost, their argument is that we need multiple juniors being fed into first grade to build a competitive roster.
The so called “ Penrith” model.
Sounds sensible until one realises that most of the top 8 sides have hardly any of their juniors in the NRL.
For example, the storms success has been built on astute recruitment from sage officials who know what they doing.
Same salary cap restraints, better management thereof.
The effort was so poor and regrettable last night, so damning an indictment on our club, atm I think the right thing for Benji to do is resign.
Phase out the risky teenage rugby league player program and start recruiting emerging or proven talent from other clubs. By all means keep a few of the adolescents, but balance please!
I can’t wear the jersey today, I’ll be laughed at more than I already am in my regular westie uggbooted attire, blending in with the locals here near Penrith.
First and foremost, their argument is that we need multiple juniors being fed into first grade to build a competitive roster.
The so called “ Penrith” model.
Sounds sensible until one realises that most of the top 8 sides have hardly any of their juniors in the NRL.
For example, the storms success has been built on astute recruitment from sage officials who know what they doing.
Same salary cap restraints, better management thereof.
The effort was so poor and regrettable last night, so damning an indictment on our club, atm I think the right thing for Benji to do is resign.
Phase out the risky teenage rugby league player program and start recruiting emerging or proven talent from other clubs. By all means keep a few of the adolescents, but balance please!
I can’t wear the jersey today, I’ll be laughed at more than I already am in my regular westie uggbooted attire, blending in with the locals here near Penrith.
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Coastie_Tiger
Well-known member
Our game plan went out the window at half time 12 point margin against Parra shouldn't be go out there and throw the pill around from the get go in the 2nd half. Once they got that intercept i felt we were gone.
Then we semi get a sniff back and Api get's sin binned game 100% gone, in all fairness i don't blame Api the guy busts his gut week in week out with not a lot of help he was probably heavily fatigued.
Forget what was said pre game about 16 or 17th doesn't matter, it mattered a hell of alot the team needed momentum going into next year and also the supporters needed a glimmer of hope. That loss is again on Benji, team selections poor game plan poor player rotations poor. I don't think he's got what it takes Morris almost certainly doesn't unless his influence is so little he barely gets a say, but he and Farrah probably need to go and some experience with a voice to come in.
Then we semi get a sniff back and Api get's sin binned game 100% gone, in all fairness i don't blame Api the guy busts his gut week in week out with not a lot of help he was probably heavily fatigued.
Forget what was said pre game about 16 or 17th doesn't matter, it mattered a hell of alot the team needed momentum going into next year and also the supporters needed a glimmer of hope. That loss is again on Benji, team selections poor game plan poor player rotations poor. I don't think he's got what it takes Morris almost certainly doesn't unless his influence is so little he barely gets a say, but he and Farrah probably need to go and some experience with a voice to come in.
tigertragic
Well-known member
Unfortunately Morris is limited with the defensive capabilities of the team
Steph was very poor (again)
Pole has issues
The whole back line is challenged and has been all year irrespective of who was selected
So I think it is difficult to lay the poor defence at the feet of Morris
After sleeping on it and getting past the immediate disappointment of watching that performance, then reading everyones posts here, I think the obvious realisation for what we have seen in many of our poor games comes back mostly to our weak roster this season and the players who we have had to put out on the field due to injuries and suspensions each week.
You can blame the club for poor “culture” or Benji for his inexperience, or the assistant coaches for theirs, or a lack of discipline, or a lack of player effort, even the refs, or the NRL……..but you can’t go past the simple fact we often played with too many young boys against teams full of hardened men. We rarely had any consistent spine and lost many of our 17 each week, causing us to bring in players that were not up to it due to our lack of NRL depth.
As has been said.. we tackled like our KOE cup team.. exactly right, because we were (or should be) our KOE cup team. We look undersized and under strength and unfit because we physically are. It actually IS boys vs men out there, with a few old worn out warriors like Api trying to plug the holes.
The game found us out and was always going to this season. Let’s hope that with the right recruitment we can begin to fix this underlying issue of roster. Then we’ll see if Richo and Benji can sort out the rest of the equation.
Seems a long way off until next season!
You can blame the club for poor “culture” or Benji for his inexperience, or the assistant coaches for theirs, or a lack of discipline, or a lack of player effort, even the refs, or the NRL……..but you can’t go past the simple fact we often played with too many young boys against teams full of hardened men. We rarely had any consistent spine and lost many of our 17 each week, causing us to bring in players that were not up to it due to our lack of NRL depth.
As has been said.. we tackled like our KOE cup team.. exactly right, because we were (or should be) our KOE cup team. We look undersized and under strength and unfit because we physically are. It actually IS boys vs men out there, with a few old worn out warriors like Api trying to plug the holes.
The game found us out and was always going to this season. Let’s hope that with the right recruitment we can begin to fix this underlying issue of roster. Then we’ll see if Richo and Benji can sort out the rest of the equation.
Seems a long way off until next season!
Speed2burn
Well-known member
I think Api needs to be stripped of his captaincy to focus on his game. When on song, he’s probably the craftiest dummy half in the game… lump that with a whole heap of responsibility on his shoulders and he shits the bed
The challenge in the first 10 mins
Kick out on the full
Sin bin
Great player, not so great leader. Not really sure who you’d give it to tho… Luai maybe
The challenge in the first 10 mins
Kick out on the full
Sin bin
Great player, not so great leader. Not really sure who you’d give it to tho… Luai maybe
TSP
Well-known member
Cheers.
I’m going on their press conference utterances and stuff. It’s untenable for mine.
But we are broadly in agreement.
The squad hasn’t improved individually and as a team, that’s my biggest Benji issue.
If we saw genuine improvement, I’d be less vocal.
But the stark realisation that he doesn’t know what he’s doing -hasn’t dawned on him.
So in my view, we are wasting a lot of time, effort and resources on this fairytale.
I can’t remember which of our intrepid and high brow forumers coined that wonderful moniker.
Nothing personal Benji, just leave now. Millions of dollars and resources chucked at him for political correctness and grandiose ignorant pr reasons.
Even Lee still thinks he’s awesome. That’s a reference isn’t it?!
Kaito
Well-known member
Getting 60 put on us in spoonbowl at home is a coach
problem. He couldn't get the players that are leaving
& the guys that are staying up, that's the facts of the
situation and I don't want to harp on about it but
he's been very casual benji has, you can afford to
play babysitter for only so long, I know they're young
but we're beyond just going out there and having fun.
Imo Api tries too hard, tries to do too much to inspire and make up for all the slack arses on our team, therefore makes a few unfortunate errors.
Enmore_Tiger
Well-known member
If we moved their forwards from side to side with ball security, then punch through the middle with Latu and Mason etc - we are in that game. Gas them and not ourselves with the hail Mary stuff. Pawa knew we would try to run around them.
The game plan and fun attitude was pathetic, an obviously stupid approach to the game. The nature of the loss is on Benji.
At least it gives Richo licence now to be Attila the Hun, because he need to be.
The game plan and fun attitude was pathetic, an obviously stupid approach to the game. The nature of the loss is on Benji.
At least it gives Richo licence now to be Attila the Hun, because he need to be.
Have we signed an assistant coach for next year already?