Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Jolls]

My ex rooster mate at work was filthy on Galvo today citing the dropped ball.

He said it just wasnt good enough for a first grader.

But his assessment was that Souths won it more than we lost it.

Which to me, comes back to instilling the virtues of effort in as many players as possible.

To see Heath mentioned in despatches as a first choice half, it really sends a shiver down ones spine as to the perception of the general disfunction afflicting our team at the moment.

Ive never doubted Benjis good intent, just his ability.

Id still like to know the identity of the 16 coaching applicants Tim recieved before diligently appointing himself. I know its academic, but a lot of our discussion is wondering.

Bold hypotheticals and alternate histories!

I'm not ready to hang this entirely on Benji, yet. Start of the season if we got to round 10 with a 50% win ratio most on here were saying that he had demonstrated enough to keep him on. He has achieved that yet after one belting and a close loss we are calling for his head. I don't think he has lost us those games - I think the answer lies within the playing group and I trust that the week's break and internal review uncovers the issue and, even if it is bloody and messy, it is thrashed out behind closed doors.

You don't uncoach line speed, you don't uncoach scramble defence, you don't uncoach solid goal line defensive structures and you don't all of a sudden develop a soft middle behind the ruck if you haven't had it for the previous two months.

Lets put some of it down the opposition working us out, but that doesn't account for the effort areas dropping off the cliff, fundamental defensive play disappearing or lethargic plays (looking very much at AD and Naden). This is within the playing group - disharmony, too tired? If Benji can coach he will identify the problem and get us back on track. If he can't figure it out we are in for a hard slog; but for mine I am leaning towards the Galvin situation affecting the mindset of the playing group. The first place player unrest shows up is in defence - this is an attitude issue that needs to be resolved - find the cancer and cut it out otherwise the season is over.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Actually, Scott Prince made the tri-nations squad and played one test - https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/tri-nations-2005/squads.html

remember Skando was front rower in the 2005 GF and couldn't make the kangaroos squad.

 

[innsaneink]

Anyone know what the members email is about?

He’s doing exactly what he did at the Sharks but in a weaker team. Shouldn’t be a surprise.

The concerns were there the day we announced him....dunno why this bloke gets to bundy off and go home early every week...3.runs i think in the first half the other night is not pulling your weight.
This is on Benji again

 

[GNR4LIFE]

The concerns were there the day we announced him....dunno why this bloke gets to bundy off and go home early every week...3.runs i think in the first half the other night is not pulling your weight.
This is on Benji again

I always see him get talked up as a wrecking ball. I don’t see it. He was about to retire before we offered him a 3 year contract. The most mins we have gotten out of him this year has been 34. Not good enough for a first grader.

 

[innsaneink]

To be honest so far this year we have not missed Stefano at all, it is a shame the football side could not have found another prop or just kept Klem for this season.

At his best he is a talent and damaging forward...Bellamy isnt a fool...we cannot keep losing talented players...we need them to WANT to stay.
Otherwise it will be always one step forward two steps back

 

[pawsandclaws1]

At his best he is a talent and damaging forward...Bellamy isnt a fool...we cannot keep losing talented players...we need them to WANT to stay.
Otherwise it will be always one step forward two steps back

Good post. Professionalism starts with the Board not leaking information about recruitment or retentation decisions. We get professional on and off the field, public perception will change.

 

[Flippedy]

100% agree with the Galvin issue, it is glaringly obvius that his cross field running and poor decision making is affecting the team; however, that is something that anyone can put a finger on. It is the drop off in line speed, the soft middle resulting from a lack of inside pressure etc.

As an example; on the Bud Sullivan break that led to the try ont he weekend the A defender was Api. The marker responsible for putting inside pressure on the receiver was Luai. If the system was working Sullivan would have no reason to come back in behind the ruck because of the inside pressure that was following, in this case Twal and May. As the play was heading towards the wing Api had Sulivan on his outside shoulder and heading that way, Luai was called out of the play by the referee and Sam F ran into him, that was enough for Sullivan to step off his right foot. Twal and May were not pushing across, instead just looking on. Had they been following the play across this gap would have been plugged and the play snuffed out there.

Take the get out of the in goal and the try on the opposite side of the field on the last by Melbourne and the exploitation of the middle in broken play by Saints and you start to see the pattern. The line speed droping right off, inside pressure not being exerted and the scramble falling away are signs of something bigger: tiredness (it was early days against Melboune for the try on the last) due to the grind, overtraining or attitude.

If we could execute the defensive structure well for 8 games - what has caused us to fall off the cliff in the last three? Galvin running sideways affects our ability to put points on the board and him/Seyfarth being targetting in defence has provided plenty of post contact meters for the oppostion - but the tries are being leaked through what was a pretty solid middle and the ability to cover and recover from any defensive errors.

Where has that gone and why?

Belief

 

[Lukic]

I have it on good account that he especially and TDS to some extent don’t bond as well with the team as the rest of them do.

I think the whole Galvin thing has been more disruptive then I’ve given credit for

I've noticed this and tbh, there were subtle signs of it prior to the whole Galvin drama.

The team/club culture is becoming very Islander heavy, especially considering we have the only Islander head coach in the league, our two captains are Islanders and the vast majority of our players are Islanders. Twal, Doueihi and Seyfarth have been at the club for years and are much older while Bird's a vet who's played across a number of teams including rep footy so they fit in well, but I can imagine it's much tougher for two young white kids like Galvin and TDS, especially where his direct competition in first grade is the younger brother of two other teammates.

The more I think about it, this could be one of the reasons why Galvin (and most likely TDS) doesn't feel comfortable or like he has a future here.

 

[Jolls]

Belief

Belief, or attitide, is the most likely issue. The problem for Benji is that he has to identify the cause. Is it the Galvin saga, tiredness or some other reason. When he understands that, then he can fix the problem. Until that is understood we are all, including Benji, guessing.

 

[liltiger]

100% agree with the Galvin issue, it is glaringly obvious that his cross field running and poor decision making is affecting the team; however, that is something that anyone can put a finger on. It is the drop off in line speed, the soft middle resulting from a lack of inside pressure etc.

As an example; on the Bud Sullivan break that led to the try on the weekend the A defender was Api. The marker responsible for putting inside pressure on the receiver was Luai. If the system was working Sullivan would have no reason to come back in behind the ruck because of the inside pressure that was following, in this case Twal and May. As the play was heading towards the wing Api had Sulivan on his outside shoulder and heading that way, Luai was called out of the play by the referee and Sam F ran into him, that was enough for Sullivan to step off his right foot. Twal and May were not pushing across, instead just looking on. Had they been following the play across this gap would have been plugged and the play snuffed out there.

Take the get out of the in goal and the try on the opposite side of the field on the last by Melbourne and the exploitation of the middle in broken play by Saints and you start to see the pattern. The line speed droping right off, inside pressure not being exerted and the scramble falling away are signs of something bigger: tiredness (it was early days against Melboune for the try on the last) due to the grind, overtraining or attitude.

If we could execute the defensive structure well for 8 games - what has caused us to fall off the cliff in the last three? Galvin running sideways affects our ability to put points on the board and him/Seyfarth being targetting in defence has provided plenty of post contact meters for the oppostion - but the tries are being leaked through what was a pretty solid middle and the ability to cover and recover from any defensive errors.

Where has that gone and why?

Maybe a lot of travel away In the first 10 weeks, fatigue, might the guys have been just trying to crawl their way to a bye. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Oldman]

I've noticed this and tbh, there were subtle signs of it prior to the whole Galvin drama.

The team/club culture is becoming very Islander heavy, especially considering we have the only Islander head coach in the league, our two captains are Islanders and the vast majority of our players are Islanders. Twal, Doueihi and Seyfarth have been at the club for years and are much older while Bird's a vet who's played across a number of teams including rep footy so they fit in well, but I can imagine it's much tougher for two young white kids like Galvin and TDS, especially where his direct competition in first grade is the younger brother of two other teammates.

The more I think about it, this could be one of the reasons why Galvin (and most likely TDS) doesn't feel comfortable or like he has a future here.

I think you are way off the mark here, Go look at any junior rep sides from under 14 upwards and they are all dominantly filled with islander boys and they bond together with all their different cultures with no issues.
Sides are dominated by boys with islander heritage because they have the body shape and size that is best suited to Rugby League,
Where as (as you call them) the white boys dominate in AFL.
But most of all kids today mix and get on well with most other nationalities regardless of their colour or religion.

 

[Oldman]

I think I backed them, Lol.

😂
Sorry Tigerbenji

 

[Westie]

Any info from the board meeting?

 

[Needaname]

I'm not ready to hang this entirely on Benji, yet. Start of the season if we got to round 10 with a 50% win ratio most on here were saying that he had demonstrated enough to keep him on. He has achieved that yet after one belting and a close loss we are calling for his head. I don't think he has lost us those games - I think the answer lies within the playing group and I trust that the week's break and internal review uncovers the issue and, even if it is bloody and messy, it is thrashed out behind closed doors.

You don't uncoach line speed, you don't uncoach scramble defence, you don't uncoach solid goal line defensive structures and you don't all of a sudden develop a soft middle behind the ruck if you haven't had it for the previous two months.

Lets put some of it down the opposition working us out, but that doesn't account for the effort areas dropping off the cliff, fundamental defensive play disappearing or lethargic plays (looking very much at AD and Naden). This is within the playing group - disharmony, too tired? If Benji can coach he will identify the problem and get us back on track. If he can't figure it out we are in for a hard slog; but for mine I am leaning towards the Galvin situation affecting the mindset of the playing group. The first place player unrest shows up is in defence - this is an attitude issue that needs to be resolved - find the cancer and cut it out otherwise the season is over.

Agree, I’m really starting to see the effects of the Galvin situation it’s like the who club / players have been put on notice and they just have to suck it up and let him play.

 

[WesternSuburbsBoy]

100% agree with the Galvin issue, it is glaringly obvious that his cross field running and poor decision making is affecting the team; however, that is something that anyone can put a finger on. It is the drop off in line speed, the soft middle resulting from a lack of inside pressure etc.

As an example; on the Bud Sullivan break that led to the try on the weekend the A defender was Api. The marker responsible for putting inside pressure on the receiver was Luai. If the system was working Sullivan would have no reason to come back in behind the ruck because of the inside pressure that was following, in this case Twal and May. As the play was heading towards the wing Api had Sulivan on his outside shoulder and heading that way, Luai was called out of the play by the referee and Sam F ran into him, that was enough for Sullivan to step off his right foot. Twal and May were not pushing across, instead just looking on. Had they been following the play across this gap would have been plugged and the play snuffed out there.

Take the get out of the in goal and the try on the opposite side of the field on the last by Melbourne and the exploitation of the middle in broken play by Saints and you start to see the pattern. The line speed droping right off, inside pressure not being exerted and the scramble falling away are signs of something bigger: tiredness (it was early days against Melboune for the try on the last) due to the grind, overtraining or attitude.

If we could execute the defensive structure well for 8 games - what has caused us to fall off the cliff in the last three? Galvin running sideways affects our ability to put points on the board and him/Seyfarth being targetting in defence has provided plenty of post contact meters for the oppostion - but the tries are being leaked through what was a pretty solid middle and the ability to cover and recover from any defensive errors.

Where has that gone and why?

Do you think fatigue could be an issue? the boys played 11 straight without a bye and have done a lot of travelling the last 3 weeks.

 

[innsaneink]

I think you are way off the mark here, Go look at any junior rep sides from under 14 upwards and they are all dominantly filled with islander boys and they bond together with all their different cultures with no issues.
Sides are dominated by boys with islander heritage because they have the body shape and size that is best suited to Rugby League,
Where as (as you call them) the white boys dominate in AFL.
But most of all kids today mix and get on well with most other nationalities regardless of their colour or religion.

Yeah well said oldman...took the words outta my mouth.

Its not an islander thing....but I have wondered if playing with men, seasoned NRL hardened men is getting to LG.

Hes gone straight from whatever, Matts or Flegg into NRL...big jump and not gradual at all....and while a lot of these 'men' ...imo...carry on like kids with gaming and vlogging etc ...maybe hes starting to lose the fun aspect, not just because of his team mates but the high pressure requirements needed for professional NRL
We all here how he just wants to have fun and play footy, play what he sees...sorry Lachy those days are over...this is high stakes big business ..not junior reps any more playing with your school mates....is taht what he yearns for going back to his old high school teacher/coach?

 

[Needaname]

Do you think fatigue could be an issue? the boys played 11 straight without a bye and have done a lot of travelling the last 3 weeks.

Maybe for a new combination or young side but it’s not an excuse for a professional football team.
The Sharks have had far worst of a draw in terms of travel only playing their 3rd home game last week after 7 weeks on the road.
Keep an eye on the Raiders who have their first bye round 15 and see if they drop off!

 

[Demps]

Krystian Mapapalangi.

Remember the name!

 

[Oldman]

Yeah well said oldman...took the words outta my mouth.

Its not an islander thing....but I have wondered if playing with men, seasoned NRL hardened men is getting to LG.

Hes gone straight frome whatever, Mattas or Flegg into NRL...big jump and not gradual at all....and while a lot of these 'men' ...imo...carry on like kids with gaming and vlogging etc ...maybe hes starting to lose the fun aspect, not just because of his team mates but the high pressure requirements needed for professional NRL
We all here how he just wants to have fun and play footy, play what he sees...sorry Lachy those days are over...this is high stakes big business ..not junior reps any more playing with your school mates....is taht what he yearns for going back to his old high school teacher/coach?

Agree Ink
People have to remember Galvin is a 19y old KID playing NRL and is learning his trade.
As I have mentioned before I am glad he didn’t look at our offer as in the end we might all be counting our lucky stars that we saved that cash.
No body knows how his career is going to turn out but I wish him well wherever he plays.

 

[The Claw]

Guys I don't think we should be dis-heartened by the last few weeks. Injury has hit us early this year with Skelton, Toa, Pole being out on different occasions. We also need to understand that two of our starting vets aren't pulling their weight either.

I haven't seen any value from Jack bird in attack or defense, he has been emotional, slow in defense and doesnt have a sneaky off load or have any crafty passes in his game to be considered a good lock at this point.

I also dont understand why Royce hunt (the biggest guy in the pack) is playing softly. He runs off the back fence just to go down as soon as he touches a denfender. He adds no defensive power as Api, May, Twal and Luai end up tackling almost everybody.

Dont even get me started on staines or naden.

On the other hand, many of our players have stepped up over the last 10 weeks. Our defense has been a lot tighter then the last few weeks. Keep in mind, we have only been flogged twice, brisbane & melbourne who have the two best teams in the comp.

Hopfully we get Latu back in, I also would try and fit Sukkar and TDS into the starting side moving forward.

Drop Glavin, Bird, Naden and Stains, replace seyfarth and twal with new recruits next year.

Overall, we actually haven't done as bad as everyone is saying. We are miles better than last year, we just have a few cracks that can be patched up over this season and the next.

Claws out tigers, im still confident in a top 8 finish this season.