OFFICIAL Jarome Luai - #295

[Jolls]

Re the rushing defense, Luai just needs time to sum it up. He’s a master of the little poke in behind, of if they rush him he can hit his 2RF short (ala Kikau)

The key is getting him quick pill.

... or to create time and space by playing straight and digging into the line. We can also come back against the grain against a rushing defence applying inside pressure, something we also do poorly. Some of ADs drop off plays are also so telegraphed they may as well not do them.

The system works and we need to work on the system and also counter theirs.

A rushing defence on two sideways halves makes it difficult for us. If AD played a little straighter and dug into the line as a 7 Luai would probably have the time he needs and the same goes for Luai with AD running outside him in a running 6 role. I'm not ready to can the AD/Luai pairing - but they need to start producing or Madden will push one of them out with his simple game.

 

[EllisFan]

... or to create time and space by playing straight and digging into the line. We can also come back against the grain against a rushing defence applying inside pressure, something we also do poorly. Some of ADs drop off plays are also so telegraphed they may as well not do them.

The system works and we need to work on the system and also counter theirs.

A rushing defence on two sideways halves makes it difficult for us. If AD played a little straighter and dug into the line as a 7 Luai would probably have the time he needs and the same goes for Luai with AD running outside him in a running 6 role. I'm not ready to can the AD/Luai pairing - but they need to start producing or Madden will push one of them out with his simple game.

Another thing that Penrith would do was feign a hit up but have the forward play out the back to Chin, creating extra space. May can ball play so it wouldn’t surprise me if we’re working on that sort of thing this week. The rushing D can still cut it off but there’d be more space to exploit in behind them and on the flanks.

Won’t be surprised if he sticks with AD this week but if it’s still clunky on Thursday I think we need to go to plan B.

 

[stevied]

Unfortunately he did the same thing most of the time that Galvin was around last season.

You're probably right. I couldn't believe Luai took a back seat like he did!

 

[Year_of_the_Tiger]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned yet but Adel Hage and Bechara Junior (who are better judges than most of us) got stuck into this issue on You Tube WT last night. @Lestronge has the same view. It put to bed for me the pain of the loss and whether jock should even be mentioned ahead of AD and Laui.

 

[tig_prmz]

Re the rushing defense, Luai just needs time to sum it up. He’s a master of the little poke in behind, of if they rush him he can hit his 2RF short (ala Kikau)

The key is getting him quick pill.

A Very good rushing defense is hard to play for any half these last few years.

If a team like Dogs against Penrith. QLD in SOO last year plays like that,.it's impossible..

You can kick behind the line, but no half wants to take that risk anymore.

I liked what Parra did yesterday where they kept turning the ball back inside and played with a lot of depth. But, Dogs had an off day to say the least.

The on guy I would bet gets the better of the quick line speed is Cody Walker. He's the best half at reacting to defense instead of playing to structure.
Benji, Billy and Hayne were the other ones I can think of.

Luai is so badly out of form, I don't think even playing with Cleary helps him. He's literally got the Yips. He's too good a player to continue like that. I feel Benji will get him out of this. Luai keeps working hard, he's ALWAYS behind the ball. He's probably doing more Ks than anyone else during games.

 

[hank37w]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned yet but Adel Hage and Bechara Junior (who are better judges than most of us) got stuck into this issue on You Tube WT last night. @Lestronge has the same view. It put to bed for me the pain of the loss and whether jock should even be mentioned ahead of AD and Laui.

Seeing and hearing the comments of Adele Hage, even though he is a lower grade coach, and that of Rob Bechara Jr who appears to have done quite a bit of refereeing has opened up my eyes.

I am nowhere even close to being a student of the game and have mostly been from the school of thought that believed that it's a simple game, but listening to these guys and many others has opened my eyes over the years to how intricate the game can really be.

I listen in awe to how some of these people can pull a game apart and bring up things that I never saw or understood before, and most likely never will.

Over a period of many years this has basically brought about a new found respect for people that coach at the highest levels of the game and it has to be said that there are many knowledgeable people on this forum who are able to do the same.

Just goes to show that the game can be viewed and enjoyed in it's simplest form or it can also be treated as an intricate science, which ever way you look at it, Rugby League really is the greatest game of all.

 

[EllisFan]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned yet but Adel Hage and Bechara Junior (who are better judges than most of us) got stuck into this issue on You Tube WT last night. @Lestronge has the same view. It put to bed for me the pain of the loss and whether jock should even be mentioned ahead of AD and Laui.

I still hold a different view. If you want to say that we are going to build this season on our defense then you want the best game manager at 7, making sure you finish your attacking sets in the right way. For me the order at moment is 1. Madden, 2. Latu, 3. AD.

I thought Madden played with direction and purpose that we haven’t seen in many years and maybe it was a fluke, but it wasn’t there against Souths or Brisbane.

Hope AD proves me wrong if he’s the 7 this round.

 

[TYGA]

Luai will be 6 and AD 7 for the season barring injury they are simply better players. You need to look at both sides of the ball we have no spot defenders. AD has been great. Luai needs to step up and repeat his round one performance weekly. They will need time however I bet it’s this week.

 

[Lestronge]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned yet but Adel Hage and Bechara Junior (who are better judges than most of us) got stuck into this issue on You Tube WT last night. @Lestronge has the same view. It put to bed for me the pain of the loss and whether jock should even be mentioned ahead of AD and Laui.

Mate - fair play to you . It’s takes a fair bloke to come to the table like you have . Especially after we got stuck into each other . You have my respect ! ✊🏻

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Well ..in that case he better find a way to address that because it’s a copy cat league …it’s not exactly a rocket science approach from the defence

How many times are they on opposite sides of the ruck by the way ? Who is to blame then?

Madden was playing 7 when we had those wins
Benji will not drop luai
AD has to move to centre

 

[rugbygoated]

Better re-watch the game mate. He broke it open with the break to Best.

Not just that. His defence and kicking game was sublime in that decider. Could and should have been MOTM. It's a shame he has never replicated any form since that game. His last 2 years have been quite poor

 

[rugbygoated]

Moses won it for us over the 80 minutes.

Luai was objectively better than Moses in the 2024 Origin decider. Even Madge and Moses admitted it on The Fan show from last yera

 

[rugbygoated]

I think you're delusional to say that Luai and Doueihi are light years ahead of Talagi. No way an origin selector would pick Doueihi ahead of Talagi at five-eighth especially with Cleary. And a Moses and Cleary combination just wouldn't work, neither would Walker. Read my post again and process it then go back and watch Penrith's first 5 games.

Moses and Cleary won game 1 last year. It could definitely work. Players like Talagi may play Origin but very unlikely. His style is not suited to origin and his defence is a massive weakness (No recency bias). There are great players like Luke Metcalf, Nicho Hynes and Scott Drinkwater who while very talented would just never excel in Origin. Guys like Ethan Strange, Izzy Katoa, and I know I'll cop it but Galvin is ahead of him too. Galvin can hold his own in a big game because he is high risk and will do anything which is why Dogs beat Penrith

 

[Funnel Webb]

Moses and Cleary won game 1 last year. It could definitely work. Players like Talagi may play Origin but very unlikely. His style is not suited to origin and his defence is a massive weakness (No recency bias). There are great players like Luke Metcalf, Nicho Hynes and Scott Drinkwater who while very talented would just never excel in Origin. Guys like Ethan Strange, Izzy Katoa, and I know I'll cop it but Galvin is ahead of him too. Galvin can hold his own in a big game because he is high risk and will do anything which is why Dogs beat Penrith

Galvin is the most below average player, there's no way anyone with half a brain cell thinks he's a better player than Talagi.

 

[Adam Doobie]

The best counter to the rushing defence, especially if they are rushing from A defender or marker, is to have a man on your inside. If they rush you, pass inside and this man will almost always generate fast [This word has been automatically removed] speed for the next play. Katoa and Cleary are the best at this.

 

[Tom Shines]

Madden was playing 7 when we had those wins
Benji will not drop luai
AD has to move to centre

Who is saying otherwise ?

Luai was not a part of those wins though, so kinda irrelevant to a discussion about him

Criticism of Luai doesn’t mean he should be dropped

 

[Odessa]

Galvin is the most below average player, there's no way anyone with half a brain cell thinks he's a better player than Talagi.

Laurie Daley says Hello

 

[Tom Shines]

Luai is so badly out of form, I don't think even playing with Cleary helps him. He's literally got the Yips. He's too good a player to continue like that. I feel Benji will get him out of this. Luai keeps working hard, he's ALWAYS behind the ball. He's probably doing more Ks than anyone else during games.

He has had 2 subpar performances in the 2 losses ..but he won’t be the one getting dropped or moved … like some are saying

I think BM will promote Jock this week and see if that more traditional and direct style of play from the 7 can help straighten up Luai …

 

[SeanT]

The defenders/coach have also figured out Terrell May.
Send in 3 players, lock up the ball, allow him to push for a couple of meters then knock him down and roll him on his back. Followed by a slow PTB. Repeat whole game.
Meanwhile the other defenders are in position to defend the next runner.
Terrell needs to get off the post meter gains stat. and onto the PTB stats. It's slowing the attack.
But a great defender.

Agreed. Especially in the 20m.. he slowed the attack numerous times.