Are we really having a good year?...

[GNR4LIFE]

Some of you like to blame Sheens for everything wrong but wasn't Lawrence re-signed for a good sum of money and lengthy contract whilst Sheens was in charge? Isn't that one reason why we can't buy a first grade centre?

Before his injury. At the time he was worth the money.

 

[tigermaniac]

Some of you like to blame Sheens for everything wrong but wasn't Lawrence re-signed for a good sum of money and lengthy contract whilst Sheens was in charge? Isn't that one reason why we can't buy a first grade centre?

Before his injury. At the time he was worth the money.

I disagree, Lawrence in his prime was a lethal attacking machine, but only if you put him in that hole or he crashed through. He never had a fend or a step. He's never been a top defender. The illusion we all see is he always tries, but it's not good enough, to put it simple, he's a robot, programmed as such and nothing has really changed accept he's slower.

_Posted using RoarFEED V.4_

 

[hammertime]

Thinking were going to play like that on a consistent basis with players like nofo, simona, sironen, sue, ava, brooks, teddy, austin even tapau and gavet who all have less than 50 games of experience each is unfair imo.

Mate, totally agree with the rest of your post and love to hear positivity on here!

The top part is what concerns me. Because besides Siro, it's actually the senior players who have been letting us down. Not the young guys.

I am so worried that it's not going to change in the future. Carrying a bloke like Lawrence at the moment is not only probably losing us games, but it's going to have a awful effect on the youngsters respect for their senior players. Possibly the coach and his selections too.

It's hard, because there isn't a better replacement than Lawrence a.t.m besides maybe shifting Thompson out one. But if doesn't improve, I really hope someone at Concord has the guts to make the call when the jnr centers are knocking on the door.

 

[Tony33]

Thinking were going to play like that on a consistent basis with players like nofo, simona, sironen, sue, ava, brooks, teddy, austin even tapau and gavet who all have less than 50 games of experience each is unfair imo.

Mate, totally agree with the rest of your post and love to hear positivity on here!

The top part is what concerns me. Because besides Siro, it's actually the senior players who have been letting us down. Not the young guys.

I am so worried that it's not going to change in the future. Carrying a bloke like Lawrence at the moment is not only probably losing us games, but it's going to have a awful effect on the youngsters respect for their senior players. Possibly the coach and his selections too.

It's hard, because there isn't a better replacement than Lawrence a.t.m besides maybe shifting Thompson out one. But if doesn't improve, I really hope someone at Concord has the guts to make the call when the jnr centers are knocking on the door.

tbh i think that only 2 of our senior players have been consistently disappointing this year - anasta and lawerence. This is Anasta's final year before we see Moses partner up with Brooksy in the halves next year, so i don't see that as a problem going forward.

However i do agree that Lawerence is a massive concern because he is chewing up so much cap space and therefore cant see him being dropped as there are no adequate replacements. I don't think Taukafua or Fine can be brought in because of the second tier salary cap problems so were unfortunately stuck with him for the remainder of the season unless we can manufacture a centre. The major concern going forward is his still signed on big bucks for the next 2 seasons so unless we can negotiate a release (which is near impossible considering the money he is on) then we don't have the funds or the cap space to sign a quality centre to replace him. Gee, i hope he has a very very verrryyyyyyyy good pre-season and can turn his form around in the first month next season, otherwise will have to wear the consequences of having 10% of our salary cap playing in reserves for 2 seasons and promote fine to first grade. To think what could've been if it wasn't for that injury, so disappointing…

 

[BlackandGoldForever]

If we stopped getting flogged when we lose we would be between 5th and 10th place., F and A is to important in todays world

 

[Flippedy]

I think the team's performance in the first 6 weeks of the season lifted everyone's expectations way too high and now that the team is playing more like what most of us expected before the season commenced, it has become a major disappointment - if that makes sense.

 

[Tim Sheens]

Of course we are having a good year, the only problem is that we would be having a great year, if only we could get rid of that ruddy black cat. I tipped us to be fighting for a low position in the eight over the final rounds, and it seems that might still be the case.

Our start to the year was no mirage, despite starting it with a number of players unavailable to start the season, including three long term ones. When Simona and Sauce came back, we had a near finished puzzle and showed just what this revamped team was capable of. That is how our team should/would have been performing to this point. We had THE form fullback, THE form hooker, THE form front rower, and we also had THE form bench of the competition.

The injury gods then really started to put the boot in, knocking most of them off, one or more at a time, with the loss of Gavet being the final straw. The new concussion rules have also dealt us a bad hand in our losses and we have now probably permanently lost Liam, who was often the glue holding our team. SOO has acted as a further hurdle, with our byes coming when Robbie and Aaron were available, after missing them for three lead up games.

Yesterday a decimated WT side lost to a team that entered the match with basically a full roster to choose from and were heavy favourites accordingly. Little doubt we have used more players than any other club at this stage and probably fielded the most debutants and/or rookies.

Take half the spine out of ANY team and they will struggle. Lose the number of players that we have, and all sides would find it hard to get a win.

Surely things cannot get worse. I am still drinking from my half full glass.