Benji needs back up

[balmain boy]

1\. Benji is fine
2\. Even if Reynolds was fit Benji starts at 6.
As far as I'm concerned as long as Benji keeps playing as he has, Reynolds plays Reggie's.

The question for me is, is Benji's form better than Reynolds form of the last few years at the Bulldogs? Yes
I think some people think that Reynolds is some sort of step up from Benji and Benji is just keeping his seat warm, I see it the other way as long as Benji continues playing the same as he has been I can't find a spot for Reynolds.

Reynolds is not at the level that Benji is currently playing at even though his last couple of games have been average. I'm not stating Benji has been poor either. He has just been average.

Also the kick he made last night and the kicks he made last week were probably part of the coaches game plan. The one last night was clearly a set play. The whole team were ready for it.

I'm not sure the last sentence is correct. There were two chasers. Rocho and Grant!

His kicking (aside from the bombs he has used lately) has always been poor but every now and then one comes off which covers all the bad ones.

If the game plan is to get dominated, start to claw our way back into the game, finally get a set on the opposition line only to put in a chip kick on the second tackle, straight to the fullback with only a slow back rower and an even slower prop chasing then the game plan needs some serious tweaking!

It was not a play Cleary would have approved of in a million years! Especially not under those circumstances! If we were winning by 30, had our fastest player waiting in the wings and a heap of space behind the line to kick into then maybe. But none of those happened.

It was sheer madness by Benji. Could have easily been hooked if we had a replacement on the bench. We were never in the game from that moment on. Think it shot any little confidence the team had to pieces.

On current form Benji would be ranked 16/16 out of all NRL 5/8s

 

[Geo]

^^^^^^ Bryce Cartwright disagrees …

 

[greatodensraven]

Benji needs to be the back-up, for Brooks.

 

[Donald_Trump]

We need to play safe patient football like we did in the first few weeks when we won. Focus on completing our full sets (no early kicks), playing down the end of the opposition and making our tackles. This created frustration for the opposition and ultimately lead to then to turning the ball over. We thencapitalised on them being tired and their mistakes. Benji is the main culprit of playing rushed which we don’t need.

 

[Strider]

I think Benji just needs to return to playing safe and letting Brooks do all the exciting stuff, chip kicks etc can be done by Brooks. He has the pace and looks more dangerous running.. Benji, just be the safe hand, don't do anything too flash.

 

[happy_tiger]

^^^^^^ Bryce Cartwright disagrees …

Bryce doesn't count

We pick Benji , he starts getting off the game plan , we bench him , simples :wink:

 

[TrueTiger]

We need to play safe patient football like we did in the first few weeks when we won. Focus on completing our full sets (no early kicks), playing down the end of the opposition and making our tackles. This created frustration for the opposition and ultimately lead to then to turning the ball over. We thencapitalised on them being tired and their mistakes. Benji is the main culprit of playing rushed which we don’t need.

I still think that everything that is happening at the moment in regards to the last few losses is because we have had injuries to our key players such as Reynolds and Packer…
Grub was supposed to be next to Brooks from game 1 with Benji coming off the bench,if you look at it long term as is Grubs contract and Benji maybe retiring,this is what Ivans main plan was for a stable halves combination...
Packer is without a doubt our forward leader and should be the captain every game..
There can also be an arguement that those losses were from key players like Rowdy and Taylor being taken off due to HIAs,and poor refs calls...
Benji in my honest opinion is overplaying his hand due to trying to hard and putting the team under pressure when he needs to steady the troops and start playing much smarter for the benefit of the team,not try and make a miracle happen ....
I dont think that there is a need to start pushing the panic button just yet,things may turn around and quickly with our key players coming back and a few fairer calls from the refs...
At least I have learnt one thing from this year,the team under good coaching has gone from being renowned cellar dwellers to a strong gutsy unit that can win games through hard work and playing for the full 80,they just need the stronger players out there all together...