BENJI

[cktiger]

Really don't think you can blame him for not running much more than he did - we mostly had the ball trying to get out of our 20.
His defence is a different matter though.
I really thought he had improved greatly the last few months - last night he didn't seem to have his timing right.
Maybe the reshuffle after Moltzen's injury didn't help , but , gee he looked pretty awful.

 

[Tigersmurf]

Benji's defense was disgraceful last night. I made a comment whilst at the game that he was a turnstile!

He was stepped every time the knights ran at him and his attempted tackles were all arms. He looked dis-interested, as did a few others. He owed his mate better.

 

[ragedmachine]

I've been saying it for years but I don't think I've ever seen Benji go for the waist/legs in a tackle. It's always shirt and arm grabbing.

I think in the nrl stats, he is the second worst half in the missed tackles department, sandow being the worst, followed closely by Benji…that's saying something!!

 

[simonthetiger]

Im more worried about his lack of running.

He MUST use his step and take the line on more…....opposition defenders are picking off his runners EASILY!!!

Booooooooooooooo.
\
\
_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_

 

[stryker]

Im more worried about his lack of running.

He MUST use his step and take the line on more…....opposition defenders are picking off his runners EASILY!!!

Booooooooooooooo.
\
\
_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_

Agreed, most of the time the defenders dont even follow Benji anymore. They just hang on his inside and smash the unlucky bugger he hands it off to..usually in a dominant fashion. The great thing about Benji was that he attracted confused defenders, allowing space all around him for his runners. Now he either cramps them into the sideline or turns them back in to the waiting defence.

He isnt playing whats in front of him anymore and it is killing our attack. Last week in our little spurt against the rooters, he threw the strict structure away and we played messy adlib stuff that destroyed the Easts defence.

Benji is an attacking weapon. There is only 7 in the whole comp ( Benji, Barbar, Slater, Johnson, Ingliss, Bowen and Thurston) and ours is wrapped up in duties that resrict him from playing his natural game.

 

[tig_prmz]

said it from day 1, he does not look comfortable in the 7\. he is hardly second receiver anymore, and that is where he is at his best.

 

[izotope]

all true points, he can be a great 7 but hes gotta run it more often.
i thought his defense this year was pretty good improvement that was shocking beyond belief.

oh benji boy what happened to the goose step

 

[tigerlogic]

I've been saying it for years but I don't think I've ever seen Benji go for the waist/legs in a tackle. It's always shirt and arm grabbing.

I think in the nrl stats, he is the second worst half in the missed tackles department, sandow being the worst, followed closely by Benji…that's saying something!!

There is no reward for waist/legs tackles so I can understand y he goes ball and all, problem is he has been so off balance lately his strike rate is shocking, what has been most surprising is he has had a couple o terrible reads defensively… I think physically and ability to read he is a very strong defender, but lately has been a passenger and I don't see a reason for it!
\
\
_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_

 

[Goose]

With Ayshford at five eight, Moltzen was taking some pressure off by doing a bit of the ball playing and at least makig the long shifts, when he went off, that part of the game was gone.

Benji has been very close to a half back for 3 seasons, the number has changed, and he is doing a little more kicking, so i dont think that is the issue, but I think he is battling himself, trying to be more controlled, without damaging his greatest strength, the play what is in front of you, even if it is not the percentage play.

I reckon last night and to a lesser extent in the Melbourne game he went too conservative, at various stages (far more often) he doesnt play the percentages enough.

 

[Tigrr]

Benji seemed to miss most of his tackles when defending as a centre and I think he should be defending closer to the ruck with a minder nearby ! Leave Ayshford and Lawrence in the centres for their defence imho,