Blair turns to Potter to rediscover old flame

I

Irvine

New member
Benji Marshall's axing to the bench has taken the spotlight off the under-performing Adam Blair, who this week turned to coach Mick Potter to help him rediscover his mojo.

The former Storm back-rower admits he has been out of sorts since joining the Tigers last season and has approached Potter for answers ahead of Friday night's clash against the table-topping Rabbitohs.

''I went to him to ask what I had to do to be better, or what I wasn't doing right,'' Blair said.
Adam Blair

''I think everyone knows what I can do, but I just haven't shown it, not enough of it anyway. I think that's where the expectation has come from, because people know what I can do and I haven't done it for the club yet.
Advertisement

''Of course I can get back there. I've sat down with the coach to see if there's anything I can do or anything he wants me to do. Once we get one win, everything will fall into place. He told me that we're just not playing to our structures … not doing what he wants at the moment.''

Former Broncos back-rower Gorden Tallis criticised Blair on Triple M last Friday night after the Tigers' 30-6 loss to the Sharks.

Tallis said Blair ''isn't putting in the effort that some of the teammates around him, on half his money, are''.

Potter defended Blair to his former Dragons teammate and took time out during the week to make sure the Kiwi international wasn't put off by Tallis' comments.

Blair insists he isn't fazed by the criticism and believes there are plenty of positive in his game going unnoticed because people are fixated on him having the same impact he did when he was at Melbourne.

''I didn't hear it myself but I was sitting down with the coach yesterday and he was telling me about it,'' Blair said. ''He spoke to Gordie and backed me up. He's come out and said all that stuff but it's really hard to try and perform at your best every week when you are losing. I'm not using that as an excuse but I know I'm better then what I'm doing.

''It's more my attack then anything. My defence is right and I'm doing all the little things for the team which people outside don't see. I get all the credit for that from my coaches and players at the club when I do that. The attack is what they see and what they know I can bring, but they're not seeing outside the square at the moment.''

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/tempered-flair-outofsorts-blair-turns-to-potter-to-rediscover-old-flame-20130516-2jpct.html#ixzz2TSpqRS6K
 
Blair is in some sort of fantasy land…..and we are paying for it.

That's hilarious "he approached Potter for answers"
Doesn't Potter talk to the players?
Wouldn't you be having a player meeting each week one on one where you discuss how you played and how you can improve ?
 
looking forward to it

tbh.. all this talk about benji and blair etc. "rediscovering their old mojo" is all BS tbh.
why do you wanna go back in time? the game is changing, adapt to the game.. you have talent no doubt, look what others are do that in your own style.
there is no reason to look back and say that's what i WAS doing right… if you wanna look back, look at what you did WRONG.. so you dont make the same mistakes again.
 
For now I'm just happy that Blair is looking for ways to improve. Asking the coach for help proves he's serious and is at least a step in the right direction. I'd rather he care than not at all.
 
''It's more my attack then anything. My defence is right and I'm doing all the little things for the team which people outside don't see."

This self assessment is disturbing. Statistically only three players in the NRL have actually missed more aggregate tackles all year. It's not like he's attempting and making 50 tackles a game either. He's making Just over 20 a game.

The only little contribution I see him make is to put pressure on the kicker from time to time, but quite often it ends up with him putting on a marginal or late hit. I don't remember him chasing kicks or running many good decoys off the ball.

So basically so far, he has been ineffective in attack, ineffective in defense, has a low work rate and chews up a nice piece of the team's salary cap. I guess he's not going to put it like that in an interview though.
 
@Irvine said:
'**'I went to him to ask what I had to do to be better, or what I wasn't doing right**,'' Blair said.
Adam Blair

''I think everyone knows what I can do, but I just haven't shown it, not enough of it anyway. I think that's where the expectation has come from, because people know what I can do and I haven't done it for the club yet.
Advertisement

''Of course I can get back there. **I've sat down with the coach to see if there's anything I can do or anything he wants me to do.** Once we get one win, everything will fall into place. He told me that we're just not playing to our structures … not doing what he wants at the moment.''
Click to expand...

Mate, if you cant work that out for yourself, you have no hope. If that's the case, do the right thing, pack your bags and just go.
 
Answer: take 15 hit ups in our own half. When we are on our own line and under the pump, put your hand up instead of leaving all the work to others.
 
@hybrid_tiger said:
Answer: take 15 hit ups in our own half. When we are on our own line and under the pump, put your hand up instead of leaving all the work to others.
Click to expand...

Pretty good advice really, it's not that complicated.
 
@hybrid_tiger said:
Answer: take 15 hit ups in our own half. When we are on our own line and under the pump, put your hand up instead of leaving all the work to others.
Click to expand...

Pretty simple and straightforward answer, every Rugby League player should be able to comprehend this, except seemingly one A Blair. Hell, a well trained gibbon could do a better job than him at the moment.
 
@willow said:
@hybrid_tiger said:
Answer: take 15 hit ups in our own half. When we are on our own line and under the pump, put your hand up instead of leaving all the work to others.

Pretty simple and straightforward answer, every Rugby League player should be able to comprehend this, except seemingly one A Blair. Hell, a well trained gibbon could do a better job than him at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

And wouldn't be sticking the same sort of financial pressure on the salary cap either :wink:
 
@willow said:
@hybrid_tiger said:
Answer: take 15 hit ups in our own half. When we are on our own line and under the pump, put your hand up instead of leaving all the work to others.

Pretty simple and straightforward answer, every Rugby League player should be able to comprehend this, except seemingly one A Blair. Hell, a well trained gibbon could do a better job than him at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

And the funky gibbon wouldn't be putting the same financial strain on the salary cap and probably better looking as well :wink:
 
@Basil Tiger said:
I've heard he's wants out and is making overtures to return to the Storm,the Potter thing is probaly a smokescreen.
Click to expand...

Two way street I'm afraid. The real question is would storm want him back? Not to many players leave the storm and play better or even the same for that matter. Actually i can't think of any at all off the top of my balding head.
 
@Basil Tiger said:
I've heard he's wants out and is making overtures to return to the Storm,the Potter thing is probaly a smokescreen.
Click to expand...

Can you imagine it - the team would remain exactly the same but we would have money in the kitty to spend on decent players.
 
@Tbone said:
''It's more my attack then anything. My defence is right and I'm doing all the little things for the team which people outside don't see."

This self assessment is disturbing. Statistically only three players in the NRL have actually missed more aggregate tackles all year. **It's not like he's attempting and making 50 tackles a game either. He's making Just over 20 a game.**

The only little contribution I see him make is to put pressure on the kicker from time to time, but quite often it ends up with him putting on a marginal or late hit. I don't remember him chasing kicks or running many good decoys off the ball.

So basically so far, he has been ineffective in attack, ineffective in defense, has a low work rate and chews up a nice piece of the team's salary cap. I guess he's not going to put it like that in an interview though.
Click to expand...

I always find this criticism the funniest… [Adam only makes 20 tackles compared to Fulton who makes 40]

They always stand on opposite sides of the pitch and its pretty obvious opposition see Fulton as a easier option to run at… Its not Adam's fault players dont run at him!
 
they should watto, with 25+ missed tackles this season which ranks him in the top 10 or so in the NRL you'd think going for Blair would be a smart strategy.
 
@stevetiger said:
@Basil Tiger said:
I've heard he's wants out and is making overtures to return to the Storm,the Potter thing is probaly a smokescreen.

Can you imagine it - the team would remain exactly the same but we would have money in the kitty to spend on decent players.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Sounds like a win/win great plan to me! Where's the gibbon, sign him up as soon as Blair leaves! And for the record, Blairy I don't think you actually ever had a flame to begin with - it's easy to look good in a winning team.
 
@1974semifinal said:
I haven't liked this bloke since he signed..that article is just crap..I wait for the day he leaves.
Click to expand...

Blair reckons he has the talent. In 2 years he hasn't used it. What is he waiting for? Oh, that's right he is waiting for the team to win so he can have his confidence lifted.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 984 (members: 5, guests: 979)
Back
Top