Bleak times ahead..?

[Tucker]

If you ever get to watch him live have a look at what he puts himself through in the middle. He puts his head where most wouldn’t dangle their toes, over and over again.

As a little man giving away many kilos, it’s actually inspiring.

Some nuffies deciding to interpret one aspect of the game a certain way (long after he honed his craft) doesn’t take away from his leadership ability.

Add to that, when the offense happened, he was coming across in cover after we didn’t properly defuse a kick on the edge, again, like Thurston would do in his career, showing up for his team.

None of this is on point bar the leadership aspect.
Without having actual numbers readily available, surely he is up there with the most penalised/sin binned captains of the professional era?
Let’s also not gloss over that he is always at the pointy end for most missed tackles the past few years.
When it comes to onfield leadership, he doesn’t converse well with the refs, very rarely being able to get his point of view across. If we are truly getting shafted as some think, then he should be slowing play down questioning these decisions.
I’m not having a go at his general play, but his technique has a huge bullseye on him and it’s hurting us.

 

[EllisFan]

None of this is on point bar the leadership aspect.
Without having actual numbers readily available, surely he is up there with the most penalised/sin binned captains of the professional era?
Let’s also not gloss over that he is always at the pointy end for most missed tackles the past few years.
When it comes to onfield leadership, he doesn’t converse well with the refs, very rarely being able to get his point of view across. If we are truly getting shafted as some think, then he should be slowing play down questioning these decisions.
I’m not having a go at his general play, but his technique has a huge bullseye on him and it’s hurting us.

I won’t argue the captaincy with you because I don’t know that I disagree. I really only replied because I doubt any teammate would ever say that Api let them down. That’s just a poor take in my view.

 

[Tiger_heart]

For the record I don’t agree with the OP that we have bleak times ahead.
I tipped us to make the 8 with confidence this preseason.
I’m a bit annoyed that the second stringers are not as advanced as I would have liked but our full strength side can bang with the best of them.
We are learning a clear lesson at the moment though and I really expect that the club is working on finding replacements for some of these guys who just don’t have it.

None of this is on point bar the leadership aspect.
Without having actual numbers readily available, surely he is up there with the most penalised/sin binned captains of the professional era?
Let’s also not gloss over that he is always at the pointy end for most missed tackles the past few years.
When it comes to onfield leadership, he doesn’t converse well with the refs, very rarely being able to get his point of view across. If we are truly getting shafted as some think, then he should be slowing play down questioning these decisions.
I’m not having a go at his general play, but his technique has a huge bullseye on him and it’s hurting us.

You are right on Api...Reportedly, for the last 10 years, "The most heavily penalized and sin-binned captains in the National Rugby League (NRL) over the last decade include aggressive leaders like Victor Radley, Api Koroisau, Daly Cherry-Evans, and former skippers like Cameron Smith.".. Don't know the breakdown since he joined us, but the reputation is there.

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

You are right on Api...Reportedly, for the last 10 years, "The most heavily penalized and sin-binned captains in the National Rugby League (NRL) over the last decade include aggressive leaders like Victor Radley, Api Koroisau, Daly Cherry-Evans, and former skippers like Cameron Smith.".. Don't know the breakdown since he joined us, but the reputation is there.

Yet they've all won a GF.

 

[Tiger_heart]

Yet they've all won a GF.

Also true. Is the point then that their (ill) discipline was not influential, at the end of the day?
PS - For some reasons I had this flashback involving a certain tense stage of the second half, referee Bill Harrigan penalised McGuire for obstruction after he appeared to use an offside Canberra player...SIGH!!!

 

[crazycat]

Marshall is the reason all these players are resigning...
They love him and he is signed for another five years...

I don't know how to balance this out.
Marshall clearly has some real weaknesses as a coach.

With a full strength team - he goes well. Unlike the Parramatta coach that goes well with an undermanned team.

Benji needs "his" team. We have seen him pick and select specific players around his version of Sheens's Fast footy.

Us at full strengh with the way he wants the tigers, he can win...
But really worried about his flexibility as a coach.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I don't know how to balance this out.
Marshall clearly has some real weaknesses as a coach.

Benji needs "his" team. We have seen him pick and select specific players around his version of Sheens's Fast footy.

Us at full strengh with the way he wants the tigers, he can win...
But really worried about his flexibility as a coach.

His game plans and team selections are highly dubious. Feels like every win we have relies heavily on emotion.

 

[crazycat]

These guys are all professional footballers. They make their living playing this sport.
There are a set of basics to this game that our blokes just can’t do on occasion.
Forget about the excuses of them not being first graders…catching balls, chasing kicks, making tackles and abiding by the rules are skills required and worked on ever since they first laced up a boot. These skills are required in EVERY grade. Sure their impact won’t be the same as the regulars and fair enough, but their incompetent application of the fundamentals should be criticised.

Your right.

If you can't tackle. Go do MMA till you can. Sure a Tino Faa... runs at you you may fail. But you should be able to build that up.

Surely too you would be passing regularly between your center/Winger/2rf and establishing combinations.
Ofcourse EVERYONE is doing that.

What appears obvious is we don't do well drilling the basics. As you say we miss all this basic stuff.

Honestly I would like to do a deal with Hull or one of the UK clubs. Trade Marshall there for a year or two to work under a professional coach. Meanwhile bring in a hardnose like Brad Arthur, Ciraldo, Ryles and train the squad up from basics. That way Marshall gets to learn how to coach and we get the football 101 we so desperately need.

 

[Spartan117]

Take 7 starters out from most teams and they will struggle.

Api
Bula
Samuels
Tally
Taylan
Adam D

We will get a few wins as soon as we get some guns back

 

[bptiger 0]

I don't know how to balance this out.
Marshall clearly has some real weaknesses as a coach.

Benji needs "his" team. We have seen him pick and select specific players around his version of Sheens's Fast footy.

Us at full strengh with the way he wants the tigers, he can win...
But really worried about his flexibility as a coach.

I think u are right , the last 3 games , it looks like he has sent the team out without any idea how to defend, we allowed the 3 teams to just run around us

 

[426Tlgerland]

Take 7 starters out from most teams and they will struggle.

Api
Bula
Samuels
Tally
Taylan
Adam D

We will get a few wins as soon as we get some guns back

This is spot on , if you take 3 to 4 top players from most teams they will struggle , eg
Storm V Tigers - remove , Grant , Munster , Hughes , we win
Manly V Tigers - remove , weapon back rower , Brooks , Koula , foggerty we win
To me the broncos are the only team and have been like this for years who can replace 2-3-4 player even 5 and still compete or win , no major week after week blow outs , it’s your reserve grade team they come from and ours has been rubbish for years , poor recruiting , poor coaching , even Wakeman at manly , he was absolute junk hear but better over manly way , you need full time respected coach for reserve grade , problem is most first grade coaches don’t like quality behind them in case they get the boot I feel , Benji has surrounded himself with mates from yesterday , no outsider assistant who could threaten , not good

 

[Tom Shines]

This is spot on , if you take 3 to 4 top players from most teams they will struggle , eg
Storm V Tigers - remove , Grant , Munster , Hughes , we win
Manly V Tigers - remove , weapon back rower , Brooks , Koula , foggerty we win
To me the broncos are the only team and have been like this for years who can replace 2-3-4 player even 5 and still compete or win , no major week after week blow outs , it’s your reserve grade team they come from and ours has been rubbish for years , poor recruiting , poor coaching , even Wakeman at manly , he was absolute junk hear but better over manly way , you need full time respected coach for reserve grade , problem is most first grade coaches don’t like quality behind them in case they get the boot I feel , Benji has surrounded himself with mates from yesterday , no outsider assistant who could threaten , not good

I kind of agree with your sentiment about our coaching …but isn’t the Manly reserve grade coach Brett Kimmorley ? 😂