Yeah I don't exactly get this thread.
JT's games: 16 pt win (Rabbits), 34 pt loss (Panthers), 40 pt loss (Raiders)
Webster: 8 pt loss (Storm), 22 pt loss (Dragons)
Cleary: 6 pt win (Cows), 4 pt loss (Eels), 6 pt win (Dogs), 6 pt loss (Sharks), 20 pt loss (Rabbits), 36 pt loss (Broncos), 4 pt loss (Dragons), 22 pt loss (Roosters).
Tactics aside for a minute, in terms of results it's evident the team had a fairly strong turn-around after Cleary joined: 4 x 6-point or less margin games including two wins.
The last 4 weeks have been fairly bad, three big losses, but in context only one of them (Broncos) is worse than losses under the previous coaches.
So for as disappointing as today was, it was a loss comparable with the early rounds. And then giving some context, in the last 4 weeks Cleary has had the first-choice halves available only once, and that was the week Moses tanked and we let him walk. Last 3 weeks it's been all reserve-grade halves playing.
So try as you might, when you have reserve graders running the side around the park, everything else is put under extra pressure - you don't make the most of your possession, you don't get repeat sets, you don't ask many questions of the opposition, you give them the ball back fairly meekly.
Ask the Cowboys what happens when you lose first-choice halves, despite how good the rest of their side is.
Personally I see more fight in the Tigers since Cleary joined, right up until 80 mins, but right now we are low on troops and he's got a number of borderline first-graders out there. MCK in the centre: Clearly barely has a choice, though he moved Marsters there in the 2nd half and I think it was an improvement. JLJ offers little in attack or set development, but he's the main handler and kicker. Tedesco is trying too hard, the players miss too many tackles still.
I am just not sure what tactically people expected? The defence has definitely changed, the up-and-in has more or less gone. Suli got moved to centres straight away in a switch with Naiqama.
But no Lawrence, Aloiai, Idris, Brooks… Moses leaving... we were already a thin side, we can't afford to carry many injuries with our lack of depth. I feel we'd perform better if we had a stable first-choice halves pairing and not having to play backrowers in the centres - that would be an automatic improvement.