Defence can win it for us

[Tiger_Watto]

I think Ink mentioned how good Manly used to be in Defense and how it formed the foundation of their Attack… This is a big area we need to improve in, show more guile and be the team opposition players dont like. Stomp on a few heads if you have to?

Two key areas I'd like to see change is:

1\. Our 4 middle defenders holding their own and putting players on their bums early in sets. Not this ET around the ankles stuff. That is a key reason why our middle collapses & edge forwards get sucked in. Bench rotation is only with the middle 4 [except injuries], leaving our edge defenders in place for 80 minutes. Structure is everything out there.

2\. Our edge forwards getting selfish in attack, being patient, and inject themselves at the right time. These blokes need to stay on their edges and play a fraction wider from time to time before initiating any outside in lines.

Its the middle 4 rotation which will determine our season in defence. Far too often teams are gaining momentum with 60+ meter sets. Whether that is through 7 tackles, or 6, our middle 4 rotation must reduce this from happening.

 

[Snake]

Until there is a defensive winger and Center on the right side it does not matter what happens in the middle .All teams will be playing to this weakness and that is were the points will come from easy as and this is proven as late as last week!

 

[supercoach]

Manly and Souths both had teams that used their defence as a attacking weapon, but they also both had the strike power to capitalise on the work done by their defence. Not saying it is impossible for us, but they had players like GI and Snake Stewart,plus others.

I do agree it is the road to take with our current roster

 

[tigeress]

The day that Wests Tigers win games with their defence is the day I'll be the happiest supporter on Earth….

And not once every 6-8 weeks either...every week..

Same here….......Defence looked pretty shabby in that last trial game, (yes I know it was only a trial) however a big improvement is required :sign:

 

[upthetigers]

Manly and Souths both had teams that used their defence as a attacking weapon, but they also both had the strike power to capitalise on the work done by their defence. Not saying it is impossible for us, but they had players like GI and Snake Stewart,plus others.

I do agree it is the road to take with our current roster

Exactly. It is not even close to being comparable to our team. Manly had the best centres in the comp, good halves, good fullback, etc.

 

[balmain boy]

We don't have the backs to win games on our defence. Still too many individual errors in them. Hopefully we scramble well this season

 

[Tim Sheens]

Until there is a defensive winger and Center on the right side it does not matter what happens in the middle .All teams will be playing to this weakness and that is were the points will come from easy as and this is proven as late as last week!

The same pair that have played half a game together in each of the trials were there in the latter part of last season and were going quite well with Elijah and Tui beside them. Begs the question as to whether Rocco and Reynolds aren't holding up their end thus far.

 

[barra]

I think Ink mentioned how good Manly used to be in Defense and how it formed the foundation of their Attack… This is a big area we need to improve in, show more guile and be the team opposition players dont like. Stomp on a few heads if you have to?

Two key areas I'd like to see change is:

1\. **Our 4 middle defenders holding their own and putting players on their bums early in sets. Not this ET around the ankles stuff. That is a key reason why our middle collapses & edge forwards get sucked in.** Bench rotation is only with the middle 4 [except injuries], leaving our edge defenders in place for 80 minutes. Structure is everything out there.

2\. Our edge forwards getting selfish in attack, being patient, and inject themselves at the right time. These blokes need to stay on their edges and play a fraction wider from time to time before initiating any outside in lines.

Its the middle 4 rotation which will determine our season in defence. Far too often teams are gaining momentum with 60+ meter sets. Whether that is through 7 tackles, or 6, our middle 4 rotation must reduce this from happening.

Exactly! Happy touched on this too, our middle four needs to be willing to hit the ground along with the ball carrier - if that's what it takes, to halt their momentum - and be willing to bounce back up again. Otherwise the post-contact metres gets our middle third back-peddling, getting tired etc and then when the opposition spins the ball they are not in position/ready to slide hard, leaving room. It all starts with the middle four.

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Since tigers are thin in the centre position what about playing Lawrence at right centre ??
Even though not quick anymore he may offer more balance and solid defence than good Ol Kev
Left centre would be Masters/Milne
Just a thought

Lawrence would be as bad as Kev but in a different way.Lawrence can read what is happening but cant cover it(lateral movement) while Kev just has no idea on defence.

You'd think Kev and Nofo would have some sort of idea about how to defend solidly by now. Are they incapable of learning this? If so, perhaps they shouldn't be playing in the NRL. We can't keep going into every game with a shoddy right side defence, it's gone on too long as it is!

 

[Geo]

Since tigers are thin in the centre position what about playing Lawrence at right centre ??
Even though not quick anymore he may offer more balance and solid defence than good Ol Kev
Left centre would be Masters/Milne
Just a thought

Lawrence would be as bad as Kev but in a different way.Lawrence can read what is happening but cant cover it(lateral movement) while Kev just has no idea on defence.

You'd think Kev and Nofo would have some sort of idea about how to defend solidly by now. Are they incapable of learning this? If so, perhaps they shouldn't be playing in the NRL. We can't keep going into every game with a shoddy right side defence, it's gone on too long as it is!

Naiqama and Nofoaluma defend on opposite sides of the field

the right edge that got carved up in the trial were Rochow, Reynolds, Masters and Nofoaluma…they have played about 50mins of football as a combination..they looked like a bunch of individuals out there ...

Good defensive teams defend as a unit not individuals making all different decisions...It's up to the coaching staff to ensure this happens

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Since tigers are thin in the centre position what about playing Lawrence at right centre ??
Even though not quick anymore he may offer more balance and solid defence than good Ol Kev
Left centre would be Masters/Milne
Just a thought

Lawrence would be as bad as Kev but in a different way.Lawrence can read what is happening but cant cover it(lateral movement) while Kev just has no idea on defence.

You'd think Kev and Nofo would have some sort of idea about how to defend solidly by now. Are they incapable of learning this? If so, perhaps they shouldn't be playing in the NRL. We can't keep going into every game with a shoddy right side defence, it's gone on too long as it is!

Naiqama and Nofoaluma defend on opposite sides of the field

the right edge that got carved up in the trial were Rochow, Reynolds, Masters and Nofoaluma…they have played about 50mins of football as a combination..they looked like a bunch of individuals out there ...

Good defensive teams defend as a unit not individuals making all different decisions...It's up to the coaching staff to ensure this happens

Sorry I should've just said edges because both sides are as bad as each other. Newbies or otherwise it's always been our acilles heel. Anyway my point is Nofo & Kev still have no idea after how many first grade games?

 

[Magpie4life]

The day that Wests Tigers win games with their defence is the day I'll be the happiest supporter on Earth….

And not once every 6-8 weeks either...every week..

We have never had good defense. Even in 2005 our defense was ordinary, luckily our attack was brilliant! Not sure how you develop defense finally after 17years.

 

[Magpie4life]

I think our defence will improve. Unfortunately I see our attack beimg like the Bulldogs last year and the Dragons the year before. Uninspiring, predictable and not executed properly attack patterns. I hope Brooks and Reynolds prove me wrong but not holding my breath.

It was pretty ordinary with Teddy, without Teddy, how bad does it look? Why did we buy Reynolds? Tui should be 5/8\. Brooks has shown nothing. The backs are in need of a major overhaul. Why stick with the same old rubbish?

 

[Tigerdon]

Since tigers are thin in the centre position what about playing Lawrence at right centre ??
Even though not quick anymore he may offer more balance and solid defence than good Ol Kev
Left centre would be Masters/Milne
Just a thought

Lawrence would be as bad as Kev but in a different way.Lawrence can read what is happening but cant cover it(lateral movement) while Kev just has no idea on defence.

You'd think Kev and Nofo would have some sort of idea about how to defend solidly by now. Are they incapable of learning this? If so, perhaps they shouldn't be playing in the NRL. We can't keep going into every game with a shoddy right side defence, it's gone on too long as it is!

Naiqama and Nofoaluma defend on opposite sides of the field

the right edge that got carved up in the trial were Rochow, Reynolds, Masters and Nofoaluma…they have played about 50mins of football as a combination..they looked like a bunch of individuals out there ...

Good defensive teams defend as a unit not individuals making all different decisions...It's up to the coaching staff to ensure this happens

Who was playing second row late in the season last year? Was it ET or Josh A? Because our right hand side D wasn't too bad once Moses left and Lolohea went to 5/8\. With Marsters and Nofo outside Tui.

 

[snowleopard]

You'd think Kev and Nofo would have some sort of idea about how to defend solidly by now. Are they incapable of learning this? If so, perhaps they shouldn't be playing in the NRL. We can't keep going into every game with a shoddy right side defence, it's gone on too long as it is!

Where is Jirkstr With his video analysis. It would be good to see what actually happened against the Sharks cause two of the tries looked like a lot of luck to me at first sight

 

[snowleopard]

You'd think Kev and Nofo would have some sort of idea about how to defend solidly by now. Are they incapable of learning this? If so, perhaps they shouldn't be playing in the NRL. We can't keep going into every game with a shoddy right side defence, it's gone on too long as it is!

Where is Jirkstr With his video analysis. It would be good to see what actually happened against the Sharks cause two of the tries looked like a lot of luck to me at first sight

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

We cant match the Rorters for strike power but we can, if we pull our fingers out, get them with good defence. Have a couple of forwards get Tedesco every time the takes the ball up- make him hurt after 40 minutes- nothing illegal, just good tackles. Same with Cronk, shut him down with a good close marker in his face all the time. And lets just pray our backs can catch the high ball that will come our way. Reynolds to keep the team gee'ed up and its not impossible guys.

Being an old magpie ….. my mind takes me back to on 18 March 1978 ...... when aspects of the bitter Fibro-Silvertail rivalry actually began in Melbourne and was the genesis of the Fibro-Silvertail war, a divide which persists in loyal Magpie pockets on the northern beaches, a clash which created huge TV audiences, big crowds, a multitude of cut eyes and bloodied noses, but no broken jaws or serious long term injuries.

That pre-season match at the Junction Oval, St Kilda, Melbourne; was won by Manly sirvertails in those days with a feared pack of forwards BUT it was the Wests team who had a Pyrrhic victory with 5 Sea Eagles taken to hospital by ambulance. IIt was the first time in a couple of decades that Wests Magpies forwards stood up to the NRL bullies and their unfasonable forwards created a culture of blood and guts which they implemented perfectly for number of years until the silver tail money plundered their ranks and sent them back to mediocrity.

Times have changed however a sincerely hope that this WT forwards follow this example set in the seventies and do the samethis year ..... and make start with this puffed up roosters side .... in round one.

They bashed the bejesus out of them that day, but the two problems is that our forwards are pussy cats compared to Dallas and Co, and even if they were
Capable of bashing the Easts pack, we’d have half of the team sent off By 20 minutes into the game.

 

[FreddyK]

Mom& I recall Ivan saying that he wanted our pack to be feared like they were with the likes of Noel Kelly and Blocker playing. Momo - was the legendary Les Boyd on the field in 1978?

 

[colmcd]

Our defence up the guts should be solid with the likes of Taylor, Twal, Packer, Matulino and Eisenhuth and Packer and Matulino both bring an intimidation factor in defence as well. It looks like we'll be trotting out the same old suspects out wide though and I have little confidence that they've spontaneously learned to number up after years of first grade…

Melbourne don't defend on size. They defend on workrate, likewise St George has some size in their pack, but when they were the best at defending was when Wayne got in charge. Prior, Merrin etc helped, but the energy and consistency and consistent acting together is what gets defense right.

Learning when to trust the guy next to you and when you need to move is going to be a hard task. That's why I expect the first 6 months of this year will suck for us.

 

[TCL]

The day that Wests Tigers win games with their defence is the day I'll be the happiest supporter on Earth….

And not once every 6-8 weeks either...every week..

We have never had good defense. Even in 2005 our defense was ordinary, luckily our attack was brilliant! Not sure how you develop defense finally after 17years.

Actually in 05 our scrambling defence was good.