Is Chris Lawrence the reason for our defensive problems?

crazycat

crazycat

Well-known member
Long bow but hear me out.
Chris Laurence was our center of choice for ages. A solid defender and had a stack of speed.
After breaking his hip he never got the speed back, when he had it he even outran Billy Slater 80m to the try line.

Tough defender, but tough out of the box. Sure your Beau Scott's and Steve Matai's were tougher but Chris Lawrence helped plug defensive holes in his side.

I think by Chris Lawrence being such a tough defender and having guys like Beau Ryan who covered gaps on the other side*, we have never worked out back line defense as a club.

We have never had to coach it in. We have never got our back line defense right.

So many tigers wins were extreme high point wins. Sure they scored 4 tries but we score five.


I am honestly trying to remember when we have had a center pairing or back line with defensive strength and I'm going back to Chris Lawrence.

None of the coaches we have had, have been really known for Defense:
Sheens is attacking flair and crazy game plays.
Mick Potter was a fullback and I don't think has coached again.
Jason Taylor is known to need defense from his own players.
Ivan Cleary, probably the best defender out of these, but we never got it right under him.
McGuire? I actually expected more out of him. Yet it seems he coached Souths in attack and attacking structures.

We have trained hard, we have picked defenders sometimes. We have picked big bodies like BJ Leulia and it hasn't worked.

Fundamentally have we never gotten defense right?

Sheens had a few games where someone slapped him and the entire team focused on defense. I even remember us winning against Melbourne 8-6 because our defense stopped them. Yet it was never consistent.
Sure we have Jason Cayless, I think he is great for the club. But he is a forward. Were leaking at the sides and I am wondering if were missing defense 101 here?
Yes were often outmuscled, but against Newcastle who were missing Klemmer, Daniel Saifiti we were done.

What should the club do?

* I remember games where Beau Ryan did all the hard work in defense and I was sure Chris was either out or on the other side.
 
jadtiger said:
Lawrence was not a great defender after his injury (poor lateral movement).JT did him a massive favour by moving him into the back row,it was the only thing JT got right in his coaching stint with us
Click to expand...
Agreed. That backrow move saved his career which was near dead. Unusual to hear him described as a “tough defender” he became a decent head on defender but if you put any footwork on him he was easily beat.
 
Funnny thing defensive issues.. correct me if I am wrong but..

1.Against the Knights we conceded 3 tries, 2 of them from fluke kicks.
2.Against Warriors, both tries were off kicks..

We have had one try scored against us in 2 games due to a defensive team mistake.
 
crazycat said:
Long bow but hear me out.
Chris Laurence was our center of choice for ages. A solid defender and had a stack of speed.
After breaking his hip he never got the speed back, when he had it he even outran Billy Slater 80m to the try line.

Tough defender, but tough out of the box. Sure your Beau Scott's and Steve Matai's were tougher but Chris Lawrence helped plug defensive holes in his side.

I think by Chris Lawrence being such a tough defender and having guys like Beau Ryan who covered gaps on the other side*, we have never worked out back line defense as a club.

We have never had to coach it in. We have never got our back line defense right.

So many tigers wins were extreme high point wins. Sure they scored 4 tries but we score five.


I am honestly trying to remember when we have had a center pairing or back line with defensive strength and I'm going back to Chris Lawrence.

None of the coaches we have had, have been really known for Defense:
Sheens is attacking flair and crazy game plays.
Mick Potter was a fullback and I don't think has coached again.
Jason Taylor is known to need defense from his own players.
Ivan Cleary, probably the best defender out of these, but we never got it right under him.
McGuire? I actually expected more out of him. Yet it seems he coached Souths in attack and attacking structures.

We have trained hard, we have picked defenders sometimes. We have picked big bodies like BJ Leulia and it hasn't worked.

Fundamentally have we never gotten defense right?

Sheens had a few games where someone slapped him and the entire team focused on defense. I even remember us winning against Melbourne 8-6 because our defense stopped them. Yet it was never consistent.
Sure we have Jason Cayless, I think he is great for the club. But he is a forward. Were leaking at the sides and I am wondering if were missing defense 101 here?
Yes were often outmuscled, but against Newcastle who were missing Klemmer, Daniel Saifiti we were done.

What should the club do?

* I remember games where Beau Ryan did all the hard work in defense and I was sure Chris was either out or on the other side.
Click to expand...
Beau Ryan stiffled Ayshfords carrer.from good stock Chrissy
 
tig_prmz said:
Funnny thing defensive issues.. correct me if I am wrong but..

1.Against the Knights we conceded 3 tries, 2 of them from fluke kicks.
2.Against Warriors, both tries were off kicks..

We have had one try scored against us in 2 games due to a defensive team mistake.
Click to expand...
Melbourne scored 5 tries. Knights scored 5 tries. Warriors 2.
 
Yeah I wouldn’t say Chris was such a good defender.
So sad because before the injuries he could have been anything.
But after, I think he was not first grade standard and his being selected for so many years highlights and epitomises of the systemic cultural problem we have at the club.
 
stryker 69 said:
Agreed. That backrow move saved his career which was near dead. Unusual to hear him described as a “tough defender” he became a decent head on defender but if you put any footwork on him he was easily beat.
Click to expand...
This is a difference between early and late in his career.

Yet you are right, we haven't had exceptionally solid backs. Even early in his career Lawrence was one of our better defenders in the back line, a standout for us but probably average or above average.

Our back line defense sucks. It's been a gap since day 1 and our strategy to fix it is "recruit defenders/stars" has not worked.
 
Merlot said:
Beau Ryan stiffled Ayshfords carrer.from good stock Chrissy
Click to expand...
Blake Ayshford. A player who promised a lot in center. Left us for the warriors and disappeared.

How did Beau stifle him though? I remember numerous games where Beau was running like anything to keep his line secure and plug holes.

IMHO if I had to choose, I would pick the comedian. He crossed the line and as a first grader he did well.
 
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