I don’t know if a lot of you guys and girls watched the Panthers v Dogs game last night and I definitely don’t want to open a can of worms,however this is a forum for discussion and debate and in my opinion on numerous occasions I watched the Panthers take four or five hit ups and a bomb by Soward their major playmaker….very similar to what JT was trying to teach our very youthful side last year,the Panthers almost got away with the game…they also have a team full of seasoned NRL players and a reasonable defensive team…maybe Im looking at the overall NRL game in general,but these tactics are used by a few of the teams in the comp…maybe JT was overly critised by many who don’t seem to understand the fundamentals of today’s rugged game…

I could be wrong but these are my observations only…any thoughts on this guys as some may put it into perspective for me as I could be on the wrong track…cheers…

The difference is IMO , the Soward is one of the best kickers in the game and our guys are better with ball in hand. You have to play to your strengths .
He didn’t just bomb. His long kicks were superb . Great accuracy .

@TrueTiger:

I don’t know if a lot of you guys and girls watched the Panthers v Dogs game last night and I definitely don’t want to open a can of worms,however this is a forum for discussion and debate and in my opinion on numerous occasions I watched the Panthers take four or five hit ups and a bomb by Soward their major playmaker….very similar to what JT was trying to teach our very youthful side last year,the Panthers almost got away with the game…they also have a team full of seasoned NRL players and a reasonable defensive team…maybe Im looking at the overall NRL game in general,but these tactics are used by a few of the teams in the comp…maybe JT was overly critised by many who don’t seem to understand the fundamentals of today’s rugged game…

I could be wrong but these are my observations only…any thoughts on this guys as some may put it into perspective for me as I could be on the wrong track…cheers…

Mate was going to make the same post last night but passed out after the game!!! If you heard Griffin in the pre match interview he basically said he was going to play Taylorball. He actually said it will not be pretty. Anyway in the end they were very unlucky not to win, but I guess they were forced to play Taylorball due to injuries in key positions, unlike us who choose to play Taylorball last year. In saying that if it played a foundation for a very good year this year than Iam not complaining

It is definitely a tactic for dour, gritty football. It is a throwback to yesteryear and the days of low score lines and boring games. This style of football worked for teams like Canterbury in the 80’s but I simply fail to see how it is a winning tactic in today’s high-paced game. Last night is a prime example, let alone our whole last season.

Horrible game

They also named tyrone peachy at 9 and then had Wallace playing hooker with Soward running the show. Same as our game against warriors

Gee the Taylorball 5 hit up and a bomb references never get old and boring …I’m not even sure people watched games if that’s what they think we did all year…Never mind that we scored the most tries from our own half last season…as well as scoring the 6th most points of any NRL team in 2015…

Anyway it’s not about attack a platform must be set before you earn the right …getting in the position to attack…The Panthers threw plenty at the Dogs inside the red zone when they got there…The Dogs simply held them out…resulting in the frustration…

And That is the point Wests Tigers were unable to defend and keep teams out last season…It had nothing to do with attack…Even now against the Warriors the 2nd half showed the jury is still out…there endeth the lesson…

Last night was just the usual game plan from griffin. Nothing has changed from his Broncos days. I can’t believe Penrith picked him up, they’ll have a very poor year.

Penrith played dumb , they had it then played dumb .
playing 5 hit ups from dummy half and throwing up a bomb and shutting up shop without being able to defend will lose you more games than you’ll win .

Panthers = 1 boring footy side.

Panthers conceded defeat when they were attacking the Bulldogs line in the 2nd half and Panthers got a Penalty when they were leading by 8 and Soward decided to go for goal for a 10 point lead :crazy, they had the Bulldogs on the ropes and you could tell the relief in Kasiano face when Soward went for goal……then Bulldogs kick off and they are 80 metres upfield and it’s only cost them 2 points.

they lost.

Shoutout to Kerrod Holland.
Good debut.

I think the key here is Griffin came up with the best game plan for the players at his disposal. A decent pack, some good dummy half runners and Soward’s kicking game. They were missing key attacking players and adapted a game plan. For instance We played Taylor ball with Farah at hooker compared to Wallace at hooker. They had make shift halves, and a novice full back.

Last year their were games when we choose to play Taylor ball with excellent creative players at our disposal. Farah, Moses and Brooks talents were wasted at times last years and the players knew it.

Like I said I didn’t doubt Taylor’s premise around improving defensively and teaching some basic structures. However we got the balance wrong in a few games and went too far. Its a smart coaching ploy and basic rhetoric for him to say last season was all about building he foundation for this year. I don’t really buy it to be honest, I think there has been a concerted change of approach due to low morale and low confidence in last year game plan (not to mention lack of results) The players have even talked about going to the coach to express this so its not rumour.

Anyway the sign of a good coach is one who can swallow the pride and adapt just a bit.

I managed to watch bits and pieces of the game. Jamie has to be one of best kickers in our game. Always a thread with his kicks. Panthers are building in to a very good team.

In a game driven by results all does not sit well at the Panthers. Should never of lost that game, Dogs were woeful in attack. If I was Griffin I would be looking at combinations very closely over the next few weeks before their season gets away.

Yeah he was forced to use that plan last night with both moyland and segeyaro out…,and it almost paid dividends. I think with one or both these players in last night panthers would have come out victores.