Re: Hopes for 2019 : Mon Nov 19, 2018 4:59 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

On the “wanting to see good rugby” wish that a few people have. It’s a lot easier to do that if your players are fit, the forwards are on top and the halfbacks are providing a lead. On the first point I’d expect players to be fitter than in recent years. On the second I believe you’re two decent props away from top 5, if you’re not dominating the collision and getting a quick play the ball you simply cannot chuck the ball around and “play good rugby”. The days of Roy Francis are long gone, the space just isn’t there on the field anymore for that brand of rugby unless you’re bossing things up front. On the third it depends how players gel. Lolohea is a bit off the cuff and Myler isn’t really a playmaker. It’ll be interesting to see how they go. I believe they’ll be an improvement on what you had last year.
On whether you can offload Mulally, Ormondroyd or Walters you have to ask who’d take them now? I think you’re stuck with them until someone has an injury crisis come Easter.

Totally agree with this. With regard to the squad players who haven't really cemented a 1st grade place, they'd have the option of not being played all year, or maybe taking a pay cut in order to move forward. It's right that Leeds does the "right thing" wherever it can though; if that means we have an issue through 2019, so be it. Not the players' fault.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Tue Nov 20, 2018 1:19 pm  

Biff Tannen wrote:

Walters and Ormondroyd are championship standard at best. I'm sure there would be takers down there but it's down to the players whether they would be willing to go down a level. I'm sure one of the lower end SL clubs could make use of Mullally.we will have to see what happens over the next few weeks.

Mullally already is with a lower SL team probably on a decent wedge so these type of players could be hard to shift. I have to say though before he joined you he had a loan spell with us and he played very well. Maybe if Firmer changes the style it could these types of players and in turn Leeds.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Tue Nov 20, 2018 1:27 pm  

With the recent announcement on the introduction of the 'Golden Point' for regular games, my hope would be that the team works hard in the pre-season on drop goal practice and game management in the last 10-15 minutes.

This was a major failing for large parts of 2018 and the Middle 8s. I'm not sure any of the halves are good at game management or kicking drop goals. The new rule puts last year's team at a further disadvantage IMO, as it pushes us into a situation in which we're more likely to lose a match than draw it.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Tue Nov 20, 2018 1:29 pm  

REDWHITEANDBLUE wrote:

Mullally already is with a lower SL team probably on a decent wedge so these type of players could be hard to shift. I have to say though before he joined you he had a loan spell with us and he played very well. Maybe if Firmer changes the style it could these types of players and in turn Leeds.

i like Mullally, he was a big improve'er in 2017 after the poor 2016 season, he did not step up enough last year though, but then again who did, think he is one of the scapegoats unfairly. Furner maybe can move him on another level or 2.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Tue Nov 20, 2018 2:13 pm  

Whilst I agree fast attacking rugby is easier if your pack is on top it's foolish to take on a more dominant pack up the middle if your forwards are busted and under sized.

Last season for large chunks we was missing our big men in the middle and our coach said after every game we was lacking our middle men yet we still tried to play one man rugby up the middle. It was ridiculous to watch. We appeared to have no set plays, no dummy runners and seemingly no plan.

If you are playing against bigger, stronger forwards you have to move them about a bit.

When people say they want a better brand of rugby it doesn't mean throw it about like a hot potato willy nilly it means play to your strengths, look like you actually worked on something thru the week and have a plan to target the opposition's weaknesses.

When we played the ball last year not once did we have a player moving prior to the ball being played. Everybody stood still. How are you going to break a defence down that way?

Hopefully the new regime will bring some new ideas to the table at least.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Tue Nov 20, 2018 2:41 pm  

Marty Grrrrrrrrrr! wrote:

Whilst I agree fast attacking rugby is easier if your pack is on top it's foolish to take on a more dominant pack up the middle if your forwards are busted and under sized.

Last season for large chunks we was missing our big men in the middle and our coach said after every game we was lacking our middle men yet we still tried to play one man rugby up the middle. It was ridiculous to watch. We appeared to have no set plays, no dummy runners and seemingly no plan.

If you are playing against bigger, stronger forwards you have to move them about a bit.

When people say they want a better brand of rugby it doesn't mean throw it about like a hot potato willy nilly it means play to your strengths, look like you actually worked on something thru the week and have a plan to target the opposition's weaknesses.

When we played the ball last year not once did we have a player moving prior to the ball being played. Everybody stood still. How are you going to break a defence down that way?

Hopefully the new regime will bring some new ideas to the table at least.

arguably we have the two best centres in super league, it would be nice if we get plenty pf ball to both of them with some space, rather than them getting the ball with the cover defence always already on top of them

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:18 pm  

Exeter Rhino wrote:

With the recent announcement on the introduction of the 'Golden Point' for regular games, my hope would be that the team works hard in the pre-season on drop goal practice and game management in the last 10-15 minutes.

This was a major failing for large parts of 2018 and the Middle 8s. I'm not sure any of the halves are good at game management or kicking drop goals. The new rule puts last year's team at a further disadvantage IMO, as it pushes us into a situation in which we're more likely to lose a match than draw it.

Also with the announcement of interchanges dropping to 8 we do need our middles to play longer minutes - getting rid of Garbutt may have been a great move.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Wed Nov 21, 2018 4:04 am  

With respect to Walters et al leaving, even if they can't get their full contracts paid elsewhere we'd still be better off WRT the cap if we only have to pay part of their wages with whoever they join paying the rest. Its standard practice in the NRL to shift under contract players who they've paid overs for.

The problem with arguing that someone like Mullally is maybe OK is that you could argue that about everyone (except maybe Walters....). Once you start down that route you end up with a whole bunch of plodders, which is where we ended up last year. I accept that we can't move everyone on and some might have to stay until their contracts run out, but our ambition as a club surely ought to be to try to have the best possible players in the squad. Furner seems to have flagged that intent, and hopefully it means no more of the likes of Walters getting games if a youngster with promise could get a game. Its not as though continuing to pick the plodders actually paid off last year.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Wed Nov 21, 2018 12:32 pm  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

With respect to Walters et al leaving, even if they can't get their full contracts paid elsewhere we'd still be better off WRT the cap if we only have to pay part of their wages with whoever they join paying the rest. Its standard practice in the NRL to shift under contract players who they've paid overs for.

The problem with arguing that someone like Mullally is maybe OK is that you could argue that about everyone (except maybe Walters....). Once you start down that route you end up with a whole bunch of plodders, which is where we ended up last year. I accept that we can't move everyone on and some might have to stay until their contracts run out, but our ambition as a club surely ought to be to try to have the best possible players in the squad. Furner seems to have flagged that intent, and hopefully it means no more of the likes of Walters getting games if a youngster with promise could get a game. Its not as though continuing to pick the plodders actually paid off last year.

If we can still snag this specialist prop which has been rumoured, it will be interesting to see if there's a player swap involved. I do think with another prop and Furner's impact, we should at least be highly competitive with this squad, notwithstanding injuries. Getting Ferres, Ward, Watkins, Merrin, Lolohea, Hurrell, Ablett, Cuthbertson fit will be interesting too.

Re: Hopes for 2019 : Wed Nov 21, 2018 4:50 pm  

We still need to move on three of the players, Walters, Mullally and Ormonroyd, maybe then we get in the Prop we need. If we can get Ferres fit and back to his best it will be like having a new player available, hopefully the new conditioner will have him fighting fit before the start of the season. All he needs to do then is see a shrink to stop him giving away daft penalties in our half and he needs to ask Ablett to go with him, both are walking penalties. Getting them fit and keeping them fit is key to a successful season. One or two others need to go back to tackle school and lean how to tackle big men and not simply jump in head first. One prop due to sign shortly.