Playing to your strengths

[Bansai Pipeline]

Someone on here recently suggested that we could win a premiership off the back of Sonny-Bill and Jennings.

I figured no way, owing to weaknesses in our spine.

But who knows?

Maybe the spine isn't everything?

Maybe Robinson can figure out a way to go all the way by playing to our strengths?

Matty Johns suggested on Monday night that teams should start playing their own style of footy, instead of trying to emulate Melbourne's spine-focussed power game. He said he missed the days when Canberra played like Canberra, Brisbane played like Brisbane, Penrith played like Penrith etc, etc...

Are our strengths - i.e. the best ball-playing back rower in football - enough to beat Melbourne-style machine teams?

Are we contenders?

[Guest]

'spine' is an idiot buzzword. much like the 'youth policy' and the 'rotation policy'.

remember, the dragqueens won a premiership with a spine of 1. boyd 6. soward 7. Hornby and 9. fien
that spine goes tits up after boyd.

[Spirit of 66]

remember, the dragqueens won a premiership with a spine of 1. boyd 6. soward 7. Hornby and 9. fien
that spine goes tits up after boyd.

Not to mention the fifth member of their "spine", Tony Archer.

[TheLoneRooster]

Not to mention the fifth member of their "spine", Tony Archer.

Hahahahahahahaha.
It's funny 'cause it felt true.

On topic though, Bansai, you make a valid point about the coach playing to the team's strengths which is something I believe des hasler has done and is doing with the CBBs.

[Roosterfarian]

Too true kegsy.

Premierships are won predominantly on cock-hard defence and blokes who love playing alongside each other more than a kensington bbq.

I like piper thought we had little chance of pushing higher than a top eight this season. The last two performances have honestly had me believing we can win this whole bloody thing a few years earlier than expected. They are playing for each other and there is class all over the park.

[Bansai Pipeline]

'spine' is an idiot buzzword...

I said exactly the same thing last year.

But there's no denying you can win a load of games if you've git shit-hot fullback and hooker.

[roosterproud]

hahahahahahahah that was funny.......lots of what iffs and bs and hard cock.

if you know how

if you have the want

if you have the cattle

and its up to the coach to decide when.

souffs won their gf in round 1.

2012 dullbogs lost their chance because they didnt do what they did all year..... why play touch footy in a gf when what gor you there was braun.

we have a team and we have a coach but we dont own a stadium(yet). souffs own one, so to the cheats and mandy on a sunday arvo.

stop with the bs sack who ever and get to the freekin game and be damn proud(oh yeh and be loud)

and yeh our strenhgts are the team and playing for each other, we are now knowing what that means and more importantly how to do it. 20 plus on cang.
10 on mandy at brookie on a sunday and and 10 on the cheats at their boring as bat shit stadium(much like their game plays.)

[Rooster_6]

Premierships are won on the back of defence, not individual players.

Do SBW & Jennings provide enough spark to make up for the lack of creative players in our spine? That's a more reasonable question, but creativity is only one part of winning a premiership.

Having a centre & backrower as creators is nothing revolutionary, Manly have done it with G Stewart & Lyon for years now.

[The Brain]

You can throw Maloney in that equation.If you noticed he flew into dummy half a few times for SBW plays on the right-quick between the ears that boy.

[Tom Verlaine's Ghost]

What Warren Ryan once said about winning premierships still rings true: "You buy forwards forwards forwards forwards. Then when you think you've got enough forwards, you buy some more."

It was true 25 years ago, and it's still true.

We've got a lot of depth in that area.

[Guest]

What Warren Ryan once said about winning premierships still rings true: "You buy forwards forwards forwards forwards. Then when you think you've got enough forwards, you buy some more."

It was true 25 years ago, and it's still true.

We've got a lot of depth in that area.

While I largely agree with that statement I think bellamy's storm and hasler's manly have watered that statement down a bit of late. Both sides have a strong helping of average forwards who just do what is required every week. Years gone by, you wouldnt expect packs boasting blokes like Norrie, King, Rose, Mauro to win comps

[kakaruk]

I have always believed this spine business is a load of bullshit.Melbourne just happens to have 3 very good players playing in the 1,7 & 9 posisitions and have structured a lot of plays around them.The roosters in contrast have three very good players in the number 3,6 and 12 and will structure thier plays around a centre,second rower and five eigth and be just as effective imo.

[Vasco]

I like the fact that we don't rely on decoy plays.

[davos]

We do have some strike power out wide. Big, tall, fast, power outside backs currently in the starting 13, and then you've got a guy like moga looking for a place in the side but no guarantee. Great problem to have.....

Can you imagine if Freddy had these outside backs at his disposal in his days. We would have certainly won 3 in a row.

Chris Walker, Todd Bryne come to mind......sigh.....

[hackthefortress]

We do have some strike power out wide. Big, tall, fast, power outside backs currently in the starting 13, and then you've got a guy like moga looking for a place in the side but no guarantee. Great problem to have.....

Can you imagine if Freddy had these outside backs at his disposal in his days. We would have certainly won 3 in a row.

Chris Walker, Todd Bryne come to mind......sigh.....

I'll never forget...

10m from the Warriors line, Freddy gets the ball, Chips it with the outside of his boot back across the play the ball, Walker flies onto it and puts the ball down.

God that moment gave me a halfy