SKD should stay

[Yak]

Yes I did know SBW would be here but I underestimated him and that's where I admit to being wrong.

My opinion leading into the season was;

That there wasn't enough creativity in our spine to win a premiership and that we should replace Mini with someone who had more flair in attack. I said the people who thought SBW would come in and provide us with enough creativity to mitigate those short-comings were misguided, that there was no way a second rower (no matter how good) could have that much of an impact on our attack. I also said that whilst Maloney individually is a very good player he just wasn't the right fit for us, that he plays too much like a fullback and we needed a creator not a support player. I always felt we were one creative ball player short and we should've been looking to the 5/8 & fullback for that because in modern day structures that's where all the time and space comes for attacking players to weave their magic.

So what was I wrong about? Firstly the theory that a second rower couldn't have a big enough impact on a team's attacking structure, he well and truly put that one to bed. Secondly that SBW couldn't provide us with enough creativity to subsidise for the lack of it in our playmakers, he came back from Union not just still the physical beast he was when he left but as an accomplished ball player, he had matured quite nicely. And thirdly Maloney to an extent, I underestimated his ball playing more than anything else he had some nice combos going down the left edge all season, he created more in attack that I thought he would.

So was I really wrong about Mini? He provided us with very little in attack and played a purely one dimensional defensive role for us which is exactly what I expected from him. What proved me wrong was SBW being able to dominate from the second row, not Mini proving me wrong about his short-commings in attack because even those most one-eyed Mini fan couldn't genuinely claim otherwise.

R6, I get what you're saying but I think the question now is can we win next year with the same formula? Personally I would rather RTS play fullback all of next year, but this is not necessarily because I think we would be a significantly better chance of going back to back. It's simply because I want to see us play even better footy in attack. But I think even the staunchest of anti-Mini fans wluld agree that at least to begin with our defence would suffer. RTS hasn't played enough fullback in the past season to have developed his positional game and communication with the line to anything like what Mini offers.*

So I think the question is where is it that we will win it in 2014? Attack or defence? Will the defence be just as solid by within the first 10 rounds lets say with Rog at the back? Will we need to improve our attacking game significantly because teams will have figured out how to exploit weaknesses in our D (regardless of whether Mini is at the back)? Or can we win it with the exact same formula that we used this season and rely on the natural improvement of our younger players already in the team and the introduction of guys like Moga, Casty, Evans and Langi.*

What are your thoughts R6 and yours too Andy if you feel like joining in on some analysis.*

[Andrew Walker]

R6, I get what you're saying but I think the question now is can we win next year with the same formula? Personally I would rather RTS play fullback all of next year, but this is not necessarily because I think we would be a significantly better chance of going back to back. It's simply because I want to see us play even better footy in attack. But I think even the staunchest of anti-Mini fans wluld agree that at least to begin with our defence would suffer. RTS hasn't played enough fullback in the past season to have developed his positional game and communication with the line to anything like what Mini offers.*

So I think the question is where is it that we will win it in 2014? Attack or defence? Will the defence be just as solid by within the first 10 rounds lets say with Rog at the back? Will we need to improve our attacking game significantly because teams will have figured out how to exploit weaknesses in our D (regardless of whether Mini is at the back)? Or can we win it with the exact same formula that we used this season and rely on the natural improvement of our younger players already in the team and the introduction of guys like Moga, Casty, Evans and Langi.*

What are your thoughts R6 and yours too Andy if you feel like joining in on some analysis.*

Yak you raise some good points here which are worthwhile of a response from myself

Personally I am and If it aint broke dont fix it type person. Should Mini go around again then I see no reason why he should not be playing fullback I think the team is way better balanced with Mini at fullback and RTS on the Wing That is not to say we could not get the job done with RTS at fullback But as a whole I am of the firm belief that the team is better balanced with tings staying the same.I say taking into account what one would expect to be a natural improvement of our younger players that we can win it again with the same formula

Although I have the utmost respect for the club as a football team I feel Manly over achieved this year Our roster is better than Souths or any other club for that matter although I do have a healthy respect for both the Cowboys and Cronulla as football sides and at this early stage well before a ball is kicked I would consider these two teams as our main dangers

[SConcierge]

I will leave the analysis of players and the like to the so called experts such as yourself You really do such a wonderful and comical job of it

No of course we would not gave won without SBW However you knew SBW would be here when offering your opinions on us not being able to win the competition with Mini at fullback Pure and simply you were wrong on every level on this Not only did we win the competition with Mini at Fullback the side looked somewhat lost without his leadership late in the season when he was injured

I think thats a major point that many ppl dont acknowledge! I think most ppl look at the team and positions ala Melb sotrm style of play. We won the comp based on our style.

I saw an interview after we got rolled by the raiders with sheck and he was in shocked, he said I thought we were unbeatable! said a lot to me, anyhow robbo is the king and I trust his judgement.

[Guest]

Yak/Andy, I actually think teams learnt how to defend RTS very late in the season and into the finals. I thought his impact was not as great during this period compared to early in the season. I thought they did this mainly by rushing up on RTS and not giving him space to weave his magic. Its a credit to RTS that nullifying a winger actually featured in an oppositions game plan!

I think if we leave RTS on the wing, we will not see him at his best. At fullback, he will have more roaming license and will also have more space/time for his footwork. I also think that moving RTS to fullback while Mini is still at the club (on the wing) is the way to go. Good positional play by a winger can help a fullback significantly. When we saw RTS play fullback this year, he was caught out a few times with his positional play. With Mini on the wing, I think he can assist in this role while his positional play develops.

[Guest]

I know some people like stats and others don't. I personally love stats, so I've put some together.
The sample is of the NRL players who played in the position of Right Centre in 2013. The stats are for the games either side of the Origin period (not included are the rounds in between the Origin games). Some of the players have played games in 2013 on the wing and I have not included the stats from these games; only the games where they played at right centre.
Right Centres.JPG

The blank boxes are zero.
MT- Missed Tackles
TB- Tackle Breaks
OL- Off-load
LB- Line-break
LBA- Line-break Assist
T- Try
TA- Try Assist
ERR- Errors
PEn- Penalties

[Andrew Walker]

Yak/Andy, I actually think teams learnt how to defend RTS very late in the season and into the finals. I thought his impact was not as great during this period compared to early in the season. I thought they did this mainly by rushing up on RTS and not giving him space to weave his magic. Its a credit to RTS that nullifying a winger actually featured in an oppositions game plan!

I think if we leave RTS on the wing, we will not see him at his best. At fullback, he will have more roaming license and will also have more space/time for his footwork. I also think that moving RTS to fullback while Mini is still at the club (on the wing) is the way to go. Good positional play by a winger can help a fullback significantly. When we saw RTS play fullback this year, he was caught out a few times with his positional play. With Mini on the wing, I think he can assist in this role while his positional play develops.

Very late in the season RTS played fullback and missed the final match due to injury and that injury may still have well been bugging him when he was playing in the finals Of the 3 finals games we played 2 of them were against the 2nd best defensive side all year

I have made my feelings clear on the matter But will trust in whatever Robbo decides for next season unlike others whom I am sure will still think they know better should Robbo opt to keep things the same as this year

[The Brain]

so Gagai would be a prized buy? yeah!

[The Brain]

Which brings to mind who is the player at Easts that is going to follow Bennet to Brisbane as the Mole said last week Im guessing but I know the player he admires the most and has been wanting for years is Jake Friend..we will have to see how that one pans out.

[Guest]

[Cockadoodledoo]

Which brings to mind who is the player at Easts that is going to follow Bennet to Brisbane as the Mole said last week Im guessing but I know the player he admires the most and has been wanting for years is Jake Friend..we will have to see how that one pans out.

No way will Jake Friend leave.

[Ray Stehr]

The criticisms of Mini in the past were warranted but after seeing him this year it made me realise that in the past few years in an inept team Mini was obviously trying too hard. This year behind a very very good team he didn't try and overplay his hand and that is why Mini should remain at fullback if he continues to play. One more year on the wing won't hurt RTS and the team does look better when Mini is playing at fullback and I would suggest that SKD is now a more confident player because of the talent around him.

[Parkway_Drive]

Could it be Moga?

Which brings to mind who is the player at Easts that is going to follow Bennet to Brisbane as the Mole said last week Im guessing but I know the player he admires the most and has been wanting for years is Jake Friend..we will have to see how that one pans out.

[Guest]

a big rumour is Cam Smith going to Brisbane, so there's no reason for them to be chasing Friendy too

[Guest]

I know some people like stats and others don't. I personally love stats, so I've put some together.
The sample is of the NRL players who played in the position of Right Centre in 2013. The stats are for the games either side of the Origin period (not included are the rounds in between the Origin games). Some of the players have played games in 2013 on the wing and I have not included the stats from these games; only the games where they played at right centre.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1408[/ATTACH]

The blank boxes are zero.
MT- Missed Tackles
TB- Tackle Breaks
OL- Off-load
LB- Line-break
LBA- Line-break Assist
T- Try
TA- Try Assist
ERR- Errors
PEn- Penalties

Love your Work Josh. Keep it up Im a mad stats freak too.

[SConcierge]

Could it be Moga?

No one leaves Easts especially now unless they get walked, the mole is full of it