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#Post#: 136869--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: April 20, 2025, 4:35 am
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We didn't have great aerial options yesterday on the chase -
Anderson is okay in the air but has no pace, Murley has pace but
no aerial threat - and perhaps Anderson and Green should have
swapped. Either way, our back 3 were second best to theirs in
the air regardless of the kicking.
Danny is offering no spark and looks like a guy who's going to
play on a season too long. Real shame we didn't have Porter or
Friday available.
We've turned a pretty good 13 (Northmore) into an extremely
willing and extremely blunt 12, so that's fun. With no
go-forward we then resort to the boot, or we try and throw a
long pass to a winger. The tactics are as rudimentary as I can
remember from Quins, and I can't see how it's playing to our
strengths. We should be trying to play around the 13 channel
more, we should be giving Green a chance to come into the line
more, we should be seeing Murley on the inside ball more, we
should be seeing more of Dombrandt as a playmaker rather than
occasional battering ram, etc etc.
We're back to being a team that doesn't really enjoy what
they're doing, playing a style of rugby that other teams are
better at and more suited to. It's no wonder our wins are
infrequent.
Tactics aside, I'm hopeful we can get some more impetus with the
new signings next season. If we can get Williams carrying and
tackling hard, that will be a big upgrade on Titi, and both new
locks should be light years ahead of Launchbury and Matthews Mk
2 (Hammond). And as much as I like what he does, there's no
question Walker is outside the top 6 hookers in the Premiership.
We just have too many players who are in the squad for a single
element (power or experience or whatever) who aren't the multi
talented player the modern league requires. Halfpenny,
Launchbury, Hammond, Walker, any of the props who aren't Baxter,
Anderson, Gjaltema, Care (sadly), and maybe even Bradley/Hyde
are not at this point guys that most premiership sides would be
happy to have in the match day squad. This lack of impact from
so many players is a real handbrake on the team.
So, rock meets hard place. A squad with too many players who
aren't truly up to it right now (never in some cases) meets a
negative and poorly considered tactical approach.
Just as well the team is fully committed and smashes into every
tackle and carry, though! Eh? Oh.
#Post#: 136873--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: MaidstoneQuin
Date: April 20, 2025, 4:52 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
>
> We didn't have great aerial options yesterday on the chase -
Anderson is okay in the air but has no pace, Murley has pace but
no aerial threat - and perhaps Anderson and Green should have
swapped. Either way, our back 3 were second best to theirs in
the air regardless of the kicking.
>
> Danny is offering no spark and looks like a guy who's going to
play on a season too long. Real shame we didn't have Porter or
Friday available.
>
> We've turned a pretty good 13 (Northmore) into an extremely
willing and extremely blunt 12, so that's fun. With no
go-forward we then resort to the boot, or we try and throw a
long pass to a winger. The tactics are as rudimentary as I can
remember from Quins, and I can't see how it's playing to our
strengths. We should be trying to play around the 13 channel
more, we should be giving Green a chance to come into the line
more, we should be seeing Murley on the inside ball more, we
should be seeing more of Dombrandt as a playmaker rather than
occasional battering ram, etc etc.
>
> We're back to being a team that doesn't really enjoy what
they're doing, playing a style of rugby that other teams are
better at and more suited to. It's no wonder our wins are
infrequent.
>
> Tactics aside, I'm hopeful we can get some more impetus with
the new signings next season. If we can get Williams carrying
and tackling hard, that will be a big upgrade on Titi, and both
new locks should be light years ahead of Launchbury and Matthews
Mk 2 (Hammond). And as much as I like what he does, there's no
question Walker is outside the top 6 hookers in the Premiership.
>
> We just have too many players who are in the squad for a
single element (power or experience or whatever) who aren't the
multi talented player the modern league requires. Halfpenny,
Launchbury, Hammond, Walker, any of the props who aren't Baxter,
Anderson, Gjaltema, Care (sadly), and maybe even Bradley/Hyde
are not at this point guys that most premiership sides would be
happy to have in the match day squad. This lack of impact from
so many players is a real handbrake on the team.
>
> So, rock meets hard place. A squad with too many players who
aren't truly up to it right now (never in some cases) meets a
negative and poorly considered tactical approach.
>
> Just as well the team is fully committed and smashes into
every tackle and carry, though! Eh? Oh.
>
--- End Quote ---
Great post and things I’ve said all season.
#Post#: 136874--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: dinsdale
Date: April 20, 2025, 5:35 am
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It's feeling like a repeat of a decade ago where, after winning
the premiership, we lost some good players and tried to replace
it from the academy and with military-medium club players.
Remember using Matt Hopper as our crash ball runner?
That resulted in a several year slide down the table and the
style of play back then looked much like yesterday. No
penetration. Lots of side to side before a kick.
I don't believe we are spending up to the cap. If we are then
somebody needs a smack with the cluestick.
#Post#: 136876--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: KentQuin
Date: April 20, 2025, 6:39 am
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The tight-five needs a complete revamp, and we need a proper 12.
Treadwell and Petti is a good start.
The question will be how many of the current squad can we move
on to make room for maneuvere financially.
#Post#: 136877--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: Archquin
Date: April 20, 2025, 7:17 am
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Season over -only pride to play for -sad end of another campaign
#Post#: 136879--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: Quinky
Date: April 20, 2025, 7:48 am
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--- Quote from: championes link ---
>
> Yeah I agree that would be odd if that’s what Id posted.
>
--- End Quote ---
Not verbatim, but definitely the gist.
#Post#: 136880--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: Quinky
Date: April 20, 2025, 7:52 am
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Some positives from yesterday. Anderson played his best game for
us IMO. Kenningham had a good game. Cadan looked sharp and
eager. Gjaltema was pretty good all things considered.
Titi started well but then things went wrong. I suspect it was
the lack of a proper second row behind him as much as anything
else.
#Post#: 136918--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: never sleep
Date: April 22, 2025, 6:00 am
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One thing that strikes me is I think we are a bit short of
experienced leadership on the field.
E.g. We scored our 4th try at around 76 minutes into the game.
After the conversion, we were within 7 points of Sale. (so, on 2
points).
So, basically, we had 3 options (maybe more) when Sale kicked
off again with just over 2 minutes left on the clock.
1. Park the bus. Kick the ball right into Sale's half (i.e. use
the wind to get distance) and try to wind the clock down. Sale
would probably not do anything too clever as they would want to
look after the ball and go home with the win.
We would then get 2 points.
(With some huge amount of luck, maybe Sale would mess up and we
may even get an unlikely draw.)
2. Go for the draw - Try to score another try which we would
need to convert. The wind was unpredictable - so, we would need
to get the try as close to the sticks as possible.
This would have been a huge challenge and if all worked, then we
would get one extra point. (i.e.. 3 points)
If the conversion missed, then it would only give us the same as
option 1.
3. Go for the win - basically a try and a drop goal / penalty.
In my head, there was no possibility of this option working -
but, would have netted us an extra 2 points (i.e.. 3 points)
The try could be scored anywhere as the conversion would have
been irrelevant. But, we would probably be dependent upon Sale
doing something stupid.
From a risk / reward point of view, to me, option 1 looks a
no-brainer.
If all the team were on the same page, it would probably be the
easiest to achieve.
Options 2 and 3 were far more high risk and would only possibly
but us 1 - 3 more points.
But, we chose option 2 which involved unnecessary risk and
resulted in Sale scoring another try.
My thinking is, did anyone suggest these scenarios with
Dommer's?
#Post#: 136920--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: April 22, 2025, 6:37 am
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--- Quote from: never sleep link ---
> ...
> My thinking is, did anyone suggest these scenarios with
Dommer's?
>
--- End Quote ---
The crowd probably did.
#Post#: 136926--------------------------------------------------
Re: Team for Sale
DIR By: JammyGit
Date: April 22, 2025, 8:53 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Given we can't really afford to drop points at home, going for
as many as possible with 1 already banked was the right call. I
don't think a single extra point was going to be enough either
way. Going for a draw (2 points + the bonus) was the correct
call. Risking losing 1 in the chase for 2 more makes perfect
sense to me when we are already in need of a lot of points to
get into top 4.
If we were already top 4, then yeah, conservatism wins out.
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