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Bulldogs Debate Page

SAQFLY said:
How about we cut the number of playmakers to 3 and have some more running backs that threaten the line ?!? FFS so many players sitting out the back off the ball without any genuine attacking bias without ball in hand go back to having genuine forwards hitting the line and a couple of off cusp runners looking to draw off the hip
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We definately did have enough direct hard running in the first half.

IMO the playmakers who are not offering much at present are Salmon and Mann.

I have got a lot of reservations about how Mann plays. Even late last season I think that it stopped working.But he did have 1 great game against Melbourne.

I think that the problem with Mann may just be thst he isn't 100%

Hayward can play big minutes but he needed a rest earlier yesterday.

I think Burton and Galvin were ok, but Burto looked a bit better at centre.

We probably have the pieces, Cirro needs to put the jigsaw together.
 
Disgusting performance across the board but in particular from CC who lost the plot.

I can only assume his pre-match plan was to use Mann and SOS as interchanges in the 9 and 13 with Hayward to save an interchange.

He must have changed it when we were down chasing points and points not coming from our starting halves. Unfortunately afew too many positional changes to the point where our whole team had NFI who waa playing where....
 
Someone on TK made a very good point in that the new interchange rules and bench has negated our advantage of being a superior fit team and it allowing for big boppers to once again play a role in a team.

I have to agree.

But more importantly, i dislike our gameplan which wastes all its energy in defence via kick chase to the point where our players have no energy in attack.

We literally go through motions and are simply hoping for a mistake in the opposition to score points.

Its negative football 101.
 
I agree that teams are fitter and that the new interchange rules work against us.

Our kick chase and defnce is still a strong point, but we need more speed on the wings and more size in the middle.

We need to sort out team selection.

After the Knights game, moving Burton to left centre seems like a good idea.

Overall what won us games last year might not be enough to win this year.

Our attack is too sideways, we are good at passing to the edges but teams expect us to go there and slow wingers are a disadvantage.

WHat we probably need is O'Sullian or Woods starting and the other one playing hooker off the bench.

A starting lock and startng props with more size and King, Hayes and Toups on the bench.

Salmon is playing good most of the time, but my hunch is that a Salmon / Mann rotation will not cut it in 2026.

Still time to turn it around, and we need Thompson.
 
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Since our centres Burton and Critter are good at passing the ball, we don't necessarily need a lock who can pass.

Hayes is a former outside back who can pass, Todd, Curran and Hopoi are able to pass.

Guys like Hayes, AJ and Curran can make a lot of tackles at lock.

Guys like Latu, Todd and Hopoi have leg speed,

If Critter shifts back to right centre, he can slot into fullback like last season.
 
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I think that Teaupa is a class left sided half.

Effective, skillful, patient and composed, a bit young but seems like a class player.
 
It is always good to avoid the temptation to go "full on drama queen" after one loss.

Hughes and Hayes are back, i am glad about that, we missed both of them. I hope Hayes is OK he had delayed concussion symptoms.

Hayes is vital at present.

No players officially dropped, but I wonder abour Kiraz, Mann and Montoya. I think Montoya is close to fully fit, but he has to be the slowest winger in the NRL.

Kiraz definately see s injured to me, and the Vegas game was when he looked the best.

For some reason Mann just doesn't have it this season so far.

I would drop Mann for Hopoi, and Kiraz or Montoya for Sua.

Leave Salmon and King starting for now even though both are not making much impact.

Long term, I still want 2 big props with Hayes, Curran, Todd, Hopoi or AJ starting a lock.Essentially more size and leg speed at lock while retaining the ability to play longer minutes and defend well.

More speed on the wings.

It is only one bad game, but the backend of last season and the start of this season ar3 a bit similar to that game.

If we could clone Hayes i would start one at lock and play one off the bench. In his brief appearences, Todd has looked like a guy who could make an impact at lock off the bench.

Ok the stats for Mann don't look that bad. I'll trust the coaches judgement.
 
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I think that Tuala deserves to keep his spot.

I don't mind trying Critter at 5/8 for a couple of Weeks.

I am also happy with how we used O'Sulliivan.

We just need more speed and skill on the wings, abd more size and leg speed in the forwards and straighten the game up with fewer passes.

Salmon put in a great shift in defence, but he was always the guy throwing the extra pass with the attack on top of us, or making a lame ineffective run.

In 2024 when the lock was efective it was Haywood throwing long passes ro get to the edge fast.

If we are doing a long shift, the first 1-2 passes should be long.

The style we are playing guys running on to the ball and chain passing isn't effective against a set line moving up. Often a guy ends up catching or passing with the defence on top of him.

It is effective if we have won the ruck got a quick play the ball against a disorganised defence.

We need to win the collision, or dent the line Toups, Preston and Kicks were Ok, but we need 1-2 bigger bodies with leg speed in the side.

I don't think O'Sullivan has quite done enough to earn a starting spot. If we did shift Critter back to right centre Tuala should be right wing.

I also wouldn't mind trying Sua on the left wing and giving Kiraz a few more weeks to get hus body right.

Overall the player that impressed me most against the Knights was Tuala. Soild in defefence, kept Best quiet, looked dangerous every time he toulched the ball. Some great runs and passes, Montoya wasn't fast enough to take advantage.

I can't beleive some fans want to drop Tuala so that O'Sullivan can start.
 
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Hounddog said:
I think that Tuala deserves to keep his spot.

I don't mind trying Critter at 5/8 for a couple of Weeks.

I am also happy with how we used O'Sulliivan.

We just need more speed and skill on the wings, abd more size and leg speed in the forwards and straighten the game up with fewer passes.

Salmon put in a great shift in defence, but he was always the guy throwing the extra pass with the attack on top of us, or making a lame ineffective run.

In 2024 when the lock was efective it was Haywood throwing long passes ro get to the edge fast.

If we are doing a long shift, the first 1-2 passes should be long.

The style we are playing guys running on to the ball and chain passing isn't effective against a set line moving up. Often a guy ends up catching or passing with the defence on top of him.

It is effective if we have won the ruck got a quick play the ball against a disorganised defence.

We need to win the collision, or dent the line Toups, Preston and Kicks were Ok, but we need 1-2 bigger bodies with leg speed in the side.

I don't think O'Sullivan has quite done enough to earn a starting spot. If we did shift Critter back to right centre Tuala should be right wing.

I also wouldn't mind trying Sua on the left wing and giving Kiraz a few more weeks to get hus body right.

Overall the player that impressed me most against the Knights was Tuala. Soild in defefence, kept Best quiet, looked dangerous every time he toulched the ball. Some great runs and passes, Montoya wasn't fast enough to take advantage.

I can't beleive some fans want to drop Tuala so that O'Sullivan can start.
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Im afraid our best team has Galvin and SOS at 6 and 7 and that means Burton and Critta at 3 and 4 meaning Tuala misses out.

I personally rate Xerri above Tuala so if we accept Xerri being dropped then Tuala dropped is a given.

Our wingers are definitely slow but we use them as kick return metres to start our sets.

I really wish we can sign someone like Drinkwater. It would have an immediate positive effect on our attack and take pressure off the halves. It will also inject some much needed speed into the team.
 
Marki said:
Im afraid our best team has Galvin and SOS at 6 and 7 and that means Burton and Critta at 3 and 4 meaning Tuala misses out.

I personally rate Xerri above Tuala so if we accept Xerri being dropped then Tuala dropped is a given.

Our wingers are definitely slow but we use them as kick return metres to start our sets.

I really wish we can sign someone like Drinkwater. It would have an immediate positive effect on our attack and take pressure off the halves. It will also inject some much needed speed into the team.
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People say that, but we have never seen it.

i doubt that we will be seeing it his week.

Against the Knights, we lost in the forwards and on the wings.

Woods might be back soon and hopefully we will get to see him.

But Joey Johns and Wally Lewis would not have won that game.

And Kiraz and Montoya were way worse than Tuala

I am at least going to give Cirro a couple of weeks and I think that hevis smart enough to change what needs to be changed.

AJ is back in reserves. We need middle forwards big enough to make and impact and fit enough to play long minutes and we need speed on the wings.

I have noticed that Tracey is very suspect passing the ball at the attacking end. I would try shuffling Tracey to the centres abd Tuala to fullback.
 
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I also haven't seen O'Sullivan throw any great passes.

From what i have seen I rate the passing in this order.

1. Teaupa
2. Critter
3. Galvin
4. Woods
5.Hayward
6. Tuala
7. Kiraz
8. Burton
9. Tracey
10. Xerri

Not sure were to rate O'Sullivan proably somewhere between 5 and 3.

Burton and Tracey don't ssem like natural passers to me, Xerri rarely passes.

Of the guys playing NRL Critter is the best passer and Burton is the best kicker. Galvin is good at both, all 3 can run the ball.

I am assuming Critter will get more of run at left edge playmaker, will be vocal and will provide direction.

What was desperately missing against the Knights was hard running in attack, line speed and connection in defence.

I am expecting Cirro to know who were the worst offenders.
 
What is the vibe for Friday arvo?

Souths are quality, but the teams seem pretty even, Cody Walker perhaps nudges then in front and their starting pack is better.

But I am expecting more energy and effort from us, probably a close game.

I'll be happy with a close loss as long as we play well.

I will be happier with any kind of win.

The vibe is that we perhaps sneak a close win, scoring late to take the points. But that is a weak vibe, more like optimism.

I don't think that this will be our strongest side or the best that we play all year.

I still want to see what Thompson, Latu, AJ, Todd, Underhill, Woods, Dykes, Cocherane, Sua, Rinakama and co can do.

Perhaps some of our better players aren't even in the squad for this game.

That is why I will take any kind of win, even an ugly winwith a lot of luck.

Getting flogged and playing with low energy like the first half last week. I will not cop that, the coach must swing the axe. Once is ok, 2 weeks in a row is unacceptable.
 
Dykes, Rinakama, Latu and DFS returned in reserve grade. We lost the match, but we are getting back some squad depth.

Our forwards look a bit light on against Souths, especially without Hayes. IMO Hopoi and/or Spinks plays.
 
Wow another big media news week .
I'm dare to say we will be struggling to make the 8 this year at this stage ..
 
Well we saw what Burton in the centres and a specalist half looks like.

Too many erriors and penalties.

We didn't play that badly, 2 errors from Tracey were worth 12 points for them.

Montoya makes yards and scored a good try, but he is slow and his positional play is bad.
 
We tried Burton and O'Sullivian which many fans wanted to try.

IMO what went wrong is pretty simple, we were well on top at the star of tbe second half, the boys got excited and tried to hit too hard in the tackles. We conceeded penalties, Critter went off, Souths got a mountain of posession and were good enough to take their chances.

The lesson for the tesm is, defend with energy, but remain composed, and focus on technique.
 
Critter might be out for a while, bring Xerri in.

Kurt Mann was much better this game, back to his old self, very happy with Hopoi and Hughes and Kiraz is starting to look at bit better.

I am happy with Tracey but i think that we need to shuffle him to the centres at the opponents end, 2 intercepts in 2 weeks both 1st one was a bad decision, this week poor execution.

Cirro whinged about the ref, a lot of the penalties for hitting a guy high were straight forward. A couple of penalties each week are a mystery.
 
Overall I expected a bumpy ride at some stage this season, and early in the season was a likely time.

Galvin will improve, this isn't our strongest side.

If anyone saw reserve grade, how did Dykes go at fullback?
 
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