Being a Rugby League coach is a tough job, especially at the elite level. You are often held solely responsible for your team’s fortunes creating a high pressure high stress environment in which you have very little control. Steve Kearney has inherited a weak and ageing playing roster at Parramatta and with each weeks passing come more calls for the coach’s head from fans and past players. But Kearney isn’t out there missing tackles or dropping the ball and he certainly had little to do with the signings of Shane Shackleton and Justin Poore who were bought to add muscle to a timid forward pack. Neither have lived up to reputation at the Parramatta club and both look like reserve graders. Very few coaches can go to bed at night with any sort of job security. Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy are perhaps the only coaches with any sort of real job security. But while we have already heard calls for the sacking of Kearney, Brian Smith and David Furner this year A View From the Top would like to pose the question, what about Tim Sheens?
Now it’s only round four and yes a few other clubs including the boys in cardinal and myrtle sit alongside the Tigers on two points there are a number of points to consider here:
-The Tigers were very active players in the transfer market last season securing the prized services of International Adam Blair along with Joel Reddy, Matt Bell and Tom Humble. In turn they lost Andrew Fifita, who has a huge future in the game, and Bryce Gibbs to Cronulla while Todd Payten retired. They also let Tim Moltzen go, only to hold onto him when Robert Lui was sacked from the club.
As such they bought a backrower, a center, and two reserve graders while losing three front rowers and a halfback. Keep in mind Wests have one of the best backrow and center pairings in the competition and one of the weakest middle thirds. Seeing how things have played out over four rounds AVFTT has to really question what Tim Sheens was thinking here. From what I can see the plan here was to play young Tedesco at fullback with Moltzen at seven and Adam Blair on an edge relegating Liam Fulton to the bench and forcing Aaron Woods into the starting lineup.
Now AVFTT has expressed before that it has always clear Tim Moltzen is not a halfback, he cannot kick or organise, so he would merely become a passenger to the Robbie and Benji show. Is Adam Blair that much of an upgrade on Liam Fulton? Fulton runs good lines off Benji and has a handy offload. Tedesco is 18. Do you want an 18 year old in your ‘spine’ from round 1. The kid can play so you can put his injury down to bad luck for Sheens, but at 21 is Woods ready to step up and carry the Tigers over the advantage line? Again an injury to Galloway has hurt Sheens here but when your top three front rowers include two 21 year olds and one Matt Groat you’re in for a long year either way.
The Joel Reddy acquisition is even more puzzling. A City representative at Parramatta he played a lot of lower grades at fullback but established himself as a center in the top grade. Now the plan here could have been to play Reddy at fullback, as many speculated over the off season but after four rounds AVFTT gets the impression that Sheens bought Reddy to play him in the centers. As I said Wests have had one of the most consistent and effective center pairings in the competition over the last two years in Ayshford and Lawrence as well as an absolute boom youngster in Tim Simona. Clearly another signing the club didn’t need.
It seems the plan here was to pair Reddy with Lawrence in the centers pushing Ayshford into the backrow. That plan couldn’t get any stupider if you tried. They already have four 80 minute backrowers at the club. While Wests supporters allowed themselves to get a little excited about their off season signings they never really made any sense. Sheens ignored the weakest areas of the side allowing them to get weaker while marginally strengthening the sides strengths. Its borderline incompetent.
- The Tigers have won one game. In golden point. Against the Sharks. From a favourable referees decision. They did not deserve to win, against the Sharks. Alarm bells must surely have been ringing after round one. Why? Because the Sharks are going to compete with sides and occasionally beat sides one way - through the middle. They have almost no backline of any note apart from a gun fullback and five eighth and will struggle to score points again this year. They do however boast the best forward pack in the competition in Paul Gallen. Apparently a few others blokes play in the forwards but I am yet to see any evidence of this rumour as of yet. They were bullied by the Sharks and it would seem to be an emerging trend after four games.
-They were beaten by a Canberra Raiders side minus their best defender in Fensom and their best attacker in Dugan. Again they bullied by the giant Raiders pack and it is alleged a missing persons report was filed with Campbelltown police when Matt Groat went missing for 80 minutes on Monday night.
-They have one of the best sides on paper in the competition and should have added to their 2005 Premiership by now. Two consecutive Preliminary final losses are not bad seasons by any stretch of the imagination but they’re not good seasons either when you boast Farah, Marshall, Lawrence, Ellis and the like.
-On top of all this rumours have emerged that the club is trying to lure Braith Anasta for the club for next season. Not a front rower or fullback but a five eighth or backrower at the end of his career. Whoever is in charge of recruitment at the club needs to be sent a video of the sides 48 missed tackles against Canberra as soon as possible.
Wests may well turn it around this weekend and towel up the Bunnies at the SFS. However regardless of that surely the finger of CEO Stephen Humphries and Chairman Mike Bailey must be getting a little itchy. Wests have serious issues with the makeup of their side. Adam Blair had five touches on the weekend and thats just not good enough. Keith Galloway is still weeks away and without Farah and Marshall on the weekend they will be unable to rely on indivdual brilliance to get them home. A forward pack or Woods and Blair in the front row and Ellis, Fulton and Heighinton in the backrow with anyone at hooker would surely be a better option than the named Woods Fulton Bell Ellis Blair Heighinton pack. Sheens needs to bite the bullet and for the first time in years address the sides glaring weakness, the front row, before their season and his job slip away before his eyes.
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Monday 12 March 2012
Early Season NRL Views
As we reach the end of round two its time to evaluate the start of the footy season. While its only March and premierships cant be won or lost for that matter for a few months we have now had a look at the most active players in the transfer market while the seven new NRL coaches have each stamped their authority on their new clubs.
The most impressive club already this season has been the Melbourne Storm who seem to rival coackroaches in there ability to outlast all others. Despite the salary cap scandal and the loss of player after player, the spine of Cronk, Slater and Smith and coaching nous Bellamy means that Melbourne appear destined for another top four finish. Last years premiers Manly have started the season a little stronger then many expected with the continual off field dramas appearing to have little affect on their performances. Winning when far from their best against Wests on Friday night will warm the heart of Toovey.
The 2012 incarnation of Tim Sheens Tigers appear toothless and rudderless. Aaron Woods and Matt Groat have struggled to pick up the slack after Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita departed the club and injuries to Keith Galloway and now Gareth Ellis will hurt. The club appears to be a second rower heavy and front rower short while continuing to play marquee man Adam Blair on the edges. Furthermore the pairing of Moltzen and Marshall in the halves is completely rudderless. Marshall was disgraceful in round one and if refereed correctly his knock on from the charge down in extra time would have cost Wests two points. Marshall and Moltzen will rely heavily on Robbie Farah to steer the side around the park and do most of the kicking, but his performance in crunch games is questionable at best. For all of the focus on their 2005 success there isn’t a player left at the club that played a dominant role in their successes. Scott Prince and Brett Hodgson were the generals of that side and after two insipid performances their favouritsm looks misplaced. I would feel comfortable giving long odds of the Tigers adding to their solitary Premiership in 2012.
Coming into the year with a weight of expectation, that is perhaps undeserved, is the New Zealand Warriors. People forget the Warriors finished sixth and were belted in the first round of the finals before Wests Tigers snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the Preliminary Final. While they undoubtedly have the strongest depth in the competition their commitment can at times be questioned. Their performance tonight perfectly demonstrates their attitude to Rugby League - score as many tries as you like we’ll score more. Against sides such as Manly and Melbourne with strong playing cultures however their size and strength is unlikely to be enough for them to pile on the points and they need to develop a tougher brand of football in which they are capable of grinding teams out of games - completing sets, kicking well and defending stoutly. I question whether the Warriors are capable of such football and tip them to finish in the bottom half of the top eight again this year.
Canterbury and Penrith missed the top eight last year but welcome the respective grand final coaches to their clubs. Hasler and Cleary have already made definitive differences to their sides. While their round one clash was largely uninspiring both teams appear far more committed and disciplined and their round two performances demonstrated as such with impressive victories over St George and the Roosters. Steve Price has taken over at the Dragons and appears to be trying to replicate Wayne Bennett’s tenure at the club with an inferior roster. The loss of Mark Gasnier will have little impact on the club other than the teamsheet as he failed to return to his best after his French sojourn however the combined losses of Jeremy Smith, Neville Costigan and Darius Boyd over the past two seasons have significantly weakened the two main points of Bennetts philosophy at the club - a strong and imposing forward pack and the best left edge option play in the competition. Boyd behind Creagh with Morris on the outside has been St Georges trademark over the last few years. Price will learn quickly in the NRL that gameplans need to be built around the cattle at your disposal rather than the other way around. All three clubs offer no premiership threat for me with the Dragons on a downward spiral and Penrith and Canterbury at least twelve months from a title challenge.
Gold Coast recruited heavily in the off season but will continue to struggle this season while a talented North Queensland roster continue to struggle from a poisonous attitude that leads to diabolical performances such as round one. In saying that though they are definitely a team capable of winning the competition if they can get things right. Do I think they will? No. Parramatta are my lock team for the wooden spoon and have not shown anything to demonstrate otherwise this year. The Roosters have a powerful forward pack and youthful exuberance and will struggle at stages this season. Will probably scrape into the eight and be one of those sides that the top sides fear most, struggling with consistency but capable of brilliance. The Broncos are a side that I would group with the Roosters with a crop of exciting players making their way in the NRL.
The Newcastle Knights are similar to Wests Tigers in that their ability has been significantly inflated in betting markets. I do not conform with the popular opinion that Danny Buderus is a huge plus for the club as he has played the last three years in a far inferior competition averaging less than 55 minutes a game. The loss of De Gois is immense for this football club, Similarly I have very little regard for Kade Snowden and fail to understand the hype that surrounds the slow and lumbering prop forward. Far from title favorites in my books. The Cronulla Sharks have recruited wisely this season but are still two quality centres short of the top eight. Their game on the weekend perfecty demonstrated that both teams are at least a yard off the pace in this competition while on yesterdays display the Sharks are fighting tooth and nail to keep the wooden spoon from Parramatta.
Joining Parramatta and Cronulla at the foot of the table after two rounds is the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Souths have perhaps undergone the most radical off season transformation under a new coach after two years of undercoaching at the hands of John Lang. With a new rookie halfback joining the new coach and the elevation of Dylan Farrell to fullback and Nathan Peats to hooker, Souths were always going to be a work in progress at this stage of the season. Maguire’s biggest challenge will be unlocking the potential John Sutton has always threatened and forming a left side combination with Greg Inglis. Defensively apart from the last three minutes of each of the first two rounds Souths have been more dominant than at any stage of the last two years and the signs on that front are entirely positive. However their cohesion and ball control in attack has let them down while the inability to capitalise on the most dangerous attacking left side in the competition needs to be addressed immediately. The positives include the round one performance of Nathan Peats, and round two performance of Isaac Luke indicating that if Maguire can keep the Kiwi international happy he will have an impressive hooker rotation. Farrell is developng well at fullback while the return of Nathan Merritt at either fullback or the wing cannot come quick enough. In Sam Burgess South Sydney have a player capable of taking the competition by the scruff of the neck and leading a Premiership charge allowing supporters to dare to dream. If he stays fit he could challenge for the Dally M medal regardless of whether or not Souths win a game this year, having been adjudged best on field in both of Souths losses by better judges than myself.
There you have it - AVFTT has thrown it out there declaring Newcastle, Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra incapable of winning the 2012 Premiership while declaring Parramatta locks for a wooden spoon. The Gold Coast Titans, Canterbury Bulldogs and Penrith Panthers will threaten at times but ultimately flatter to deceive, while similarly North Queensland, Brisbane Broncos, Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors will be inconsistent but capable of winning beating the top sides to a Premiership. While Cronulla will improve but finish closer to the foot of the table than top 8. Manly and Melbourne will dominate this edition of the competition while Canberra Raiders need a bit of luck with injuries but are more than capable of a title challenge on the back of a giant forward pack and the skill of Dugan, Croker and Campese. Written off after two games and by all of AVFTT readers is South Sydney who I will refrain from offering definitive views on other than to say I am more than happy with the displays in each game this season however gutted I am with the results.
The most impressive club already this season has been the Melbourne Storm who seem to rival coackroaches in there ability to outlast all others. Despite the salary cap scandal and the loss of player after player, the spine of Cronk, Slater and Smith and coaching nous Bellamy means that Melbourne appear destined for another top four finish. Last years premiers Manly have started the season a little stronger then many expected with the continual off field dramas appearing to have little affect on their performances. Winning when far from their best against Wests on Friday night will warm the heart of Toovey.
The 2012 incarnation of Tim Sheens Tigers appear toothless and rudderless. Aaron Woods and Matt Groat have struggled to pick up the slack after Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita departed the club and injuries to Keith Galloway and now Gareth Ellis will hurt. The club appears to be a second rower heavy and front rower short while continuing to play marquee man Adam Blair on the edges. Furthermore the pairing of Moltzen and Marshall in the halves is completely rudderless. Marshall was disgraceful in round one and if refereed correctly his knock on from the charge down in extra time would have cost Wests two points. Marshall and Moltzen will rely heavily on Robbie Farah to steer the side around the park and do most of the kicking, but his performance in crunch games is questionable at best. For all of the focus on their 2005 success there isn’t a player left at the club that played a dominant role in their successes. Scott Prince and Brett Hodgson were the generals of that side and after two insipid performances their favouritsm looks misplaced. I would feel comfortable giving long odds of the Tigers adding to their solitary Premiership in 2012.
Coming into the year with a weight of expectation, that is perhaps undeserved, is the New Zealand Warriors. People forget the Warriors finished sixth and were belted in the first round of the finals before Wests Tigers snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the Preliminary Final. While they undoubtedly have the strongest depth in the competition their commitment can at times be questioned. Their performance tonight perfectly demonstrates their attitude to Rugby League - score as many tries as you like we’ll score more. Against sides such as Manly and Melbourne with strong playing cultures however their size and strength is unlikely to be enough for them to pile on the points and they need to develop a tougher brand of football in which they are capable of grinding teams out of games - completing sets, kicking well and defending stoutly. I question whether the Warriors are capable of such football and tip them to finish in the bottom half of the top eight again this year.
Canterbury and Penrith missed the top eight last year but welcome the respective grand final coaches to their clubs. Hasler and Cleary have already made definitive differences to their sides. While their round one clash was largely uninspiring both teams appear far more committed and disciplined and their round two performances demonstrated as such with impressive victories over St George and the Roosters. Steve Price has taken over at the Dragons and appears to be trying to replicate Wayne Bennett’s tenure at the club with an inferior roster. The loss of Mark Gasnier will have little impact on the club other than the teamsheet as he failed to return to his best after his French sojourn however the combined losses of Jeremy Smith, Neville Costigan and Darius Boyd over the past two seasons have significantly weakened the two main points of Bennetts philosophy at the club - a strong and imposing forward pack and the best left edge option play in the competition. Boyd behind Creagh with Morris on the outside has been St Georges trademark over the last few years. Price will learn quickly in the NRL that gameplans need to be built around the cattle at your disposal rather than the other way around. All three clubs offer no premiership threat for me with the Dragons on a downward spiral and Penrith and Canterbury at least twelve months from a title challenge.
Gold Coast recruited heavily in the off season but will continue to struggle this season while a talented North Queensland roster continue to struggle from a poisonous attitude that leads to diabolical performances such as round one. In saying that though they are definitely a team capable of winning the competition if they can get things right. Do I think they will? No. Parramatta are my lock team for the wooden spoon and have not shown anything to demonstrate otherwise this year. The Roosters have a powerful forward pack and youthful exuberance and will struggle at stages this season. Will probably scrape into the eight and be one of those sides that the top sides fear most, struggling with consistency but capable of brilliance. The Broncos are a side that I would group with the Roosters with a crop of exciting players making their way in the NRL.
The Newcastle Knights are similar to Wests Tigers in that their ability has been significantly inflated in betting markets. I do not conform with the popular opinion that Danny Buderus is a huge plus for the club as he has played the last three years in a far inferior competition averaging less than 55 minutes a game. The loss of De Gois is immense for this football club, Similarly I have very little regard for Kade Snowden and fail to understand the hype that surrounds the slow and lumbering prop forward. Far from title favorites in my books. The Cronulla Sharks have recruited wisely this season but are still two quality centres short of the top eight. Their game on the weekend perfecty demonstrated that both teams are at least a yard off the pace in this competition while on yesterdays display the Sharks are fighting tooth and nail to keep the wooden spoon from Parramatta.
Joining Parramatta and Cronulla at the foot of the table after two rounds is the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Souths have perhaps undergone the most radical off season transformation under a new coach after two years of undercoaching at the hands of John Lang. With a new rookie halfback joining the new coach and the elevation of Dylan Farrell to fullback and Nathan Peats to hooker, Souths were always going to be a work in progress at this stage of the season. Maguire’s biggest challenge will be unlocking the potential John Sutton has always threatened and forming a left side combination with Greg Inglis. Defensively apart from the last three minutes of each of the first two rounds Souths have been more dominant than at any stage of the last two years and the signs on that front are entirely positive. However their cohesion and ball control in attack has let them down while the inability to capitalise on the most dangerous attacking left side in the competition needs to be addressed immediately. The positives include the round one performance of Nathan Peats, and round two performance of Isaac Luke indicating that if Maguire can keep the Kiwi international happy he will have an impressive hooker rotation. Farrell is developng well at fullback while the return of Nathan Merritt at either fullback or the wing cannot come quick enough. In Sam Burgess South Sydney have a player capable of taking the competition by the scruff of the neck and leading a Premiership charge allowing supporters to dare to dream. If he stays fit he could challenge for the Dally M medal regardless of whether or not Souths win a game this year, having been adjudged best on field in both of Souths losses by better judges than myself.
There you have it - AVFTT has thrown it out there declaring Newcastle, Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra incapable of winning the 2012 Premiership while declaring Parramatta locks for a wooden spoon. The Gold Coast Titans, Canterbury Bulldogs and Penrith Panthers will threaten at times but ultimately flatter to deceive, while similarly North Queensland, Brisbane Broncos, Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors will be inconsistent but capable of winning beating the top sides to a Premiership. While Cronulla will improve but finish closer to the foot of the table than top 8. Manly and Melbourne will dominate this edition of the competition while Canberra Raiders need a bit of luck with injuries but are more than capable of a title challenge on the back of a giant forward pack and the skill of Dugan, Croker and Campese. Written off after two games and by all of AVFTT readers is South Sydney who I will refrain from offering definitive views on other than to say I am more than happy with the displays in each game this season however gutted I am with the results.
Wednesday 7 March 2012
One Day International Tri-Series Cricket
A View from the Top offers its views on the triangular ODI tournament played between India, Sri Lanka and Australia.
Presently the finals series is poised at one apiece between the Lankans and Australians with the Indians enroute home after a tough tour Down Under. So what does AVFTT have to say about the roundup of the cricket season.
WHO CARES!
DOES ANYBODY EVEN WATCH ONE DAY MATCHES ANYMORE!?
IT IS MEANINGLESS CRICKET THAT NO ONE CARES ABOUT!!
AVFTT sat through session after session and day after day of an enthralling Test series earlier this summer but would not have watched five overs in the colored clothes. Its boring, predictable and meaningless, so why watch? Whether its because cricket has dragged into the football seasons this year or we're just sick and tired of the seemingly non-stop calendar of pyjama cricket there has been no buzz, excitement or even interest generated by this series for AVFTT.
Cricket administrators in Australia need to examine why it is that the forms of the game that are supposed to be most exciting are failing to generate the same media coverage and interest as the supposedly dying game of Test cricket.
Is AVFTT right? Does anybody actually care about one day cricket?
Oh and apparently Ricky Ponting was dropped from the One Day side halfway through the series. Continuing with the theme though, I really dont think its that big a deal. Its one day cricket, does anybody even care? When the axe falls on Ponting in the Test arena you can be assured AVFTT will be there to offer its unpopular views on the man.
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