BOP v Northland
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I find it really hard to judge Gibson as BOP coach so far - given how many changes there have been in the squad of 23 and the other mitigating factors. After all, beat Canterbury with a bonus point and Ta$man beat Wellington and Otago beat Waikato and it looks like we get a home semi-final*
- that may be a bad interpretation of the very strange looking ladder.
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@kiwipie if you look at the number of young personal in the current team its actually quite impressive..
I had quick look at the team list that played in the semi final last year and wow ..!,only about 3 players from last night in the starting XV,
The investment in young and local talent starting to show ,so for me given the injuries and disruptive season Gibson gets a pass mark -
What an embarrassment this team is sometimes. We turn with a gale force wind only three behind and absolutely cake it. BOP were below average last night but we still couldn’t ram it home.
Got to wonder why the NRU still accept mediocrity year after year. We should be up there with the other regional teams similar to us, but we still look like a hybrid Heartland/bottom of table championship team most times.
The Waikato game showed a glimpse of what we can achieve on a consistent basis with some good coaches.. and good on field leadership. It’s never been about talent for us, it’s about kicking that laid back Northland attitude to touch for good.
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@kiwipie On one hand... I think the case against Gibson was that earlier in the season - pre-injuries and disruptions - one of the strongest 'on paper' Steamers squads I can remember - and with good offseason recruiting - looked a significant step down. Down on both last year's team, and on their paper potential.
On the other hand... perhaps ironically, where he has brought it back is that the team has looked relatively better (or at the least more committed) with some of the younger/raw players coming through over the last few weeks.
I suppose it's hard to tell whether some of the early season form was the coaching, or perhaps 2-3 of the senior players carrying an injury into games, or maybe even attitude in one case. Tricky from the outside, especially with zero news about injuries from the Union as always...
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@j77 said in BOP v Northland:
Got to wonder why the NRU still accept mediocrity year after year. We should be up there with the other regional teams similar to us, but we still look like a hybrid Heartland/bottom of table championship team most times.
at least others have periods of success...this season shows how much of a fluke last year was, and even then, most fans knew we were damn lucky, was a good half v Waikato and a good 80 v Otago that got us into the final...we couldnt even get past an understrength, undermanned Auckland
Every single team has either won the shield or championship/premiership in the past 20, except one team.
We are consistently in the bottom few teams, and yet even Southland who must be our closest rival for worst performing team, have won the shield (09 & 11)
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@donsteppa Yeah, on paper we looked very strong, but their was a distinct lack of not effort (but perhaps controlled aggression). I was disappointed with our ability to compete given that roster.
Although communication about the team has improved remarkedly, updates on injuries has been consistently sh*t and it makes it hard to know how to judge the coaching.
However there were positives, some of the younger squad have really stepped up when we have been down on troops even if we were still losing, but its hard to say Gibson was anywhere near a pass.
Go figure though, if we do beat Canterbury by some miracle we will make the semis which I felt we had no right too and you have to give him a pass for that. lol
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@bovidae said in BOP v Northland:
What was Ah Kuoi's injury? A new signing that hasn't played a single game.
All injuries have been kept secret unfortunately whether short or long term, unless one of us was close to the group it is really hard to find out what is going on
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Northland MOTM Poll - vote away
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/topic/4951/northland-motm-v-bop
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I'm afraid I'm in the "sack the coach" camp !!
Gibson's selection was questionable right from the start given the results he has had in past coaching roles ...as has been mentioned many times here. Did he get the job on his profile and past playing career or was he simply the best candidate? Obviously I don't know and I know people can use all sorts of excuses (Sean Wainui, Covid and injuries)but the team hasn't really delivered. The Hawkes Bay and Taranaki games were particularly galling, given we were virtually at full strength. Both those teams looked well drilled, better organised and were simply more cohesive and accurate . BOP however looked ill prepared and seemed to lack ideas.
I know I'm just venting because of how we're been playing but I suspect the Union isn't too impressed either. I see , at the latest awards presentations, the team of the year went to the Toa and the coach of the year unbelievably went to Rodney Gibbs whose team I think only won one game this year (correct me if I'm wrong).....hardly a great vindication of how they thought the Steamers went.
I know injuries have been horrendous this year. We were one of a handful of spectators at the Northland game in Rotorua and, sure, we won but (with respect to Northland) it looked like two pretty average teams playing and one slightly less average team winning. The one huge plus is the blooding of a few new players. Sangster has been a revelation !
I'm glad I have gotten that off my chest. I seem to recall being wrongly cynical of McMillan's selection many years ago and I know the season isn't over yet so I sincerely hope Mr Gibson can redeem himself in my eyes.
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@snollygoster said in BOP v Northland:
Sangster has been a revelation !
What's his background? Seeing him standing next to Selby-Rickit, he isn't as tall as I thought he was, but I have been impressed too.
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@snollygoster so much of what you say resonates with me as a Northland fan and how I feel about 2021...
we were virtually at full strength
We had a few games where we were at pretty much full strength, yet didnt look it
those teams looked well drilled, better organised and were simply more cohesive and accurate
lamenting this since round 1
BOPNorthland however looked ill prepared and seemed to lack ideas.Not new to 2021 sadly, just continuation under this current coaching group
I know injuries have been horrendous this year
They never help, yet we havent used our long injury list to develop players, even when the season was gone
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@bovidae Just done a quick google as I know nothing about him.
Apparently did his High Schooling in Tauranga and went to Uni at Waikato where he played for The University Club. Is now The Port Operations Co-Ordinator at Mainfreight at the Mount
