McKenzie, Mo'unga etc
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@reprobate said in McKenzie, Mo'unga etc:
There's definitely a problem with our outsides being so flat that you can only actually hit them with a forward pass, that's been happening for a while.
I think earlier in the season they were using a more staggered backline. They seemed to quite often be using someone at first receiver to fire the ball back to DMac in a sort of second line - and then use the extra space to get the ball wide. There's a few examples here.
The Crusaders seemed to be trying something similar.
Don't think it worked for either of them and I wonder if that's what Razor and Leon disagreed about. I think we've gone back to a flatter backline since Leon departed.
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@Chris-B Bit of yes and no for me, McKenzie got crunched vs Japan when someone threw a hospital pass to him in the 2nd line - so it's certainly still being used somewhat, though I agree less than previous. McKenzie does play in the line a lot, which is something I really like as those are the 2 options for beating the rush - beat it by running your play in close, or get right around it - and it keeps the defence honest. Mounga to me has always played too much in the 2nd line, and Barrett when he plays in the line is so slow and telegraphed that he can be ignored unless it is broken play.
I wonder if some of the wingers being so flat is an artifact of the cross-kick obsession too. Either way it is really annoying - and the McKenzie 'errors' pointed out are great examples (I'm repeating what I said at the time here) in that he hits Will Jordan in the breadbasket with a pass, and it's forward. He passes one behind Reece and that's a blown try - but if he had hit Reece in the breadbasket that would have been forward too. Now those are both just running support lines to flat, not cross-kick initial formation problems, but it is a long term issue I think, and with all the extra TMO checks these days it will continue to cost us what would have been tries in the past. -
@reprobate said in McKenzie, Mo'unga etc:
I wonder if some of the wingers being so flat is an artifact of the cross-kick obsession too. Either way it is really annoying - and the McKenzie 'errors' pointed out are great examples (I'm repeating what I said at the time here) in that he hits Will Jordan in the breadbasket with a pass, and it's forward. He passes one behind Reece and that's a blown try - but if he had hit Reece in the breadbasket that would have been forward too. Now those are both just running support lines to flat, not cross-kick initial formation problems, but it is a long term issue I think, and with all the extra TMO checks these days it will continue to cost us what would have been tries in the past.
Yep - could be waiting for the cross kick.
In the case of Telea and Reece it might also be because they're not express pace. When I played wing occasionally, many years ago in the days of staggered backlines, I always had to stand flat with the centre - otherwise, I'd be 10 yards behind when he wanted to pass to me!
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I don't think Barrett or Mckenzie are suited to the wide game plan to beat the rush defense.
Razor must either try Perofeta or Plummer who I think are better suited to this game plan or he must change the game plan to suit his 10s.
Barrett is too slow shuffling it on, not running straight then continually resorting to low percentage kicks.
I don't think we've seen enough of JB on the crash ball this year. That was a feature of his game when he moved to 12 under Foster. But it doesn't seem to be apart of the plan to beat the rush defense.
Cane is too slow for a wide ranging game plan.
The game plan seems to nullify players strengths.
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@brodean said in McKenzie, Mo'unga etc:
I don't think Barrett or Mckenzie are suited to the wide game plan to beat the rush defense.
Razor must either try Perofeta or Plummer who I think are better suited to this game plan or he must change the game plan to suit his 10s.
Barrett is too slow shuffling it on, not running straight then continually resorting to low percentage kicks.
I don't think we've seen enough of JB on the crash ball this year. That was a feature of his game when he moved to 12 under Foster. But it doesn't seem to be apart of the plan to beat the rush defense.
Cane is too slow for a wide ranging game plan.
The game plan seems to nullify players strengths.
They seem hell bent on having the 10 beat the rush. I don't see why they couldn't have the 10 pass it on early and allow the 12 and 13 to get tot work instead. The problem with making the 10 more the ball runner is that they take up all the space
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@Mr-Fish said in McKenzie, Mo'unga etc:
@Rancid-Schnitzel said in McKenzie, Mo'unga etc:
Is Tom Taylor still playing🤪? I'd take a guy like him these days. Fark I'd take a poor man's Grant Fox. Just a fella who can kick for field position and can shift the pill. We have plenty of talent out wide.
Will be hilarious if BB plays a blinder though. Plenty of humble 🐦⬛ .
Tom Taylor's debut was possibly the best we've seen from a 10 in the last 20 years. Lima Sopoaga's might just pip it but until that point in time, Taylor's was just so incredibly composed and assured.
Born too soon, or too late
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Although it is hard to judge match to match, against dif teams, at least we will get to see 6 days apart BB and DMac against top 5 teams. It will be also interesting if the game pan changes to be less kick and more chaos, and we see that Razor's big gameplan is 'just go play, boys, and fuck 'em up' - depends on who is ten
