2024 Season

Clifford will naturally go back to end over end soon enough. Has zero control over his kicks and will continue kicking balls dead or out on the full before reverting to the safe option.

This really is the quintessential Clifford game - Big hit early, couple of good bombs - kicks the ball dead once, immediately starts avoiding last tackle responsibility, finds himself in no mans land in front of Drinkwater to prevent an otherwise straightforward try - I don't think I've ever seen a player so consistently crumble mentally, has never been able to get his head right to play the game.
 
What is wrong with the old kick the ball as long as you can towards the sideline and try to find touch? As long as the ball is not kicked out on the full, nothing can go wrong. It used to be the best way to gain maximum ground with kicks.
 
danknights said:
No but at least Clifford tried some "variety". All the halves since are all cookie cutter, high percentage kicking. It's boring. I'd definitely love too see more variation from us.
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I've never seen Hastings try some variety with his kicks. Just chip bombs and other boring cookie cutter like kicks that fullbacks just catch with ease.
 
If you’re deep enough, boot the ball up into the bloody stratosphere and chase. If you’re putting a spiral bomb out on the full from 40 metres out you need to sort your sh*t out. Getting sick of Jackson doing these meaningless chips from 20 out and it going straight to the other teams second rower or centre. Back yourself, change it up.
 
Lefty said:
What is wrong with the old kick the ball as long as you can towards the sideline and try to find touch? As long as the ball is not kicked out on the full, nothing can go wrong. It used to be the best way to gain maximum ground with kicks.
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We did that well for a season or 2. Gets a set play restart and gives a little breather
 
We are definitely down the pecking order of teams when it comes to kicking. Gamble had the bigger boot on him. And Ponga kicks down the left. Wouldn’t say Ponga is great but I think he might be improving. But should he be kicking? Probably compensating for Hasting not having a big boot.
 
MullosLefttoRight said:
Clifford will naturally go back to end over end soon enough. Has zero control over his kicks and will continue kicking balls dead or out on the full before reverting to the safe option.

This really is the quintessential Clifford game - Big hit early, couple of good bombs - kicks the ball dead once, immediately starts avoiding last tackle responsibility, finds himself in no mans land in front of Drinkwater to prevent an otherwise straightforward try - I don't think I've ever seen a player so consistently crumble mentally, has never been able to get his head right to play the game.
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He just can’t let a mistake go hey. He looked like he was having a meltdown in that game for us in 2022 when he got hooked.
 
Treadly said:
We did that well for a season or 2. Gets a set play restart and gives a little breather
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Brown was coaching that in to them to prevent kick returns and lets us start the set off with a fixed defensive line.

They were even finishing the set on the opposition 10m line, and kicking it straight over the side line vs a more attacking kick to the in goal.

The reason you don't see the long kick for the corner so much is because it low percentage as far as you getting a result from it. 40/20 is great, but otherwise better off putting up the kick and contesting it, or kick it long and get down there and tackle them to prevent the kick return. Plus it keeps the ball in play and prevents them from getting a breather if they are under the pump defensively.
 
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Kurriboy said:
Brown was coaching that in to them to prevent kick returns and lets us start the set off with a fixed defensive line.

They were even finishing the set on the opposition 10m line, and kicking it straight over the side line vs a more attacking kick to the in goal.

The reason you don't see the long kick for the corner so much is because it low percentage as far as you getting a result from it. 40/20 is great, but otherwise better off putting up the kick and contesting it, or kick it long and get down there and tackle them to prevent the kick return. Plus it keeps the ball in play and prevents them from getting a breather if they are under the pump defensively.
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Good points, If they are under pressure, not us. IF they need a breather, not us. If your there to contest it. Etc etc
 
Mclovin said:
Big Dave Fafita going to Pentrith is a scary thought 😳
That man with a good team and culture around him might be what he needs to really go to another level and that scares the living **** out of me haha
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It's an interesting one in the sense that he's definitely not a direct replacement for JFH who has been so integral to the Panthers dynasty. Wouldn't have been surprised if they went after Utoikamanu but his contract situation clouds that possibility at this point in time.

It does however take the pressure off their Luai successor. Putting David Fifita on the edge allows them to bank on promoting from within with a Laurie/Cole type as that edge of To'o/May/Fifita almost becomes too strong to fail even if Laurie/Cole takes some time to adjust in firsts.

Fifita has been in poor sides his entire career to date, he could become one of the most devastating backrowers to ever play the game when opposition defences have to start worrying about the players surrounding him too.
 
Given how good the fraud Luai looked passing the ball to Kikau in that team, you could probably bring Brodie Croft back, play him at 6 next to Fifita, and get him picked for Origin.

Don't begrudge Penrith the signing at all. Feels like more than half the big marquee signings in the player market for the last few years have been other teams snatching their star players. They've earned the right to make a few fancy signings of their own at this point.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Given how good the fraud Luai looked passing the ball to Kikau in that team, you could probably bring Brodie Croft back, play him at 6 next to Fifita, and get him picked for Origin.

Don't begrudge Penrith the signing at all. Feels like more than half the big marquee signings in the player market for the last few years have been other teams snatching their star players. They've earned the right to make a few fancy signings of their own at this point.
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You mean like the Bulldogs?
I am absolutely amazed that the Bulldogs aren’t near the top of the competition with half the team Ex Panthers and other quality first graders from other teams. At the moment I see the Bulldogs as vastly underperforming for the quality players they have “bought” from other teams.
 
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