Sloan

[GCRV]

Our much maligned fullback open to criticism in relation to his tackling technique, his inability to organise our defensive line and his inability to make one on one tackles. Every player has his own strengths and weaknesses at the moment his weakness is defensive. Last season we all held our collective breaths because he couldn't catch the flu. Everytime a bomb went up the chances were he would spill it. This year he has improved markedly, no doubt the coaching staff have worked on this aspect of his game. Now it has to be his technique and where he is actually positioned defending on the line. No doubt the opposition single him out. I was sitting right behind the posts and his effort in trying to stop the dummy half barging over was cringeworthy. Then when Suli missed Staggs there was an opportunity to stop Staggs but his technique was wrong and he was no chance. So in this game he made 4 tackles and missed 4 tackles a 50% fail rate and an unacceptable statistic. However overall this season GP - 17, Tackles made 116, avg about 7 a game. Missed tackles 24 avg 1.5 per game which is totally acceptable overall. He is ranked 165 out of 359 . Now compare him to another fullback that has played 17 games, Kennedy from the Sharks, he is ranked at 76 not a good thing he has made 107 tackles missed 36 tackles avg 2.12 . Bula, Tigers, GP - 17, tackles made 106, tackles missed 30, avg 1.07, ranked 108th. So statistics can be misleading but comparing like players/ positions/ games played we don't have the worst defensive fullback in the competition.

It might be hard two weeks for Sloan with a lot of one on one tackling practice.

 

[RedVHeartbeat]

The tackle on the dummy half in my day would have been hooked for non effort

No mention about how firstly Eisenhuth and surprisingly Jack failed to stop his momentum leaving Sloan to do it all. You referring to the Staggs miss tackle when he sprinted about 60 mt with no one of any pace to catch him. Before Sloan made a desperate dive to nab Staggs the bloke that handed off the ball to him was let go by an inept effort by Eisenhuth to bottle him ball and all. You failed to also mention this incident.

 

[Dave03]

He needs to improve on his defensive technique in securing the ball on the goal line. I've been pleased he's improved his high ball catching ability.

Flanno has an interesting decision with team selections in our next game. Assuming everyone is fit, who gets dropped for Lomax?

I've always wanted to see Lomax at fullback. Tbh we don't utilise Sloan's speed in attack, so we should go all out with our back 5 power game & pick Lomax at fullback along with CT, Suli, Feagai & Rava. I think that back 5 would be our best chance to help get a finals spot.

We should prioritise Sloan speed in attack in the off-season, it's hardly been sighted this year. It means less priority for Hunt's game which I don't know if he's willing to relinquish.

 

[jodragon40]

It might be hard two weeks for Sloan with a lot of one on one tackling practice.

It does take a bit longer than that but I get the gist.

 

[jodragon40]

No mention about how firstly Eisenhuth and surprisingly Jack failed to stop his momentum leaving Sloan to do it all. You referring to the Staggs miss tackle when he sprinted about 60 mt with no one of any pace to catch him. Before Sloan made a desperate dive to nab Staggs the bloke that handed off the ball to him was let go by an inept effort by Eisenhuth to bottle him ball and all. You failed to also mention this incident.

Your not related to Sloan are you? I mean no disrespect to the kid but I think that you will find that the coaching staff are aware of his frailties in defence and will certainly attempt to assist him overcome those deficiencies. The issue has always been with any player their denial that something needs improvement. These are just my views whilst at the game and sitting behind him. He is improving his communication skills I heard him a few times call out. But he should have if not stop the dummy half had the technique to hold the ball up it was something you would expect to see in U16 football not 1st grade.

 

[jodragon40]

He needs to improve on his defensive technique in securing the ball on the goal line. I've been pleased he's improved his high ball catching ability.

Flanno has an interesting decision with team selections in our next game. Assuming everyone is fit, who gets dropped for Lomax?

I've always wanted to see Lomax at fullback. Tbh we don't utilise Sloan's speed in attack, so we should go all out with our back 5 power game & pick Lomax at fullback along with CT, Suli, Feagai & Rava. I think that back 5 would be our best chance to help get a finals spot.

We should prioritise Sloan speed in attack in the off-season, it's hardly been sighted this year. It means less priority for Hunt's game which I don't know if he's willing to relinquish.

That has been the issue with Hunt in my view he wants to be involved in everything. Now that's not a bad characteristics but in today's game if you know that the opposition has 1 play maker and everything starts and finishes with him, well the game is that little bit easier.

 

[Just a Mug Fan]

Cheers. It's like metres run stats can be misleading you can run for 100m as a forward but how many hit ups? Where did the runs start from, where did they end, did he bust tackles, did the run set up 2nd phase play what happened on the subsequent run. You really need to drill down into stats to actually get the real picture

Most stats the media use are just talking points and the fans eat it up like gospel.
The club pays little attention to a lot of them, they are more interested in the intricacies and other stats that lead to bigger issues.
Sloan at FB would have more scrutiny on his total km run a game and his mapping.

 

[jodragon40]

Most stats the media use are just talking points and the fans eat it up like gospel.
The club pays little attention to a lot of them, they are more interested in the intricacies and other stats that lead to bigger issues.
Sloan at FB would have more scrutiny on his total km run a game and his mapping.

Didn't have either in my day. At the end of the game win, lose or draw the clubs free supply of beer was washing down the dirt, as a coach you'd speak to individual players and I'd start by saying mate to my eye I didn't see you running much today, you crook, keeping an injury from me, or did you just have an off day. It was your job to know before looking at the vhs tape of the game on Monday. I was sitting right behind the posts and in the first half he seemed to be making himself available and injecting himself into our attacking structures all over the park. 2nd half was a different story. Be interesting to know what his running stats were broken down in halves and where he was wandering around.

 

[Red T]

So North Queensland has salary cap problems and Holmes could be cut loose. That will be the end of Sloane at fullback. I just think he should be on the wing anyway.

 

[Ryan]

So North Queensland has salary cap problems and Holmes could be cut loose. That will be the end of Sloane at fullback. I just think he should be on the wing anyway.

Sloan has to toughen up still more. Putting one's body on the line is hard but that's what he is paid the big money for. I think he'll come back next season bigger, tougher and more confident. As for playing winger, can you imagine his first or second carry after cleaning kicks? He's definitely not a winger.

 

[Red T]

Well Holmes was on the wing when the Shonkies won the premiership, Ben Barba was fullback(What happened to him ?). But I doubt Holmes would come here to play wing !

 

[Ryan]

Well Holmes was on the wing when the Shonkies won the premiership, Ben Barba was fullback(What happened to him ?). But I doubt Holmes would come here to play wing !

Was Ben Barba the Shonkies fullback? He became one of the highest paid players in the competition but was then caught on camera beating his wife. He was rightly rubbed out of the competition.