Drop illias?

[CCR]

Another poor performance from our 53 game experienced half back. Even JD mentioned in tonight's presser his errors were game destroying.

Many of us were supportive of him until he played enough first grade games, he is no longer an official rookie.

An average nrl player career length is 50 to 80 games.

Is it time to step aside and let Hawkins or Gray have a crack?

 

[Shauno]

How well is the experienced half playing at the moment?

 

[Criswell]

Hes hit the wall. In attack teams dont even consider or worry about him cause he does or adds nothing. Hawkins has shown little better. We have more than enough NRL, SOO and international experience on the field to give Gray a shot. We will more than likely be 0-3 by the end of next week. A change has to be made asap

 

[Kempy]

I wouldn’t want to throw Gray in the deep end right now. Would like to see him get some time to develop and come threw off the bench.

Ilias can be good enough for us when Cody is firing. However if Cody is off just isn’t that player. I’m worried that throwing Hawkins in will just be a bandaid fix.

Lachie’s game tonight was for me his worst performance. Previous losses I felt like blaming losses on him for losing when conceding 30+ points was just wrong.

Even if we replace Ilias with Hawkins, unless we fix so many other issues we have it will be like shuffling deck chairs.

Having Wighton back will be a boost for us. Doesn’t help though that the games get tougher for next week.

 

[Criswell]

I wouldn’t want to throw Gray in the deep end right now. Would like to see him get some time to develop and come threw off the bench.

Ilias can be good enough for us when Cody is firing. However if Cody is off just isn’t that player. I’m worried that throwing Hawkins in will just be a bandaid fix.

Lachie’s game tonight was for me his worst performance. Previous losses I felt like blaming losses on him for losing when conceding 30+ points was just wrong.

Even if we replace Ilias with Hawkins, unless we fix so many other issues we have it will be like shuffling deck chairs.

Having Wighton back will be a boost for us. Doesn’t help though that the games get tougher for next week.

Ive never blamed him for losses. i think though i'm able enough to isolate his performances as a solo study..... he just does not add to the team, he's not a negative as such, but the Half position is our QB, and as such his job is to run the team, not simply shuffle the ball, which tonight the commentators finally noted.

 

[Kempy]

Ive never blamed him for losses. i think though i'm able enough to isolate his performances as a solo study..... he just does not add to the team, he's not a negative as such, but the Half position is our QB, and as such his job is to run the team, not simply shuffle the ball, which tonight the commentators finally noted.

The issue for me is whilst we were losing games 36-30 and 34-30 blaming the halfback is pointless. There are too many other issues before we go there.

From the get go the knives were out for Lachie waiting for him to fail. Many were ready to pounce the moment he did. Instead of trying to get behind this kid wanting him to succeed many just wanted him to fail. It’s quite sad to see.

If he is dropped next week and Hawkins is picked I want to see him succeed. I really want to be wrong about Hawkins.

Comparing what a QB does to a halfback is really comparing apples to oranges. Different sports.

The halves are meant to be able to combine. Work together. Early last year we saw that. Then I don’t know what happened. This shouldn’t be on Lachie alone. Cody deserves quite a bit of criticism as well.

Tonight’s performance by Lachie is one of those where you can say he deserves to be dropped if that’s what happens.

At the same time if we think that dropping the halfback is going to be the magic answer we will be disappointed. There are plenty of other issues right now.

 

[daRque]

What's a QB?

 

[daRque]

I don't see how dropping a player will change our attitude in defence, stop all our errors, suddenly make us be able to stop offloads, improve line speed and show some ****ing balls.

Those are team things, not individual.

 

[Prowsey]

The issue for me is whilst we were losing games 36-30 and 34-30 blaming the halfback is pointless. There are too many other issues before we go there.

From the get go the knives were out for Lachie waiting for him to fail. Many were ready to pounce the moment he did. Instead of trying to get behind this kid wanting him to succeed many just wanted him to fail. It’s quite sad to see.

100% correct. He’s been death ridden on here and Twitter like nothing before.

If he is dropped next week and Hawkins is picked I want to see him succeed. I really want to be wrong about Hawkins.

Said exactly the same thing in the game thread. If they go with Hawkins I will be supporting him and hoping he has a blinder against the old enemy.

I don’t see what Hawkins brings, but won’t be gloating - like a number on here are about Ilias - if he has a poor game. I will also hope that he’s given a few games to prove his mettle in the top grade.

Comparing what a QB does to a halfback is really comparing apples to oranges. Different sports.

The halves are meant to be able to combine. Work together. Early last year we saw that. Then I don’t know what happened. This shouldn’t be on Lachie alone. Cody deserves quite a bit of criticism as well.

Cody had the same issues at the start of ‘22. And then turned it around. I’m hopeful that he’s able to do that again.

But he’s been poor the last two games.

The other member of the spine, Cook has been not much better than Cody. Maybe worse. I don’t see him bouncing back though. Hope I’m wrong.

Tonight’s performance by Lachie is one of those where you can say he deserves to be dropped if that’s what happens.

At the same time if we think that dropping the halfback is going to be the magic answer we will be disappointed. There are plenty of other issues right now.

I do think it’s time to give Lachie a stint in reserve grade. If for nothing else than to get his confidence back.

I’ve also said a number of times I think he’d make a great no 9, when Cookie retires (cause I don’t see what others see in Pete either).

 

[Waldorf]

Our lack of depth and f n stupid recruitment is now biting Souths on the arse.

Dropping players or re positioning them is simply like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

The Club needs one massive reality check but who in there has the balls to put a broom through the joint?

 

[Reggy]

Here we go again.
Keeping a player that adds nothing to the team is pointless.
This is the issue. I cannot believe people still think we did not want Lachy to succeed. A successful lachy means a successful Souths team. But he needs to go. He has shown no improvement. People could see this last year but our couch backed him and now both their careers are almost dead. In life, you live and die by your choices.

We have a centre playing fullback.
A crap hooker.
A either injured or badly performing 5/8.

The difference is these players have shown they can do it. Lachy has not.
Cook should also be dropped or benched.
Latrell should be centre except we never bothered recruiting a fullback.
Cody should be wither rested till he is 100% or put on notice.

But sadly our coach has zero balls.

I'm just a bit over the comments about us death riding out players and not supporting them. This is a profession sport where form matters. If I'm teaching and my class goes backwards when tested serious questions are asked and I'd be retrained. ATM there are too many free passes and mostly due to our squad being full of players who cannot play first grade.

 

[Kempy]

I’ve also said a number of times I think he’d make a great no 9, when Cookie retires (cause I don’t see what others see in Pete either).

This is something I just don’t see. Being able to defend out wider making 20 tackles a game compared to being in the middle needing to make 40-50 tackles a game whilst playing dummy half is so much different.

 

[Kempy]

After watching JD’s interview last night I won’t be surprised to see Lachie dropped. He spoke about the errors we made and of the 4 he singled out 2 were by Lachie. The scrum feed and kicking into his own player.

 

[Pplspoet]

I’m as big an Ilias basher as anyone.

He wasn’t our problem last night.

 

[Prowsey]

This is something I just don’t see. Being able to defend out wider making 20 tackles a game compared to being in the middle needing to make 40-50 tackles a game whilst playing dummy half is so much different.

Not suggesting we start him at 9 next week.

He will need time in Reggies to develop his game, but he’s got the physicality to handle the workload in my middle for mine.

Anyway, I think he needs to be dropped. Give Hawkins his chance to impress.

And if that happens, I’ll say again, I’ll be supporting him wholeheartedly