It is just as big a problem in that we tend to go backwards faster when Hill and Sims are not on the pitch (I really need to add Harrison into that) It is a shame that we are missing Grix and that yesterday we were missing Westwood because in terms of controlling an attacker to avoid a quick play the ball most of our best defenders were not on the pitch for spells yesterday (Bridge can also be very good at holding a player up to wrestle).
Hull KR managed to gain some easy metres on us yesterday which meant that they had time to put in some nice attacking kicks.
Just one well controlled tackle in a set of six can put a halt to the quick play the ball momentum but for spells yesterday we just couldn't make that one decent tackle.
We went into scramble mode and were just happy to make any tackle. If you watch NRL teams, they notice when a quick PTB is on and they will retreat the 10 Metres and will hardly move off the line this means that the players returning late to the defensive line are stood with the other 9 men in the line rather than the defensive line moving up quick and the later retreating player has caused a staggered line. In the NRL this usually means that the tackle after a quick PTB is well controlled and a lot slower even though they have conceded 10m
So the problem of a lack of go forward when Hill, Sims (And Harrison) looks worse because the problem is also in defence.
Wheeler is not Chris Bridge
Clarke and Dwyer (Which ever player was rotated into loose forward) cannot control players like Ben Harrison can
Wilde is not Ben Westwood just yet (He is good but I dont think Larroyer would have got much change out of Westwood)
The differences between the front rowers is well documented
And I will take a bit of stick here but I dont think that Ben Currie can control an attacker like Waterhouse (Or even Anderson) used to do just yet.
One thing on yesterday -We made almost the same mistakes as we did in last years semi final, I am sure I remember a forward pass from Currie to Myler early on in the game last year that put Myler through a gap very similar to the Sims to Myler play yesterday. and we gave away tons of possession on dropped ball and poor last tackle plays. We just dont learn from our mistakes and know how to play boring but effective at times in big games.
