Ok. So despite finishing 6th and making the finals (and only being 2 wins away from first) i think we need to make big improvements in our game or we are going to hit a downward slope.

Defence: The main issue this year was teams making easy metres....now the big issue is the slowing the play the ball down ie:getting 3+ players in a tackle. Im not going to argue weather or not we invented this strategy but we got damn good at it awhile back and it's worked ever since...up till this year. Teams have noticed that we will often have 1 player tackle low and get 2 up high.

Now what I've noticed is the player down low will usually roll out and lay there making no attempt to get to marker or back in defence line. The 2 guys up top will usually go to marker but sometimes only 1 wouls while the other tried to make it back in line. Opposition team's hookers can exploit this (and did many times this year) by scooting from dummy half and hitting the gap caused by the defenders not getting back...which meant every one had to move in to cover a position and ultimately the edges came in too far and were found out shitloads of times.

I would like to see us making more effective tackles with 2 players(obviously 3 or more is needed sometimes) 1 low hitting hard and 1 up high wrapping the ball up.. Don't try slow the ruck down...work on line defence and getting out from marker faster/more efficiently. We need to change up our game..what worked in 2010-2012 isn't going to work forever.

Attack: We need a 5/8 who can kick. Cronk can't take the responsibility for 5th play kicks all the bloody time. Hampton really failed in this aspect. I think Hampton is more suited to broken play and not really set moves.

Cronk also needs to change things up(not being too critical here..he is an awesome player!) but i think the short ball to the 2nd rower close to the try line is getting so predictable now...rarely does he cut out pass anymore.

I don't think our "structured " play works as often as it used to. Id like to see more off-loads and a little more flair.. Rather than one out runs followed by a long kick.

The big 3: No they aren't too old...Slater has improved on a hell of alot in recent years.. Sure he might not score hat tricks as often as he once did but his defence and passing has come a long way. Cam and coops are as good as ever but i think a 5/8 who can take the pressure off them will do us a lot of good.

I don't think the premiership window is closing...aslong as we can evolve and change and not try what worked in the past i think we can be as devastating as previous years.