Can we finally put to rest the fact that marty taupau belongs in the middle of the field?

[Manly_92]

I feel like i am becoming a broken record in this forum regarding this subject, i have been questioned several times about why i have been so strongly against the option of him moving back into the second row. WELL, if tonight wasn't the perfect example of why, then i give up.

A bloke of marty's size, strength, and aggression is far better utilized bashing and intimidating the big boys in the middle, helping set the platform for dce and our backline, as opposed to the narrow minded view of putting him out on the edges just to run at smaller blokes because it might earn him a few extra metres. Winning a game of footy starts with winning the battle in the middle, which was clearly evident in tonight's game. Big marty played a vital role in that tonight, he bent the line and created second phase plays around the ruck at nearly every opportunity, not to mention the wear and tear he inflicted to the roosters' middle men, they were deadset out on their feet, which was a great collaborative effort considering the quality of their pack. And for those of you that are reading this and still haven't joined the dots, it was these kinds of efforts around the middle of the field that set the platform for our backline to capitalise in the dying minutes of the game.

 

[ricardo]

Too long didn't read.

Whatever he's doing now is good and should continue! Legend

 

[HoldenV8]

Well said

 

[winnyason]

I just want to know where lussick goes ?

 

[Sheikheagle]

I feel like i am becoming a broken record in this forum regarding this subject, i have been questioned several times about why i have been so strongly against the option of him moving back into the second row. WELL, if tonight wasn't the perfect example of why, then i give up.

A bloke of marty's size, strength, and aggression is far better utilized bashing and intimidating the big boys in the middle, helping set the platform for dce and our backline, as opposed to the narrow minded view of putting him out on the edges just to run at smaller blokes because it might earn him a few extra metres. Winning a game of footy starts with winning the battle in the middle, which was clearly evident in tonight's game. Big marty played a vital role in that tonight, he bent the line and created second phase plays around the ruck at nearly every opportunity, not to mention the wear and tear he inflicted to the roosters' middle men, they were deadset out on their feet, which was a great collaborative effort considering the quality of their pack. And for those of you that are reading this and still haven't joined the dots, it was these kinds of efforts around the middle of the field that set the platform for our backline to capitalise in the dying minutes of the game.

Best all round game I have seen him play. No dropped balls or penalties. Outstanding

 

[Fluffy]

Whilst he might be marginally better in the middle we need to play as a team. You need to pick your best 17.

If Lussick can resume his role in the middle and with BJ firing as well as AFB and Myles off the bench, Marty could take over from Frankenstein and give us 100 more metres on the left edge without losing anything in the middle.

A prop rotation of Marty, Lussick, BJ, Myles and AFB is unbalanced, each would not get enough games time averaging only 32 minutes.

There were a few games late last year when Marty tore it up in the back row as good, if not better than tonight which easily counters your argument.

 

[Paw93]

Whilst he might be marginally better in the middle we need to play as a team. You need to pick your best 17.

If Lussick can resume his role in the middle and with BJ firing as well as AFB and Myles off the bench, Marty could take over from Frankenstein and give us 100 more metres on the left edge without losing anything in the middle.

A prop rotation of Marty, Lussick, BJ, Myles and AFB is unbalanced, each would not get enough games time averaging only 32 minutes.

There were a few games late last year when Marty tore it up in the back row as good, if not better than tonight which easily counters your argument.

Winterstein is holding up our left edge defence. Without him, I'm not sure if our defence would hold up as well as it has.

The best thing that Barrett has done these last few weeks is to keep our team lineup the same in crucial positions. I'd say Lussick will start with BJ back to the bench and either of Brown or Hastings dropping off.

 

[Brooke]

Winterstein is holding up our left edge defence. Without him, I'm not sure if our defence would hold up as well as it has.

The best thing that Barrett has done these last few weeks is to keep our team lineup the same in crucial positions. I'd say Lussick will start with BJ back to the bench and either of Brown or Hastings dropping off.

Hopefully Brown will drop off not Hastings. Lussick has to come into the side that is a must.

 

[robbiea]

Lussick>AFB>BrownV

 

[court83]

I dont doubt most will disagree, but i liken taupau in the front row to a bloke buying a v8 supercar and using it to drive the kids to school... Sure, it may do the job well, but thats not why you buy a v8 supercar....

Taupau was absolutely devastating for the tigers... Every match he would come off the bench and rip the opposition to shreds in highlight reel fashion...
Sure, in the middle he plays tough and makes 100plus each game, but imo thats wasting him.. Lets lussick and lawrence and afb be the meter eaters, unleash marty on the edges and watch him punch holes thru everyone... we have enough honest toilers and meter eaters. Wheres that damaging impact ball runner?? That should be marty when all props are fit n available

 

[Fluffy]

Winterstein is holding up our left edge defence. Without him, I'm not sure if our defence would hold up as well as it has.

The best thing that Barrett has done these last few weeks is to keep our team lineup the same in crucial positions. I'd say Lussick will start with BJ back to the bench and either of Brown or Hastings dropping off.

the defensive disruption is a good point, it really is a tough one as you need to get enough minutes out of the 5 big guys and just rotating through prop wont achieve that imo. Possibly use Marty to give Jake a spell is an option. Jake plays his best when playing around 60 minutes, then he doesn't need to hold back fuel in reserve.

 

[nightster]

I just want to know where lussick goes ?

second row

 

[torana355]

If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Paw93]

the defensive disruption is a good point, it really is a tough one as you need to get enough minutes out of the 5 big guys and just rotating through prop wont achieve that imo. Possibly use Marty to give Jake a spell is an option. Jake plays his best when playing around 60 minutes, then he doesn't need to hold back fuel in reserve.

Aren't we glad to not have to make this decision? Refreshing to see that the entire team has done well enough to not have any clear candidates for dropping to the reserves. They've all done their job.

 

[Fluffy]

yep, good problem to have.

Injuries will come and that will of course drive the position changes but next week is probably the first time we will run out our top 17 since 2014.

 

[Waz13]

When lussick cones back brown needs to drop off the bench. It's a no brainer for me.

 

[Snake]

I dont doubt most will disagree, but i liken taupau in the front row to a bloke buying a v8 supercar and using it to drive the kids to school... Sure, it may do the job well, but thats not why you buy a v8 supercar....

Taupau was absolutely devastating for the tigers... Every match he would come off the bench and rip the opposition to shreds in highlight reel fashion...
Sure, in the middle he plays tough and makes 100plus each game, but imo thats wasting him.. Lets lussick and lawrence and afb be the meter eaters, unleash marty on the edges and watch him punch holes thru everyone... we have enough honest toilers and meter eaters. Wheres that damaging impact ball runner?? That should be marty when all props are fit n available

You do realise he was playing in the middle for the Tigers? He wore 13 and rucked it up the guts just like Jake T does in the 13 for us.

 

[Snake]

I would bring Lussick off the bench because although he gets some good yards, our middle is defending so well that it's a massive risk to tinker with the currently formula. I also agree that Winterstein has come good and is a very important cog in our edge d...I love the aggression he finally showed last night as well!

 

[Ryan]

So...ummm...will Lloyd Perrett get another game with us if we remain uninjured? Or Shaun Lane? If you go:

08. Brenton Lawrence
09. Api Koroisou
10. Marty Taupau
11. Frank Winterstein
12. Curtis Sironen
13. Jake Trbojevic

14. Lewis Brown
15. Nate Myles
16. Darcy Lussick
17. Addin Fonua-Blake

who can you drop for Perrett or Lane? Aint depth grand guys. Aint depth Grand. Next weeks Workers team had better win big time.

 

[Woodsie]

I dont doubt most will disagree, but i liken taupau in the front row to a bloke buying a v8 supercar and using it to drive the kids to school... Sure, it may do the job well, but thats not why you buy a v8 supercar....

Taupau was absolutely devastating for the tigers... Every match he would come off the bench and rip the opposition to shreds in highlight reel fashion...
Sure, in the middle he plays tough and makes 100plus each game, but imo thats wasting him.. Lets lussick and lawrence and afb be the meter eaters, unleash marty on the edges and watch him punch holes thru everyone... we have enough honest toilers and meter eaters. Wheres that damaging impact ball runner?? That should be marty when all props are fit n available

Barrett said in a recent interview that the biggest difference this year is the defence on the edges, last year he said they just ran around us. It is why Siro and Winterstein will be the first picked every week, because they hold it all together.

Kapow was a disaster at 2nd row last year, his lateral movement and positional play was ordinary. It is irrelevant how many metres he may or may not make.

At prop he is a game changer.