Cust vs Croker at 9

[maxta]

Ok....neither seem ideal and we all have different opinions on Fainu being available and when, but regardless, is not an option to start 2021.
Thought maybe could Foran play the role....but doubt it for 2 reasons....after checking myself in reality....
1) The hefty workload would only increase risk of a battle weary body always at high injury risk...
2) He is a Top shelf International 5/8, and a proven Star at 5/8.....IF anything would play at 9 in a itility role if needed...
So who gets the starting 9 position, as many have pointed out, Croker seems to be training at dummy half.
Personally I reckon Cust is a fair way the better option and could actually make a (decent) hooker due to his attributes.
Is quite strong and also has above average acceleration and definately likes to sniff around the ball runner...pushing up with the attack which keeps defence on the back foot.
Happy to see Croker on the bench if there are a few injuries, but feel he has under delivered when given prime opportunity.
Whats the thoughts Silvertails ?....hit me hard, but play fair !!

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Ok with Cust , not perfect but unless we sign a 9 he’ll have to do.

**** Croker , isn’t there ANYONE else ??

 

[manly al]

just does not seem to be an inclination by the club to go after another recognized 9 so can only mean Cust and Croker as the main contenders of course and still can not see any real advantages not starting with Cust . Croker can still offer some utility value apart from a back up 9 . Not sure if he has prior experience there but Elisiah Taylor with his good step and elusive running and reasonable footy skill level could even make a go of it there if he is bought into the system and eventually too 30 .

 

[pjayz]

Crocker should not be in the 17 at all. He simply isn’t a first grade quality player no matter how badly Des or others want him to be.

If we start with him or even have him on the bench I’d be worried. He will never be a mainstay in this team, so cut the cord now.

Start Cust, Schuster on the bench if Foran is starting at six and get our rotations right.

 

[double hoops]

Croker to start games. Cust to star whilst finishing games off.

I'm expecting Croker to be better in 2021. It was only March 2020 he was saying he wanted to be in the halves and spent 19-20 offseason as a utility.

Eagle eyes off starting spot: Croker won't settle for bench spot long term

Playmaker doesn't want to fall behind on the Northern Beaches

www.nrl.com

This off season he won't be practicing being a utility. Its hooker, hooker or hooker.

I've always said Cust is a future star of this game, and I've seen nothing to change that view.

 

[globaleagle]

I thought maybe I'd merge the 98 threads already on cust v croker v hooker v nutella sanga's but thought... hey, it's the off season, what's one more thread?

Plus I like maxta's thread efforts in the off season.

Anyway. For me and (and for the 99th time)

Cust.

 

[The better Robbo]

Croker to start games. Cust to star whilst finishing games off.

I'm expecting Croker to be better in 2021. It was only March 2020 he was saying he wanted to be in the halves and spent 19-20 offseason as a utility.

Eagle eyes off starting spot: Croker won't settle for bench spot long term

Playmaker doesn't want to fall behind on the Northern Beaches

www.nrl.com

This off season he won't be practicing being a utility. Its hooker, hooker or hooker.

I've always said Cust is a future star of this game, and I've seen nothing to change that view.

Agreed. Croker offers no impact. Use him to start the games and keep Cust fresh. I also expect Croker will do a good job at hooker for us this year. Its a bit like when Barrett played Parker on the wing, everyone said he was ****! Put him in his natural position of centre and he plays well. I expect the same from Croker, even though it's not his natural position I see him as a way better 9 than he is a 6. Croker has a good long kick, tackles well, leads kick chase and is super fit. I think most teams will go a spare hooker on the bench as impact and this is where Cust comes in.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Way more upside to Cust than Croker. But really, if we're relying on these two to be our first-choice hookers for 2021, we're going to need a hell of a lot more luck than we had this year.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

Croker (spew emoji) send the **** to the gulag

 

[eagleron]

Ok....neither seem ideal and we all have different opinions on Fainu being available and when, but regardless, is not an option to start 2021.
Thought maybe could Foran play the role....but doubt it for 2 reasons....after checking myself in reality....
1) The hefty workload would only increase risk of a battle weary body always at high injury risk...
2) He is a Top shelf International 5/8, and a proven Star at 5/8.....IF anything would play at 9 in a itility role if needed...
So who gets the starting 9 position, as many have pointed out, Croker seems to be training at dummy half.
Personally I reckon Cust is a fair way the better option and could actually make a (decent) hooker due to his attributes.
Is quite strong and also has above average acceleration and definately likes to sniff around the ball runner...pushing up with the attack which keeps defence on the back foot.
Happy to see Croker on the bench if there are a few injuries, but feel he has under delivered when given prime opportunity.
Whats the thoughts Silvertails ?....hit me hard, but play fair !!

Agree with everything you say but my only concern with Cust is his passing game, he would need a lot of improvement, I think Croker has had enough chances and failed to shine so I would prefer not to see him back in the 17

 

[The better Robbo]

Agree with everything you say but my only concern with Cust is his passing game, he would need a lot of improvement, I think Croker has had enough chances and failed to shine so I would prefer not to see him back in the 17

Cust does have a lollipop pass on him. His strength will be his running game against tired defenders, more reason he would better suit the bench. We either sign a hooker or start with Croker... in my opinion. Only tike will tell. People forget Croker is still only 23 and only played 30 odd games, mostly off the bench

 

[pjayz]

Cust does have a lollipop pass on him. His strength will be his running game against tired defenders, more reason he would better suit the bench. We either sign a hooker or start with Croker... in my opinion. Only tike will tell. People forget Croker is still only 23 and only played 30 odd games, mostly off the bench

Well I don’t know who tike is but can you tell them to hurry up and spill the beans ‘cause I want to know now damn it!

 

[eagle66]

I really wonder if the door is open for Taylor?

 

[Shoe1]

The photos from training are one or 2 seconds of the session. Just because croker is there at dummy half in a photo doesn’t mean he is the 1st choice.

Cust and foran are both still in the rehab group anyway I think.

 

[The better Robbo]

If they’re playing Cust and Croker as the 9s, that means Schuster doesn’t make the 17. No way they carry Schuster and Cust on the bench.

That would be terrible

My bench is:
Paseka
Olakau-atu
Schuster
Cust

That's not terrible!

 

[double hoops]

If they’re playing Cust and Croker as the 9s, that means Schuster doesn’t make the 17. No way they carry Schuster and Cust on the bench.

That would be terrible

I could see both Schuster and Croker in the starting 13, Cust on the bench.

 

[Shoe1]

Foran into 9, when his pec is healed. He can’t train there yet people.

watch the Newcastle manly game from 1995 on another thread. 34 year old Des sucked it up and played well at dummy half. Tooves, cliffy, Des and kosef doing lots of interplay. That is manly next year. The numbers on their backs won’t mean much.

The parts of those 4 will be played by foran, dce, cust and schuster.

Can you all just agree with me and stop this mind-numbing endless speculation?

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Not a hope two halves on the bench - gee lol lol. Foran will be on the bench - Cust at hooker, Schu at 5/8th. Although I did see Croker put on some shots in defence in some replays of last year BUT his attacking game is zero. Cust offers some speed - robustness, toughness etc

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Lachlan Croker, the next Cameron Smith .....lol

 

[Eagle thru 'n' thru]

Cust to play 79 minutes, Croker can have the remaining 60 seconds, on the condition Manly are in front by two converted tries.