gould throws up an interesting point.

[susan]

ive never really thought much about it but a comment by gould on the roast today where he said players like snake and slater are basically 5/8s in todays game(based on those long passes they threw for tries) got me thinking.darius boyds game at 5/8 in the charity shield adds credence to it.

If you accept that

1.we lack penetration in our backline play as the last 2 years have shown
2.Foran is a gifted runner and tough nut but not overly creative-in other words a 13.
3.Williams is no centre but may be of use in bursts

then a move by Brett to 5/8(who is also bigger this year)may not be crazy.

Im not usually a fan of positional changes(or YARTS) but if it came off it would help fix a couple of problems-our lack of forward spark (outside choc) on the fringes in attack and more ball playing in the backline.all of a sudden the side looks more penetrating.I haven't given up on the year like some but if we are struggling in a couple of months it may be worth a shot.

This side looks good to me if Brett could handle the change.His support play doesnt have to change just because he is 5/8.

Hoppa
Wolf
Lyon
Matai
Robbo
Stewart
DCE
Foran
Stewart
Watmough
King
Ballin
Kite

Buehrer
Rose
Williams
Gnuluvau

It just seems to have more points in it and no real obvious weakness if it worked(other than a lack of bench depth which we can't fix).All of a sudden everyone is playing in  positions that suit their style and it does not have that stop gap look.just a thought.

 

[Darren]

Sue, if we are lacking penetration in our backline why do we keep picking matai and robbo etc??

 

[mickqld]

Further to that we need more penetration and meter gainers up front. It may be worth throwing T-Rex on the bench at prop Give him 15 per half to just do hit ups and tackles and thats all. George has gotta go he isnt up to first grade standard. get Oldfield into the backs he's got speed.

 

[bones]

I'd switch Matai and Foran.

 

[susan]

simple darren.i am picking from the players available.if i could pick gasnier and hodges i would ffs.if you think any of our prized youngsters are better than matai then you have real problems.he is s a current new zealand international and outside discipline problems is a class above those guys.oldfield,whare etc have potential but are not better players than matai and robertson at this stage of their careers.its not rocket science,pick the best players in their best positions,regardleass of age.a classic example is williams - he is young and totally outclassed in the three quarter line,yet gets a run on "potential",about 40 runs too many so far.

whare is out for 8,hoppa now 8,lussick just had long lay off-everyone can get injured and young immature players are more at risk IMO.

cant you bang on about something else.everyone knows what you think.give us a break.

 

[Matabele]

This will surprise many but I've come to accept Matai is nearly as important to the side as Lyon.  He is feared by the opposition and potent out of dummy half.  He will make a difference when he comes back, for as long as he lasts before he does something else illegal.

 

[bones]

This will surprise many but I've come to accept Matai is nearly as important to the side as Lyon.  He is feared by the opposition and potent out of dummy half.  He will make a difference when he comes back, for as long as he lasts before he does something else illegal.

I've thought that way about Matai for years

 

[SilentBob]

Biggest negative of it would be having Brett in the front line of the defence, can he handle the work? Can we afford not to have him at the back directing everyone and cleaning up as well as he does? Really, defensively, I don't think I would want anyone else there.

Attacking wise, he injects himself in to the set plays and makes the most of other people's work, I'm not so sure he would be as successful if the onus was on him to actually create from nothing.

It's certainly not something that needs to be rushed in to, maybe in a season or two, I would see it as a desperate ploy if it was to happen this year.

Foran would become a lot more effective if he slowed down a bit before the line and allowed the decision making of the defence do the work for him, right now he's 100% at the line and it's either pass or dummy, it all seems predetermined, he's not playing what's in front of him. Des needs to get Cliffy in his ear.

Hopoate needs to stay on the field for this to even be an option, at the moment he can't last more than a game or two before he's out, another month or so on the sidelines coming up for him.

Got a bit annoyed this morning when on The Footy Show or The Roast, not sure which one, somebody said Stewart had been watching Slater when referring to his long pass for the try. Stewart was doing that sort of stuff back in '08, it's nothing new, if anything Boyd and Slater took the tip off him.

 

[Darren]

Sue: This is not a short but a question. In your text you had:
If you accept that

1.we lack penetration in our backline play as the last 2 years have shown

Are you saying we lack this??

 

[ads]

Matai makes so many metres from half coming out of our own end. A few of those sets where we didn't make many metres out of our 20 last night might have been different with matai!

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

This will surprise many but I've come to accept Matai is nearly as important to the side as Lyon.  He is feared by the opposition and potent out of dummy half.  He will make a difference when he comes back, for as long as he lasts before he does something else illegal.

A very sensible conclusion. Matai means a hell of a lot to our team and will make a difference.

 

[Technical Coach]

Can we please get over this fascination of seeing long cut out floating passes from fullbacks and labelling them as potential 5/8's its getting beyond rediculous each year. Most Fullbacks at best are second option man plays with a hint of 5/8 skills not frontline 5/8's that have less time to make good decisions and Brett Stewart is no 5/8 that i'm certain of.

Brett might pull a few trick passes every now and then and can fill in at 5/8 when the opposition is in 6's and 7's but he is only a stop gap measure at best---(Brett is a whole runner and a safe fullback lets not exaggerate his qualities.)

Darren Lockyer and Jarred Hayne have the full range of skills to make a go at 5/8---Brett has no kicking game---does not ball play left to right---does not possess a good step---does not drift across the field like a natural 5/8 either with the ability to straighten up at the right time putting outside backs into holes.

Brett without speed is basically a Luke Patten steady and reliable with good positioning.

---

Post  automatically merged: [time]1300002981[/time]

---

Can we please get over this fascination of seeing long cut out floating passes from fullbacks and labelling them as potential 5/8's its getting beyond rediculous each year. Most Fullbacks at best are second option man plays with a hint of 5/8 skills not frontline 5/8's that have less time to make good decisions and Brett Stewart is no 5/8 that i'm certain of.

Brett might pull a few trick passes every now and then and can fill in at 5/8 when the opposition is in 6's and 7's but he is only a stop gap measure at best---(Brett is a hole runner and a safe fullback lets not exaggerate his qualities.)

Darren Lockyer and Jarred Hayne have the full range of skills to make a go at 5/8---Brett has no kicking game---does not ball play left to right---does not possess a good step---does not drift across the field like a natural 5/8 either with the ability to straighten up at the right time putting outside backs into holes.

Brett without speed is basically a Luke Patten steady and reliable with good positioning.

 

[The Eagle]

LOL! he through a great spiral pass to Robbo,Unlike Slaters end of end debacle

His kicking needs a fair bit of work but his best at the back

 

[Technical Coach]

That spiral pass was wobbly as hell.

 

[Captain of the Gate]

I have no doubt one day Snake will play 5/8, but it is years away. He adds too much at the back and lets be honest, every fullback in the comp has to be a ball player in the modern game. The only fullback in the comp who isn't a ball player currently is probably Reese Wesser, and it shows cause he stands out like a sore thumb compared to other No 1's.

Why take away the option of him being a 2nd 5/8 and his skills at floating around teh ruck looking for holes. Just silly and knee jerk at this stage.

 

[the mauler]

hey guys.my first post,and i strongly feel that our current problems start and finish with our forward pack.kites past it,king is a toiler and our bench is weak and lacks punch.choc is the only player in our pack that can make a bust,but his hands let him down 2 often(thought he was our best last night tho). in the space of 1yr weve gone from 1 of the best packs in comp 2 one of the worst! how did this happen in such a short space in time?  

 

[MadMarcus]

Darren Lockyer and Jarred Hayne have the full range of skills to make a go at 5/8---Brett has no kicking game---does not ball play left to right---does not possess a good step---does not drift across the field like a natural 5/8 either with the ability to straighten up at the right time putting outside backs into holes.

I don't know whether or not Snake would make it at 5/8th, but I do know that Hayne tried it and he was rubbish.  I couldn't imagine Snake would be any worse than him.

 

[mickqld]

No way would or should Snake go to 5/8th. His attacking would be dulled by all the defensive work he would have to do.He is a fullback and always will be.

 

[bones]

No way would or should Snake go to 5/8th. His attacking would be dulled by all the defensive work he would have to do.He is a fullback and always will be.

How about five eighth in attack and fullback in defense?

 

[Matabele]

You can't weaken one position to strengthen another.  The whole point is the fullback is a *2nd* 5/8th and therefore an additional option.  Stewart is potent at the back as a shock weapon.  He won't go well at 5/8th if spotted because the fullback is not a threat.