Tommy T Injured - usa bound

[JenEagle]

Tom isn't going to do jack sh*t out there until we get some playmakers around him. In 2021 he had Foran, Walker, Schuster, Jake, DCE either side of the field and he was running rings around teams because of the space those players created. Now he has Johns , who is deadset a speedbump one side and DCE whose trying to do everything the other. It's not going to work at all. We desperately need at least 3 ball players out there. Jake back in at prop, Schuster , if ever, back to an edge runner or playmaker at 12, GCKT at 9 and then perhaps Croker, Humphries or Materson at 6, Lawton to 13. If we don't find some creativity in those positions then Tom will continue to be completely ineffective.

Yeah 100 percent. I think we forget we lost Dylan Walker and Kieran Foran and replaced them with Johns and another forward. No wonder our attack is struggling. Walker had been playing with us since 2016.

 

[HoldenV8]

Personally, this is how I would go.....

Tom hasn't got the confidence in his legs to really stretch out right now. We know that. But its not like he's actually playing like otherwise. That silky pass to Burbo to put Garrick in to score proved that the confidence in the skills is still there. I had thought a change with Koula could do him good, but I'm not sure moving him from fullback would have the desired effect, especially on Tom's confidence.

As for the rest........

We need a dummy half who does better than just OK and for that I'd bring Gordon into the side to play hooker/dummy half. And I'd then move Froggy back to the halves to play 5/8, dropkicking Cooper Johns back to where he belongs in NSW Cup and hopefully eliminating both that attacking and defensive hole. And I know Schuster wants to play 5/8, but I have always thought he would be of better value as a ball playing lock where he can pop up on both sides of the field, or up the middle.

Its not a perfect solution by any means. But either way you look at it, Gordon would be an improvement on Froggy who is steady at best, while Froggy would be a better attacking and much better defensive option at 5/8 than Johns. The main issue would be lock. Shoe might not be enthused about being in the back row again. However, with Aloiai's shoulder injury for now I'd start Bullemor in the No.13 jumper (although I get the feeling that with Jake likely to be back this week, Keppie will get the start at lock) until Shoe is ready to return.

 

[nightster]

As I and a few others have been saying ... Tom's problem isn't a lack of confidence in his skills. He proved that with his silky little pass to his brother to put Garrick in. The real problem is that he has little to no confidence in his legs right now. He just will not stretch out for any more than 10–15 metres, and even then he's not running hard ... Nikora burning him proved that.

Tom may not be getting injured right now, but whatever Knowles has put in his head seems to have had a negative affect.

Wasn't he directed by Knowles to change his running style .... change back Tom it's not working

 

[Carl]

+1. Turbo has only ever looked threatening when Schuster is @ 6. But I cannot understand the reasoning for signing Johns when Weekes has been around the club for years and knocking on the door.

I think they got Johns cheap as SOO cover for cherry (not a bad move) but somehow he ended up playing a lot of games as cherry's halves partner.

I don't think turbo is our attack problem. He hasn't been able to do his thing with the structure we have been playing with. Schuster at 6 and weekes if he isn't available + some good minutes for gckt and we will be able to fire up the turbo.

 

[Uk eagle]

I'm not overly concerned about Nikora beating Tom on his outside. First you have to ask why Tom was defending on the wing and Reubs at full back. Picked up a slight knock maybe? It's his overall involvement and quality of work. There are glimpses of it but it's like a shaft of sunlight on a cloudy day

 

[TheSoaringEagle2023]

Personally, this is how I would go.....

Tom hasn't got the confidence in his legs to really stretch out right now. We know that. But its not like he's actually playing like otherwise. That silky pass to Burbo to put Garrick in to score proved that the confidence in the skills is still there. I had thought a change with Koula could do him good, but I'm not sure moving him from fullback would have the desired effect, especially on Tom's confidence.

As for the rest........

We need a dummy half who does better than just OK and for that I'd bring Gordon into the side to play hooker/dummy half. And I'd then move Froggy back to the halves to play 5/8, dropkicking Cooper Johns back to where he belongs in NSW Cup and hopefully eliminating both that attacking and defensive hole. And I know Schuster wants to play 5/8, but I have always thought he would be of better value as a ball playing lock where he can pop up on both sides of the field, or up the middle.

Its not a perfect solution by any means. But either way you look at it, Gordon would be an improvement on Froggy who is steady at best, while Froggy would be a better attacking and much better defensive option at 5/8 than Johns. The main issue would be lock. Shoe might not be enthused about being in the back row again. However, with Aloiai's shoulder injury for now I'd start Bullemor in the No.13 jumper (although I get the feeling that with Jake likely to be back this week, Keppie will get the start at lock) until Shoe is ready to return.

Tom needs time off so he can undo all that stuff Knowles put into his head.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Personally, this is how I would go.....

Tom hasn't got the confidence in his legs to really stretch out right now. We know that. But its not like he's actually playing like otherwise. That silky pass to Burbo to put Garrick in to score proved that the confidence in the skills is still there. I had thought a change with Koula could do him good, but I'm not sure moving him from fullback would have the desired effect, especially on Tom's confidence.

As for the rest........

We need a dummy half who does better than just OK and for that I'd bring Gordon into the side to play hooker/dummy half. And I'd then move Froggy back to the halves to play 5/8, dropkicking Cooper Johns back to where he belongs in NSW Cup and hopefully eliminating both that attacking and defensive hole. And I know Schuster wants to play 5/8, but I have always thought he would be of better value as a ball playing lock where he can pop up on both sides of the field, or up the middle.

Its not a perfect solution by any means. But either way you look at it, Gordon would be an improvement on Froggy who is steady at best, while Froggy would be a better attacking and much better defensive option at 5/8 than Johns. The main issue would be lock. Shoe might not be enthused about being in the back row again. However, with Aloiai's shoulder injury for now I'd start Bullemor in the No.13 jumper (although I get the feeling that with Jake likely to be back this week, Keppie will get the start at lock) until Shoe is ready to return.

I like where you're heading and tend to agree with the gist of it. I'd perhaps consider switching Froggy and Schu. Let Froggy play lock. He has the defensive grit and he can ball play. Schu can play 5/8, as he yearns for, and we don't risk upsetting his camp for now.

 

[Peter C]

Did he struggle to regain speed after tearing his hammy?

He took a hamstring injury into the 1978 Kangaroo tour rather than resting his injury and was never the same player again.

 

[XV-1]

He took a hamstring injury into the 1978 Kangaroo tour rather than resting his injury and was never the same player again.

He retired at age 25 due to his hammy.

 

[Jerry1]

I'd send him back for warranty investigation....

 

[Kalvin]

There are controlled studies that indicate a loss of speed with hamstring injuries. You’ve only gotta look at Matt Moylan to see the impact they can have. He has never been lightening but he used to have pretty good acceleration and after so many hamstring injuries, he gets run down by forwards now. I remember a Titans prop running him down a couple of years ago.

Tom’s lack of speed is a real worry because he looked like he was trying to run fast yesterday and simply couldn’t. I was right in front of the Nikora break on the hill there and Tom looked determined but was running in quick sand. Frightening.

I was just listening to wade Graham discussing this particular play on the weekend. Apparently the sharks identified that Tommy had just made 3 tackles in a row (from memory from marker)... he put his arm up and signalled to Garrick to drop back to cover him as he was gassed... they then went straight at him to take advantage of this.....and also on a side note apparently Nikora is one of the fastest players at the club

 

[LeonardCohen]

I was just listening to wade Graham discussing this particular play on the weekend. Apparently the sharks identified that Tommy had just made 3 tackles in a row (from memory from marker)... he put his arm up and signalled to Garrick to drop back to cover him as he was gassed... they then went straight at him to take advantage of this.....and also on a side note apparently Nikora is one of the fastest players at the club

Yeah I saw him make those tackles and signal for Garrick…it’s still not something you see too often even when players are gassed…they usually find a gear when they have to…but anyway, I really hope it was just fatigue or we are in big trouble.

 

[Waz13]

Yeah I saw him make those tackles and signal for Garrick…it’s still not something you see too often even when players are gassed…they usually find a gear when they have to…but anyway, I really hope it was just fatigue or we are in big trouble.

Yeah mentioned it earlier, Tom doesn’t look aerobically as fit as he’s been before. Clear from the start of the year. Frequently out of position and not getting to the ball carrier to stop tries, looks gassed in the in goal after tries are scored, and then the play on the weekend. Again all understandable given the nature of his injuries. You’d wonder how he’s gone training wise with sprints etc given the way he nurses himself. I reckon his sprint training is at about 50% at best.

 

[Eagles4Life]

There are controlled studies that indicate a loss of speed with hamstring injuries. You’ve only gotta look at Matt Moylan to see the impact they can have. He has never been lightening but he used to have pretty good acceleration and after so many hamstring injuries, he gets run down by forwards now. I remember a Titans prop running him down a couple of years ago.

Tom’s lack of speed is a real worry because he looked like he was trying to run fast yesterday and simply couldn’t. I was right in front of the Nikora break on the hill there and Tom looked determined but was running in quick sand. Frightening.

Its time to move Turbo into five-eight. Unfortunately, I can't see him getting his speed back anytime soon. Without that speed he will never be an elite fullback again.

Playing him at six, Schuster at thirteen, Jake at ten and DCE at seven gives us the ball players that we need to activate our edges properly, and create scoring opportunities outwide.

If we are going to take advantage of these scoring opportunities we also need to change our outside backs. Weekes in for Turbo and Myers for Parker. Saab, Koula and Garrick unchanged. That combination would give us the fastest outside backs in the comp.

The potential ball playing combinations with Turbo, Josh, Jake and DCE as good as any other NRL team as well. However, that wont be enough to make us contenders in 2023.

We also need to make an extremely tough and risky call and remove Croker from the seventeen. The reality is that he doesn't have the skill set to unlock the ballplayers, and unleash the speed outwide.

 

[Dion Johnson]

Very interesting comments from Greg Alexander on radio this morning who said that at training last week he was running at 80%, which was the fastest he had trained since January.

If this is the case (and I’d imagine Brandy would know), it seems to be a case of Turbo restricting himself as opposed to losing speed.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1657911895939239936

Based on Brandy’s comments around Tom being only up to 80% with his speed and the quickest he has ran all season it is hard to fathom why they keep picking him at the back, his efforts in defence have not been up too first grade standards for a fullback not putting his body on the line.

No doubt Tom is a the best player at the club when he is 100% fit, until he gets to that level there are better options in Koula or Weekes at the back and Tom at centre.

With Brandy checking in on Tom it appears to me he won’t be selected for origin unless he majestically plays a blinder this weekend.

 

[Frogz]

Its time to move Turbo into five-eight. Unfortunately, I can't see him getting his speed back anytime soon. Without that speed he will never be an elite fullback again.

Playing him at six, Schuster at thirteen, Jake at ten and DCE at seven gives us the ball players that we need to activate our edges properly, and create scoring opportunities outwide.

If we are going to take advantage of these scoring opportunities we also need to change our outside backs. Weekes in for Turbo and Myers for Parker. Saab, Koula and Garrick unchanged. That combination would give us the fastest outside backs in the comp.

The potential ball playing combinations with Turbo, Josh, Jake and DCE as good as any other NRL team as well. However, that wont be enough to make us contenders in 2023.

We also need to make an extremely tough and risky call and remove Croker from the seventeen. The reality is that he doesn't have the skill set to unlock the ballplayers, and unleash the speed outwide.

That might upset the Schuster camp......again.

 

[johnperi01]

Yeah I saw him make those tackles and signal for Garrick…it’s still not something you see too often even when players are gassed…they usually find a gear when they have to…but anyway, I really hope it was just fatigue or we are in big trouble.

He was gassed, as I noticed him make those tackles then move to the wing.
There was a passage of play in the first half when Hynes made a break up the sideline and Turbo rounded him up very quickly, so I think the speed is still there.
As for the fitness, the whole team seems off the pace, when you compare the line speed and overall play the ball speed of Cronulla and Brisbane.

 

[HoldenV8]

Wasn't he directed by Knowles to change his running style .... change back Tom it's not working

They say he hasn't changed his running style, but personally I think he has. Don't get me wrong, its not a poor style and I don't think its that which is slowing him down. Tom's problem is that he still isn't confident that his hammies won't go pop if he really stretches out. I also don't think he's fully fit in terms of his aerobic fitness. When Nikora ran around him he was on the wing because he was gassed. He was out there taking a break and the Sharks exploited it to the fullest.

The other hard part, and I actually find myself agreeing with something Kent said on 360 a couple of weeks ago ... after 20+ years of running one way that was natural to Tom, he's now had to learn a different way and I honestly don't think he's got his head around it yet, and that is affecting his confidence to stretch out. Its not easy after 20+ years to suddenly change something natural like that (as opposed to say, giving up smoking. Same, but different). I just think that Tom just hasn't got fully confidence in the new style, or himself yet.

When he finally snaps out of it I think (hope.....) that he'll be back to his best. But for now its a painful to watch at times work in progress.

 

[Eagles4Life]

That might upset the Schuster camp......again.

It is what it is. **** Tartak and all the horse he rode in on.

 

[XV-1]

That might upset the Schuster camp......again.

I am sure it would upset the Turbo camp even more
Really, a brain dead idea.