Rex
Bencher
Any thoughts on team balance? Â i.e. the roles filled and how team balance is affected. More focused on strategy than overall good/bad ratings of individual players.
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Here's one view:
Proposition: The distinction between halfback and five-eighth now is pretty academic. Â What teams need to be balanced is a dummy-half playmaker and at least two first/second receiver playmakers, who get the ball early. Â Halves, five-eighths and fullbacks fill these roles.
Give Thurston a lack of supporting playmakers and even he looks ordinary.
Top of the list for first/second receiver playmakers is vision and ability to read the game and identify opportunities. Â Second: expertise in kicking. Â Third: deception and timing in passing to create gaps. Â Fourth: defending (teams might carry one mediocre defender). Â Fifth: individual ability to make breaks.
How Manly fits: Whilst Bailey is a strong runner and promising offloader, he doesn't currently tick the top two, maybe three, boxes. Â Neither does Robbo. Â So we have one dummy half playmaker and one first receiver playmaker. Â Plus we don't have a free-floating fullback target for the big plays. Â
Unbalanced. Â
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Here's one view:
Proposition: The distinction between halfback and five-eighth now is pretty academic. Â What teams need to be balanced is a dummy-half playmaker and at least two first/second receiver playmakers, who get the ball early. Â Halves, five-eighths and fullbacks fill these roles.
Give Thurston a lack of supporting playmakers and even he looks ordinary.
Top of the list for first/second receiver playmakers is vision and ability to read the game and identify opportunities. Â Second: expertise in kicking. Â Third: deception and timing in passing to create gaps. Â Fourth: defending (teams might carry one mediocre defender). Â Fifth: individual ability to make breaks.
How Manly fits: Whilst Bailey is a strong runner and promising offloader, he doesn't currently tick the top two, maybe three, boxes. Â Neither does Robbo. Â So we have one dummy half playmaker and one first receiver playmaker. Â Plus we don't have a free-floating fullback target for the big plays. Â
Unbalanced. Â