What I learned from the 4 Nations

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Killer03

Bencher
I really enjoyed the 4 Nations Tournament, and I think some important things that I saw come out of it:

1) The era of Thurston, Inglis, Slater, Smith etc is coming to an end. As a NSWman that's quite good news, but I don't think we realized how good these players were until they've started to slide a little (or not be there). I think this tournament showed Smith up as being on the slide (he's still a top player, he's just not at his peak)

2) Shaun Johnson may finally be about to fulfill his potential

3) David Klemmer.....please come to the Sea Eagles. He was one of the few Aussies I thought whose reputation was enhanced. I LOVE his aggression.

4) Dylan Walker is no international centre currently. Whilst he had a good season, one season a career does not make. And I still think he will struggle to play origin with J Morris and Jennings in front of him.

Well done NZ and well done Foz and Hiku. Well deserved.
 
To add for his are Jennings and Johnson the two best broken field runners in the game

Just electric when those two get the ball in their hands
 
How good was it when Johnson made that half break and Jennings caught him?

I would love to see Johnson make a break and Jennings chase him (or vice versa) and see a full on 80m race. That would be stunning.


Also did anyone else think when Inglis missed Johnson that a certain fullback might have had the speed and technique to make the tackle??
 
I also learned that Hiku really is a great fullback, despite the prevailing notion that he's destined for the centres. He got better as the tournament went on, especially his ball playing. He threw some quality passes when he joined the attack in those sweeping backline moves. Looked like he's learned a thing or two from Snake.
Tough, safe under the high ball, rises to the occasion in big matches I've loved watching his development over the last two seasons.
 
Totally agree.Ron. Let Johnson get the credit but Hiku out played Inglis twice in that series. Who else was there to make the try saving tackle that really won the kiwis the title. U bet Peta. Outstanding full back. But even better footballer.
 
Yep no doubt you can see that Manly make footballers not goanna crawling showoffs. But of course that's not what the moron masses want according to the buffoons at Ch 9 and the NRL. Inglis isn't fit to shine the boots of the immortals.
 
Ron E. Gibbs said:
I also learned that Hiku really is a great fullback, despite the prevailing notion that he's destined for the centres. He got better as the tournament went on, especially his ball playing. He threw some quality passes when he joined the attack in those sweeping backline moves. Looked like he's learned a thing or two from Snake.
Tough, safe under the high ball, rises to the occasion in big matches I've loved watching his development over the last two seasons.

Thank you!!! That's what I've been saying about Peta since he starred for us in the 2013 finals while Snake was out injured. The problem is that with Gutho and Turbo Tom coming through the ranks I think he is being earmarked as a replacement for either Skivy or Killer in the centres and will only be a fill-in FB for us.

Hiku's best position is FB by a long way and he's proved it in the 4 Nations (and although he's not the best defender on the wing, defence at FB is different). When Snake, Killer and Skivy retire I'd seriously consider having him at FB, Gutho and Tom on the wings with Cheyse and Jorge in the centres.


Killer03 said:
How good was it when Johnson made that half break and Jennings caught him?

I would love to see Johnson make a break and Jennings chase him (or vice versa) and see a full on 80m race. That would be stunning.

Seriously, Johnson would smoke Jennings. Over 40 Jennings is quick, but after that he starts running out of puff. That 108m try he scored for Penrith a few years back made him look faster than he really is, but look at the replay and no one but the ref was chasing him over the last 60m of that run. Since then I've seen him easily run down by Josh Morris and Kevin Gordon.


mickqld said:
Inglis is an over inflated show pony. Great against weak opposition but goes missing otherwise and a sht defender.

I've always thought this about Inglis. Ok, he is also good against quality opposition (as proven in Origin), but his defence often leaves a lot to be desired. For a bloke his size most of his tackle attempts seem to be arm grabs and he usually misses those. If not for having good defenders around him he'd almost be a turnstile in defence.

At FB for Souffs, how often has Inglis had to make the one-on-one tackles we've seen Snake pull off over the years (including the one on Inglis this year at the SCG). He hardly ever has to do any defensive work at the back for the Vermin (and in normal cases would not have to for Australia either). Inglis is one of those players who isn't picked because he's a great defender.
 
Aus had so many great players out. They did extremely well to get that close with all the debutants.

One thing for sure though is Walker is no representative centre just yet.
 
This series showed me the same old story. If you get dominated by opposition forwards then the opposition backline usually does the rest.

Been watching this game for over 40 years and this has remained a constant throughout that time.
 
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Reactions: Rex
Why didn't we go to video ref after the attempted try by Mata’utia at the end? why didn't Ch 9 show the footage of Mata’utia getting the ball down clean in the in goal (looked like Foran got him, but didn't). No wonder Mata’utia was blowing up deluxe.:(
 
Hiku has improved his ball playing. He did a great job with long balls to Manu - I particularly liked how they isolated Matautia one on one with Manu by keeping the kiwi centre infield and throwing a cut-out pass - this meant that mata got no help from his centre in tackling manu.

We can use this tactic if Jorge is on the wing for us next year. The more we can get him one on one with his opposite winger the better.

How bad is Dylan Walker? Surely the worst performance by an Australian centre ever over 4 games.
 

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