Forwards in Big Games

[Canteen Worker]

Very interesting to note that the forwards that have come up trumps in the big games have not necessarily been the big impact players but rather the industrious workers who can play for the whole time. The supposed 'softening up' period of the first 20 mins has not not had an impact in these finals.

The forwards who were looking to make a big impact in the first period were not necessarily the forwards still going hard at the end of the halves when the game was there to be won.

Also worth noting that the more mobile forwards, especially laterally, were able to plug up the holes and the bigger forwards were susceptible at times in the games.

Makes me think about King and Leuluai as they often come on trying to make big hits and dominate and yet their effectiveness has been generally ordinary. They seem to be playing the old-fashioned forward game of domination instead of playing the much faster up-tempo game.

 

[Matabele]

Interestingly there's a very big push to have Southern go on the Roo tour.

Very similar player to blue arsed, though you'd think with a bit of discipline Watmough has more going for him in attack than Southern.

 

[PJ]

While there is nothing wrong with Southern- I don't think there is anything that stands out about him either so it would be a travesty if he got picked to go on tour based on the fact that they made the GF (and that would be the only reason he got picked if he did IMO)