Ryan
Journey Man
I'll start by saying this is all their first full NRL season, so there would obviously be an element of burnout (not used to the rigors of 25+ games of intense footy). But these three needed a rest last week. For a month now, they've really struggled.
Morgan Harper: Gets touched by the opposition, and curls up into the fetal position. When he was first with us, he had incising runs, slicing through the defensive line. His play the balls have really dropped in speed, and his hands are really starting to let him down. He just seems really flat, besides one or two moments of effort each game.
Josh Schuster: What a talent. What ex-factor. But where's that gone? It feels like he's going through the motions now. Is he playing within himself because of coaching? Is he upset playing in the backrow? Everything he does is in slow motion. He disappears for huge chunks of the game. His effort and intensity is nowhere NEAR that of how he started.
Haumole Olakau'atu. Could be ANYTHING. But he's getting a case of the Tony Williams / moses Suli this past month. His performance was stronger when he came off the bench. He still has those moments of absolute brilliance, he's an amazing player, but jeez his effort, drive and intensity has dropped off the cliff this last month.
They all have the ability, skill and class to be next level. Something has happened to all three of these players (I'm thinking burnout - seasons gone 4-5 games too long for them). This is what I'm seeing here. There isn't a chance in hell we'd beat any finals team with the current effort, passion and intensity levels. I know they have it in them to lift.
Morgan Harper: Gets touched by the opposition, and curls up into the fetal position. When he was first with us, he had incising runs, slicing through the defensive line. His play the balls have really dropped in speed, and his hands are really starting to let him down. He just seems really flat, besides one or two moments of effort each game.
Josh Schuster: What a talent. What ex-factor. But where's that gone? It feels like he's going through the motions now. Is he playing within himself because of coaching? Is he upset playing in the backrow? Everything he does is in slow motion. He disappears for huge chunks of the game. His effort and intensity is nowhere NEAR that of how he started.
Haumole Olakau'atu. Could be ANYTHING. But he's getting a case of the Tony Williams / moses Suli this past month. His performance was stronger when he came off the bench. He still has those moments of absolute brilliance, he's an amazing player, but jeez his effort, drive and intensity has dropped off the cliff this last month.
They all have the ability, skill and class to be next level. Something has happened to all three of these players (I'm thinking burnout - seasons gone 4-5 games too long for them). This is what I'm seeing here. There isn't a chance in hell we'd beat any finals team with the current effort, passion and intensity levels. I know they have it in them to lift.
