Is centre the new dud position?

[Disco]

Forever and a day the joke was that wingers were guys that hang around footballers but we have seen wing become such an important position over the years in terms of gaining metres, and finishing trys.

My question now is, has centre become the poor mans NRL position?

Seems more and more that edge backrowers like Fifita, Crichton etc and wingers like To'o, Addo Carr and Sivo are overshadowing the player in between.

Look at Origin, two fullbacks and edge backrower filling the centre spots.

The games best centre in Manu would be playing fullback at most other clubs whilst the best emerging centre in Staggs will be playing 5/8 next year.

At Manly we have two players doing a fine job.....but we are just asking them to do a job.

So are the days of Lyon, O'Connor, Renouf, Gasnier etc gone?

Are centres just guys who hang around footballers?

 

[StuBoot]

Interesting question.
Looking at the leading tryscorers list only four centres in the top 25.

 

[mave]

Should be the "least paid" position out of the 13.

But **** me, you don't want a centre with poor defense.
Still the most important decision making position.

 

[maxta]

Tommy T will have a big impact at centre tomorrow, but get your point
I think it's more the impact and input from wingers has risen significantly and also, fullback is now perhaps the Most important position in the game

 

[Kalvin]

Been thinking this for a while... gone are the days of a premiere centre carrying your Side (I.e Jamie lyon).
No need for big money centres such as walker and suli... the budget pack (Parker & harper) are out shining them massively!

 

[Fibro Eagle]

I think centres are least important more in today's game cause of edge backrower making more of the line break than the centre in days gone by

 

[jbb/james]

Yes

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Improvements in defensive structures in recent years have simply left less space for them. So the devastating strike centres of yesteryear are, well, pretty much consigned to yesteryear. Back in the day a centre was often the most brilliant running player in the team.

Last year (or was it the year before) Staggs made one devastating burst, but they replay that same clip every single time he's discussed! Because it's one of the few times he had space to show what he can do! James Roberts has rarely been a factor during his whole career, despite having great speed strength and evasion.

However the game is currently morphing yet again - if its changed form means skilled fast centres get more opportunities I won't be disappointed at all (much rather see a dazzling run by a Lyon or GI or renouf or O'Connor, than to watch NAS clamber all over someone on the ground for several minutes).

 

[Woodsie]

Good thread .. the size of players may also be one of the contributing factors ... gone are the days of the 85kg zip zip man defending in the centres ...

 

[manlyfan76]

Yes

 

[The Who]

I used to play centre. I'd have backed myself to beat current big centres such as Suli and Leilua with a step, swerve, pace or chip kick but not sure how well I would have gone trying to tackle them. One thing's for sure, I wouldn't have gone high on these beasts. Hit them around the waist, hold on tight, slip down around the legs and allow momentum to topple them over. One tackle a match was enough for me.

 

[tookey]

Brad Parker doesn't think so

 

[Will on the hill]

Left and right halves and backrowers, along with the rise of the block play was the beginning of the end for game breaking centres. The halves are looking for short balls to Backrowers, out the back for Fullbacks or cutouts to Wingers. Funnily enough these same factors have made Centre one of the most challenging positions to defend in.

 

[XV-1]

If there are hogs like Sirro inside them. Yes

 

[D8iceous]

A (either left or right) centre is the most important position especially during the defensive end as opposition big second rows will always tested his line. He need to know/read the defence for example whether or not he need to rush in (timing is the key). He need to give a right signal to his winger to cover the defensive line, also his second row and 5/8 or half need to slide to cover the defence.
Jamie Lyon/ Fitler/Bob Fulton/ Loz play like a natural 5/8 where they loves to carry the ball and side step beat the defender & better still offload and or putting their winger for a yawning gap.
Turbo is the X factor if we still have Gutho, he would a fullback & Turbo is at a centre position.

 

[Heckenberg]

Centre is the most important defensive position i think. They seem to just see way less ball than the wingers do nowadays.

 

[IQofalimabean]

A bad center will make the players around him look like garbage in defence and can effectively stuff the winger outside him up in attack. If both centers are bad you are left scratching your head as to why your outsidebacks are not scoring points and your team is leaking points at will outwide. Waqa blake and suli spring to mind.

 

[manlyfan76]

Turbo has just made a mockery of every centre in RL.

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

A couple of centres out there for NSW tonight probably disagree with the premise

 

[XV-1]

Turbo has just made a mockery of every centre in RL.

As did Latrell.

Makes you wonder why more centre's don't go roaming in attack.
Suli can barely run up and down in a straight line