Is Tom's best position fullback?

[Mark from Brisbane]

Tom's form the last 2 matches have been superb.

Clearly Tommy has learnt more from 2 weeks in Origin than 2.5 years being coached by Barrett.

Awesome today

 

[HoldenV8]

For mine he was our best today which is why I gave Tommy my 3 votes.

He looks a different player since the 2 Origin games. He seems to have his confidence back which can only be a good thing.

But....if he falters we always have Marty Taupau ready to take over at fullback 😛. An AFL player would have been happy with that one he took late in the game that also got us a penalty.

 

[The Who]

I thought everyone played well today. Sure, we made more mistakes than we should have but even Manly's excellent teams of the past have failed to beat the 'Riff at Penrith.
Allowing one try was an awesome defensive effort.

 

[Sheikheagle]

Tom's form the last 2 matches have been superb.

Clearly Tommy has learnt more from 2 weeks in Origin than 2.5 years being coached by Barrett.

Enjoy the win but why bash Barrett.

 

[XV-1]

Enjoy the win but why bash Barrett.

How is this bashing Barrett?

Please tell us all how Barrett has improved Turbos game in the last 2.5 years?

 

[Sheikheagle]

How is this bashing Barrett?

Please tell us all how Barrett has improved Turbos game in the last 2.5 years?

How is this bashing Barrett?

Please tell us all how Barrett has improved Turbos game in the last 2.5 years?

Hmmm being picked in origin and performing strongly is improvement. As I said enjoy the win.

 

[EagleFlys]

How is this bashing Barrett?

Please tell us all how Barrett has improved Turbos game in the last 2.5 years?

Please tell us how he has not improved him? 2 sides of coins.

 

[Fluffy]

Awesome today

much better game today but still caught out in defence through laziness or fatigue

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Tom's form the last 2 matches have been superb.

Clearly Tommy has learnt more from 2 weeks in Origin than 2.5 years being coached by Barrett.

He has done some de-Trentox at the NSW camp.

 

[Volley]

much better game today but still caught out in defence through laziness or fatigue

Any examples?

 

[Fluffy]

Any examples?

letting the bomb bounce, letting the tap back occur uncontested.

 

[Mitch]

Interesting article here looking at Val Holmes as a Fullback (against the stats of all other FB’s).

Tom looks to stack up pretty well in most aspects of play.

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/leag...ger-cronulla-sharks/pz11tbxxwz2f1gsengtn2f8n9

 

[Chip and Chase]

If Tommy ever gets his passing game together he will smash it on try assists and line break assists. At the moment his hands aren't great, too inconsistent and he doesn't come across as a "natural" ball player. That can only improve with experience, but he is behind his contemporaries in this aspect of his play.

 

[Mitch]

If Tommy ever gets his passing game together he will smash it on try assists and line break assists. At the moment his hands aren't great, too inconsistent and he doesn't come across as a "natural" ball player. That can only improve with experience, but he is behind his contemporaries in this aspect of his play.

And that's saying something, with him leading the comp for Fullbacks with Try assists and second for LB assists. Can and will only get better, I think!

 

[Tragic Eagle]

I think he is awesome and I wouldn’t swap Tom or Jake for anybody else!

 

[Stevo]

Neither would i i would just move Tom to centre and buy a fullback

 

[Volley]

Neither would i i would just move Tom to centre and buy a fullback

Who would you buy to play fullback?

 

[HK_Eagle]

If we are moving into the future with Barrett remaining as coach then I think the team would be better served putting Turbo in the centres or wing.

His game at fullback has not progressed under Barrett and he is now consistently stifling our backline attack. Poor Suli and Kelly saw zero quality ball tonight despite the first half forward dominance... let alone the wingers. We over-rely on Turbo in backline plays, and he just doesn't have the footy brain and developed skillset to consistently set others up. The danger he presents to the opposition is purely based on his individual running brilliance, and that is why he is often targeted and shut down in backline moves. It's the same every time, sweeping out the back and heading to the sideline crowding his outside men, or the cut out passes that are rarely effective and often lead to mistakes and turn-overs. Individually brilliant, but unable to make the players around him look and play better.

He is a damaging runner and his skill set currently would be best on the wing where he can contest wide attacking bombs, and run the ball out like good modern wingers do. Origin allowed him to play to his strengths, and it was smart for Freddie to use him there. While I can understand people may be concerned about some of the limits this would place on his involvement around the field, it is where he is realistically at, ATM. The other option would be centre, where I think we could still utilise his strengths to advantage.

However, if we were to get a different coach, I would be happy to see him persist with Turbo at fullback if the coach was confident and capable of actually growing and developing Tom's game in those critical areas he currently struggles in. Specifically, he needs to learn to set up the outside backs and make them look like superstars. We have some talent out there, but it is just getting cold doing nothing in attack. The only times they look good is off the back of their own opportunistic individual brilliance (ala Kelly).

 

[MuzztheEagle]

If we are moving into the future with Barrett remaining as coach then I think the team would be better served putting Turbo in the centres or wing.

His game at fullback has not progressed under Barrett and he is now consistently stifling our backline attack. Poor Suli and Kelly saw zero quality ball tonight despite the first half forward dominance... let alone the wingers. We over-rely on Turbo in backline plays, and he just doesn't have the footy brain and developed skillset to consistently set others up. The danger he presents to the opposition is purely based on his individual running brilliance, and that is why he is often targeted and shut down in backline moves. It's the same every time, sweeping out the back and heading to the sideline crowding his outside men, or the cut out passes that are rarely effective and often lead to mistakes and turn-overs. Individually brilliant, but unable to make the players around him look and play better.

He is a damaging runner and his skill set currently would be best on the wing where he can contest wide attacking bombs, and run the ball out like good modern wingers do. Origin allowed him to play to his strengths, and it was smart for Freddie to use him there. While I can understand people may be concerned about some of the limits this would place on his involvement around the field, it is where he is realistically at, ATM. The other option would be centre, where I think we could still utilise his strengths to advantage.

However, if we were to get a different coach, I would be happy to see him persist with Turbo at fullback if the coach was confident and capable of actually growing and developing Tom's game in those critical areas he currently struggles in. Specifically, he needs to learn to set up the outside backs and make them look like superstars. We have some talent out there, but it is just getting cold doing nothing in attack. The only times they look good is off the back of their own opportunistic individual brilliance (ala Kelly).

Someone please print this out and hand it to Barret!!!

 

[HK_Eagle]

Simply Tommy T needs to watch some videos of Tedesco playing fullback!

I agree with the sentiment. Basically, Teddy is a fullback with a decent all round game, which Tommy could learn from. The more important issue is how specifically does Tommy need to be "trained/coached/taught"? I mean, how does he learn?.. and who do we need to put in place to better promote that... because after the past few seasons one could easily argue that Baz is not getting the development out of Tommy we would like to see.

 

[Clay]

It's clear to me recently why Tom plays his best football on the wing. He is an amazing athlete. Currently missing other skills that makes a great football player. Hopefully he can develop those.

 

[Fluffy]

I agree with the sentiment. Basically, Teddy is a fullback with a decent all round game, which Tommy could learn from. The more important issue is how specifically does Tommy need to be "trained/coached/taught"? I mean, how does he learn?.. and who do we need to put in place to better promote that... because after the past few seasons one could easily argue that Baz is not getting the development out of Tommy we would like to see.

I am not convinced he can learn. Fittler gave him a call pre origin about not throwing forward passes and next game he throws 2 and threw away his origin fullback chances in the process.

talented he is but not sure he is the sharpest tool in the shed.