The Take on Jake

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Can he get out of the way also when we’re attacking opposition line he offers nothing especially receiving the ball flat footed.

 

[QueefRichards]

Surely we can get someone cheaper to be a tackle bot and have Jake doing a bit more ball playing

 

[Disco]

Some of our fans are embarrassing, 2 losses and Jake is a plodder who can only tackle....fmd

He is one of the best forwards in the league and if off contract, 15 other clubs would be happy to take him.

Des has Jake playing the James Graham at the Bulldogs roll. Playing before the line and link play.

Not point comparing him to AFB as his roll is purely to make yards. Also not point saying he isnt D Fifita etc as again it is a different role and different type of player.

 

[wombatgc]

Some of our fans are embarrassing, 2 losses and Jake is a plodder who can only tackle....fmd

He is one of the best forwards in the league and if off contract, 15 other clubs would be happy to take him.

Des has Jake playing the James Graham at the Bulldogs roll. Playing before the line and link play.

Not point comparing him to AFB as his roll is purely to make yards. Also not point saying he isnt D Fifita etc as again it is a different role and different type of player.

Spot on. Especially about James Graham. Sure some of it looks pedestrian at times. But as mentioned before, take Apis 40-50 tackles out of the game, and the bloke is still smashing the opposition. Also take into account his tackling technique, it’s second to none, but must chew through the gas quicker than most. And no one misses Tommy more than Jake. Those little inside, instinctive no look passes are missed terribly without Tommy around.

 

[Mataiforever]

Think a lot of people misunderstand what Jake is being told to do, and what he has done so effectively which has let us win games this season. In attack, he is essentially our first receiver - that is, our halfback in early sets. This allowed DCE and Walker to drift out the back a bit more this season - something that was so effective and meant Tommy had them to play with, and also meant Tommy had the best ball players in the team deciding when to give him the ball... hence the form of Tommy.

Think its pathetic bashing one of our best most consistent and loyal players. Yes I do agree he was average on the weekend, and his runs are fairly ineffective... think people forget a few weeks ago when he hit a hole to pass it to someone (memory is foggy, apologies) who went over and scored. However thats besides the point, Jakes consistency allows the team to play around him - our team is built around Jake just as much as it is built around DCE.

Again, his game was average the other day, but I just think Jakes performance given his role is much more reflective of the teams performance. If he is starting an attack and is passing the ball to Croker obviously there is going to be less attacking potency should he pass it to Walker (or Tommy, DCE for that matter).

In saying this, we have even seen AFB in first receiver to start out the back plays. AFB IMO has become our most valuable forward, maybe its his improvement or its him suiting the rules but he has just slightly overtaken Jake in value to the team and IMO is the best prop in the comp.

 

[Bring back the.... Biff?]

he needs to offload once in a while.. he is so strong and gad a great offload. Its rarely been sighted i cant even remember when his last one was. Probably last season. His big hits have also dropped off.. maybe his shoulder is still not 100%

 

[40 years an eagle]

Think a lot of people misunderstand what Jake is being told to do, and what he has done so effectively which has let us win games this season. In attack, he is essentially our first receiver - that is, our halfback in early sets. This allowed DCE and Walker to drift out the back a bit more this season - something that was so effective and meant Tommy had them to play with, and also meant Tommy had the best ball players in the team deciding when to give him the ball... hence the form of Tommy.

Think its pathetic bashing one of our best most consistent and loyal players. Yes I do agree he was average on the weekend, and his runs are fairly ineffective... think people forget a few weeks ago when he hit a hole to pass it to someone (memory is foggy, apologies) who went over and scored. However thats besides the point, Jakes consistency allows the team to play around him - our team is built around Jake just as much as it is built around DCE.

Again, his game was average the other day, but I just think Jakes performance given his role is much more reflective of the teams performance. If he is starting an attack and is passing the ball to Croker obviously there is going to be less attacking potency should he pass it to Walker (or Tommy, DCE for that matter).

In saying this, we have even seen AFB in first receiver to start out the back plays. AFB IMO has become our most valuable forward, maybe its his improvement or its him suiting the rules but he has just slightly overtaken Jake in value to the team and IMO is the best prop in the comp.

What you say is true mate and someone to fill that role cost less than 1/2 Mil.

Is his ball-running ineffective because he does so much defence and he is buggered or conserving himself?

I don't think people are "knocking him" they are mostly saying he is being used ineffectively.

Unfortunately he is falling into the DCE category where he is poor value cap-wise.

Any way you look at it, nearly 1M is far too much for a middle backrower.

 

[Scorpio]

In attack he is not as dynamic as a prime BK, Choc or Gift, and he isn't a battering ram like Taumalolo.

A lot of his plays seem a bit pedestrian at the moment. He is not a very fast runner, and he either runs to the line and passes, or takes an average hitup. If he had a deft kick or a little step he would have the opposition second guessing him a bit more. But it seems like we are just going through the motions.

 

[Deleted member 26876]

I think we should maybe reduce him to 50 minutes - 60 max a game. Keep poor attack in next few weeks and i'd be tempted to move Curtis Sironen to lock, Jake to prop, taupau to second row (we don't need his motor as much in the middle), keppie to start and Paseka replaced with Boyle, Guac or sipley. We have a very strong pack but it's biggest problem over the last few years has been a lack of versitility and variety. It's not shocking atm, but has stagnated due to how similar each forward plays (meaning we are predictable and one-dimensional).

This lack of variety made me post a year or two ago that we should let go of AFB (I know crazy). While that would've been a poor move, that's how desperate i feel about it. It has to evolve over the next season and stay fresh.

 

[wombatgc]

I think we should maybe reduce him to 50 minutes - 60 max a game. Keep poor attack in next few weeks and i'd be tempted to move Curtis Sironen to lock, Jake to prop, taupau to second row (we don't need his motor as much in the middle), keppie to start and Paseka replaced with Boyle, Guac or sipley. We have a very strong pack but it's biggest problem over the last few years has been a lack of versitility and variety. It's not shocking atm, but has stagnated due to how similar each forward plays (meaning we are predictable and one-dimensional).

This lack of variety made me post a year or two ago that we should let go of AFB (I know crazy). While that would've been a poor move, that's how desperate i feel about it. It has to evolve over the next season and stay fresh.

Definitely Keppie to start is a good idea. He tries to hard coming off the bench and invariably makes a blue. Get him motoring from the get- go, and watch him repay Des’ faith in him.

 

[frank stokes]

... nobody is safe when we are losing... how long till the call to sack Des begins?

#nextweek?

 

[grassy]

Jake is not a problem Our whole backline is at sixes and sevens.Its not one player it’s the whole side. Everyone is running from left to right then right to left without making impact.AFB has been the only consistent player in attack of late and he will be out for two weeks if he is lucky.The broncos are not the only team struggling that’s for sure.

 

[davohan123]

... nobody is safe when we are losing... how long till the call to sack Des begins?

#nextweek?

i genuinely think if we fail to make finalsthis becomes a serious question.

2V's has unfinished business with the club.

 

[davohan123]

# Come back 2V's.

 

[MightyEagles]

I'm truly amazed at some of the rubbish written on here. He's IMO in the top 3 or 4 forwards in the game. All this crap about his attack is unbelievable. He does the work of 2 forwards and I'm not surprised he's gassed during attack. Take him off the field and we get pumped every week.

 

[ALinda]

2 losses and Jake is a plodder who can only tackle....fmd

He is one of the best forwards in the league and if off contract, 15 other clubs would be happy to take him.

Spot on, I couldn't believe this either. Another 55 tackles on Sunday, but not good enough for some... Hate to think of the result without him.

 

[mosto]

I saw it written recently that the best compliment a player can get is that other teams get a player to copy what you do. For a few years now Jake has been the link between the ruck and playmakers on each side which allows them to get wider. Most clubs are now copying that and using their 13 as a link in this way. Previously teams were basically playing a third prop at 13, but now they're opting for the Jake-type player who provides that link as well as tackles the house down. I do agree he has become a bit predictable with his passing. While not having Tom no doubt contributes to that, even the inside balls back to Tom have become a bit telegraphed. Mixing up those type of plays with another runner as an option of his hip, or having the outside/inside pass they used to do. With Tom out, I'd even like to see Taufua sneak in off the wing to take that inside ball occasionally as he has the power to break any contact he may get then have Garrick (or whoever is playing FB) trailing him.

 

[The better Robbo]

In attack he is not as dynamic as a prime BK, Choc or Gift, and he isn't a battering ram like Taumalolo.

A lot of his plays seem a bit pedestrian at the moment. He is not a very fast runner, and he either runs to the line and passes, or takes an average hitup. If he had a deft kick or a little step he would have the opposition second guessing him a bit more. But it seems like we are just going through the motions.

Jake plays his best footy as a prop and it's where he should play. Just get the ball and run hard. Give him a rest throughout the game like in origin, his impact is so much greater. Just because he can ball play a bit doesn't mean he should. Schuster to lock who is a genuine ball player.

 

[mave]

Spot on, I couldn't believe this either. Another 55 tackles on Sunday, but not good enough for some... Hate to think of the result without him.

Probably a win, given we wouldn't have given up 6 points right on halftime, after the dumbest play of the game by Jake.

I love the guy, and what he brings, but that penalty/restart is going to take me some time to get over.

 

[Will on the hill]

Because Jake is such a hard worker people underestimate his football smarts. When he gets the ball he assesses the defence and our attack, if it's on he engages a defender and shifts it wider.

Unfortunately because of us missing key players, it's rarely on and he is forced to tuck the ball and make as many meters as he can, off the back foot.

He has never been used as a battering ram and rightly so. Perhaps his role should be simplified while we are down on troops but at full strength he is a lynchpin to the way we play.