Fogarty may not lead us to a premiership,but why is it imperative that he does and it rests on his shoulders?
It is a team game and if he plays a role like all players do and we place other players around him and have a game plan then a premiership is possible.
Reynolds has not led the Broncos to a premiership,Hughes at the Storm plays a role but does not carry that side on his shoulders throughout the season,even though he has an important role.
Definitely a team game and as you indicated a premiership win with Jamal could be possible if all things fall into place as described, just probably not very likely.
It’s pretty easy to say No 7 is the key, which got me think about the last 10 years or so, particularly reading your comment about Reynolds and Hughes, and comments about Townsend.
While Reynolds mightn’t of lead the Broncos to a premiership, he took them to one as their half and was only denied by a better half, who ironically has been in the last 5 GF’s and was the opposing half in Reynolds final game for south’s, a game that denied him his glory (no pun intended) in his final year as a Rabbit, South’s should of won that game, he was the senior half and south’s were the better side. Cody’s intercept pass, cost them and ironically Reynolds missed a conversion to even up the game and also missed a late 2 point FG attempt to go into golden point, he could easily of had, actually probably should have 3 rings by now and who knows he may get another yet, he is a great game manager, with a great kicking game, I know you, know that.
I don’t know if you read the article in another thread (one of Turbo’s) about the most influential players and their respective sides win loss ratios when there absent. I’m only going off memory here, however, Melbourne were the most affected side when Hughes is out, winning only 33%? of the time. Anyway Hughes is a premiership winning half as well as a losing one, again losing too that other premiership half, the same half that opposed Reynolds, the one who wears the other 2 rings Reynolds probably should of had.
Interesting in the last 8 years 3 half backs share all the rings
Cleary 4 and lost 1 (Career not finished)
Hughes 1 and lost 1 (Career not finished)
Cronk 3 from 3 (4 wins and lost 5, 9 GF over his career)
Quality halfbacks, I think we all would agree.
Looking back over the last 10 years or so shows a quality half is more than likely the key, but not necessarily the answer as we’ve had Daly and haven’t managed to win or even play in another since losing in 13 (in his rookie years, he has 1 lost 1) so the team theory is solid, but it seems a quality half definitely provides the edge, strangely enough even Townsends win in 2016, while he seems to be the old one out on the list of quality halves over the last decade or so, is interesting as his opposing half that day was Brodie Croft, in Cronks absence, I’d rate Townsend as the better half of the two 2 that played.
Even the Cows in 2016 JT won them the game and Hunt probably cost the Broncos that day, another case of the side with the better half prevailing. Hunt may get a shot at redemption this year funnily enough with Reynolds who would be making his 4 GF, should they get there and I think they are every chance.
Maybe the Dogs will make the GF this year, (maybe not either) if they do Sexton will be the one up against the challenge, think what I’m trying to say is, he won’t be the superstar half or the superior half regardless who they play, but he does have a side full of workers, which would provide an opportunity to gauge the theory of the inferior half in a well balanced side verses a more than likely star half or halves combo, would be interesting, see who prevails.
No real point to all this I’d say, except thinking over the half back situation, we definitely haven’t had a well balanced side over the last 10 year while Daly’s been our half and for mine while his a quality player, he hasn’t lead the team well, in so much as his game management, man management, team first mentality, for mine his definitely looked after himself more than anything.
I feel Jamal would bring a different set of qualities, maybe not as talented as a player, but your right if he does his job around a side that wants to play with him, one where we can strengthen our pack in somewhat of a small rebuild at years end, there should be no reason we couldn’t make our way into a GF, it’s just the history that doesn’t really support the ideology of inferior halves leading sides to a premiership, noting Fogarty’s not been there and true maybe his never been in a side capable, but after Canberra’s loss in 2019, where Sezer was their half, outclassed by Cronk, they went with George William for a year, onto Sam Williams for a year before signing Jamal in 22, his record as their half 22 8th, 23 8th, 24 missed the 8 finishing 9th, not that that means anything, his times not over in any case.
If Jamal comes our way under the circumstances (thanks Daly) and helps our young halves learn the trade, focusing on game management, while helping with unifying our squad that wouldn’t be so bad. I’m not a hater of the idea, while at the same time, being completely ok if it doesn’t happen, it’s not like there’s a surplus of quality halves available. Developing from within wouldn’t be the worst thought either and I’d probably prefer that, which ever way we go I guess we’ll all find out how things work out soon enough.