Lawton a gun

[Mataiforever]

Was outstanding again yesterday. Unpopular opinion but I think he should keep his spot when Schuster comes back. As a backrower, he has offered more than Josh so far. Schuster’s performance against Para at 6 was special and yes, was making a good fist of the edge but was inconsistent at times and overplayed his hand.
Lawton would have to be one of the form backrowers in the Competition at the moment.
Schuster re-injured the calf as he was about to come back which is why the injury report looked like a miscalculation.

schuster has to play 80 minutes 100%, he's our 3rd best player in attack.

You can easily find minutes for lawton off the bench. 40 rotating around the back row (jake spell, prop spell and jake to prop etc, haumole spell etc) and 20 at hooker.

 

[manly al]

Going to be short of a gallop but think that the special talents and ability of Schuster will still offer more then Lawton's good efforts to date . Lawton still a must in the 17 but on balance , not at the expense of Haumole and Schuster fully fit in the starting pack .

 

[mjb136]

I think Lawton should be our 14. Schuster has to be in the team, Lawton can fill second row, lock, hooker. Nice to have options.

 

[Snake]

All valid opinions.

for me personally, I like what Lawton is doing on an edge better. He is so energetic playing off his ruck speed is crucial to bring the likes of Tom into the game

 

[KaZa]

You can't leave Shuster out. Nor Guacamole. Jake is a shoe in. Lawton is the 14. But Walker can cover more positions. Tough one. Keppie Aloiai Sipley. Someone has to miss out at full strength. But it's never the case these days. Imagine Fainu coming back too. He's missed too much to just come in when the rest have earnt their spots this season.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Lawton is the 14. But Walker can cover more positions.

Huh?
Supposedly Walker can cover 6 and centre, albeit poor defensively.
Lawton can cover 9, 2RF, 13, halves and centre and is defensively very good.

 

[Woodsie]

Lawton appears to be one of those rare players who just knows where the try line is .. they don't seem to do anything big or major or different to other players ... but just seem to regularly cross for a meat pie ...

 

[40 years an eagle]

Lawton appears to be one of those rare players who just knows where the try line is .. they don't seem to do anything big or major or different to other players ... but just seem to regularly cross for a meat pie ...

Appears to me he has something very different to "other players". He appears to know where to be a LOT of the time AND goes there. Going to that place is the hardest part, you need to have a lot of ticker to do it continually. Making the effort to be in the right place in both attack and defence and back-up a lot takes a lot out of you and very few players do it consistently.

 

[Will on the hill]

Appears to me he has something very different to "other players". He appears to know where to be a LOT of the time AND goes there. Going to that place is the hardest part, you need to have a lot of ticker to do it continually. Making the effort to be in the right place in both attack and defence and back-up a lot takes a lot out of you and very few players do it consistently.

He reads the game very well. That allows him to commit to the play with 100% of his speed and power. He isn't the fastest or most powerful but his decision making more than makes up for it.

 

[47MVEagle]

His acrobatics in the disallowed try off DCE's bat back were amazing.

 

[TokyoEagle]

It's a tough one. You have to ask yourself, who is the best centre at our club? Walker, Parker, Suli, Harper, and the answer is simple, it's Walker, and he needs to play there full strength.

Full Strength (no Fainu, Davey, Boyle available)

01. Tom Trbojevic
02. Jason Saab
03. Dylan Walker / Morgan Harper
04. Dylan Walker / Brad Parker
05. Reuben Garrick
06. Kieran Foran
07. Daly Cherry-Evans
08. Marty Taupau
09. Karl Lawton / Lachlan Croker
10. Taniela Paseka
11. Josh Schuster
12. Haumole Olakau'atu
13. Jake Trbojevic

14. Lachlan Croker / Karl Lawton
15. Josh Aloiai
16. Sean Keppie
17. Toafofoa Sipley / Curtis Sironen

That means two of the following miss out: Morgan Harper, Brad Parker, Toafofoa Sipley, Curtis Sironen....which two is beyond me.

The alternative is if you drop either Croker or Lawton, play Parker / Harper, move Walker to utility, but you are taking away from the quality of the starting 17 if we are being honest with ourselves in this route.

The team is working very well defensively as a unit and seems that Des prefers the two that are currently playing in those positions. Parker is building up a great combo with the sandwich and Harper instills confidence in Saab.

Walker may be the best attacking centre in the squad but hasn't played there for a few years, and, as stated by @The Who , with other options available, we don't need attacking centres. Combined with Turbo, Harper, Parker, Garrick & Saab are our best back five.

 

[eagleron]

All valid opinions.

for me personally, I like what Lawton is doing on an edge better. He is so energetic playing off his ruck speed is crucial to bring the likes of Tom into the game

It's a great position to be in, imagine this dilemma come semi finals, as long as our halves are fit and healthy It's the toss of a coin as to who you would start and who sits on the bench, from the depression of rounds one to four to this current situation seems like light years away, personally I would start the Shoe but I also think his skill set would be a bonus if injected against a tiring opposition

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Was outstanding again yesterday. Unpopular opinion but I think he should keep his spot when Schuster comes back. As a backrower, he has offered more than Josh so far. Schuster’s performance against Para at 6 was special and yes, was making a good fist of the edge but was inconsistent at times and overplayed his hand.
Lawton would have to be one of the form backrowers in the Competition at the moment.
Schuster re-injured the calf as he was about to come back which is why the injury report looked like a miscalculation.

No way. He is a good hole runner whereas Schuster is that and a silky ball player. Schuster has done nothing wrong this year and tackled himself to stand still.

 

[Mataiforever]

All valid opinions.

for me personally, I like what Lawton is doing on an edge better. He is so energetic playing off his ruck speed is crucial to bring the likes of Tom into the game

Really?

each to there own of course but Schusters ball playing on that left edge was almost the core of our attack for about a month there.

Remember when he tore up the eels all day?

 

[Mataiforever]

Huh?
Supposedly Walker can cover 6 and centre, albeit poor defensively.
Lawton can cover 9, 2RF, 13, halves and centre and is defensively very good.

Can lawton really cover halves and centres? Im not sure for a long period of time.

Dylan can cover 13, 9 and 1-7. More positions

 

[Mal Cochrane]

Wouldn't be surprised if Sirro goes goes back to the Tigers as a senior player and forwards leader..

Surely the tiger have learnt with the likes of Packer, Mbye, Reynolds etc...

They don't need injury prone or average 2nd rowers, they need some top line players to improve their team. Sirro was good for an above average peformance every 6 or so games, and he was like that before he came to Manly.

 

[Mal Cochrane]

Does manly go with Walker as the utility back to bring on and spark the team, with Lawton and 2 big boppers rounding out the bench? Sipley, Keppie and Aloaia to fight that out.

The game is faster now, and not sure you need 3 big forwards on the bench any more, unless it serves better to do so against certain teams.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Can lawton really cover halves and centres? Im not sure for a long period of time.

Dylan can cover 13, 9 and 1-7. More positions

Lawton is a 9 and played in the halves. I'm sure he can cover centre too. Walker can't cover any position because his defence is not FG standard...that's why Parker and Lionel are keeping him out of a centre position. 14 suits him, but he was absolutely terrible yesterday. As for him covering 9 and 13 proficiently...you must be joking, no offence intended.

 

[40 years an eagle]

Does manly go with Walker as the utility back to bring on and spark the team, with Lawton and 2 big boppers rounding out the bench? Sipley, Keppie and Aloaia to fight that out.

The game is faster now, and not sure you need 3 big forwards on the bench any more, unless it serves better to do so against certain teams.

There is no way Walker keeps either Sipley, Kelpie and Aoli out of the 17. When back, Aoli will start and Kapow will will be a bench prop anyways. Lawton is miles ahead of Walker as 14, even more so when the big games roll around and defence is vital.

 

[Mataiforever]

Lawton is a 9 and played in the halves. I'm sure he can cover centre too. Walker can't cover any position because his defence is not FG standard...that's why Parker and Lionel are keeping him out of a centre position. 14 suits him, but he was absolutely terrible yesterday. As for him covering 9 and 13 proficiently...you must be joking, no offence intended.

Yesterday he sucked
The last two games prior to that at 13 he was great, vs titans people were saying he could have been up there with man of the match... and was playing 13 so yes I call that proficiently. No need to forget 2 good games because of 1 bad game.

Oh and because Parker and Harper are keeping Walker out of the centres doesn’t mean Walker now cannot cover centre... I’m sure he can cover his natural position of many years much better than Lawton.

When did Lawton last play in the halves? Under 16s?