Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Lyon takes centre stage
By Ray Chesterton | April 01, 2008
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,23463892-5016307,00.html
JAMIE Lyon came to life last night like a man-made creation desperate for a bolt of lightning to get his blood flowing and his co-ordination sparkling.
For Lyon the life-giving energy was a much-anticipated switch of position from five-eighth to centre, where he had more room to move.
At five-eighth Lyon has been restrained and largely contained by defence patterns since his return from England two years ago. His skill in attack nullified, Lyon became little more than a passer of the ball with reliable defence.
Last night as a centre he blossomed into the player he was before leaving for England.
"I don't really mind where I play," he said after a leading role in Manly's 10 tries to one walloping of a New Zealand Warriors side that performed so badly coach Ivan Cleary turned white from the shock.
"I just didn't see it coming," was just about all he could manage to say after the match.
What he didn't see coming was Lyon's impressive transition. Nor did he anticipate the skill club legend Steve Menzies would bring to yet another new position at 33 years of age - five-eighth.
Menzies was fluent and competitive at five-eighth, laying on the first of winger Michael Robertson's three tries from a set move when he drifted to a short blind and opened up the defence with a neat pass.
"It was fine. I enjoyed it. I don't mind playing there," he said laconically.
But it was Lyon who effected the greater transition.
He troubled the defence with his step, he set up one of Robertson's two first-half tries and created havoc when he hit top speed as Manly, last year's grand finalists, showed a brilliant return to the form expected of them this season after back-to-back losses to open the premiership.
The had been an increasing clamour from supporters and commentators for Lyon to be switched to the centres, even allowing for his very respectable performances at five-eighth.
By Ray Chesterton | April 01, 2008
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,23463892-5016307,00.html
JAMIE Lyon came to life last night like a man-made creation desperate for a bolt of lightning to get his blood flowing and his co-ordination sparkling.
For Lyon the life-giving energy was a much-anticipated switch of position from five-eighth to centre, where he had more room to move.
At five-eighth Lyon has been restrained and largely contained by defence patterns since his return from England two years ago. His skill in attack nullified, Lyon became little more than a passer of the ball with reliable defence.
Last night as a centre he blossomed into the player he was before leaving for England.
"I don't really mind where I play," he said after a leading role in Manly's 10 tries to one walloping of a New Zealand Warriors side that performed so badly coach Ivan Cleary turned white from the shock.
"I just didn't see it coming," was just about all he could manage to say after the match.
What he didn't see coming was Lyon's impressive transition. Nor did he anticipate the skill club legend Steve Menzies would bring to yet another new position at 33 years of age - five-eighth.
Menzies was fluent and competitive at five-eighth, laying on the first of winger Michael Robertson's three tries from a set move when he drifted to a short blind and opened up the defence with a neat pass.
"It was fine. I enjoyed it. I don't mind playing there," he said laconically.
But it was Lyon who effected the greater transition.
He troubled the defence with his step, he set up one of Robertson's two first-half tries and created havoc when he hit top speed as Manly, last year's grand finalists, showed a brilliant return to the form expected of them this season after back-to-back losses to open the premiership.
The had been an increasing clamour from supporters and commentators for Lyon to be switched to the centres, even allowing for his very respectable performances at five-eighth.
