No 13 is killing us

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jbb/james

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injuries aside manlys next step is to decide on a 13 so we can get the team stabilised. Lawnton looks our cameron murray style but in our pack it leaves us short of grunt for extended periods if jake is 8, and lawman is rarely available. be hard to carry a small 13 and jake at 8. Big onus on 10 for yardage and probably reduces minutes played due to needing to rumble forward more often

Jakes positioning is a big issue, his game these days is a little in no mans land due to our team and the games progression

10 years ago, maybe 5 , jake is a tackling 80 minute second rower like josh jackson and finucane
but now its all edges and middles. He has the skills to be either but he has pissed about in the middle zone for a few years, but for defence he has to be middle
But he doesn’t really dent the line enough for a starting prop which does hurt

A player more in the samuela mode that can earn ground and cover defence also needs to happen somewhere in the pack ,especially as tuilagi doesnt seem to offer enough danger or work at this stage to own that jersey.be nice if manly are in a position to make kelma work his way back
aioli is not a 13 either it seems, just seems to angle his runs more

for a few years we have played silly footy for the shape and agility of the forward pack and you would FINK it would be quicker to adapt our style. Anyway

lets go with Plan B change the size of the squad and get boppers for boppers with a bit more mobility and defensive cover.
 
I'd like to see Jake play in the second row alongside Big O. But Aloiai is not a 13 and should be playing in the front row. We need a hardworking lock with plenty of speed in the Cameron Murray - Yeo mould.
 
Jake is good fit at 13 in the current circumstances when Shu can be at his best in terms of providing good link value . No Shu , then his effectiveness there reduced somewhat . Was a good tactic previously when Walker then came in that roving 13 role and jake moving to prop but don 't have that good versatility factor now . certainly not with Lawton . Have the notion that Sam Fainu could or has the makings of a very useful 13 but with the current forward stacks situation , really needed in the back row now . Always Zac Fulton to come into calculations soon , he seems to have the required attributes , Alioia went well there in very limited way but most of his stint time there , just not up to the requirements for the position for whatever reason . Keppie , well hopefully can manage as best as possible , not a kepper [ Keppie the keeper , any takers for that expression ] but again hopefully can make a good go of it against the knights
 
. We need a hardworking lock with plenty of speed in the Cameron Murray - Yeo mould.
Your key word is Speed feathered friend
Speed greatly enhances a players attributes on the field
Any thing done with speed on the footy field Kills !


A 13 with Speed is the Ace of Spades

 
injuries aside manlys next step is to decide on a 13 so we can get the team stabilised. Lawnton looks our cameron murray style but in our pack it leaves us short of grunt for extended periods if jake is 8, and lawman is rarely available. be hard to carry a small 13 and jake at 8. Big onus on 10 for yardage and probably reduces minutes played due to needing to rumble forward more often

Jakes positioning is a big issue, his game these days is a little in no mans land due to our team and the games progression

10 years ago, maybe 5 , jake is a tackling 80 minute second rower like josh jackson and finucane
but now its all edges and middles. He has the skills to be either but he has pissed about in the middle zone for a few years, but for defence he has to be middle
But he doesn’t really dent the line enough for a starting prop which does hurt

A player more in the samuela mode that can earn ground and cover defence also needs to happen somewhere in the pack ,especially as tuilagi doesnt seem to offer enough danger or work at this stage to own that jersey.be nice if manly are in a position to make kelma work his way back
aioli is not a 13 either it seems, just seems to angle his runs more

for a few years we have played silly footy for the shape and agility of the forward pack and you would FINK it would be quicker to adapt our style. Anyway

lets go with Plan B change the size of the squad and get boppers for boppers with a bit more mobility and defensive cover.
I have had my doubts over the last few seasons where best to play Jake. After last weeks game against the Raiders, I would definitely keep him at 13. He was absolutely brilliant as the link man (left and right) for shuey and tommy to do their thing. I thought I also actually saw Tolu and saab in open space!!! Not seen that in a while. Leave him at 13.
 
Jake as lock when available. Otherwise, Lawton as a former five eighth is the next best fit at this stage (IMO).

I am not suggesting he matches their talents, but he is similar in stature to these regular locks.

Lawton 94 kg, 185 cm
Radley 92 kg, 182 cm
Murray 95 kg, 184 cm
McInnes 91 kg, 177 cm
 
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Jake as lock when available. Otherwise, Lawton as a former five eighth is the next best fit at this stage (IMO).

I am not suggesting he matches their talents, but he is similar in stature to these regular locks.

Lawton 94 kg, 185 cm
Radley 92 kg, 182 cm
Murray 95 kg, 184 cm
McInnes 91 kg, 177 cm
Weight and height are irrelevant to Killer Speed , Skill and Strength
 
A few things, firsly a lock can be a smaller body in todays game.
Lawton definitely a suitable candidate for the few games a year he plays.
Isn't this also a spot Arthur has been hinted at, or do the coaches see a potential 9.
I think Samuela Fainu may also be worth a look as has some silky skills, but currently been playing "run don't even think pass" which is exactly how it should be early on and as an edge runner.
The way the game is morphing, I reckon having your lock who are basically the size of halves will come into vogue, as that extra speed to create momentum through the middle is what turns games.
The Big Boppers will always be there to crash and bash, but also to be exploited by the quicks, as I feel the double edged sword with the smaller quick players
is now real.
 
Bullemor has the attributes we are looking for.
Yeah probably

if you started with jake paseka and bully and built the rest around replacing paseka and bully for stages

bully paseka and jake probably give the best starting balance of forward thrust and defence Regardless of what number they wear.

bench
a bench hooker
lawman
sips
kepps
 
Jurbo is definitely the best options of the props to play 13 but like others have said I think our best side would have Lawton there. He fits all the criteria of the modern lock - decent size, strong in defence, likes to run the ball and has a good passing game with his dummy half skills. This would allow Jake to stay in the front row rotation, and more importantly open up the bench utility spot for Gordie to give us an attacking threat at hooker which we haven’t had for 4 years.

Paseka
Croker
Jurbo
Haumole
Fainu
Lawton

GCKT
Bullemor
Sipley
Aloiai/Keppie/Burbo/whoever

Easily a stronger and more threatening pack/bench than we have been putting out this year. Having Aloiai or Keppie at lock is just a waste of one of the more important positions in today’s game
 
As someone who grew up watching locks being ball runners and cover defenders (ie Raper, Coote, Clyde, Beaver) why has the role changed? And what is to say that a 'new-age' coach won't "reprise' that style of play for a lock?
What's with these defined position such as 'middle' forward? What ever happened to a footballer roving around in the position he believed was the best option and playing what was in front of him? Why not play the two centres together like I used to (inside and outside centre, although this was playing union)? If you are a centre or winger you should be able to play on both sides of the field.
It seems RL has followed the style of US sports where each player has a specific/limited role? The difference in each country's sports is that the US is stop-start, five sections of action followed by 60 seconds of planning the next move whereas our is relatively continuous.
I think clubs have missed a trick by not thinking creatively enough. Having the Walker Brothers coach an NRL club could have evolved the way the sport is played but no club seemed prepared to take the risk-reward option.
 

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