Re-sign Travis Burns NOW

[DUFFMAN]

We need to sign him up long term.
He should be our starting 5/8 and move Lyon to the centres, Lyon looks lost at 5/8.
When ever Burns is on the field our defence seems to be at its strongest.
The club seems to be not real intrested in keeping him, but should reconsider and sign him up TODAY

 

[Duff]

Agree.
But it may already be too late.

 

[mellonhead]

Me thinks there will be some interesting meetings at Narabeen on Monday. I think last night clarified positional changes hopefully for the rest of the year and next. Burns only wants to play run on 5/8. its not money driving his imminent departure, further he would rather not leave. Des has trialled Lyon at 5/8...didn't work. Let us please return to a commonsense pattern! Please! Please! Please!

 

[Chip and Chase]

I think he'll go and from a long term (post this season) point of view I'm not that concerned. He is a solid defender we all know that, and since he has got rid of the rubbish niggle and stupid penalties he is a better asset. But he isn't a ball player and doesn't do enough in attack for mine. He is a little undersized to be a running 5/8. Basically I think we need to have some more creativity in that position and it seems to me that Des has his heart set on Lyon being the long term solution for the 6. Either that or we are looking at another purchase for that spot. So I think it's a forgone conclusion and Travis will be off.

Having said that though I think from the point of view of this season it suits our style better when he plays 5/8. We have too many ball players with Monas, Orford and Lyon and they seem to be confusing each other when they are all there around the ruck. With Burns at 5/8 it simplifies our play a little and seems to suit our attack better. But how do you reconcile the long term plan of Lyon in 6 and giving him game time in that position and still keep Burns in there ?

Things will be better next season with Monas gone and Ballin at 9. It'll make the dumy half play crisper and hopefully Orford and Lyon can get a combo going. But a lot will depend on Orford showing some better organisational skills than he has displayed to date, consistently anyway.

So for the time being, Burns needs to start and Lyon play in the centres with a roving commission to get involved as a playmaker to get some feel for the spot.

Travis is solid but if he goes I don't think it'll bite us too hard.

 

[DSM5]

Burns must be kept. Lyon is a centre, not a 5/8. Burns reminds me of Alan Thompson in the 70s with Fulton as our creative and explosive centre. Lyon could play that role. I don't get why Des persists with Lyon as 5/8.

 

[Guest]

Burns must be our 5/8 because it doesn't work with Lyon.

he has improved this year and the try that he scored against melbourne which was not awarded showed his speed off the mark and step. He will further imrpove on this and like the good judges he will play for QLD next year.

We need to bombard MSE with posts demanding that burns stay.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I would like to keep him, but am with Chip n Chase's view a bit more.

Long term, i dont see Burns as a 5/8, i see him as a hooker, and with Ballin here probably in the 14 jersey

I have seen enough touches from Lyon at 6 to show some persistence should be given to him bieng our long term 5/8, he has some nice deft touches, and i dont think it is much coincedence that with Lyon roving out on the right we have seen Bells best form return

Personally, i think it is dumb to write Lyon off as a 5/8 based on 2-3 games, using that philosophy Lockyer would have been sent back to fullback early on, and look where he is now with the coaches showing some faith in him at 6

 

[Guest]

Cliff Lyon's said today's sun herald that Burns shoiuld be our long term 5/8.

Good enough for cliffy then good enough for me.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Were also comments from cliffy earlier this season, RLW possibly, that Lyon will be a very good long term 6.

 

[mellonhead]

Tookey you didn't mention that Lyon in centres gives us better defense out wide....which we were clearly lacking on Friday.

Cliffy spoke at the Melb game that Burns in the ruck gives the team not only direction, but in most cases difuses opposition dummy half running. Some teams defensively loose on average 130 metres a game in dummy half running, whilst Burns is on he field its closer to 60 mtrs a game we save and when we are attacking he consistantly makes gains running the ball. Cliffy reckons he's not quite the visionary he was in attack but he makes it up with good delivery and great defense.

 

[Guest]

I wonder if Des was listening to what Cliffy was saying?

I sem to remember a plauyer in the eighties who left Penrith because he could't get a game in firsts. he plays very similar to Burns. I think his name was hasler.

Prrobaly the only difference was that hasler was happy to any postion as long as it was in firsts. Burns seems to think that his only position is 5/8.

I am sure that if Burns hangs around he will make 5/8 his position eventually.

 

[DSM5]

Cliff Lyons was a genius and still is. Burns must be the 5/8 and Lyon the centre. It's a simple call really. The Lockyer analogy is silly given that Hunt is a top class fullback and the Broncs needed a 5/8. Lyon is a top class centre imo and there's no need to move him into a position that's already covered by a good, and improving Burns..

 

[Jatz Crackers]

I don't get why Des persists with Lyon as 5/8.

I dont think Des is "persisting".

Lyon has probably had a total sum of about 3 whole games at 5/8, so its premature to make a call on it. One thing that Lyon as 5/8 adds to our attack is the long lost art of short passes to someone running off his shoulder and breaking the line up the middle and on the fringes. Choc ran a couple of these off Lyon on Friday night.

I will admit though that my personal jury is still out on Lyon at 5/8 however, if we are to attempt it then he must be given a proper opportunity to make it work. Its the emotion of losing Burnsy thats colouring the positional debate.

 

[fLIP]

I would hope the club is close to making a decision on Lyon's permanent position. Because if it comes back that he's going back to the centers and Burns has signed elsewhere, than we have no-one to take the role next season.

I take that as an indication that he is Orford's long term halves partner otherwise Burns would be on the 08' books by now.

 

[DSM5]

Orford/Lyon, it just isn't working. The line defense is certainly stiffened when Burns and Lyon are out there.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Cliff Lyons was a genius and still is. Burns must be the 5/8 and Lyon the centre. It's a simple call really. The Lockyer analogy is silly given that Hunt is a top class fullback and the Broncs needed a 5/8. Lyon is a top class centre imo and there's no need to move him into a position that's already covered by a good, and improving Burns..

Not quite DSM5, Lockyer moved to 5/8 before Hunt had even debuted, let alone regarded as class

All my point is that people are writing Lyon off as a 5/8 far, far too prematurely. Burns had a full season in the role last season and the real improvements in his play only started this year.

I will also pull out Glenn Stewart as an example, after 3-4 games of 1st grade last season many members of this forum were saying he was no good and would offer nothing to the side, and we were doomed without BK.
How is G. Stewart going now ?

 

[DSM5]

My major point is KE, why try to stengthen a position to needlesly weaken another. When Lyon was playing centre the outside backs were virtually impenetrable (look at the early results). Burns is needed around the scrum base as, unlike the Ox, he's interested in tackling anyone around him. Ergo, we have his defense and he's improving in the 5/8 position, ok, like Lockyer did. Why send him somewhere else when we're to lose Monnas this year, and maybe Willo and a couple of other good defenders at the end of 08

 

[Nutzcraw]

As of right now our problems lie more with Ox than Lyon at 6.

Lyon at 6 will work if given time.... just hang in there guys and we will reap the rewards.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

My major point is KE, why try to stengthen a position to needlesly weaken another. When Lyon was playing centre the outside backs were virtually impenetrable (look at the early results). Burns is needed around the scrum base as, unlike the Ox, he's interested in tackling anyone around him. Ergo, we have his defense and he's improving in the 5/8 position, ok, like Lockyer did. Why send him somewhere else when we're to lose Monnas this year, and maybe Willo and a couple of other good defenders at the end of 08

We are not sending him anywhere though, he has said money isnt an issue, and we have made him a very fair offer from all reports,

If Des sees Lyon as our long term 6 i see no problem with that, and i don't think we should bow down to Burns "start me or i am off ultimatum". I would love Burns to stay, but for me his future is at 14 for us.

I hear a lot about his defense being the important factor in our success, and it probably does play a part, but our best defensive effort of the season was v the storm, and he wasnt there then so it can't be portrayed as the be all and end all.

1 positive to all this, we must be a club on the up when we cant fit all our quality players into our side

 

[fLIP]

Gotta agree with that. Our worst defense displays have come with Lyon at 5/8th.