This kid can play. Sign up Travis long term - quick.
Burns is now starting to get confidence running at holes - and what a difference! He set up the Stewart try that started the comeback by running off Orford. He is only a whisker away from creating real trouble for opposition defences. Given his age, he just could develop into a very fine attacking player indeed, not just a very solid defender with a high workrate.
He's also shut his mouth the last two games so he's not giving away free kicks.
He's often the only player chasing through to pressure kickers, and when he does he sprints, so his enthusiasm is fantastic.
I'm beginning to wonder, do we need Lyon? The ongoing improvement in Matai and Burns is just outstanding.
Perhaps we should focus on the forwards when purchasing for next year.
One thing Manly should do is get Dunley & Burns & (presumably) Ballin to do plenty of extra kicking training, especially for short kicks into the ingoal, but also for the long kicks. Having kicking options in these playmaker positions other than Orford and Monas is vital.
Beaver produced a beauty which caught out Grothe for Hicks' try - and probably caused Grothe to lose confidence & to hang back too deep leading to Bell's try from Orford's long pass. We need those sort of kicking options that keep the defence guessing when and from whom the next kick is coming.
Burns is now starting to get confidence running at holes - and what a difference! He set up the Stewart try that started the comeback by running off Orford. He is only a whisker away from creating real trouble for opposition defences. Given his age, he just could develop into a very fine attacking player indeed, not just a very solid defender with a high workrate.
He's also shut his mouth the last two games so he's not giving away free kicks.
He's often the only player chasing through to pressure kickers, and when he does he sprints, so his enthusiasm is fantastic.
I'm beginning to wonder, do we need Lyon? The ongoing improvement in Matai and Burns is just outstanding.
Perhaps we should focus on the forwards when purchasing for next year.
One thing Manly should do is get Dunley & Burns & (presumably) Ballin to do plenty of extra kicking training, especially for short kicks into the ingoal, but also for the long kicks. Having kicking options in these playmaker positions other than Orford and Monas is vital.
Beaver produced a beauty which caught out Grothe for Hicks' try - and probably caused Grothe to lose confidence & to hang back too deep leading to Bell's try from Orford's long pass. We need those sort of kicking options that keep the defence guessing when and from whom the next kick is coming.
