Kieran Foran has always been my favourite non-Parramatta player. The combination of toughness, competitiveness, fair play and talent, won me over immediately. However, I'll be the first to admit that opinion was born out of limited viewing, as I have never watched an awful lot of non-Parramatta football.
This year, I've watched a lot of Manly games, just to watch Foran and it's only entrenched my opinion that we've made the best signing possible to take our club forward.
If you think about Foran and his halves partnership, I think it's fair to say that every half who has played next to him has looked significantly better than they have playing with other partners.
Hodkinson and DCE were both able to make names for themselves as elite sevens, despite coming out of Qld Cup to partner Foran; and in international football Shaun Johnson looks like a magician whenever these two get put in the same side, whereas he's far more inconsistent and dare I say, mortal, in club footballer.
So having watched Foran play pretty closely this year, my belief is that Foran's very unique style of play is an absolute gift to his halves partner.
What Foran does is attack the line perhaps at higher speeds than any other halve I've ever seen. I believe what he does, is so under-appreciated because while it doesn't necessarily look as flashy as some other halves, it's incredibly difficult thing to do. Most halves float towards the attack, weighing up their attacking options, with their runners being primarily responsible for keeping the defenders honest. They generally have their own running option (ie JT's show-and-go, Pearce's strength) if the defence pays their runners too much attention. However Foran attacks the line at such pace that his run has to be the first thing you look after. However, he still manages to pick great options despite dramatically reducing his think-time.
What this does for the defence, is it encourages them to hold. You are constantly aware that Foran is going to come up at you full-tilt with runners streaming off him and rushing off your line makes his side significantly more difficult to defend.
The side benefit of this is that if the ball goes the other way, Foran's opposite half also gets the advantage of a defensive line that has sat and is waiting for the attack. And we all know the more time that your halves get on the ball, the more effective they are. It allows your attack time to get into proper shape and the playmaker has more time to pass, kick or make whatever play opens up to them. Foran's constant threat also makes a big difference in the way that opposition defences number up - you'll never see a defence over-man the opposite side of the field to Foran.
All three of Foran's halves partners are undoubtedly quality halves, but I feel that each of them has looked better with the Parra-bound half on their opposite side. Given the progress that Norman has made, it's exciting to think that if his game gets the same Foran-boost that we could truly go into next year with a halves partnership the quality of which we've not had for a very long time.
Replies
Agree 100%.
DCE looks amateur partnered with Thurston at Origin and Test level.
Johnson is so bloody inconsistent but at test level went on to win a golden boot last year.
Foran is the missing link, and the bloke to build your squad around. We have made the right choice.
Now we just need to nurture those hammies!
That is an interesting analysis 1eyed. His toughness is what I like, as well as his ability to break the line. He seems the sort of player BA moulds the team on. I think Hasson will do ok too.
Hasson will be the David Gower Mk II...Look at the way Gower been playing since he'd arrived at Parra, he'd been one of our best and yesterdee he was good. DCE was useless in the SOO because he didn't have Foran. JT must have been pissed off at DCE
Is it, I love Foran Day to-day? I suppose it is considering how he smashed The Eels yesterday and how he has got Manly in such a superb position on the table.? I love the bit of how fast he attacks the line, when you consider that he rarely breaks the line. In fact Norman breaks the line more than Foran does because Foran lacks the pace to make consistent breaks. Overall, Foran is not much better than Norman if at all. Foran will not have the quality of player around him at the Eels that he has at Manly. Foran has not arrived at the Eels yet. There is still time for our administration to do their normal outrage and foul- up the situation that Foran changes his mind. Perhaps the Hoopa court case, soon to be resolved,for will provide a fertile field for their preculier
2.)I'll think you'll find foran actually breaks a lot of tackles that doesn't necessarily means he makes lots of breaks.
3.) He actually will have quality players around him. Peats, tepai, manu, norman, gordon , Scott, Paulo and a lot more good players.
4.) There is no chance he will be anywhere else but Parra next year. Most clubs caps are full for next season.
I'm curious to see who BA decides to play right half come 2016. If its to be Norman, then perhaps BA should allow him to have the last couple of 2015 games in that spot & move Dud Kelly to the left.
IMO Norman has come ahead a lot this season & I thought he had a great game yesterday so I agree, a Foran/Norman half combo should be OK come 2016. Remember that Norman is only signed for next season so it will be interesting to see if we can hold onto him long term.
Maybe play without fixed right and left halves and move back to a proper 5/8th halfback.
I really love the way he runs to the line, it would be awesome to see him spark up a combo on the edge with Tep or Edwards next year the way JT and Cooper have or just like our own on the left side Ma'u and Norman
He's a creative player too, he sets up his support runners and then waits for the defence to react before he executes the play. It'll be nice to finally have 2 creative players that organise their sides of the field, rather than chipping and chasing on the 30 metre line. Where will our halves pairing rank after next year?
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