Ok, so the trials are done and dusted and heading into round 1 i would like to know what everyone thinks our strongest halves combo is and who should take the bench spot left vacated by kevin Kingston. our options are pretty much.
.Daniel Mortimer (shoo in)
.Kris Keating
.Jeff Robson
.Tom Humble
.Anthony Mitchell
I personally would go with Mortimer at 6 for obvious reasons, he had a great season last year and posesses all the skills required. The main vocal point will be who should play at 7. Im gonna have to go with KK, if you remember he was our best player at the start of 09 and has so much attacking flair and general skill. And for that Bench spot, i would say Tom Humble at the moment, he has good versitillity and will add spark, i do think if he was to be played he would come on at hooker and if he can't play well there then i would go with Anthony Mitchell, even if he is inexperienced he will add flair and spark.
With Robson, i don't mind if he is given the benifit of the doubt early in the year because of his solid 09. If Robbo was to start i would like to see KK given the bench spot because he is lively and will add spark. Robbo is decent, but why have decent when you can have the brilliance of KK out there.
If trial form is anything to go by, KK will walk out in the number 7 jersey.
Replies
7. Kris keating
14. Robson (as an interchange hooker, not to play in the halves)
6. Morts
7. KK
14. Humble
I think the biggest "good" dilema the Eels have will be who misses out in the centres/wing? If Burt misses out.... he could also fill in at #14.
All the best Ando for making the decisions. I have faith! All i know is that due to inevitable injuries... at some point this year we will use Hayne, Burt, Inu, Reddy, Grothe, Tahu, Mortimer, KK, Robson, Humble in the back line. It will take 25 to win a comp..... not 17!
I may be biased as one of his biggest fans, but I truly think he has amazing footballing potential. While he is not as talented as some of the other hookers in the competition at the moment, he is still extremely young and has years of development before we can begin to compare him to players like Cam Smith.
I think alot of the criticism of Matty is because of the impact Kinga had off the bench last year. However, the reason Kinga had such tremendous impact was because Ando knew how to use him. He played a similar role to what PJ played for us a few years ago and it worked tremendously. It only worked however, because Ando knew how best to use his players.
We are only just beginning to see what Matt can do and let me assure you... combating the problem of his inexperience will not be solved by throwing another inexperienced player in like Humble or Mitchell. Easing them into the top grade would be far more effective.
I don't believe we have the answer for an interchange hooker. What I saw of Anthony Mitchell yesterday didnt lead me to believe he is first grade ready yet, and definitely not Humble, the kid's probably got some talent but not for the dummy half role. Robson could probably do it, but again, he'd just be filling in.
That's why I want to see Robbo on the bench because he gives us maximum flexibility. He can come on in 14 or 7 depending on which way Ando sees the game flowing. If we need more penetration out of dummy half he comes into 7 and Kris moves to 14. In we're in front and Ando wants a more defensive side, he comes into 7. If he just wants to give MK a break he moves to 14.
Most other sports use their substituions to change or react to the way a game is flowing. League is very formulaic in the way it uses subs - Robson at 14 gives us the ability to be much more flexible.
7. Jeff Robson
14. Kris Keating
This needs to be done IMHO. Jeff Robson is a solid player, with a cool head and a great organisational and structural ability - like a true number 7. He was one of our top players last season (in a season which we reached the Grand Final). With a organisational half like him at 7, and a very creative one like Mortimer at 6, you have a very good set-up IMO.
Putting KK at 14 means that not only do you have a very solid interchange hooker, but you've also got yourself a back-up half in case Robson or Mortimer get injured during the course of a game.
It's a perfect set-up IMO, and Robson definitely doesn't deserve to be canned after 2 or 3 bad performances in a meaningless and worthless trial game. Do you all have short term memory or something?
Robson is not a bench player. He either wins his starting spot or nothing,
DA will definitely start the year with Robson at 7 though, only due to the fact that with the attacking options already provided by Hayne, Mateo and Mortimer, defence will have a higher weighting in terms of halfback selection.
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