1. Dylan has some rare qualities for a half - he is strong, tough and usually wins one on one contests.
2. "Defensive" seems to be the characteristic of his attack. He seems to be reactive and not proactive. If he does not see an opportunity he takes it up into the defense himself instead of trying to create an opportunity for someone else. Maybe if he was more reluctant to get smashed he would have started earlier to look to create something for others. He has the kicking and passing skill set, he just rarely uses them. Maybe as he gets more experienced and senior he will want to lead and create rather than just react and wait.
3. Being reactive and not proactive is no problem for defence. He does anticipate and react but not the same as having to stand up and lead the playmaking in attack - different mindset.
4. I see Dylan as potentially being an elite half with a higher potential than Moses or JA. But this is probably his last year to prove he can contribute to the attack.
Replies
You are looking backwards Wiley.....what makes you think he doesn't contribute/can to the attack, as such it has been in the past year especially. He obviously has adjusted to the needs and the needs is he has stopped more tries than he is credited with creating. 5/8's are actually link players and he has been very much in this capacity up until his ripe old age of 21.....he had been playing with a limited backline last year and that backline now is much fresher and faster.
Luckily back in the Sterling/Kenny days we had no social media to tell those players what they were doing was so wrong.....God knows how they ever managed.
What you're saying in paragraph 4 I've always thought - future elite half. All the makings are already there, he is the one player I'd try and make sure we hang on to long term.
agree and hope he stays at half
That's one expensive centre
It's easy to forget he's 21 but he now has enough footy under his belt to start to take that next step I don't think he will be a dominant half that runs a team but he has the potential to be an elite 5/8
agree
He sounds like a fullback to me.
If he can't start leading the playmaking and creating/developing opportunities for others then yes but if he can do this he will be better as a half
It's useless developing anyone as a fullback as we have a top dollar one signed long term. You can't stick an 850k bloke on the wing unless he's a game breaking 850k winger. We've snookered ourselves.
The problem is right there at (almost) the top of your list. If the best thing you can say about a half is their defensive ability, you may as well play RCG at 5/8.
Luia is the example 5/8 in the comp. Brings the energy in attack. Brown just doesn't have it. In saying that, if he's prepared to stay on for cheap -fine he goes ok as a mid level half.