Guys , we are going into next year with a top quality side , but we are lacking something. Something called CENTRES. This may be obvious to 90% of supporters , but if we are going to make a charge into september and eventually october. It is essential to obtain a strike centre or someone who can step it up a notch and stamp their authority on the NRL . Yes , i am talking about someone like Inglis ( a freak) , emerged in 2005 - filling in for Slater and than in 2006 , he managed to cement a first grade spot in the centres and five-eigth position. Someone like Jacob Loko or a Tom Humble could step up from the wilderness and absolutely destroy teams. Judging by members here , Loko maybe needs "another year" but i hope he features in some games next year.We are also forgetting somebody like Tom Humble who i think is extremely versatile and can play in a number of positions and perform if given the chance. I think someone like Humble whose strongest qualities in his game is his running ability- So therefore , i think Humble could be a star at centre , where his sharp footwork and his passing game ( developed playing in the halves) could be utilised at centre.
Almost every side has a strike centre out wide , i think "our forwards are sorted out" . We have the workers in Shackleton and Hindmarsh who can offload , we have the hard-running backrowers in Maitua and Horo and Ben Smith , who is also equally adept at hole running and is extremely solid in D.
And as for our props , we have 2 who "eats" metres and 2 that are unpredictable to say the least in Fu and Webb who also provide the "x-factor".
As for our backs , we have Hayne and Hayne and Hayne.
Reddy is a solid player who is mediocre at best playing centre,but he would make a great winger as evident in the 2009 grand final and multiple times in 2010 where Reddy has leaped as high as he can and reaped the award from it. Therefore he would be in my team on the left wing.Thats 1 spot in the backs solved (imo) , then we have the problem in centres..how to decipher this? drop Tahu.
Put Humble in and also add Karl Filiga to the other side. Why? Lets see what all the fuss is about? I have seen Humble play once and i think he is a star. Why Karl Filiga? Because he is a wide-running backrower who can also play centre , can also pop the ball out occasionally to set up his winger.
my team
1 Hayne 2 Reddy 3 Feliga 4 Humble 5 Grothe
Why i have ommited Burt ? Because he just sits on his wing and doesnt get involved. With that said , bring him off the bench straight into the middle , let him "follow" the ball , whenever he is near the BALL , something happens as evident in 2009. I would have Burty burt as an interchange hooker because there is simply no room to be carrying 2 forwards on the bench. Burt could be the new Barba ( our spark off the bench ) but than one of our hookers NEED to play 80 minutes or rotate with Burt. I would have Mitchell there. And as for Burts defence, nothing better than a bulk up during the off season , putting the hard yards in. If you question his defence , little Preston Cambell will be coming off the bench next year , you can bet your bottom dollr teams will try to get their forwards isolated with him. Im sure Burt is bigger than Cambell , dont forget Cambell also played in the front line in D when he was five-eigth. Im pretty sure Burts bigger than Cambell.
Replies
He's a crowd favourite, and SK, despite his limited time in charge of the club, he would have seen that already.
I'd expect Burt to be on the wing.
He has a great understanding of Hayne's style of play, and his play-making abilities inside the 20m line, and we could use that awareness to our advantage.
Mortimer also fills the role of a try-scorer when he actually plays five-eighth.
If Reddy is injured come Round 1, don't be surprised if our back-line is; 1. Hayne 2. Burt 3. Filiga 4. Tahu 5. Grothe
We have a lot of options....Hayne is a good goal-kicker if Burt gets dropped, so say Burt does get dropped (not that he should IMO); 1. Hayne 2. Reddy 3. Filiga 4. Tahu 5. Grothe would be very good too.
1. Burt
2. Walker
3. Reddy
4. Tahu
5. Grothe
6. Hayne
7. Humble (or a more experienced half if and when we sign him)
1.Hayne
2. REDDY
3.Filiga or someone like Maitua (not sure)
4.Humble ( if no room for him in the halves since Mortimer will get the no 6..)
5. Grothe ( i cant understand people knocking on Grothe , DID you remember how he went in 2009 and his best game EVER in the GF?) if anything , Burt should be the one in the firing line..
He has very rarely played in the centres.
Maitua is ineligible to play until May, effectively ruling him out for the first 2 months of the season.
Centre's are a by product of what is created inside them. In D and mores so, in attack.
So whilst we don't have creative halves, your centre pairing is not all that important. Your fullback, hooker and bench take the front seat IMO as you are never going to have a great expasnive game and more liekly to play down the middle.
If we had a good halfback I would sign Tonga in a heartbeat... however as we are lacking a creative 6 or 7 I would make do with what we have..... which is...
Tahu on the left, Humble on the right... good in D and will score when they get a half chance every 3 or 4 games.
So far you guys have got two backrowers playing in the centres (Maitua, Filiga)! Or Humble who i thought was specifically bought to play fullback while Hyane is in SOO (granted this kid can play and needs more oportunities)!
Talk about playing Burt off the bench at hooker!!? Please!
Reddy on the wing!? Alternating Walker from centre to wing throughout the game?! Walker was bought as back-up only! If your not good enough to defend at centre than your not a centre! Reddy is pretty much the best defensive centre in the game! Ask any coach and they will tell you they would take a good defender in the centres over a good attacker!
And not liking the Burt haters! The guy is a finisher and as safe as a bank! Which is all you need from a winger! The guy also has the ability to set up tries with kicks when in space as he done a number of times last year!
Backs will start 1. Hayne 2. Burt. 3. Reddy 4. Tahu 5. Grothe. Atkins/Walker are there for depth! And given the chance (injuries)maybe a Loko, Filiga, Humble could step up!
Lets hope so! Go the Eels!!!
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