We without a doubt have the worst centre pairing in the comp . You can look through every other side - neither of our centres would get a start in any of them . It's an area we have neglected in both recruitment and development. We have a rep level halfback and his strike on his side is battering ram Pensini who lets in 3+ try's a week and runs the 100m in about 22 seconds. He doesn't have the ability to compete for high balls , can't beat a guy with footwork , has errors in his game , can't draw and pass , can't catch and pass , defends on his heals , stops and comes in when the defence is sliding out , lacks attention to finer details .. he's just an out and out battering ram . His carries were pivotal in us beating the Dogs last week but they were needed because he invited the Dogs to score 3 try's.
Rusell isn't any better . Just no class about him at all . On his good days he competes hard and has a crack . He is a bog average player who has no clsss or finesse and worryingly still has more of both then Penisni .
Nanva showed more defensively in 2 games than either of the above 2 have in their first grade career. He has a bit of height and smarts about him and may be one to go with moving forward . We desperately need to recruit a strike centre who can compete athletically . It's an absolute must . If we want to keep Will for his tough carries going forward he needs a new position . He can't play back row because he doesn't have the motor or work ethic - he's gassed after ever carry . It's a dead set massive problem for us moving forward if the club fhinks he's a centre we can build around .
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All the top sides now have athletic outside backs and edges it's costing Melbourne dearly at the moment having guys like Meany out there .
I get the argument that without go forward in the middle it won't help us but it's a different game . Much of the go forward comes from the outside backs .
Fox for me isn't a go forward specialist but his speed and high IQ are a point of difference . He's our best outside back by absolute lengths.
Herbie Farnworth is obviously at the top end but he single handed got them back into a game v Penrith the other week . You need guys that can save try's and offer strike at the other end of the field . Newcastle have a big tall young bloke playing centre - he's average and learning his craft but he's 6"5 and is a threat under the high ball. Our guys are not threats in any way shape or form . How much do you think it hurts Mitch Moses game have a centre next to him that can barely keep up on anything off the cuff Mitch sees , can't attack a ball in the air , makes horrible defensive reads .. it's woeful . Every try the Dogs scored last week Will had a bad read on bar the first one where Kelly had no trust in Wills speed at all to cover Xerri so came in . Opens up this week by getting 2 hands on a kick and dropping it cold for a Manly try . He is that bad .
It's time to spend money on good centres.
1000000-%. Go get Staggs outdo his contract
We seem to only get 1 decent centre per decade since the 80s.
Jamie Lyon lasted 2 seasons. Not sure if he counts
Penisini is bog average at present he is worse then Russell now. I think the high ups at Parra thought because he is best mates with Joseph Sua'ali'i that he has the same talent lol. Further he is and always was a Rugby convert .... for a centre his passing game is terrible
Throw the bank at Herbie Farnsworth...
If you watched them together when they were young, Pensini was better than Sua'ali'i in union. He was very talented he just has not kicked on.
His body and playing style is much more suited to Union . Even then he's probably not wallaby level because his skill set isn't well rounded .
I'd love to have the ability to sit down and cut up every try we've conceded Will has been involved in a bad read , error or missed tackle since start of last season . It would be pushing 40 or 50. He's an absolute liability.
There is no other 100+ game player as totally lost in defence.
Need a big name signing , Staggs or farnworth I'd settle for Xerri tho
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