The halves position at the Eels has been a seemingly poisoned chalice for the decades following the retirements of Brett Kenny and Peter Sterling.
Parramatta has been lucky to find one good half at a time, let alone two that compliment each other.
Even when Mitchell Moses arrived at the club he didn't exactly look like he gelled. His combination with Corey Norman never really settled and after 18 months Norman was shipped off to St George.
Brad Arthur's decision to promote Dylan Brown was a gamble. Plenty of questions were asked about Moses' ability to be the dominant half the side needed and how he would work with a rookie.
The Eels were at their most dangerous in 2019 when Brown and Moses were in the side together and it isn't hard to see why.
In most halves pairings, there is a dominant half and supporting half, often the halfback and five-eighth respectively.
They each have their own particular skillsets. The halfbacks tend to be good at organising, kicking and general play making whereas the five-eighths are often good runners of the ball with a good kicking game, but perhaps aren't the best organisers or as tactically aware as their halves partners.
Canberra combination of George Williams and Jack Wighton highlights those differences with Williams an adept passer and kicker of the ball while also being a decent runner, while Wighton is at his best running the ball and has developed his kicking game, although he's not exactly going to tear you apart with his pass selection.
In Brown and Moses, the Eels possess two of the most rounded halves in the game. Both like to take the line one and are fast enough to slice through. They both have good pass selection and their kicking games, particularly this season, have been exceptional.
It also seems like they go through periods where one is more dominant than the other and this can switch during the game. Against Penrith, it was Moses and his combination with the right edge that led to all of the Eels points.
Against Brisbane it was Dylan Brown's combination with his edge that got the Eels off to a fast start.
In today's game it is so important to have a threat on each side of the ruck. Too often in previous years the Eels have relied on one out and out threat on one edge. That was fine when that threat was Semi Radradra and all you needed to do was give him the ball.
Having a threat on both sides means defences are constantly stressed and have to constantly make decisions. Parramatta like to attack directly through the middle. Their starting middles in Junior Paulo. Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Nathan Brown are all adept at making metres in behind the ruck and forcing the markers and A defenders to keep working.
This squeezes the defensive line and opens up the edges. Now, if you're side like say Newcastle, then the ball is almost always going to follow Mitchell Pearce, which means you can be 90% sure the ball is going to his side. This makes it easier to defend even if your defence is stretched. Newcastle obviously have the addition of Kalyn Ponga, but as he showed on the weekend, he prefers to run the ball than go through the hands with a four man overlap.
When facing Parramatta, it's not that simple. Brown and Moses can both demand the ball and both seem to take equal responsibility for creating points. This prevents teams being able to easily shift defenders to one particular side.
Their adept kicking games also prevent teams being able to predict which will get the ball on the last tackle, while also being able to be an option should one of them be tackled on the fifth or get rushed at first receiver.
Both players have also seem to matured under the tutelage of Andrew Johns. Fewer hospital passes are being thrown and if a play breaks down, they are much more likely to just hold the ball than dump it off to a teammate.
While Moses is criticised for perhaps overplaying his hand at times, it's not necessarily the worst trait to have. Coaches much rather a player try to win the game than avoid losing it, it's just how controlled Moses is when he attempts a big play and how often he attempts it.
What also can't be discounted is the passing game of Reed Mahoney from dummy half. His long, flat passes to the first receiver that allow them to run onto the ball opens up space and gives his playmakers options.
For a relatively inexperienced spine that has only been playing together for less than a season, they've shown some great understanding and Moses in particular has begun to suit that senior role.
Plenty of difficult tests will come, none moreso than this weekend's clash against the Roosters. But perhaps the Eels have turned a corner in their halves selection and we could be looking at a long-term pairing for the first time in nearly four decades.
Replies
Need to lock them in ASAP
They're pretty much locked in, aren't they?
Moses has a deal for the next 2 years and I thought Brown is the next 3?
Yeh, all of our spine is locked in apart from Reedy who is currently negotiating an extension.
This is a terrible blog Super - you've covered everything and left us nothing to add :) (great reading mate)..
Oh - one thing - Dylan Brown's defense --------- Jeeeeeeeezus!!!!!
Brown and Moses have become two of the better defenders. They both read the play so well and Mitch did such a good job at shutting down Kikau. Two years ago it would've been a blood bath down that edge.
True that - Mitch's defense has improved both in reads and technique. He's also mastered that "hang on like grim death" thing where you slow 'em up until the cavalry arrives - like Maloney used to in his prime.
Is there any better bootlace tackler in the game at the moment? It's awesome to see how D Brown has perfected this technique that was so prevalent back in the day.
Agreed that Mahoney is giving the halves extra time with his passing from Dummy half. In the past the dummy half would just give the ball to the closest forward which would limit the attacking power. These guys will learn even more as they gain experience. Certainly the best halves pairing we have had in a very long time.
Best halves combo since Tollett and Galbraith!
Great blog, Super. Well written.
Not much more to add, that I can think of. Joey seems to have made a difference.
Their direct running games are critical with the ruck opening up.
Imo, having so many ball playing forwards also helps our halves and our halves help them: multiple points of attack. N Brown, Lane, Matto, Junior. Gutho, too. Good link men. Junior passes like a third half when in the mood.
Their kicking game has been good, though, it's interesting how many more bombs we're putting up this year : 30-11. Three times as many as our opposition. A Joey thing? Not sure we've got the returns from it, yet.
I thought Moses was spot on at full-time, last week, when he noted the team needed to play more direct. Adding that when they started to play straighter and more direct in the second half that made the difference (when Brown, Junior, then RCG came on & a bit of clean ball to Waqa!). Not sure what you gents thought: for considerable portions of the game we were a bit flat footed and sideways, maybe?
Really pleased with how they're progressing, as well as the team. They've got to keep stepping up, imo. Big test this week.
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