I've been reading the various blogs and posts about the five-eighth position, and it's certainly been interesting seeing how Ricky has tried to use Hayne to date.
Hayne is definitely playing more of a traditional fullback role, and I believe he's getting better at it. He's getting the ball in more of a traditional fullback position and isn't really being asked to come up with the big cut-out passes that we've seen be a trademark of his game. In many ways, that's something of a shame because he's the only play in our team who's really capable of throwing the type of passes that Jamie Soward cut us to ribbons with. Luke Kelly has been taking on that role, but to date has come up short.
However, what hasn't changed is the number of touches that Hayne is getting. When we run out of ideas, the ball goes Hayne and we tend to rely on him to do something special.
I very strongly believe that while that is the case, we will never be a successful attacking football team.
I'd like to see Jarryd used first and foremost as a decoy. Opposition teams over-mark him and when he doesn't get the ball there is more space for everyone else. However, Jarryd almost always gets the ball and mostly in very limited space.
In Jacob Loko, for instance, we have one of the most damaging centres in the NRL. However, how often have we gotten either early ball to Loko, or managed to get him in a one-on-one with his opposition centre? I can't understand how the default ball when we get into the opposition red-zone isn't about isolating Loko's opposite defender and getting a collision to take place as close to the line as possible. Use Jarryd as a decoy runner, hitting an inside ball - Tanginoa hitting the shoulder and Loko's almost always going to be one-on-one or else it will force the winger in, to assist his centre and open up the overlap or space in behind for the grubber. Or else Jarryd needs to receive the ball far earlier than he has been with the primary intention to draw the defence towards him and then pass the ball wide.
Admittedly, we don't have a huge amount of attacking strikepower, but we have to show more confidence in the players around Hayne. As we saw on the weekend, when Paulo put players through with short balls - these are the plays that the opposition aren't going to be looking for and which are consequently far easier to execute.
What I'm not saying is I want to see less involvement from Hayne - I want to see him constantly around the ball - I just want us to be much more selective about how we involve him. Jarryd should be getting the ball when the play is ON, not when nothing is doing and he's our equivalent to a hail Mary. I want the opposition defences to be expecting Jarryd to get the ball then having to scramble when it goes elsewhere. That will slowly mean that opposition teams start giving him a little more room as they come to expect the decoy and his touches are going to be far more effective.
I love how Souths are using Greg Inglis. He's arguably the most damaging player in the game, yet he has probably less touches per match than any other fullback in the competition. Yet his impact is still enormous.
I also think it might see the rest of the team step up in confidence and take on more responsibility. Initially, they might struggle - I think we're seeing that with Kelly, but I think we have to persist. We have to get rid of the mentality that Hayne will come to the rescue and that every member of the side is of equal importance to contributing to the collective effort.
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"Let the peacock fly!"
"FFS!"
FFS Hayne at 1!
Our front row is decent but our back row is tiny and worthless.
Souths use their monster forward pack and smart dummy half work to get Inglis into the play and open.
Our spine is weak. We need to get the peacock to 6 and let him fly!
Hayne to 6!
FFS Hayne at 1!
I agree with your comments regarding our back row. Both Reni & Tanginoa were shocking against the Dragons in the first half last match. The Bunnies would have gone on with it in the 2nd half & we would probably have had another Rorters like result.
I will say I am more optimistic about that, then I have been for a long-time, given how I think Hayne's fullback game has improved over the past month. What I'm still worried about is still that lack of a playmaker. I think it makes it very hard to win games when you haven't got a guy in the team, who can put his outside support into gaps or see an overlap and throw a cut-out pass. So when I look at a player like Norman, you put him outside of a half-back like Cronk and I think you've got a premiership winning halves duo. Sandow would be incredible playing inside of Thurston. 1. Hayne, 6. Norman, 7. Sandow to me is not a wonderfully balanced side until Sandow starts regularly putting players into holes. I'm worried that Stuart is not seeking to develop that part of Sandow's game. He is getting Kelly and Paulo to take-on the role of playmaker, which only makes me believe he doesn't think Sandow can be that player. I'd like to see Sandow going to the line more often with runners.
I've said it so many times, I can't say it anymore, but I can't understand why you wouldn't use the rest of this season to see what Hayne is capable of as a six. I still have this sneaky suspicion that we're waiting until the rep season is over, and once we get Jarryd back full-time I think he'd benefit enormously from playing out the rest of the season at six, even if its just to the view that he serves as our backup six for next year.
Anyway, that's a rambly response. I think the answer to that question is less about Hayne and more about how Stuart is able to take either Norman or Sandow's game up a level so that we don't have to force Hayne into these unworkable quasi-playmaker roles.
Some good ideas here and i think it will work if they can execute it properly. This may take some time but as you said we need to persist. I'd love to see oposition players group up on hayne just for the ball to go else where and watch them look around in confusion saying where the hell is the ball. Anything that gives hayne more room is good and if you give hayne room you're dead.The only thing i dont agree with is Kelly coming up short with his long passes. He's going way to long not short ;-).
Hi Carrots, I am starting to accept the view that RS is really treating this season as a testing period to assess our depth & is willing to sacrifice 2013 individual game results in the process. If that is the case then 2014 should have an entirely different feel to 2013.
With the rumours currently being canvassed about Keating, it would explain Kaysa Pritchard making his debut however I haven't seen where we have re-signed him nor has RS used Nathan Smith which I don't understand unless RS has already decided that he is not part of the rebuilding phase.
My immediate concern relates to how vulnerable we r outwide. RS seems to be persevering with Sio & Vai Toutai regardless & we r regularly leaking points without any obvious improvement in their respective games. At the moment I must admit that I don't understand the rationale of leaving them there without their displaying tangible improvement.
At least with the forwards we have recruited Mossop & Hock so hopefully the pack should be stronger 2014.
I have been saying to keep Hayne at 5/8 but use him as a decoy for 2 YEARS!!!
The big positive is your comments re Kelly.
Luke Kelly has been taking on that role, but to date has come up short.
I think you answered your own conundrum.
Kelly is attempting things he has not been doing in the past.
He keeps practicing and who knows, might just work.
HAYNE IS STILL A FREEKIN' FULLBACK..
Are we buying Norman to play FB - or Hoppa to FB and Norman to 9.
HAYNE IS A FREEKIN' FULLBACK.
FIRST
FOREMOST
and FINAL
Great comment Crow - another one who sees Hayne can be a damaging centre.
Good work lad.
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