We have to accept that right now, we're not just behind the eight-ball - we're behind a mountain. We're that far off the pace, that minor modifications to our side isn't going to bring anything but marginal improvement. And I'd classify what we have in terms of recruitment as minor modifications. Norman is an upgrade on our five-eighth stocks, but let's be realistic - if he was going to make a major change to us in that area, Brisbane would be playing him there now. Hoppa is a great young talent, but he was only good enough to play on the wing at Manly. Hock and Mossop are unproven at NRL level. Our forwards are still small, Sandow still can't tackle and we still have an over-reliance on young players who have been pushed forward before their time.
Ricky Stuart has proved himself an innovative coach in the past. Now is the time, he needs to look at our roster, the game and make some major decisions to this Parramatta team.
I've said it till I'm blue in the face. You cannot be Premiership contenders while you have weaknesses in your defensive line. I've called it in the past, that before you get into the NRL side - you need to tick off certain boxes to get your 'ticket to play' and being able to not let your side down in defence has to be the first one. You look at that Manly side - there's no holes. Not one anywhere in the side. Again, I've said it before - unfortunately Chris Sandow is too small to play at number seven. It's just an unfortunate reality of the modern game. As a coach, if you have to start thinking - how do I protect this player in defence, your asking yourself the wrong question. If you need protection, quite simply, you don't get your ticket to play.
Parramatta has two fullbacks, both who see themselves as long-term halves. They're both big boys - for halves, they're enormous. And they're both triple threats - they run, pass and kick. Of course both are relatively inexperience in the halves and we'd likely go through passages where we struggle for direction and come up with errors.
However, two points 1) You'd give yourself a basis to fix our defence. You need not have any weaknesses in your defensive system with these two in your halves. So suddenly you can actually make a mistake, and maybe not automatically give up a try.
2) You have a platform for greatness. Nobody denies these two aren't incredibly talented footballers. There should be nothing that either play can't do - they have all the skills, they have the size. If I'm Ricky Stuart, surely you would be excited about the possibility of being able to transform these incredibly gifted players into a pairing that would be both unique but also potentially incredibly potent as a halves pairing.
We just happen to be in the position, where we have another bloke in the side - Will Hopoate, who has proven himself a rep-quality fullback to slot in at the back. Now you've got a 1,6,7 of absolute gun players. It's something you can work with - it's something you can build on.
I've had this discussion with people before, and they say a number seven has to win you repeat sets. I say to that, look at the Roosters - least repeat sets in the competition because as soon as they get into the in-zone they're looking to use the kick to score tries. Both Norman and Hayne would have no difficulties with the cross-field attacking kick - it would benefit us to go looking for a big wingers, who are good in the air [ie NSW Cup's top point scorer from last year] (and who as a by product of their size can generally hold up their end in defence).
What to do with Sandow? I've said this before and I'll say it again - he has to play dummy half. Whether its nine or 14 and that would depend on how he handled it defensively but suddenly Sandow goes from a half back with not enough playmaking skills to a hooker with fantastic playmaking skills. He can kick from dummy half - and I reckon he'd be able to rain 40-20s there. I don't buy that he wouldn't be able to defend their either. He's nuggety and he likes the big hits. His defensive problems come when he gets isolated, and he won't get isolated in the middle. He's my nine.
So now you've got a spine 1 Hopoate 6 Hayne 7 Norman 9 Sandow. That's electric. That's a side you can potentially build a Premiership-challenging side around. What it doesn't have is inherent or traditional balance. There are obvious areas of weakness with that combination - but Ricky, that's what we're paying you for. To take players with natural gifts and mould them into a side of champions.
We would need to plug in a centre, and like I said - I'd prefer a big tall winger/s to complement these guys who can catch the high balls. However, there are guys that can fill these roles on the market. With that spine we don't need any additional X-Factor (just as an aside, and I know its unlikely but you put Folau into that backline and you're winning Premierships). What is almost impossible to find are high-quality halves and hookers. I believe we've got them in our roster, they're just not playing the right positions.
We can't just make little fixes. We have to do something transformative and that's a spine - that with the right coaching and some time to grow - that I believe could transform wooden spooners into premiership contenders.
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Norman has never played halfback and Hayne has said he prefers to play at fullback. Sure Hayne will play there if you ask him but as we have seen many times when Hayne is at 5/8 he gets marked too closely with minimal room to move. His running game will come to a near stop as his defensive workload increases so we would be damaging our biggest attacking weapon.
Super, we've had this discussion for years, right? And what have I said in all that time - that we will continue to be shit while we have our best player at fullback. I think I've been proved right. Now everyone who is deadset against the Hayne move, keeps asking the wrong question. The question is not - is Hayne a better fullback or five-eighth - he's a better fullback, I'm not debating you on that. The question is will Parramatta win more games with Hayne at fullback or five-eighth - all I can say is it's pretty unlikely we're going to win any less.
We just have to bite the bullet. Put this plan in place. Spend the off-season transforming these guys into new players in positions they are not comfortable with and out of that, we could actually come out with something special. But I tell you, if we go into next year with 1. Hayne 3. Hopoate 6. Norman 7. Sandow we will win the wooden spoon again.
I think Sandow would love nine once he got into it. He has said how many times, he loves the big hits and the rough stuff. He gets his hands on the ball every ruck. He would be given a license to run and to try his little chip and chases. If your an opposition with Sandow constantly ducking out of dummy half, you'd be shitting yourself and because we'd have two such dangerous halves, you'd likely get plenty of room up the middle of the ruck. Let's remember that PJ Marsh was a half-back before Brian Smith transformed him into a State of Origin quality hooker. I see enormous similarities between Marsh and Sandow - both have electric acceleration, strong kicking games, but both were weak at guiding a side around and putting players through holes.
I like the idea of Sandow at 9 and us just becoming an incredibly dangerous side in attack but 1 Possibility of Kingston coming (which could mean Sandow plays 14) 2 Not sure if Norman can play halfback 3 With the quality of fullback atm I doubt hopoate will be a first grade standard fullback especially straight away. However if we pull it off
1 Hoppa
2 Sio
3 Loko
4 Morgan
5 Someone we sign
6 Hayne
7 Norman
8 Mannah
9 Kingston
10 Mossop
11 Hock
12 Tanginoa
13 Lussick
14 Sandow
15 Terepo
16 Moi Moi
17 Allgood/Pauli/Paterson if we get him
Then we have a team
Hopoate was amazing at fullback. Before Stewart came back, he was man of the match for like three consecutive matches or something like that. This would be the side I'd be aiming to get on the park for Round One next year.
1. Hopoate 2. Sio 3. Morgan 4. M Blair 5. Mantellata 6.Hayne 7. Norman 8. Mannah 9. Sandow 10. Moimoi 11. Hock 12. Loko 13. Terepo 14. Pritchard 15. Lussick 16. T Burgess 17. Tanginoa
I agree, but id leave sandow right out, maybe play him off the bench.
Hayne has to be bought into a ball playing role, hoppa at FB, and put norman into 7.
This blog should be sent to Ricky and get his take on it.
Phil, is it possible for you to send Q and A to RS and get him to fill them out for the site, if you dont ask you dont get, he might be very willing to answer well constructed questions from you for the fans?
Although I don't like to see William Hopoate in the wing, as I believe that it would limit his impact, I don't think Jarryd Hayne should leave his fullback position. You've listed the advantages of both Corey Norman and Jarryd Hayne in the halves, although it's much safer to go with an organising play maker. Right now, I don't rate Hayne or Norman as a dominant play maker. Dominant play makers are players like Cooper Cronk, Adam Reynolds, Shaun Johnson, Daly Cherry Evans, etc. Heck, even Jaime Soward's a dominant play maker.
Don't get me wrong, I love Hayne and Norman, however, unless Hayne and Norman step up their attacking game, besides their dominant running game, I would love to see first receiver cross field kicks that are perfected. Taking into consideration last year and this year, Norman has not been producing cross field kicks. Likewise with Hayne.
P.S. I would love to see Corey Norman become a dominant ball player, with Hayne being the 6 and Hopoate being the 1, but it looks risky. Tempting but risky.
P.S.S. If Folau for some reason does come to the Eels, Hayne's chances of becoming a 6 are enhanced.
Yeh, totally agree with everything you've said. It's definitely risky, but I just reckon we have to roll the dice. We can't just keep doing the same thing we have done every year, and keep expecting things to change.
But I keep coming back to - we have Ricky Stuart as our coach. If Ricky can't take someone as naturally talented as Corey Norman, and a player who strikes me as having a really good attitude and who is very coachable, and turn him into a dominant playmaker then Ricky is not earning his coin.
Let's remember, that Craig Bellamy took a little utility called Cooper Cronk and turned him into one of the best seven's in the game. If Bellamy hadn't of taken that chance on Cronk, Melbourne might have been in the same boat as everyone else - still searching for that quality seven. If the last decade has not taught us anything it is you must get your best players in your spine - plain and simple. Whether its Cronk being turned into a seven or Inglis being turned into a one - the clubs that have taken these risks and changed players positions to get them into the spine have been the ones who have been rewarded with success.
Who's running the show in attack? Hayne, Norman or Sandow?
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