I've mentioned this a number of times but when Stephen Kearney fronted at the Fan Forum event once put on by the club, I asked him about our depth at centre. He said he was happy with the young talent coming through as backups and that they would hold their end-up.
They didn't.
The last place you want a young player in the NRL is centre. Centre is so crucial to your entire defensive system because if they don't communicate, make bad decisions or don't make their tackles, your entire defensive system tends to fall down.
We go into next year with currently Will Hopoate and Ryan Morgan as the likely centre pairing. There's not a single other player in the club who has played NRL in the centrs. Toutai, David, Folau, Goodall have all been talked about as back-ups, but I think its suicide not to go into every year with at least three and preferably four players with NRL centre experience.
Centre becomes even more problematic for us because Will Hopoate is both a potential rep-player and a potential fullback-backup for Jarryd Hayne. There's also the much-debated issue as to whether Ryan Morgan has yet proven him a worthy NRL starter.
We've lost both Willie Tonga and Jacob Loko and at this stage it's not looking like there is a signing of anywhere near that quality to replace them.
I'm not sure what the club has planned but I'm very uncomfortable at this stage at our skinniness in this key position - assuming there is no name player on the horizon, I think we should be looking for an established player who we can rely on just to hold an end up. Maybe a player like Jono Wright, who is by no means a world-beater but if your promising juniors are struggling to adapt to NRL he'll hold up an end for you.
I have very, very high hopes for Nathan Davis as a longer-term prospect but we're playing with fire if we don't add at least one more player with centre experience to our roster IMO.
Replies
Izzy Folau may be coming?
I've thought about this also and we are not exactly flush with experienced wingers either. That's not such a problem if the centres are experienced.
Falonk won't be an option till after the Yawnion world cup Punk, you are right one eyed we look skinny for depth hopefully Davis,Toutai and Goodall put up their hands.
I'm not so sure Al. You wouldn't think so maybe we need a young centre for 12 months?
Jono Wright is not the solution, even a stop gap one. With our salary cap problems we need to be extremely astute with any signings. We do not need anymore Justin Hunt's or the likes of Jono Wright on the pay roll. Im my opinion BA jumped the gun resigning Vai Toutai. Never going to be a reliable winger, BA may have plans to make him a centre but that would seem a enormous hill to climb for Vai. Surly we have a young guy with a full offseason who could be better than the above mentioned names. Just my personal opinions.
Davis may need another year in the 20s to fill out, but has all the skills to make the NRL no doubts. J Folau also has what it takes, so I think there is no need to look for an established player a.t.m, unless a player like Izzy came along.
Both Goodall & Davis are exceptional talents, big, elusive, good hands & passing game, also good vision. Davis also has huge boot, similar to Hayne, & also good goal kicker.
Saw last weeks NYC game where Davis came on as a replacement at a critical point in the match. The opposition seemed to be getting on top & his presence immediately lifted the team out of a slump & imo because of him won the match. To me he has that X factor with an incisive runing & passing game to get the backs moving & scoring trys.
As you know Tautai is a centre.
He may have been playing wing in NRL for experience and will be able to fill either Wing or Centre next year in the NRL.
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