Rory Brien is a smokey wing option

Firstly, what I’m about to suggest is far from ideal and goes against a line I’ve held for the past year or so but I think it could solve one of our key issues and therefore makes a sensible short-term option. I think Rory Brien is a highly promising lock and is the type of player I see filling Nathan Hindmarsh’s shoes when the great man eventually hangs up his boots. However, right now I see our outside backs as being the side’s Achilles heel and a place where we’re going to have to consider some reconstructive surgery. I’m not going to write off anybody at this stage of the season, but none of the elder statesman in our backline have yet impressed enough to suggest they are going to lock down a spot in the Eel’s backline. Now, Hicks and Whatuira were both returning to the NRL and Walker has so far had limited opportunities but I think it’s fair to say there are still plenty of question marks about our backline. In the meantime, we have Rory Brien running around in NYC. A former winger and centre, who has made a great fist of his move into the lock-forward position. Brien, to me, is one of those players you can just rely on to get a job done and I think he could ably plug one of the holes in our backline. Unless one of the three previously mentioned players stands up, I’d be looking for him to come into the side on the wing. He has played enough wing for the position not to be foreign to him, and while he has yet to be tested at senior level, I think he is certainly potentially the best defensive option we have for that position. He is probably also the hardest-running option, so presents an attractive proposition in helping us to better work out of our own territory. As I said, I think it would be silly to write off the likes of Hicks, Whatuira and Walker after one game but if things don’t get better I’d have every confidence that Brien would be a first-class short-term solution.

I was actually going to start a blog on this yesterday, I think Brien is most definately an option to fill an outside back role, he is a tremendous defender and has a massive engine.

Plus let's not forget the kid was only moved into the forwards in NYC due to necessity, the NYC squad suffered so many injuries in the back row that Matt Cameron had no choice but to move Brien there to plug a gap. After he excelled there it was a no brainer to leave him there and prepare him for the position in first grade. Though before that he was just about the best player in the team as a centre. I watch a fair bit of the juniors and I know Loko got a lot of rap's last season because of his sheer ability, though Brien was by far the most consistenly effective player in NYC last season.

For mine though he is still a fair way off being big enough to cope with being an NRL backrower, as he gets older and matures he will evolve into the role i.e a Ben Smith or Luke Lewis, who he is in a similar vain to.

I'm with 1Eyed, I definetely wouldn't be rushing to sack Phats, Hicks or Walker, plus we still have Reddy and potentially Atkins and Filiga who could come into the team. However for mine it may come down to a similar scenario which we saw in the NYC last season. If we have so many old battlers playing for us this season who are only short term acquisitions and the team continues to struggle, then why not introduce young blood to get them exposed to the rigours of first grade. Just like how the vast majority of the SG ball squad was blooded into NYC a year early.

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Replies

Ricky March 22, 2011 at 1:44pm

It would be an interesting move, given that he has excelled at lock since he moved there about halfway through the 2010 NYC season, though it does make sense given what we have already seen from him.
JL March 22, 2011 at 1:51pm

sounds good - if worse came to worse we could always move Benny Smith back into the backline.

we have a lot of forwards getting the job done at the moment and with Matua due back we will have great depth.
Wild_Eels March 22, 2011 at 1:59pm

Not only that, Lasalo played his junior football at center, we can easily move him there too.
1Eyed Eel March 22, 2011 at 2:24pm

We're already short on pace. Lasalo has been in great form, but you can see in one of those Panther's tries when he's defending out wide - that he's nowhere near quick enough to defend against a slick outside back. Same goes for Benny.

I still don't know where Jordan Atkins is at? Anyone able to shed any light?
Hish March 22, 2011 at 2:36pm

I watched Rory play last week against the warriors and he had me glued to the tv. The kid was in 3-4 tackles every single set, and not just falling ontop he was literally first one in at speed almost every time. I'm not sure how quick he is but when your as enthusiastic as he is then that makes up for pace. Just take hindy for example. He might not be the fastest in the squad but somehow he always manages to get there when it counts. I want players putting their bodies on the line and we didn't really get that on friday night from our outside backs. I agree if things don't improve this week then he should be given a chance. No idea where Atkins is at. We could do with him on the wing also, he adds some size.
blueNgold March 22, 2011 at 4:49pm

I was actually going to start a blog on this yesterday, I think Brien is most definately an option to fill an outside back role, he is a tremendous defender and has a massive engine.

Plus let's not forget the kid was only moved into the forwards in NYC due to necessity, the NYC squad suffered so many injuries in the back row that Matt Cameron had no choice but to move Brien there to plug a gap. After he excelled there it was a no brainer to leave him there and prepare him for the position in first grade. Though before that he was just about the best player in the team as a centre. I watch a fair bit of the juniors and I know Loko got a lot of rap's last season because of his sheer ability, though Brien was by far the most consistenly effective player in NYC last season.

For mine though he is still a fair way off being big enough to cope with being an NRL backrower, as he gets older and matures he will evolve into the role i.e a Ben Smith or Luke Lewis, who he is in a similar vain to.

I'm with 1Eyed, I definetely wouldn't be rushing to sack Phats, Hicks or Walker, plus we still have Reddy and potentially Atkins and Filiga who could come into the team. However for mine it may come down to a similar scenario which we saw in the NYC last season. If we have so many old battlers playing for us this season who are only short term acquisitions and the team continues to struggle, then why not introduce young blood to get them exposed to the rigours of first grade. Just like how the vast majority of the SG ball squad was blooded into NYC a year early.
Vlozy March 22, 2011 at 4:49pm

Never seen him play and would be quite a test going up against the bunnies backline, BUT; if he's trying and making a difference; WHY NOT!
1Eyed Eel March 22, 2011 at 4:55pm

I like the Luke Lewis comparison. Of course, Lewis started his career on the wing.
blueNgold March 22, 2011 at 5:10pm

And played for NSW just quietly.
Ricky March 22, 2011 at 5:10pm

Rory Brien is a gun TME. Period.
He, along with Paddy O'Hanlon are the next Hindmarsh's.

His average in both tackles made, and metres run is phenomenal.
Just amazed the kid gets through as much work as he does week in and week out.

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