I have a love-hate relationship with Ricky Stuart.
On one-hand I think he is the greatest tactician in Rugby League, on the other hand I think he is an arrogant dick he lets his ego get in the way of greater success.
He changed the game with his Roosters premiership winning side. The gang tackle changed Rugby League and there are few examples of coaches winning premierships but that is one of them.
The Sharks in 2008 or whatever, when they were contenders, I think I saw more genius set-plays in a season than I've ever seen from a team. Stuart really does have an amazing talent for re-thinking the game and innovating Rugby League.
But he previously hasn't show (and excuse the vague use of a business term here) to pivot. That is, to understand where your strategy is going wrong and change it up, to keep pace with the times. He has tended in the past to keep flogging a dead horse and after inital success his teams quickly fade away,
Tonight, he showed he just may be past that. He looked at his Origin One selections and pivoted. He realised he needed to score points against a team of exceptional defenders, where there really was no deadwood in defence, and understood that the only way to do that was to run Queesnland off their feet.
At face value, NSW's win could again change the shape of Rugby League.
I truly believe that Fuifui Moimoi has set the benchmarks for prop forwards in the NRL. Now Fui isn't he biggest prop in the competition but he is probably the fastest, most explosive and he is very mobile. Every week, he wipes the floor with larger players.
Paul Gallen did the same tonight. To me, it showed that the single greatest asset in Rugby League is pace. Everything else can be developed. Pace and power - you either have it or you don't.
Ricky Stuart's decision to go into tonight's game playing predominantly second rowers was lambasted by many. I had a spirited discussion during the day, when I argued that had been NSW's best strategy over the years. Steve Simpson was my example of a back rower, who was just so athletic that he made the perfect Origin prop. I think one of the Dragon's strengths has been the mobility of their forward pack and I think it's going to be a trend we see going forward in Rugby League.
What I think is constant is that the athleticism is Rugby League continues to step up every couple of years and it gradually wipes certain styles of players out of the game. The skinny fleet footed centre is gone, the five foot nine half is an endangered species and so on. We're seeing a continual darwinism effect towards elite athletes, with fast, powerful athletes taking over every position on the field.
My guess is that prop forward will be the next position to get re-invented. I think we'll see more second rowers move up to the front row. And if you aren't big, quick and mobile with a little bit of footwork you'll struggle to match it in the NRL.
Clearly, if you have more pace it enhances your ability to make metres, if you can put on a bit of footwork at the line you can go through the line rather than at it, and get a quick play the ball while you're at it. We're seeing fewer props have an impact by standing in the tackle and offloading and generally attempts to do so just slow down the attack.
I know when Tim Mannah was coming through the grades, I questioned whether he had the size to make it the NRL. At that stage, the League was getting very dominated by 190+cm front rowers who were crashing their way over the advantage line. But Mannah is a great example of where power + footwork overcomes size. He almost always breaks the advantage line with those two assets, where an aggressive defence can overcome size, as NSW showed tonight.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I think you can look at Justin Poore as an example of player who three years ago was the perfect physical speciman for a prop forward. Tall, big and quick he would more often than not break the advantage line - but the inconsistency he showed for us, demonstrated that you can combat that style of player if you have the muscle in defence to attack that kind of straight-up running.
We don't have a 'big' pack but we've more often than not, won the forward battle and I believe our forwards are very under-rated. The one game we get demolished was the Panthers game, where there big boys just rolled over the top of us. We didn't turn up in that game, and it showed that size over an under-commited defence will win out. However, if you can group together a team of very aggressive, mobile gunners it is the optimum forward formula.
Taulima Tautai has been mooted as a signing for us, and I hope if it happens it's as a prop. To me, he reflects the next-generation of prop forwards who have outside-back like pace, and who can step at the line and also have the leg-drive to carry them through the first tackle and over the advantage line, as well as setting up for that quick play the ball.
Anyway, awesome game of football tonight and I just happen to think it may be one that shapes the future of our game.
Replies
I dont think it Ricky's idea, its because NSW has failed for 5 years with big boppers and its not working
He went for speed with similar style of players and if you ask many people with a half a brain they also said it would work in wet conditions and run the big qlders ragged.
Anyway i agree with your blog and I think SBW was the first proto type to get the ball rolling with outside back speed with great footwork but also size and great hands.
If you had 9 SBW's in your team and a great 1/6/7/9 you would never lose. Take your pick
1 slater
6-Hayne
7-JT
9- smith
It's certainly easier said than done. Backrowers in today's game are obviously more athletic than most front rowers but it takes a pretty amazing athlete to have all the physical attributes to do what Gallen and co did tonight.
However, the one thing Parra breeds is second rowers. We churn out an absolute churn of big, fast young kids and I think it would be a smart move tactically around basing our game on this kind of athletic, mobile front rower because that is where our junior strength in my opinion.
I agree about Parra having a plethora of second row talent. Particularly with Reni Matiua now contending for a spot.
However While i agree more and more front rowers will begin to look like second rowers, i think you need a big player to run right at the defence on the first hit up.
I don't think Mannah is a great example of a front rower with power and footwork. The majority of his play is real grunt work.
Still i do agree that is the obvious future for forwards.
Interesting blog and I agree to some extent.
The way the Blues played tonight worked well. Quick attacking forwards, quick play the balls, running angles, change of direction, good line speed and numbers in tackles. The smaller, faster Blues pack dominated the larger Maroons pack tonight. In saying this, could a smaller faster pack stand up to consecutive weeks at NRL level coming up against bigger packs week in week out.
I think for this game plan to work there are a number of ingredients required.
I don't think we're seeing anything too new. Our own Mick Vella transitioned from outside centre to prop and represented Australia. Prior to that, and I speak merely on account of record, Norm Provan was a rangy second rower come prop who had the silky skills of a halfback. Shit, even Paul Stringer played his entire junior career at 7 yet proved to be as good a prop as any until injury cruelled his career.
Personally, I rate Matt Scott as the best prop in the game at present, and Dave Shillington not too far behind. Neither have speed or footwork yet make it over the ad-line more often than not and have the ability to offload. In my book, if your props are small, yet quick and nimble, they have a place in the modern game. Also, if your props have a low centre of gravity, like Scott, Mannah and O'Meley, they too are effective.
Whilst I applaud the performance of Paul Gallen this evening, I think we're crossing a bridge too far to suggest that his efforts redefine front row play in Rugby League.
I'm interested in your response Phil.
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