We witnessed the return of Brad Fittler and Steve Menzies. Both men played admirably with Fittler even managing an intercept try that looked like it damn near killed him.
Fittler read the play quite well and I'm pretty sure that had Johns not been sidelined due to his neck injury we may have seen him out there for Newcastle.
But it got me thinking. Which other retired players would've killed it in the Nines? I'm thinking realistically in terms of retired players in the last decade.
We all know about Hindy's workload and how fit he was. His relentless chases would help prevent bonus point tries. But I think the real star would've been Luke Burt.
Burt had a wonderful football brain with the ability to read the play like a halfback. He was also incredibly quick. In the Nines you could play him as a halfback, fullback and winger.
Sure he's a little small but if a 42 year old Fittler can get out there it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Add to that the Warriors who fielded both Sam Tomkins and Shaun Johnson who aren't exactly big. Ben Barba also played.
There is room for the small men in the Nines and I believe Burt's speed around the ruck as well as his ability to read the play would've been invaluable to the team.
So which other players who have retired in the past decade would you think could cut it in the Nines?
Replies
Luke Burt, Hindy, Langer,
Lockyer would be very good for the Broncos. His kicking game as well as ability to read the game would mean the Broncos would be one of the most rounded teams in the comp.
I'd be keen to see the best players we can put on the park. With respect to former players they've had their day.
Having said that I sensed that not many clubs thought too hard about the 9's tournament. I reckon it should be a special project for one of our assistant Coaches next year with a squad hand-picked specifically for 9's.
Initially in rugby 7's you had current Wallabies, All-Blacks etc playing. But as the 7's developed and became more specialised players were selected specifically for 7's and nothing else. I can see the same happening here. Maybe we won't have any NRL players or maybe only one or two playing in the Nines. It wouldn't bother me as long as it was the best 9's side we could come up with.
Cowboys said they spent a couple of sessions on it but had no real game plan. I wasn't exactly suggesting that Burt should come out of retirement. I was speculating that the Nines would've suited him if the competition had have been around when he was playing.
Hasler vs Toovey, RS i want to see him get smashed, Locky could go a round of 9s, Preston Cambell would kill it in 9s, Matt Rodgers, Brett Kimmorlly
x2
100% It was a mockery of the already maligned tournament. If the retired players want to run around they should have a further shortened game of 7's and play 7 minute halves, no one would watch but it would get them running around.
lol ron
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