Prince's one weakness - a case for Kerr.

[_A_J_Gray_]

So we are ten rounds into the season and one origin game too, and we all have a view on Scott Prince's ability by now.

For me I think he is a great buy and adds so much more for us in every department. However, I feel his long distance kicking game (anything from 40m out from his own line or less) is poor. This was not just last night, but every game.

He is great whenever hes around the half way line or in attacking positions cause he has a variety of short kicking games, bombs, and attacking kicks into the corner. However whenever he has a long kick to do, fails to give the Tigers or QLD what they need. His boot is not big enough when it comes down to it and does not have the poer to kick it over the fullback or wingers heads.

This is one reason I would definetly be looking at Kerr. He has a much bigger long distance kicking game on him, and thats only 1 great aspect of his game.

 

[Snide the Tiger]

It's not so much power - but technique which is lacking in his long kicking game!

He just doesn't consistently hit the sweet spot.

As for Kerr - he hasn't exactly set the world on fire in an inconsistent Magpies outfit - and one game in the top grade does not make a champion!

Just look to the likes of Ben Black for proof of this!!!

 

[_A_J_Gray_]

True however, I think he offers a lot more long distance kicking wise (even his short kicking game and his bombs were great). He has a stronger boot and I remember him clearing the fullback and wingers on many occasions, somthing Scott has not done at all many times this year.

 

[BJ]

prince's problem is with his trajectory.. most of his kicks get a lot of height.. and it's simple physics that shows that if a kick increases with height it's going to decrease with length..
if he lowered his long range kicks down a little bit.. 1they would go that bit further.. 2 they would have a bit more speed and force to them which means it would trouble the oppositions backs a bit more as they wont be getting it on the full..
it's just a small part of his game he needs to work on.. and it's only a technique problem which can be corrected

 

[SouthernTiger]

how many magpies games have you seen this year snide? Im going to take a guess and say 0. Every week in Yappy's match report he has been the best player and has been the players player four weeks running. Maybe not setting the world on fire but pretty impressive

No one is saying he is a champion but he deserves another shot after playing so well with such a little preparation. Imagine how he will go once he get some combinations going.

I still think Benji is a long way off being a first grade quality number 6 and I think a Kerr/Prince combo has a lot going for it


cheers

s. tiger

 

[Vicious]

No doubt Prince,Marshall and Kerr are all quality players.I wouldn`t complain whatever combination of the 3 started the game,but as every one is in agreeance that they should all be in the 17,the only way to fit them is if Mr Sheens picks 1 genuine hooker with the halve not starting filling in at hooker as well as being a back up halve.Kerr played at dummy half a fair bit last week and looked very comfortable.As for a long kicking game we should be playing Liam Fulton at lock permanently and moving Scotty Sattler in to the second-row as Liam has an exceptionally good long kicking game besides the rest of his obvious talent.PROBLEM SOLVED!

 

[Snide the Tiger]

Black had even less preparation for his debut and starred against Melbourne ST!! But from there on he sucked!!!!

Kerr is a talent - but lack of consistency saw the likes of Byrne - Head and the 2003-recruited Firman overtake him in the Dragons pecking order since his top grade debut in 2001!

As far as our depths in the halves go - Henderson is the captain of the top of the ladder Balmain team in PL and is playing quality no. 7 footy - but whether he is up to top grade football on a week-in week-out basis remains questionable!!

As for seeing Magpies games - I admit I have seen just two - and he has gone well in an under-performing outfit!! But so has Kenny McGuinness - and I don't want him back in 1st grade!

Meanwhile Benji is a genuine future superstar - and this crucial period of his development would be wasted back in PL!!!

 

[Snide the Tiger]

Vicious - I rate Fulton - but like two hookers - you can't afford two locks!!!

Sattler to the 2nd row would only further reduce our running fire-power in that area - and revert us back to the sort of cr*p that Nick Graham was producing when played out of position there!!!

 

[Tigerpete]

Some of this is harsh on Prince i feel, He was QLD's best last and that was due not only to his passing game but also his kicking game. When his kicking game struggled that was due to the forward pack not giving him the time to punt away, also when kicking deep inside your own half like he was when his kicks werent great the wingers were dropping back leaving Prince with little room to find space.

I actually thought his kicking game was great aside from the 10 mins at the start in which i mentioned what happened above. The same goes with the Tigers , he's played behind a pack which hasnt made great metres all season long, so really i dont think the accuracy of his kicking should be questioned.

 

[simon says]

His kicking game was far ffrom great.Several didnt go further than 30 metres.......

Anyway I dont wwant to put shit on Prince,he was bootiful to watch.

On the WTs,it wouldnt surprise me too see Benji do more of the kicking.I know we havent seen much of it,but he has a killer boot.I saw him get two 40/20s for Keebra Park on the telly game,and for the Tiger cubs he did the same in 40 minutes on the field.

Im convinced with Prince struggling inthis area that Bunji will come to the rescue.

Cheers.

 

[jirskyr]

Princey has a nice big boot, bigger than Kerr's. You could particularly notice it in touch-finders off penalties. Princey puts them a lot further than Kerr did last weekend.

Prince's only problem with kicking is height. He drop punts / stab kicks a lot which means the ball loops in the air. A lot of the time he gets it into space so this doesn't matter.

When he does kick poorly occasionally, its because he kicks his loopy kicks directly to the fullback, which negates distance.

He just needs some assistance from other kickers from time to time.

 

[B_Tiger]

it is all about go forward in my opinion. Getting a dominant kick down the ground usually requires plenty of space and qld and wests tigers give nothing. He doesn't have the longest rasnge but I'd say his kicking game was far from being a weakness.

 

[Tigerpete]

it is all about go forward in my opinion. Getting a dominant kick down the ground usually requires plenty of space and qld and wests tigers give nothing. He doesn't have the longest rasnge but I'd say his kicking game was far from being a weakness.

MY thoughts exactly!

 

[simon says]

It sounds that opinion really is divided on whether Prince ca kick or not.....Maybe its time for a poll. ;-)

 

[Anonymous]

Inside the 50 he's one of the best in the comp in my opinion. Less than 50 he can struggle a bit. It's true the QLD pack was almost going backwards last night.

 

[yappy]

interesting to see people wanting Kerr for his kicking. It's been the only area of his game that I've been disappointed with. I do however believe Prince is a 5/8 and Benji wouldn't be hurt at all playing a bit wider, so Kerr/Prince would look good to my eyes.

On his game last night there was little doubt that Prince was in Qld's best two or three, but as someone noted - boy didn't they look better when Smith was booting it downfield. He's a class act that boy.

Also on last night, am I the only one who thought Tate hogged it when he could easily have set Slater up to score much closer to the sticks?

 

[Anonymous]

Didn't think he being a hog, but he should have set slater up.

 

[SouthernTiger]

I agree with you yappy I dont think kicking is kerr's strongest point. But he kicked very well the other night.

Snide it wasnt consistency that saw Kerr drop down the pecking order but injuries. Dodgy hamstrings to be exact. And throw in the odd broken leg as well. Is the reason the Prince couldnt get a run for Brisbane because of consistency ... no injuries just like Kerr.

As for Benji learning on the run that is crap. Name one great 5/8th, in the last 20 years, that began his first grade career 5/8th as a 19yr old. I cant think of any. Even Lamb began as halfback, but he was just a freak

cheers

s. tiger

 

[B_Tiger]

interesting to see people wanting Kerr for his kicking. It's been the only area of his game that I've been disappointed with. I do however believe Prince is a 5/8 and Benji wouldn't be hurt at all playing a bit wider, so Kerr/Prince would look good to my eyes.

On his game last night there was little doubt that Prince was in Qld's best two or three, but as someone noted - boy didn't they look better when Smith was booting it downfield. He's a class act that boy.

I think Prince has developed into a top quality half and there is no way he should be moved. I just don't see why anyone is even questioning the Prince/benji combo. It has existed for one whole match and benji had a blinder. With Kerr, Benji didn't have the organization that prince provides and as such cracked a few times under the pressure because he was going for too much. however, Benji at 5/8 has changed this sides backline completely and Prince simply cannot be moved from half. With prince back, benji will make better decisions and will be more confident with an experienced player running the show. So Kerr had a solid fill in game but he isn't the quality of benji and prince and as such should be kept as a solid replacement for when one of them is out. I gotta say yappy, Prince is a f**king awesome halfback. He organises, runs at the line, has a top passing game and a good kick...what the f**k else are you looking for?


Cameron smiths kicking game was very good. But, it was good because he was able to create space by kicking from dummy half. Where as when prince got the ball he'd have opposing players right in front of him and he'd basically have to kick flat footed. I also don't even think prince had a poor kicking game. I thought it was very good last night. Kicking to a fullback or winger on the full doesn't neccesarily mean it was a poor kick, sometimes there just isn't space and I think that was definately the case. last night the qld forwards struggled to get forward and as such the wingers had no fear of a fifth tackle running option and were able to get in a good position to receive the ball. A bad kicker is someone who can't be relied on. Prince is a very consistant and accurate kicker. So everyone should start appreciating it.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

interesting to see people wanting Kerr for his kicking. It's been the only area of his game that I've been disappointed with. I do however believe Prince is a 5/8 and Benji wouldn't be hurt at all playing a bit wider, so Kerr/Prince would look good to my eyes.

On his game last night there was little doubt that Prince was in Qld's best two or three, but as someone noted - boy didn't they look better when Smith was booting it downfield. He's a class act that boy.

I think Prince has developed into a top quality half and there is no way he should be moved. I just don't see why anyone is even questioning the Prince/benji combo. It has existed for one whole match and benji had a blinder. With Kerr, Benji didn't have the organization that prince provides and as such cracked a few times under the pressure because he was going for too much. however, Benji at 5/8 has changed this sides backline completely and Prince simply cannot be moved from half. With prince back, benji will make better decisions and will be more confident with an experienced player running the show. So Kerr had a solid fill in game but he isn't the quality of benji and prince and as such should be kept as a solid replacement for when one of them is out. I gotta say yappy, Prince is a f***ing awesome halfback. He organises, runs at the line, has a top passing game and a good kick...what the f**k else are you looking for?


Cameron smiths kicking game was very good. But, it was good because he was able to create space by kicking from dummy half. Where as when prince got the ball he'd have opposing players right in front of him and he'd basically have to kick flat footed. I also don't even think prince had a poor kicking game. I thought it was very good last night. Kicking to a fullback or winger on the full doesn't neccesarily mean it was a poor kick, sometimes there just isn't space and I think that was definately the case. last night the qld forwards struggled to get forward and as such the wingers had no fear of a fifth tackle running option and were able to get in a good position to receive the ball. A bad kicker is someone who can't be relied on. Prince is a very consistant and accurate kicker. So everyone should start appreciating it.

Kudos to you.

Best post I have read in a while.

Agree 110%.