Best second rower in the game...

[Changa]

If league was evolved over time from union, Ive always thought backrowers in league have advanced furthest from their union counterparts. Just looking at this thread, and the descriptions of NRL backrowers, they are worlds apart from union's equals in terms of skill and importance in their respective codes. And for mine you cant go past Creagh atm...He's been in great from since 07' as someone mentioned.

 

[Rodent]

Luke O'Donnell is a very good 2nd rower but I lost some regard for him when Creagh laid on a try for him in SOO 1 and he was stopped by Slater and lost the ball. That was extremely soft.

 

[Godz Illa]

O'Donnell was also the player who stood idle when Folau put that grubber in Origin 1, letting Thurston run right by him to score...

 

[Mr Saab]

Todd Lawrie is a goer. unlucky not to make the 40 man origin squad.

 

[Johns Magic]

Todd Lawrie is a goer. unlucky not to make the 40 man origin squad.

Lowrie wouldn't make a 40 man origin backrow squad

 

[Raider_69]

O'Donnell was also the player who stood idle when Folau put that grubber in Origin 1, letting Thurston run right by him to score...

Very surprised he kept his spot after that. It was absolutely pathetic. With even a hint of urgency, he stops that try.

 

[Phillips]

O'Donnell was also the player who stood idle when Folau put that grubber in Origin 1, letting Thurston run right by him to score...

luke bailey's effort was just as pathetic

 

[God-King Dean]

lol I wouldn't worry about what Patsy said. He reckons Cooper played sh*t in Origin last year.

 

[RainMan]

Luke O'Donnell for both strong running and tackling game. Closely followed by Nathan Hindmarsh.

Hindmarsh couldn't break through a wet paper bag these days. Tackling machine but the tackle busting abilities are long gone.

 

[lifesgood]

On form alone, it's pretty hard to go past Creagh. I still think Hindmarsh and Ryan are the best second-rowers in the NRL.

NSW would be best served with a Hindmarsh/Creagh or Ryan/Creagh combination at the moment.

Spot On!!

Hindmarsh or Ryan need to be there if they want to win origin

 

[Redback71]

HINDMARSH no one else comes close.

 

[Godz Illa]

Hindmarsh should switch to prop if he wants to play rep football again. He performs that role nowadays anyway, but suffers in comparison to players like Creagh etc. Put the number 10 on his back and compare him to Bailey, Kite, White. He'd kill them

 

[simmo1]

Hindmarsh should switch to prop if he wants to play rep football again. He performs that role nowadays anyway, but suffers in comparison to players like Creagh etc. Put the number 10 on his back and compare him to Bailey, Kite, White. He'd kill them

Yes, because 5 hit-ups a game is what you really want out of a prop. :roll:

Apart from his good clean-up work, Hindmarsh is nothing special. Every team has a workhorse making 40+ tackles a game, its not that big a deal.

 

[Godz Illa]

It's usually more than that, between 10-12 on average I'd say. At prop he'd get even more and as part of a rotation his quality would improve. Parra should be exploring it imo

 

[God-King Dean]

I like Hindmarsh, but f**k he's over-rated.

 

[Mr Saab]

Lowrie wouldn't make a 40 man origin backrow squad

Thats a bit harsh. His 6 hitups for 20 yards is unmatched in the NRL

 

[simmo1]

Thats a bit harsh. His 6 hitups for 20 yards is unmatched in the NRL

Talking about Lowrie or Hindmarsh?

 

[aussies1st]

Creagh is the best of the lot right bow but TLL with a full season could get close.

 

[dragonfire]

In terms of a running second rower who can get an offload away at the moment no-one is close to him.

If you want a second rower with starch who will take hitups up the guts all day you'd take a Paul Gallen or a Luke O'Donnell.

Watch some Dragons games from last year, Creagh was playing like a prop at times. On the edges he is devastating and has a great ability to get his right arm free for offloads. In defense he is a hard hitter with great technique

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Creagh is playing very well but tbh he doesn't do much for me

He doesn't have that aura of unstoppability (lol surely that's not a word?) that, say, Ali Lauiti'iti or SBW (to name my 2 favourite second-rowers of all-time, in fairness) had when they really had their minds on the job. When I think of a wide-running second-rower I think of guys like that, who could treat opposing defenders like rag dolls and outsprint wingers.

I think Creagh is a much more consistent and switched-on player, but not as much of a talent.

I even think he pales into comparison to Gallen and Watmough in terms of pure ball-carrying talent- these guys (shortish and chunky) are less impressive specimens physically, but have massive ball-carrying talent- both are incredibly fast (people don't seem to realise that Gallen is one of the fastest forwards in the comp over 40m) and Gallen in particular is uncannily strong- one of the hardest guys in the comp to tackle imo.

I'm not saying Creagh can't overcome these "limitations" with superior consistency and discipline, just that he has a ceiling imo, because his talent level is only above average as opposed to outstanding.