DA's reason for Robson over KK?

[MasterYoda]

Over rated, k keating is. Yes, hmmm.

 

[Craig Johnston]

robson out asap

 

[B-Tron 3000]

I've got news for you guys...

Halfbacks do have to make all those tackles these days. It's not the 80s here, halfbacks can't sit back behind the line and play cover defence. Ever since Brian Smith started running all his forwards at the Johns boys about 15 years ago halfbacks have had to increasingly deal with a lot of traffic.

And halfbacks have to defend between the centres and forward pack most of the time, which means that they will have those wide-running backrowers coming at them all the time. Robson let himself down at the start of the GF in this regard, but certainly not last night.

And Robson let no-one down last night in attack, looked better than KK if you ask me. KK is still unproven as an organiser and did nothing last night to show that he is a better option.

Don't get me wrong, I like KK, but anyone that thinks they can build an argument for him to be first choice halfback based on anything that he has done in first grade NRL is kidding themselves.

 

[Ike E Bear]

Robson put two ordinary kicks in, including one into the back of a defender. KK put one into the back of a defender too. Robson made a break that ultimately ended in our first try. Keating made some good on-line tackles late in the game and maybe even saved a try, but Robson dead-set saved at least two early on. I'd say Robson definitely had the better game and even looked decent in hooker too.

 

[lingard]

Lost alot of direction around the ruck. Kris keating is not a hooker.

I thought Robson went to hooker and Keating to half.

 

[andrew057]

What a load of crap. Keating got no ball and was essentially moved to 5/8. When Robson went to hooker, he went to Mortimers side nearly 90% of the time, which resulted in a few bad options.

Keating let no one down in defence and if given some time with the ball he'll show hes light years ahead of anything Robson gives in attack.

 

[Dymock]

Either which way, this isn't a perfect situation. Three into two will not do. We can't have Kris Keating, Mortimer and Robson sharing time at half and 5/8 and consider ourselves premiership material. Pick a half and a 5/8 and let them play there for the whole 80 minutes. Give them the benefit of continuity.

We need a reserve hooker or we need to tell M Keating to play there for 80 minutes.

I actually kind of think that Robson wouldn't be a bad backrower. He's strong enough and his defence is worth 12 points every game. Put Robson to lock? Feleti to 2nd row? Or do we have too many cooks? We now need another gun forward after losing Shackleton for the year.

 

[Dymock]

Either which way, this isn't a perfect situation. Three into two will not do. We can't have Kris Keating, Mortimer and Robson sharing time at half and 5/8 and consider ourselves premiership material. Pick a half and a 5/8 and let them play there for the whole 80 minutes. Give them the benefit of continuity.

We need a reserve hooker or we need to tell M Keating to play there for 80 minutes.

I actually kind of think that Robson wouldn't be a bad backrower. He's strong enough and his defence is worth 12 points every game. Put Robson to lock? Feleti to 2nd row? Or do we have too many cooks? We now need another gun forward after losing Shackleton for the year.

 

[Dymock]

Apologies for the double post.

 

[Delboy]

To be honest I don't want a 7 whose main attribute is tackling, makes no sense and while we have Hayne, Mortz etc it makes the side too one dimensional.

KK didn't lt anyone down in defence last night, and actually got some ordinary ball when kicking.

Again my bias would be to give him an extended run at 7 or 6, and Robson as second hooker, Robson is one pace too slow for me and with MK similar at 9, it makes us predictable. There you go Keating at 7, Robson at 14, I don't think I will change even allowing for Robsons try saving tackle in the first half.

 

[Dymock]

I agree with that. I think at some point in the future we might have to bite the bullet over Matt Keating at hooker. We'll see what happens this year. But atm he's not in the same class as PJ Marsh, Riddell or even Kingston.

 

[Delboy]

The club tried a lot of things to retain Kingston, but couldn't work him in with the nbonus issues. I am told by my contacts that Robson was signed after some debate on not much more than the minimum, only after it became impossible to retain Kingston.

Anyway, we have what we have and we can't afford MK and Robo in the one line up at times

 

[lucablight]

I could be wrong but I seem to recall the Eels re-signing Matt Keating early on in 2009 before Kingston had played a game of first grade. I wonder if things would be different if Matt Keating hadn't been re-signed so early.

 

[mickdo]

I reckon KK -> 7 and JR -> 14

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I actually dont mind the idea of Robson in the second row. Not at lock, but on the right side of the field. Not as a long term prospect but as a stop gap measure. Skillful, has the defencive grit and some speed. Wouldnt ever put him there as part of a game plan, but if we lost a back rower mid match, id consider it if the game was free flowing.

 

[Schiltzenberger]

I've got news for you guys...

Halfbacks do have to make all those tackles these days. It's not the 80s here, halfbacks can't sit back behind the line and play cover defence. Ever since Brian Smith started running all his forwards at the Johns boys about 15 years ago halfbacks have had to increasingly deal with a lot of traffic.

And halfbacks have to defend between the centres and forward pack most of the time, which means that they will have those wide-running backrowers coming at them all the time. Robson let himself down at the start of the GF in this regard, but certainly not last night.

And Robson let no-one down last night in attack, looked better than KK if you ask me. KK is still unproven as an organiser and did nothing last night to show that he is a better option.

Don't get me wrong, I like KK, but anyone that thinks they can build an argument for him to be first choice halfback based on anything that he has done in first grade NRL is kidding themselves.

KK was never going to look better last night, he has just missed half a season and it was his 1st game back. Robson was coming off a full season with the team and was part of the big run to the GF. Although, KK didn't look too great in his limited minutes, he still wasn't far behind Robson.

No one is saying we need to hide the halfback either, we know halves still need to tackle. It's just that KK isn't that bad a defender that we need to leave him out for a specialist defensive player, to the detriment of our attack. KK may not be as good a defender as Robson but he is certainly capable of defending in 1st grade.

Also, based on just a handful of games KK is far better than Robson in attack. So I think you're kidding yourself if you'd prefer Robson over KK because he defends better, even though we look aimless in attack.

We relied on 2nd phase play last year because Robson isn't creative and can't lead the team around the park. When that doesn't work, like last night, the halves need to step up and take control, Robson goes missing.

Having said that, I'd pick Robson over MK for hooker anyday of the week.

 

[hindy111]

Its make or break for MAtt keating this year...
For me he has done nothing to be highly impressed.He is solid and thats all.He shows parts of his game that i like but than it goes away for too long.He rarely runs from dummy half.And lacks any creativity.BUT he has a good kick on him and when he does run from dummy half he looks good.Deff needs to step it up

 

[lingard]

Well, Matt Keating is solid, but he`s slow. Robson is solid, but he`s slow. I really don`t see that having two slow hookers is a good idea. That`s why I can see no value in Robson as 14. However, having one solid hooker and one dynamic hooker (like we did last year) works a treat. That`s why I was surprised that Kris Keating didn`t go straight to hooker when he came on. I think now that Shackleton is gone, I`d have K.Keating at 14, bring him on sooner (into the hooker role) and move Matt Keating into the second row. I dunno, I think it`s a no-brainer, but then, I`m not a first grade coach.

 

[NorthShoreEel]

I dont care who it is, as long as they stop kicking the ball down the middle of the field, and straight to the fullback.

I pray that this year, we have a plan for some sort of kicking game. (Remember the shocker that Hayne kicked in the 1st semi against St George?) We need a reliable kicker, and not just expect that we can get away without one. Some of our last play options last year were horrific - and ended up creating more pressure than relief.

Watching the kick go down field (mainly when Robson kicked) straight into the arms of the fullback, in good field position, was cringe worthy of a first grade "kicker".

After watching Fridays game, I thought this post may require refreshing from the other day.

I dont think we had a kicking game? As for Matt Keatings kick at the end of the game??? Please explain??

 

[Maroubra Eel]

After watching Fridays game, I thought this post may require refreshing from the other day.

I dont think we had a kicking game? As for Matt Keatings kick at the end of the game??? Please explain??

I doubt anyone can explain that kick at the end of the game. They could have at least tried a bomb or something to try score.