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Poupou Escobar

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85,127
I think Parra 47 is saying (and has said before) that there is a distinct difference between a half-back and a five-eight. And he's absolutely right about that.
Well that's obvious. One plays at first receiver while the other plays second receiver. The dispute was whether every team (or even every successful team) uses this structure in the modern game. The fact is that few teams play this way, and for good reason.
With Norman and Gutherson, Parramatta were playing with two five-eights. Now we have a half-back (Moses) and a five-eight (Norman). I think it's going to work well. Some teams operate with two half-backs, but we now have the more traditional model.
I mostly agree, however we actually have two players able to play both roles. This makes us extremely versatile and able to target the opposition's weaker side without losing the option to attack both. We do this by playing split halves.

Look at the Dragons game - we were able to heavily target Sims and McCrone without changing our shape. Norman got far more ball on the left (often from a midfield play the ball) than Moses did on the right. But both players like to get wider with some space. Middle forwards often catch-pass to either of them from first receiver.

They also share the kicking duties fairly evenly.

So yes there are more traditional halfback/five-eighth combinations in the NRL, e.g. Pearce/Keary, Sezer/Austin, Cronk/Munster, Green(halfback in jersey 6)/DCE(five-eighth in 7), we are not one of them. Though that might change as Moses settles into the team. It's worth noting that this more traditional shape is also used when one of the halves is makeshift (e.g. Gutherson).

But so far Moses/Norman (or Norman/Moses) have played in the modern split shape. If you think you've seen Moses at first receiver and Norman at second receiver it's because you have. But what you've not noticed (or blocked out from trauma) is Norman at first receiver and Moses at second receiver.
 

Bazal

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Messages
99,913
I think Parra 47 is saying (and has said before) that there is a distinct difference between a half-back and a five-eight. And he's absolutely right about that. With Norman and Gutherson, Parramatta were playing with two five-eights. Now we have a half-back (Moses) and a five-eight (Norman). I think it's going to work well. Some teams operate with two half-backs, but we now have the more traditional model.

RLW47 is an idiot. The bloke implied that I was one of the people saying that there was no difference. I played 6 for half my RL life and couldn't organise a root in a brothel. But he has such a high opinion of himself that anyone who disagrees with part of what he says (which, IIRC, was that every team needs an organiser and a runner and any other combination is doomed to failure) he thinks is challenging him and he flies off the handle.

The bloke's a potplant who thinks that what he reads in a magazine makes him a footy genius.

And if someone could copy/paste this into a post to rile him up that would be swell.
 
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emjaycee

Coach
Messages
13,050
Josh has an article about Nick Cotric's brother, who played Shield on the weekend.

https://au.sports.yahoo.com/league/...ic-brother-ilija-steps-up-for-mounties/#page1

He obviously has a healthy diet.

16195042_1408584709181429_1837396425483570786_n.jpg
I wonder what his other bicep looks like.
 

strider

Post Whore
Messages
78,631
Didn't this first surface over a year ago? And he was supposedly seeking compensation through the courts? What is new?
i don't think the NRL were looking into it last time were they? - despite it having all appearances of something that might turn out questionable .... someone must have said to them "maybe you should look into it"
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
74,100
A merkin on twitter crunched the numbers on penalty counts.

So what factors produce this result ? Coincidence? Teams play more disciplined against us that when they play others ? Referee mindset ? Eels on field captain ineffective in influencing decisions ?

image.jpeg
 

strider

Post Whore
Messages
78,631
We are also worst in difference between for and against

Cowboys +20
Rabbits +11
Tigers +10
Panthers +6
Raiders +6
Broncos +5
...
Roosters -5
Storm -10
Manly -15
Eels -17
 

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