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Zac Lomax

muzby

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,712
Y’all forgotten about little old me?
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blacksafake

blacksafake

First Grade
Messages
8,991
redv13 said:
Yeah I thought I’d leave a few out. I liked both the Stanley boys. I also left Thompson and Prior off the list as well as both were great team players and neither deserved to be tarred with the same brush as some of the other stooges that I named
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Fair call.
 
George Sancti

George Sancti

Juniors
Messages
279
RedV Resurgence said:
I'd like to see Aitken at lock in a Victa Bradley type of role.

He has speed and is tough enough, defence in the centre will easier. All he needs is to develop a step/change of direction and he would be an ideal lock.
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I agree, Aitken actually plays more like a back rower out wide than a traditional centre. A centre needs to be able to position his winger and read the opposing side’s attack to make the right defensive judgments.

In attack Aitken tucks the ball under his arm and runs as hard and as fast as he can. In defence, he only sees the player in front of him, hence his propensity to run out of the line to make a tackle. If he was to bulk up a bit, he might prove to be a decent lock forward or second row in the mould of Ken Maddison, who also started as a centre.
 
Forbes Creek Dragons

Forbes Creek Dragons

First Grade
Messages
5,078
George Sancti said:
I agree, Aitken actually plays more like a back rower out wide than a traditional centre. A centre needs to be able to position his winger and read the opposing side’s attack to make the right defensive judgments.

In attack Aitken tucks the ball under his arm and runs as hard and as fast as he can. In defence, he only sees the player in front of him, hence his propensity to run out of the line to make a tackle. If he was to bulk up a bit, he might prove to be a decent lock forward or second row in the mould of Ken Maddison, who also started as a centre.
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Only problem with Aitken at lock is the same problem he has at centre. He can’t pass. If he learned to pass all his problems would dissolve. I have always rated him. He’s a hardworking, loyal and powerful player. If he added a pass him I’d be more than happy if we extended him but without it he’s too predictable.
 
George Sancti

George Sancti

Juniors
Messages
279
Forbes Creek Dragons said:
Only problem with Aitken at lock is the same problem he has at centre. He can’t pass. If he learned to pass all his problems would dissolve. I have always rated him. He’s a hardworking, loyal and powerful player. If he added a pass him I’d be more than happy if we extended him but without it he’s too predictable.
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You make a good point Forbes. However, a running backrower can generally get buy with limited ball distribution skills, but I think a passing game is just about mandatory for a centre.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,591
George Sancti said:
You make a good point Forbes. However, a running backrower can generally get buy with limited ball distribution skills, but I think a passing game is just about mandatory for a centre.
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Reading the defence is also an important skill for players of both positions.
 
Old Timer

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,945
gitano said:
Disagree.
Defensive lines can just flood him with numbers and he's pretty easily handled. Without much footwork or an offload, I think the game is moving past him.
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I don't often agree with you but on this score I think you are correct.
Frizz is a hard nut and that's about it.

Even at rep level he brings little more than what we see at club level.

I think he was a middle that just got left on the edge and in the end he became a neither nor player.

In a better system I think he would have developed better skills and provided more but even that would be somewhat limited IMO due to his body shape.

Not looking for an argument with you but I also believe that is a major part of Aitken's issues playing centre.

He & Frizz's body shape is like a block (cube) of granite with little flexibility to enable them to rotate their upper body independently to get the correct alignment required to pass or offload.

Especially true IMO if their lower body (hips down) has a defender hanging onto it.

Both terrifically energetic and powerful but playing inside or outside them looking for the ball is a nightmare.
 
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