Rumoured and Confirmed signings - Part 4

[Smug Panther]

We signed him as a half. Got moved to the wing because the side was stacked

Which tells me he won't improve much at all with his ballplaying

 

[franklin2323]

Which tells me he won't improve much at all with his ballplaying

Hard to tell. Actual halves take time to develop a FB would be no different. Needs to stop getting injured though so he can improve

 

[The_Frog]

Edwards defensive positioning and organisation of defence is a big asset even if he is limited in attack.

In these areas he's the equal of any fullback in the game. He's also outstanding at supporting a line break and up with the best in security under the high ball. He's had his issues with the low ball though, and he isn't in the class of Tedesco and others as far as ability to run the ball in traffic, and he's not as fast as Papenhuyzen. So we need someone else to do these things.

 

[Original Name]

Crichton and Luai will be effective no matter what back rower is playing on the left. If Kikau is in the middle then he is drawing defenders in to the middle and creating space on the edges.

It's much, much easier to slide if the defence is consolidated than it is if one edge defenders comes in bites. To put it simply there's no time to prevent a line break the vast majority of the time on an edge when a centre/wing bites when they should hold and slide. The middle defenders gang up on Taumalolo more than any other and there's not plenty of space for the Cowboys on the edges. I'm not saying there will be no benefits but purely as a decoy and a strike weapon he'll be greatly diminished and that'll effect the players on that edge.

Just look at how many walk over tries Crichton scored. A centre shouldn't be untouched that many times but he was because of opposition centres and wingers doing homework on Penrith and watching videos of Kikau steamrolling players all week come in on him when he gets alone with a halfback. Even that try where Crichton set up for Cleary in the opening final against the Roosters. Romey's slight of hand was what all the commentators were praising but you can see the second rower come in on Kikau when he doesn't need to so he's not there to tackle Crichton. If that play was in the middle it wouldn't matter because there's enough players in the middle compared to an edge to cover for it.

 

[betcats]

It's much, much easier to slide if the defence is consolidated than it is if one edge defenders comes in bites. To put it simply there's no time to prevent a line break the vast majority of the time on an edge when a centre/wing bites when they should hold and slide. The middle defenders gang up on Taumalolo more than any other and there's not plenty of space for the Cowboys on the edges. I'm not saying there will be no benefits but purely as a decoy and a strike weapon he'll be greatly diminished and that'll effect the players on that edge.

Just look at how many walk over tries Crichton scored. A centre shouldn't be untouched that many times but he was because of opposition centres and wingers doing homework on Penrith and watching videos of Kikau steamrolling players all week come in on him when he gets alone with a halfback. Even that try where Crichton set up for Cleary in the opening final against the Roosters. Romey's slight of hand was what all the commentators were praising but you can see the second rower come in on Kikau when he doesn't need to so he's not there to tackle Crichton. If that play was in the middle it wouldn't matter because there's enough players in the middle compared to an edge to cover for it.

I get the concept mate I just think you are thinking about the game very one dimensionally. Kikau will get defenders sagging towards him no matter where he plays.

Look at the south’s game where kikau was out or even the bulldogs game, These were some of Luai’s best games mate. He carved them up with out Kikau there at all, Capewell running good lines combined with Luais ball playing was awesome to watch. Luai and Crichton are absolute guns they will not struggle without Kikau. Having them dependent on kikau to create space for them is not a good way to develop them in any case. Having our whole left side attack depending kikau running decoys is also not good for us long term.

 

[betcats]

When coaches talk about footy games how often do you hear them talk about “winning the battle on the edges” ? Never. Yet they talk about winning the middle every week, every coach does that. Because winning the middle is how you win footy games, steam rolling a side through the middle opens up space on the edges like nothing else, a retreating, sagging defensive line is easy to exploit.

We have one of the biggest and most powerful forwards and people are against playing him on the middle, it just seems crazy to me. The benefits of him being dominant in the middle are far greater than the benefits of him being dominant on the edge, if he can pull it off.

Just move him fir stints during games, keep teams guessing where he is playing and see how he goes. I am sure the left edge attack will get on fine either way.

 

[Luke Bowden]

For mine, Kikau wouldn’t be anywhere near as effective in the middle. He beats players with a combination of his size and athletic ability. He runs very upright. This wouldn’t work in the middle as well, he’d be cut in half.

You want Hard running cannon balls in the middle that are able to get to their feet fast. Meters and fast play the balls is how you win the middle.

I think you’d be taking one of the best edge players and turning him into an average middle.

 

[Smug Panther]

For mine, Kikau wouldn’t be anywhere near as effective in the middle. He beats players with a combination of his size and athletic ability. He runs very upright. This wouldn’t work in the middle as well, he’d be cut in half.

You want Hard running cannon balls in the middle that are able to get to their feet fast. Meters and fast play the balls is how you win the middle.

I think you’d be taking one of the best edge players and turning him into an average middle.

With Capewell and Martin being rep quality guns it should be looked at for small periods during the game. No harm in seeing what he can do in the middle

 

[betcats]

For mine, Kikau wouldn’t be anywhere near as effective in the middle. He beats players with a combination of his size and athletic ability. He runs very upright. This wouldn’t work in the middle as well, he’d be cut in half.

You want Hard running cannon balls in the middle that are able to get to their feet fast. Meters and fast play the balls is how you win the middle.

I think you’d be taking one of the best edge players and turning him into an average middle.

Well its possible, personally I think he would be a beast on both sides of the ball ive seen him run over middle forwards before amd ive seen him smash them in one v one tackles, its very hard for me to imagine kikau being average, there are plenty of dominant middle forwards who have been tall. We wont know unless it is tried which may never happen.

 

[franklin2323]

The more minutes we get from Capewell. The better we will be as a team.

 

[betcats]

The more minutes we get from Capewell. The better we will be as a team.

Yep he is a gun, much better player than i thought when we signed him. I actually think if we were to move Martin to the middle and start Capewell it could strengthen the backrow. Martin should be the better player long term but is he better right now? I am not sure, its pretty close either way.

 

[Luke Bowden]

The more minutes we get from Capewell. The better we will be as a team.

I agree, I think moving Martin into the middle to give Capewell more game time makes more sense.

 

[Tronald Crump]

I would move Martin to the middle in stints to get more minutes for Capewell.
Kikau is better on the edge, for now.
In the middle under Ivan I feel he would be used as a battering ram. Too much throw the ball to Kikau happened in 2019, to spark something . He was wasted last year.
He is the kind of forward that thrives on running at the smaller or rangy defender. Martin and Fish are the kind of forwards that thrive for collisions.
Give Kikau some space to move on the edge. Look out.
Keep him on the edge till he slows.

 

[betcats]

I would move Martin to the middle in stints to get more minutes for Capewell.
Kikau is better on the edge, for now.
In the middle under Ivan I feel he would be used as a battering ram. Too much throw the ball to Kikau happened in 2019, to spark something . He was wasted last year.
He is the kind of forward that thrives on running at the smaller or rangy defender. Martin and Fish are the kind of forwards that thrive for collisions.
Give Kikau some space to move on the edge. Look out.
Keep him on the edge till he slows.

He is battering ram, look at him he is absolutely built for it. And in previous years I might agree about him running at smaller guys etc but not now, after 2020 I think he really wants to get at the biggest guys on the field as much as possible, he was going after them all year long, I mean he picked up JWH and dropped him on his head with ease. Kikau has got fast feet and footwork, he could be a battering ram the same way Taumololo is a battering ram IMO.

 

[franklin2323]

Yep he is a gun, much better player than i thought when we signed him. I actually think if we were to move Martin to the middle and start Capewell it could strengthen the backrow. Martin should be the better player long term but is he better right now? I am not sure, its pretty close either way.

Martin will get really good but is a rookie. I thought he fell away as the year went on the inital plan before Capewell got injured was 30 odd minutes for Martin giving Kiks a stint then playing out the game on Capewell's side

Given the middle situation it does fix the situation while allowing a smaller bench if they want

 

[franklin2323]

I agree, I think moving Martin into the middle to give Capewell more game time makes more sense.

Burns apparently worked hard and looked pretty good before xmas. If he does improve then moving Martin or Yeo through the game as a middle makes sense

 

[WestyLife]

Kikau isn't an 80 minute player in my opinion. At least not effectively. A nice middle ground between the two sides in the discussion would be to start at second row on the left, sub off for Capewell late in the first half then come on in the middle some time in the second half with Capewell/Martin finishing as the second row. Would also give Capewell incentive to stay knowing he's a long minute second rower.

 

[maple_69]

Definitely think we could use him in more situations but wouldn’t want him in a ‘making pig metres’ role. Hit ups through the guts on the back of a quick play the ball and swinging around into right edge shifts are a few situations I’d be keen to see him get involved in. Even crash plays at the line around the posts could be effective.

 

[betcats]

Definitely think we could use him in more situations but wouldn’t want him in a ‘making pig metres’ role. Hit ups through the guts on the back of a quick play the ball and swinging around into right edge shifts are a few situations I’d be keen to see him get involved in. Even crash plays at the line around the posts could be effective.

Taking hitups on the back of a fast play the ball he would be a nightmare. He can step of both feet and palm with hands and offload both sides, I think he would create a lot of chances and momentum that way.

 

[goldcoastpanther]

Does anyone know if Adam Fearnley, Glenn McGrady, Maurice Trindall and Chase Chapman are still with the club?