Mario chalmers
Juniors
- Messages
- 581
This is not being spoken about anywhere near enough IMO.
Yesterday I was watching a replay of the final rd game from the point Benji went off.
At that point we saw
FB Nofoaluma
WG Talau & Kepoa
CR Chee Kam & Lawrence
5/8 Doueihi
1/2 Brooks
Nofa is our best attacking player. He breaks tackles every game. In the 60 odd minutes he played at FB he supported ball players and pushed up behind the ruck at all times. He was a constant threat. I have no idea whether he'd trained in the position previously but he seemed comfortable enough for it be given further thought? I wonder if we'd have won the game would the narrative be different?
Posters generally seem to favour Mbye at FB in '21 but I would love to know how many dropped bombs he's had in that position over the past 2 seasons. I think it would be 10+ and that includes high balls that he inexplicably has let bounce. We lost so many games last season to handling errors in the back 3 so surely we need to get it right in 2021.
Some other observations from the game which should carry over to next year
- in the final 10 mins we had a middle 3 of Twal, Mikaele and Eiso. All very slow lateral movers. Mikaele was carrying a knee and couldnt get back the 10. Parra dominated through the middle through this period scoring two tries
- Vossy in commentary slams the Tigers for conceeding at least 26 points in 10 straight games. It's a really poor statistic but I don't think it is easily rectified because the core of the side who were out there v Parra will go around again in '21. The exceptions to this are ET, Harry Grant & Eiso. We're going to have to find points from somewhere because there is no easy solution to bad D through replacements. Others will say its attitude I know?
- Garner has to play outside Brooks. Garner moves to the left for the final 5 mins and makes a break which should have led to a try that won the game. Garner has made so many line breaks outside Brooks its like their combination is telepathic and I would argue that they should be together every week. I can accept the view that Luciano plays very well and is also a left side player however I would entertain moving him. LL will steamroll a half back defending on an edge or get an offload but he is not a line runner. Big edge players like this were popular before the 6 again rule came in but these days sides will get more value out of a hard line runner IMO. Whether that leaves LL in a lock rotation or 2RW rotation on the bench I am not sure.
- Talau and Blore are the future on the right edge. There is one set in the dying minutes where they take back to back 15m carries;
- Doueihi will only get better at 5/8. He passes brilliantly. Look forward to seeing how he goes next year.
If you have time watch the last 60 mins of the final round and you will see what I am saying with Nofa.
Yesterday I was watching a replay of the final rd game from the point Benji went off.
At that point we saw
FB Nofoaluma
WG Talau & Kepoa
CR Chee Kam & Lawrence
5/8 Doueihi
1/2 Brooks
Nofa is our best attacking player. He breaks tackles every game. In the 60 odd minutes he played at FB he supported ball players and pushed up behind the ruck at all times. He was a constant threat. I have no idea whether he'd trained in the position previously but he seemed comfortable enough for it be given further thought? I wonder if we'd have won the game would the narrative be different?
Posters generally seem to favour Mbye at FB in '21 but I would love to know how many dropped bombs he's had in that position over the past 2 seasons. I think it would be 10+ and that includes high balls that he inexplicably has let bounce. We lost so many games last season to handling errors in the back 3 so surely we need to get it right in 2021.
Some other observations from the game which should carry over to next year
- in the final 10 mins we had a middle 3 of Twal, Mikaele and Eiso. All very slow lateral movers. Mikaele was carrying a knee and couldnt get back the 10. Parra dominated through the middle through this period scoring two tries
- Vossy in commentary slams the Tigers for conceeding at least 26 points in 10 straight games. It's a really poor statistic but I don't think it is easily rectified because the core of the side who were out there v Parra will go around again in '21. The exceptions to this are ET, Harry Grant & Eiso. We're going to have to find points from somewhere because there is no easy solution to bad D through replacements. Others will say its attitude I know?
- Garner has to play outside Brooks. Garner moves to the left for the final 5 mins and makes a break which should have led to a try that won the game. Garner has made so many line breaks outside Brooks its like their combination is telepathic and I would argue that they should be together every week. I can accept the view that Luciano plays very well and is also a left side player however I would entertain moving him. LL will steamroll a half back defending on an edge or get an offload but he is not a line runner. Big edge players like this were popular before the 6 again rule came in but these days sides will get more value out of a hard line runner IMO. Whether that leaves LL in a lock rotation or 2RW rotation on the bench I am not sure.
- Talau and Blore are the future on the right edge. There is one set in the dying minutes where they take back to back 15m carries;
- Doueihi will only get better at 5/8. He passes brilliantly. Look forward to seeing how he goes next year.
If you have time watch the last 60 mins of the final round and you will see what I am saying with Nofa.
