Coote eyes full-time switch to halves

[abpanther]

Lachlan Coote eyes full-time halves switch

• <LI class="byline first " sizset="0" sizcache="67">by: Joe Barton <LI class="source " sizset="1" sizcache="67">From: AAP
• July 29, 2012 11:59AM

Lachlan Coote last night. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph




LACHLAN Coote says he is open to a permanent switch to the halves after helping mastermind Penrith's upset win over Cronulla on Saturday.


Coote, playing just the second NRL game at five-eighth of his career, came up with two tries and a crucial play in golden point when he pounced on a Matt Robinson charge down which led to Luke Walsh's match-winning field goal.

The looming suspension of regular five-eighth Travis Burns, and season-ending injuries to youngsters Blake Austin and Harry Seijka, has opened the door for Coote's switch.

And the Windsor Wolves junior says he is looking forward to finishing the year in the halves and learning more about the position in the off-season.
"If I keep performing and I keep liking the position then yes, I wouldn't mind staying there,'' Coote said.

"The hardest thing is getting used to the defence but I don't mind the contact and the collisions, so if they're happy then I don't mind it either.

"Obviously (coach) Ivan (Cleary) has talked to me and he's happy for me to stay there for the rest of the year.

"I'm going to see how I go all this year and then when pre-season comes hopefully I can train there a bit more and have a bit more time there.''
The 22-year-old hasn't played regularly in the halves since he was 16 years old, and played just one Toyota Cup match in 2008 in the No.6 jersey - his last game in the under 20s competition before graduating to first grade.

The Panthers have won both matches since Coote has started at five-eighth - their first back-to-back wins of the season - and Cleary was full of praise for his young star.

"For a guy who hasn't played there since he was a kid, he's doing a pretty good job. He should only get better,'' he said.

"He's a competitor. One of the things we thought might suit him at five-eighth is he ... really competes all the time.

''... He's making all the right moves to start (long-term).

"I think he's really added to the team actually the last few weeks. You'd like to think he'd only get better.''

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...me-halves-switch/story-e6frexnr-1226437861780

 

[age.s]

Sounds good. Massive test coming up from him against the Storm.

 

[Copperhead]

He's been great so far, but missed a lot of tackles. I fear what will happen when coaches start sending heavy traffic his way. It ruined Mortimer.

 

[maple_69]

His defence will improve with some more weight and preparation in the position. We could look at getting a bodyguard for him ala lockyer.

Anyway I think he's been great and has got the plaudits he deserves for bringing Jennings into the game and taking tye pressure off Walsh. For me his biggest impact has been on our long kicking game. It was better than I've seen it all year against Cronulla. At the game my sharkies mate was lambasting the sharkskicking game and it really made a difference. He hit space and turned the wingers around on numerous occassions. Going back a few months with Coote chipping in from fullback I think there was a lot of confusion as we ended up with a lot of dropped ball and the kicker being pressured on tye last.

Really keen to see how he kicks on.

 

[franklin2323]

You only need to see how better Jennings looks getting good service from Coote to see he should stay there. If you look at them side by side there's not much difference in size yet Kingston's leading the tackle count. A few steaks over the offseason. Manu to help defence next year Robinson/Newton can help in defence for now. We will be no worse off then we are now.

 

[age.s]

His defence will improve with some more weight and preparation in the position. We could look at getting a bodyguard for him ala lockyer.

He's defending outside Ciraldo at the moment which doesn't help. Put him next to Plum so if they want to run at him they know it's going to hurt.

 

[Doomednow]

About bloody time. I wonder if he took so long to play there because he thought he couldn't do it himself?

 

[murraymob]

19 missed tackes in 2 games .it needs to be addressed very fast

 

[Big Mick]

My concerns about his defense remain.

12 missed tackles or something on Saturday. Being at the game you could tell he wasn't comfortable totally in defense.

HOWEVER, that CAN be fixed with time. But he needs to defend outside Plum. Ciraldo, despite having probably his best game on Saturday, was flat-footed a number of times and hurt Coote with help defense.

 

[maple_69]

Ciraldo has his own defensive issues to worry about. Plum would both be more effective and more imposing.
I was overseas last round and had crap seats this weekend so for those who had a better view: is cootes issue positioning, reading of the defence, technique or size?

 

[chrisD]

We rushed up hard on the edges against the Sharks and I wonder how many of those missed tackles were him being stepped rushing out to put on pressure. I reckon there are worse defenders in the halves in the NRL (and in our team), hiding halves who are weak in defence in the line is just part of the game, he'll get better with more experience at it, don't know how much more bulk he can put on, didn't he put on nearly 10kg prior to this season?

 

[franklin2323]

I was overseas last round and had crap seats this weekend so for those who had a better view: is cootes issue positioning, reading of the defence, technique or size?

Technique. His not that smaller then Lockyer or half the hookers in the comp. Even at fb he missed plenty of tackles.

Next year our back row should be Smith, Brown & Manu all of them are great defenders and will help him a lot. Put the lock & the backrower there if you need to.

It's not going to cost us a premiership this year. It may win us one in coming seasons. We had to try something we still have Austin & Siejka to try if he fails

So it's worth the risk. Get him watching tapes of Lockyer etc. Show him where to stand etc. Get Freddie at training during ball work. To show him where to stand etc.

 

[Panther67]

My favourite team for Penrith from the start of this season had Coote at five-eigth, with Gordon at fullback.