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1st 1/3rd --> Centres

oldmancraigy

Coach
Messages
12,075
Timana Tahu - solid is the word that best describes Tahu's season so far. Still working on his combination with Tim Smith and Glenn Morrison, and as that develops we will most likely see him making many more line breaks.
Incredible athlete, tall, strong and exceptionally quick. Has looked pretty dangerous so far - even when receiving with no room to move. Every week he seems to make a half break by using his footwork, with better ball will start making full breaks!
Very strong defensively - I've been very impressed by his muscle on his opposing centre so far - doesn't take a backward step from anyway out wide, and certainly gives us a little starch. Tends to read the play well.

Daniel Wagon - quite surprising so far! Wagon always seems like one of those players who just doesn't work on a football field. For years he has made around 25-30 tackles every game, worked hard in defense, but been totally ineffective in attack, not even trying to hit the ball up. Makes his performance as a centre somewhat surprising!
I was one who thought that he was better off as Premier League captain (ie never plays first grade ) this year - but in the centres he has been a decent option. Doesn't offer a great line-runner in attack, but is able to keep in front of his opponent and keep his opposition quiet. Has had a bad day or two at the office - was constantly out of position against the Rabbitohs - but has been improving weekly. Actually ran on to a few balls against the Tigers and made a break or two. Forming a good combination with Grothe, and, with time, should be our "shut down man" from the outside - still needs to learn not to rush up in defense!
Be good to see Wags take a bit more responsibility in hitting the ball up on the early tackles when the forwards are getting tired.

Ashley Graham *shudder* - 10 missed tackles in 2 games - and then there are the tackles that he isn't even in position to make.... probably one of the worst defensive centres I've seen play the game. ALWAYS out of place, and always makes a bad read. Has "feet-hands", and tends to drop the ball when there is no pressure on him. Maybe his issue is one of nerves? Seems to play quite well in lower grades... for mine, that is where his brain-explosions should stay!
 

Eelementary

Post Whore
Messages
57,902
Nice.

Tahu - class act all the way (GIVE HIM THE BALL DAMN IT)

Wagon - surprisingly effective

Graham - normally has good hands; hasn't played centre in a while (normally fullback or wing)
 

bartman

Immortal
Messages
41,022
I think centre is an area where we will see some different players being used in the next two-thirds of the comp.
 

Bazal

Post Whore
Messages
106,993
Graham was great in attack when he played, missed some tackles and seemed to be very low on confidence. Still has the potential to be a very good player, given time and training.
 

Avenger

Immortal
Messages
36,069
I have been a little disappointed with Tahu but I still admire everything about his play. The other 2 are not centres. So when Is Josh Davis coming?? :D
 

Eelementary

Post Whore
Messages
57,902
Daize said:
Eelementary said:
Graham - normally has good hands; hasn't played centre in a while (normally fullback or wing)

He has been playing centre every week in premier league.

My bad.

I should clarify:

In Firsts he has played little centre.
 

fish eel

Immortal
Messages
42,876
He also came to the club as a centre, and was initally shifted to fullback and wing because we had better centre options and he could cover those positions when we were short due to injuries.

He is wonderfully talented, with a great pair of hands. He can throw some great passes. That injury really took it out of him.
 

GAME FIRST

Juniors
Messages
387
What centres? Brian forces his centres to play 2nd rower roles- like at saints before- his sides are always predicatble in attack because the 5/8 is not a good, consistent ball player and never a natural 5/8- who serves the centres with clean ball, with room and also our centres so far this year seem the least dangerous of all others including Knights-M Gidds and Carmont-who at least are allowed to show off their skills and score!

Our backline, our whole side is bland in attack- too structured, toomany wasted tackles in the set of six that dont apply enough pressure on the opposition- not enough happening every tackle or set of six to woory the defence-

WE ARE BLAND IN ATTACK-GIVE US 70% OF POSSESSION AND WE WILL STILL STRUGGLE TO SCORE ENOUGH POINTS!

SOME THINGS DONT CHANGE!
 

oldmancraigy

Coach
Messages
12,075
fish eel said:
He is wonderfully talented, with a great pair of hands. He can throw some great passes.

:lol: :lol:

I can't stand it how some people always talk about how Graham is a "great passer" - provide us with ONE bit of video footage which shows Ashley Graham putting a man into a hole.

The FACT is that he can throw the football a long distance - but that does NOT make him a good passer.

I do agree that his injury took it out of him (I removed that from your quote to make it funnier) - but I'm not convinced that he ever had good hands - so many times he just drops the ball cold. Last year, in about his third game back, he got into the clear, and with NOBODY even close to him he just dropped the ball. It was the exclamation point on a sorry day, and became the new standard for Ashley "hands" Graham.

Just watch him play in Premier League... (where he HAS always been a centre)
 

fish eel

Immortal
Messages
42,876
I can't stand it how some people always talk about how Graham is a "great passer"

Probably because he can throw great passes - but given he had played a lot of first grade on the wing, whats he going to do, pass it to the ball boy?

When he had that run at fullback in first grade, he started to chime in nicely to tha backline and looked pretty good.

Nowdays though, I think poor ash's confidence looks pretty shot.
 

fish eel

Immortal
Messages
42,876
That maybe right Avenger. I also think he suffered from coming back to early last year from that injury.
 

Avenger

Immortal
Messages
36,069
fish eel said:
That maybe right Avenger. I also think he suffered from coming back to early last year from that injury.

Smith basically had a choice, Graham or Tonga? The rest is history. :roll:
 

oldmancraigy

Coach
Messages
12,075
fish eel said:
Probably because he can throw great passes - but given he had played a lot of first grade on the wing, whats he going to do, pass it to the ball boy?

When he had that run at fullback in first grade, he started to chime in nicely to tha backline and looked pretty good.

Nowdays though, I think poor ash's confidence looks pretty shot.

I agree that Ash played well at fullback - he definitely chimed into the backline well. But I never saw him using any ball skills during that time.

Nor has he used his ball skills in the last 2 seasons in the (limited) opportunities that he has had when playing centre.

In fact, I'll go so far as to say that the guy doesn't throw great passes. Like I said before, he can certainly throw the football a long way, but no way does that mean that he has good passing skills. I dare someone to show a peice of video evidence to the contrary!!
 

Hurriflatch

Referee
Messages
22,093
Avenger said:
fish eel said:
That maybe right Avenger. I also think he suffered from coming back to early last year from that injury.

Smith basically had a choice, Graham or Tonga? The rest is history. :roll:

For the 9,685,371st time for those who are quite slow

at the time Tonga signed with the Bulldogs Graham was playing very well and deserved his spot in the top grade many people were more then happy to lose Hodgson with the form shown by Graham and also there were two then international centres in David Vaealiki and Jamie Lyon playing in the top grade.

Graham was also able to fil the centre role well enough before his injury.

Then Graham goes down with a major injury. I'd like to see one of you get the same thing done to your leg and see how long it takes to heal and how much it effects you.

Lyon walks out
Vaealiki snaps his achilles.

All of these things happened AFTER Tonga had signed with the Dogs.
Smith made Tonga a more then resonable offer considered where he was at the time, but Tonga saw an easier path into 1st grade at the Dogs.

Last time I checked Brian doesn't have a time machine. Yes there have been stuff ups in the past I'm not denying that however the whole Tonga/Graham thing was completly out of Smith's control when all issues are put on the table.
 

Avenger

Immortal
Messages
36,069
This Vaealiki was or is an international you can shove way up your arse. When I first saw Vaealiki play I thought he was an unco and he for mine still is. Smith should have given Tonga more opportunities in first grade when it was evident that he was a great attacking player all be it with some defensive deficiencies. (Ash still has them and he has persisted with him) Tonga thought he did not belong and that is why he left. Let me tell you something I saw Tonga and immediately told everyone around me that he will be a better player then Freshy or that imposter Graham.

I was right, Smith was wrong. :cry:
 

Ron Jeremy

Coach
Messages
25,700
Cool shades PJ ;-)

Wagon has been apart from grothe & Smith our best backs this year.

Tahu has been quite but has showing some signs of brillance, i reckon he's very close to having a blinder :!:
 
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