2010 Starting Halves - Mortimer, Keating & Robson

[Casper The Ghost]

Ok everyone seems split on the halfback saga
Just curious where people rate the halves in the NRL
Mine

1 Thurston
2 Prince
3 Benji
4 Cronk
5 Mullen
6 Kimmorley
7 Soward
8 Wallace
9 Pierce
10 Barrett
11 Orford
12 Sandow
13 Walsh
14 Seymour
15 Mcrone

* tim smith + t.carney id have around 4-5 as well.....So maybe i could have Robson on par with seymour and mcrone .Am i beeing harsh? All these other halves look better to me....Id like to know who you would put Robson on par with?

Based on how I think they will go next year, mine is:

1. Thurston
2. Prince
3. Cronk
4. Kimmorley
5. Wallace
6. Hornby/Fien
7. Sandow
8. Robson/Keating
9. Pearce
10. Walsh
11. Dureau
12. Porter
13. McCrone/Herbert
14. Moltzen/Lui/Taumata
15. Foran
16. Seymour/Maloney/Foran/Hohaia

Robson. A mature-aged rookie half who gets to a grand-final playing alongside a young absolute rookie five-eight - and wins man of the match in the prelim-final? Why, you`d have to rate him 2nd behind the Grand-Final winning half, wouldn`t you?

I would now have Robson at 3 or 4 with a rising bullet next to his name.

 

[Casper The Ghost]

I think you are right about Robson being a 7 only. The thing about his defence that impressed me the most was that he is able to tackle in the front line and chop players down before they can get going AND also pull off try-saving tackles in cover-defence. It`s his positioning and reading in defence that I like the most. I don`t think he could play hooker (in attack) very well, but I don`t think he`d let us down if asked to play prop, either.
As far as Humble and Mitchell are concerned, neither of them has played even a millisecond of first grade, so should not even be mentioned in the same breath as Mortimer, Robson or Keating just yet.
It would also be very naive to think that Robson has no improvement in him in any facet of his game. Certainly his confidence should be higher next year.

Hi Lingard,
As coach overseeing the present Eels squad and keeping in mind what you said about Robsons true talents in defence and that he will be surrounded by awesome attacking weapons spread out across the park, I would be using him as the unflustered General who maximizes the best usage of all the attacking arsenal at his disposal.

Bar injuries, this Eels squad with Robbo at 7, Mortimer at 6, KK at 14, his brother at 9, Hayne at 1, Grothe and Burt on the wings, Tahu, Inu in the centers, Poore, Cayless, Mannah, Fui, Hindmarsh, Smith, Mateo, Shackleton, Reddy etc in the forwards & reserves, is the most balanced Eels team I have seen on paper since the victorious 1986 squad.

What each player brings to this squad are all the correct pieces that completes a winning-formula puzzle. Strike power, strength, speed, height, aggression, toughness, intimidation without nastiness, passion, composure, confidence, freakish skills, mateship, no ego trips, team players, cover defence, never say die attitude, ball skills, kicking skills, goal scoring, field goals, 40/20's, stamina, respect, listening skills, patience, trust,.... the list goes on and on and on.

And they are not LAZY or complacent. And with a great coach, CEO and support network.... well.... it has 1981 to 1986 written all over it.

 

[84 Baby]

Robson. A mature-aged rookie half who gets to a grand-final playing alongside a young absolute rookie five-eight - and wins man of the match in the prelim-final? Why, you`d have to rate him 2nd behind the Grand-Final winning half, wouldn`t you?

I guess the halfback's job is to control the flow of attack. Therefore the main ranking category would be points scored by the team. Given that he only played half the season then I guess Robbo would be near the top if you went that way. But it would actually be Kimmorley as No 1

 

[hindy111]

i rate a halfback firslty on his kicking game..if he has a good one your 20mtrs infront every set...

 

[hindy111]

who will taking control of our long kickng game/ if robson and morts are the halves i hope hayne takes more of them

 

[Suitman]

And with a great coach, CEO and support network.... well.... it has 1981 to 1986 written all over it.

I thought that after 2001.

Suity

 

[Casper The Ghost]

I thought that after 2001.

Suity

I had a great question mark written over the 7 and 6 back then. I like Jason Taylor but he got caught out between-the-ears real bad.

We also did not have the mongrel in the forwards. If it wasn't for PJ Marsh & David Solomona the Eels would have been annihilated.

Too many baby Eels, no Mcracken, Smith, Pay, Dymock -

Johns and Kennedy had blinders as did Mad Dog, Tahu, Rudder, Gidley, Parsons, Grief, Pedden,..... etc...

This Eels 2010 squad would crush the 2001 squad if they both played against each other at the height of their games.

The Eels 1981/82/83/84/85/86 squads would have made mince meat out of the 2001 squad bot not this 2010 squad.

1986 v 2010 squads....that game would go down to the wire and go either way. If I had to make a choice..... 1986 (Price, Cronin, Ella, Sterling, Kenny, Grothe, etc, etc, etc),...... wow, wow, wow... (Hayne, Inu, Grothe, Hindmarsh, Tahu, Burt, etc, etc, etc),...... wow, wow, wow.....

 

[lingard]

i rate a halfback firslty on his kicking game..if he has a good one your 20mtrs infront every set...

And this is one of the problems with ranking half-backs - and Robson in particular; we define what we think a half-back`s job description is, and I think we can be a bit too narrow with that. "A half needs to have a kicking game, or needs to organise or needs to have a good cut-out pass or needs this or that."
Every position on the field has undergone some sort of evolution over the last twenty or so years - even prop-forwards tend to be more mobile and versatile these days. Fullbacks are far more influential in attack; centres are far more defensive; hookers are more like half-backs, etc. Perhaps the half no longer needs to fulfil a specific role. As long as SOMEONE is doing the organising or kicking or whatever, maybe that`s all that matters. I think the role of the half-back is changing (after all what is the difference between a half and five-eight these days?) I think if you`ve got an attcking five-eight, you can have a defensive half. You can have a lock who is predominantly defensive or one who`s forte is attack. You can really mix and match these days. That`s why I think it`s silly to measure one half against another with a different style. Robson will do me for next year.
I think Anderson is a bit of a revolutionary coach. He and Robson might start a mini-revolution around the half-back`s role.

 

[parra pete]

Lingard, I don't mean to scare you, but a lot of your thoughts on football are similar to mine...

 

[Casper The Ghost]

And this is one of the problems with ranking half-backs - and Robson in particular; we define what we think a half-back`s job description is, and I think we can be a bit too narrow with that. "A half needs to have a kicking game, or needs to organise or needs to have a good cut-out pass or needs this or that."
Every position on the field has undergone some sort of evolution over the last twenty or so years - even prop-forwards tend to be more mobile and versatile these days. Fullbacks are far more influential in attack; centres are far more defensive; hookers are more like half-backs, etc. Perhaps the half no longer needs to fulfil a specific role. As long as SOMEONE is doing the organising or kicking or whatever, maybe that`s all that matters. I think the role of the half-back is changing (after all what is the difference between a half and five-eight these days?) I think if you`ve got an attcking five-eight, you can have a defensive half. You can have a lock who is predominantly defensive or one who`s forte is attack. You can really mix and match these days. That`s why I think it`s silly to measure one half against another with a different style. Robson will do me for next year.
I think Anderson is a bit of a revolutionary coach. He and Robson might start a mini-revolution around the half-back`s role.

They already have...
its just that others are much too slow
picking up the pace of the pacesetters
that there still too far back in the dark ages......
dreaming what was and could have been....


Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream
When I want you in my arms
When I want you and all your charms
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream

When I feel blue in the night
And I need you to hold me tight
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam

I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is, gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away

I need you so that I could die
I love you so and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam

I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is, gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away

I need you so that I could die
I love you so and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do is
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream

FADE
Drea-ea-ea-ea-eam, dream, dream, dream

The Everly Brothers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uKUH6joeEs

 

[lingard]

who will taking control of our long kickng game/ if robson and morts are the halves i hope hayne takes more of them

You`re right. Someone will have to do that. Anderson will have to have some contingency plan IF either Robson or Mortimer don`t improve in this area. My only point is that I don`t think it necessarily HAS TO BE THE HALF who does it, as long as SOMEONE does it. (Sorry for raising my voice.) But, as you say, if neither of the halves improves their kicking game AND no one else can regularly be in a position to take the kicks, then a re-think will have to occur. Trouble is, I don`t really know if K. Keating would be the answer there.

 

[lingard]

I had a great question mark written over the 7 and 6 back then. I like Jason Taylor but he got caught out between-the-ears real bad.

We also did not have the mongrel in the forwards. If it wasn't for PJ Marsh & David Solomona the Eels would have been annihilated.

Too many baby Eels, no Mcracken, Smith, Pay, Dymock -

Johns and Kennedy had blinders as did Mad Dog, Tahu, Rudder, Gidley, Parsons, Grief, Pedden,..... etc...

This Eels 2010 squad would crush the 2001 squad if they both played against each other at the height of their games.

The Eels 1981/82/83/84/85/86 squads would have made mince meat out of the 2001 squad bot not this 2010 squad.

1986 v 2010 squads....that game would go down to the wire and go either way. If I had to make a choice..... 1986 (Price, Cronin, Ella, Sterling, Kenny, Grothe, etc, etc, etc),...... wow, wow, wow... (Hayne, Inu, Grothe, Hindmarsh, Tahu, Burt, etc, etc, etc),...... wow, wow, wow.....

Man, that would be a good game! 4-all at fulltime. Luke Burt field goal in extra time wins it for the 2010 team!

 

[woddy]

better than Kimmy by a mullet

 

[hindy111]

if it keep revolutionising soon it will just be an islanders game with 13 x 105kg + guys running at each other
How exciting this will be : P
Theres no real 5/8 anymore.Most locks are now a second rower.Most centres can just run straight(almost second rowers)And half the wingers are second rowers..
NRL has to be very carfull cause your going to eliminate a lot of guys who can play or make it in the NRL soon based purely on size

 

[Casper The Ghost]

if it keep revolutionising soon it will just be an islanders game with 13 x 105kg + guys running at each other
How exciting this will be : P
Theres no real 5/8 anymore.Most locks are now a second rower.Most centres can just run straight(almost second rowers)And half the wingers are second rowers..
NRL has to be very carfull cause your going to eliminate a lot of guys who can play or make it in the NRL soon based purely on size

For every Goliath there are ten Davids ready and willing to bite the ankles of a Goliath as well as pulling down the dacks of any Goliath to make them trip and fall-real hard.... Alan Langer, Peter Sterling, Geoff Toovey.... etc.. etc and what about one of the best David's of all......... Peter Taylor, he took them all on and no Goliath dominated him... Regardless how insane men and women can be/get, particularly those at News Limited/NRL, nature has a wonderful way of bringing things out of whack quickly back into balance, even if it means a massive Earth Fever to get rid of the imbalance.

Another example..... There is now a huge movement of women now swinging away from the pain for gain of large penises, in preference for small ones that can maneuver around without the wear and tear, providing heaps of extra mileage to the gallon as well. Soon short men with small penises will be all the rave around the globe.... Women will be desperate to be seen going out with small men, even fat ones. You see, Goliath's come and go but Davids are the true stayers of life. The future of RL and Women are in good hands Hindy111...

 

[yy_cheng]

Man, that would be a good game! 4-all at fulltime. Luke Burt field goal in extra time wins it for the 2010 team!

Why not a Muggleton Field goal from 40 out?

Btw, was he in the team in 2006? Memory does not serve me here/.

 

[Casper The Ghost]

Why not a Muggleton Field goal from 40 out?

Btw, was he in the team in 2006? Memory does not serve me here/.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSWRL_season_1986

 

[yy_cheng]

merci.

 

[caylo]

You`re right. Someone will have to do that. Anderson will have to have some contingency plan IF either Robson or Mortimer don`t improve in this area. My only point is that I don`t think it necessarily HAS TO BE THE HALF who does it, as long as SOMEONE does it. (Sorry for raising my voice.) But, as you say, if neither of the halves improves their kicking game AND no one else can regularly be in a position to take the kicks, then a re-think will have to occur. Trouble is, I don`t really know if K. Keating would be the answer there.

Sorry Lingard but the Broncos of yester-year is the only team that I can remember when the halves did not dominate the kicking game (lockyer took most of the kicks with Ikin and Berrigan in the halves).
It is the halfback or 5-8 role (mainly the halfback but some dominate 5-8 do this aswell) to provide a kicking game and to direct play. If they cant do this then they are just a weak link in defence. Orford who is considered to have a very bad kicking game has twice the kicking game of Robson, only Finch has a worse kicking game then he does.

KK was chosen over Robson when he was fit and was getting better IMO, Robson was lucky to have the support or someone like Hayne and a firing pack who offloaded the ball and while he improved I still think KK is 10 times better.

IMO KK has a better kicking, passing and running game while robson is better in defence (but KK is still very good in defence for someone his size). Robson was found out in the big games and it took Mateo to bring us back into the game in the GF.

I think Robson will do wonders in helping develop our halves but atm Mortimer and KK have to start in the 6 and 7.

 

[Eelementary]

You ar right that very player must play run th ball and tackle but you would be short sighted individual if you couldnt admit that a team is made up of players with different roles some more attacking or defencive then others.

Hayne and Mateo will need a pair of halves that will allow them to play their natural game but not pressure them too much. Robson has shown that he has the attacking game of a monkey but a defencive game of a backrower. KK is much better suited to the halfback role and while not as good a defender he is no mug and very active in defence.

1 Hayne

6 Mortimer
7 KK

9 MK

13 Mateo

14 Robson/Humble/Mitchell

that is the best combo we can play IMO, with Benny, Hindy, Poore, Cayless, MK and a improved mateo in defence we should be more than capable of aiding to smaller halves. KK is a better defender then finch, so a KK/Mortimer halves combo is better defencively then Finch/Smith

I never even claimed that.

And for the record I disagree - I rate Kris Keating highly but I can't see why people are so quick to put in their top 13. I mean ffs he's returning from two major injuries this season - Robson is fresh off a miraculous (yes, it was a miracle we made the GF from 8th; this Eels side created history this year) Grand Final charge, has more recent hours under his belt and has formed a combination with the team - but we should drop him?

And why do people refuse to understand that it is entirely possible for Rob Jeffson (thanks PJ) to work on his kicking and passing in the off-season and become a valuable all-around halfback? Hell, even Finch had a good game here and there in attack.

Robson at halfback is the only option.