Does Nathan Hindmarsh "trust" his teammates?

[nöyd]

This isn't meant to be derogatory as it may sound, but something's been niggling at me for a while now and I finally think I've found out what it is. I honestly don't believe Nathan Hindmarsh "trusts" (for lack of a better term) his teammates to...let's say, play at his level.

I read post after post saying that the signing of Ian Hindmarsh (plus Paul Gallen ;-) ) should take some of the defensive workload off Nathan, but can he lay off and let his teammates do their fair share? With that comes the inevitable "less tackles will make him fresher for attack..." comments. But seriously - what has Nathan Hindmarsh offered in attack for the last few years? I know he makes 40+ tackles a match which means he needs to rest somewhat while we have the ball, but if that's the case he should realistically be interchanged. But I guess that comes down to whether or not you would prefer a fresh Michael Vella/Josh Cordoba/Chad Robinson etc. or a half-rooted Hindy.

In attack I see opportunity after opportunity for Nathan to pop a second phase pass out the back to Wade, Burty or PJ and more often than not he goes to ground with it - so, does Nathan Hindmarsh really trust his teammates in defence or attack?

This probably all looks like a mess, I know what I want to say, just hard to put into words. Wouldn't mind some other opinions on the subject though.

 

[Kornstar]

You raise a very good point, something that i often wonder myself.

 

[Angry_eel]

He follows the ball so he tries to tackle every player but i doubt it has anything to do with other people not taclking.

 

[nöyd]

He follows the ball so he tries to tackle every player but i doubt it has anything to do with other people not taclking.

True but this game includes attack as well, I just don't think he can turn the clock back 5 years and be the wide-running forward that used to score 80-90 metre runaway tries, add to that he looks to be 10, possibly 15 kg's heavier now anyway.

I'm likening him to a racehorse that is getting flogged around the course meeting after meeting until he won't be able to run no more...

 

[The Colonel]

The thing is though he does the exact same thing at State and International level. I'm not sure it comes down to "trust" as such but more the nature of the bloke and that he hates losing.

"There have been games where I've thought, 'I can't do this, I'm just too buggered'," he says. "There are times when your head does beat you and you go off for a bit.

"You're dirty on yourself because you've wasted a sub. You go and sit on the bench and you're fine straight away but you feel guilty for having come off and used up an interchange. The bench isn't where you want to be. You're on the bench, but all you want to do is get back on the field."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/n...never-shut-down/2006/09/09/1157222378347.html

But I do agree with what he said in this article.

``I'm playing pretty one-dimensional, just carting it up,'' he said.

``I'm pretty much straight up and down. I'm just easy pickings.

``I've spoken to our strength and conditioning coach, Hayden Knowles, about it. I want to spend the off-season doing speed work and agility work to get a bit of deception in my play again.''

This year's Dally M back-rower of the year insists he isn't overworked.

``I enjoy coming off the field feeling absolutely buggered and just going home to bed,'' he said.

``If I don't come off buggered, I know I haven't done the job. I feel as though I've let my team-mates and the supporters down.

``At the start of the season I was attacking a bit wider but I wanted to get my hands on the ball more and I asked JT (Eels coach Jason Taylor) to be put in the middle.

``I pretty much have a front-rower's role now, which maybe has taken away a bit of the impact I had three years ago.

``I'm pretty happy with the workload, but I'd like to be a couple of years younger.''

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,20381790-5006066,00.html

He wants to do the work and get his hands on the ball. I think it comes down to what he thinks he can do best for the team.

It was the same thing that happened with Brad Clyde. As he got older he moved away from the dynamic backrower that he was to a workhorse role because that is what he felt was required of him and where he felt he best suited the team.

 

[nöyd]

It was the same thing that happened with Brad Clyde. As he got older he moved away from the dynamic backrower that he was to a workhorse role because that is what he felt was required of him and where he felt he best suited the team.

I hear you, loud and clear.

Guess I just miss that young kid with the buzzcut, going as hard in attack as he does without the pill...

 

[Utey]

Well put, someone said the same thing a long time ago and it definately fuels food for thought. IMO he doesnt. This is why he makes so many tackles. But when the team is going well his workload drops off at times.

 

[Suitman]

I hear you, loud and clear.

Guess I just miss that young kid with the buzzcut, going as hard in attack as he does without the pill...

I for one have certainly missed that part of Hindy's game big time. I remember one break he made this year, not sure who against, and he reminded me just how much natural speed he has, and how infrequently we get to see it these days.
I also completely agree with the offload thingy.

Suity

 

[Gronk]

If you guys are old enough to have seen Ray Price's career, he was in the same boat. He just went hard for 80 mins until he couldnt go hard no more. Like Hindy and Clyde he slowed down in attack in his last years too.

 

[nöyd]

I watched "Phar Lap" the other day, Tommy Woodcock wanted to rest him but old Harry Telford kept entering him in race after race after race...in short the horse was f**kED! (but was still winning lol)

I just looked at the telly and thought about Hindy lol

 

[fish eel]

I think he needs to stand in front of each of his team mates and fall back to see if they catch him. Then he'll know if he can trust them.

Seriously though, people said the signing of Glenn Morrison was meant to lessen his work load. Hasn't happened.

I think it's in his nature, he has the constitution for work. When your not winning, your on the back foot, doing more defending etc.

The best thing that can happen for his work load to be lightened is for us to be winning football side with a front row that lays a platform for him to play wider an run over the top of some little half backs, if that's whaty coach hagan wants of him.

 

[strider]

I think its true - there is an element of Nath feeling he has to be in everything, mainly in defense - which I think indicates he feels he has to do alot and probably doesn't entirely trust others - it may even be a subconcious thing .... he does now do it at rep level also, but I think that may be a learnt behaviour from his normal play with parra which he carries over to rep games.

I think Hindy's attack slowing is mainly due to his age - he's not a 20yr old anymore and he's had some injuries.

 

[nöyd]

Seriously though, people said the signing of Glenn Morrison was meant to lessen his work load. Hasn't happened.

And there it all is in a nutshell.

 

[Suitman]

I think he needs to stand in front of each of his team mates and fall back to see if they catch him. Then he'll know if he can trust them.

Seriously though, people said the signing of Glenn Morrison was meant to lessen his work load. Hasn't happened.

I think it's in his nature, he has the constitution for work. When your not winning, your on the back foot, doing more defending etc.

The best thing that can happen for his work load to be lightened is for us to be winning football side with a front row that lays a platform for him to play wider an run over the top of some little half backs, if that's whaty coach hagan wants of him.

Well, I'd like to think Hagan may just change his game back to what it was several years ago. It'll mean the other forwards may have to carry some of the load, but so be it.
Hindy has so much talent. He shouldn't just be a tackling machine.

Suity

 

[Suitman]

I think Hindy's attack slowing is mainly due to his age - he's not a 20yr old anymore and he's had some injuries.

That could be true but it doesn't seem to have stifled Ben Kennedy's game.

Suity

 

[fish eel]

Well, I'd like to think Hagan may just change his game back to what it was several years ago. It'll mean the other forwards may have to carry some of the load, but so be it.
Hindy has so much talent. He shouldn't just be a tackling machine.

Suity

Word.

I'd like to think he'll age more like a Gordon Tallis than a Bradley Clyde....

 

[nöyd]

Tell the truth I've been backing Hindy for first tryscorer in the last 2 or 3 years of Origin.

Time to collect methinks...

 

[strider]

That could be true but it doesn't seem to have stifled Ben Kennedy's game.

Suity

last time i looked ben kennedy was a different person with a different body

when i was 21 i played footy (aussie rules) against a 40yr old who could do things I never thought possible .... everyone is different - you can't really compare ppl

 

[Suitman]

last time i looked ben kennedy was a different person with a different body

when i was 21 i played footy (aussie rules) against a 40yr old who could do things I never thought possible .... everyone is different - you can't really compare ppl

So the comparisons to Clyde and Ray Price are also irrelevant.
It's just that we all know that Hindy CAN be such a potent attacking weapon. I'm sure he still has got it in him.

Suity

 

[Stagger eel]

last time i looked ben kennedy was a different person with a different body

when i was 21 i played footy (aussie rules) against a 40yr old who could do things I never thought possible .... everyone is different - you can't really compare ppl

Strider in tight shorts :crazy: