Are you for real?
Do you ever watch any of the players when the ball isn't near them? Every team tries to line up in a definite pattern/shape/structure. It's the most basic thing about footy.
Pou Pou....
look i'm not going to respond to all of this, as (a) i really don't have the time and (b) much of it i don't need to....so i'll just mention some key points
look mate, our opinions might differ, but please don't take me for a fool who doesn't watch league as you were implying....i know how teams line up and how the modern structure works ok - i don't necessarily have to agree with it
i have watched and studied a lot of Rugby league and i have actually played a fair bit of Rugby League - mostly in the halves and at hooker - so i know a thing or two about how sides are meant to line up and where people should be ok (not trying to sound like a hero, just stating facts)
so, although i am painfully aware that most sides, including us form a
structure that sees the backrowers split on either side of the field - much like centres split many years ago - the point i am making (which you seemed to either miss, ignore or refuse to even just take on board) is this: if you do not have
genuine and i used the word
genuine strike backrowers capable of doing damage for you out wide in amongst the other backrowers and centres, IMHO it offers you little in attack or indeed for your overall team structure and you would be better served going back and playing a more traditional style of game whereby you use all of your running forwards to simply eat up meters.....
therefore, i
do care if you have capable wide-running backrowers (as you seemed to imply that it doesn't matter whether they are good at that style of play or not) and believe that if you haven't got them or if that style is not working, then go away from it. At the moment Lasalo and Horo have been very ineffective at this style of play and you can add Ben Smith to that too. And yes, Shack would not be that effective at this style either if he was playing wide in the backrow (particularly in defence as you rightfully pointed out). Thus again illustrates my point.....at the moment our backrowers do not suit this style of play, so if i had any say in it, i would be playing them in tighter and using a different style of play. I don't suggest we go entirely back to the slugfest 80's days in the forwards - and i agree with your point that the game has changed a lot since then - but a balance of old and new would be best.....
Also, to further support my claims, it appears that SK is very keen on structuring his side this way with 2 wide backrowers as we have established. Now to me, the contradiction is that by doing this, his intention must be that he wants to play wide, and by default, expansive football.......yet, this does not mesh with his stated aim of playing tight, no mistakes football?? So to me he seems unsure of which particular style he wants to actually put on the park?
At the end of the day, if Lasalo and/or Horo
can develop into players like Creagh, Anasta, Gallen, etc, who are capable of playing that style of game then sure, go with it - but if you don't have the players that can perform to that style get them running straight and hard with some decoy runners (instead of running so one out as we have been) and make some ground and limit the errors....then hand it over to the backs
Mate, i don't even agree with the halves being split either side of the ruck really either and DA was determined to play that style last year, and so far SK is too....to me its not always that effective, and we might be better suited using a more traditional backline where the halves work together and actually put plays on.....its like Gus said about Wayne Bennet's style of coaching (and perhaps his own as well) the little things and the old things in this game stand the test of time, no matter how much the game changes....run hard, tackle, kick as far as you can chase, limit the errors......i know what you are saying about 'there are no more backline plays etc' but that is my point....why do you think so many tries are scored from kicks and from simply building pressure on tryline's......its because halves are not taught or allowed to play like halves anymore, they are not allowed to be creative, its all about
structure and
shifts and the
middle bloody third of the field!!!!!! Teams need to play more
football....! Note: Hayne to 6!!!!!!
p.s i was being a bit cheeky about 'what does central backrow mean' etc lol, but thanks anyway for the general education on shape, structure and all things modern Rugby League ;-) we just have different opinions mate that's all
