First Grade Knights v Bulldogs

[Whats Doing]

Too right, there are people on these boards who expect our next number 7 to play like A.Johns every week, Dureau made some mistakes sure, and Mullen and Kidley and even the flavour of the month (Bailey) all have made mistakes in the halves recently. It seems we need to be caning whoever is the current 7 every time he doesn't walk on water.

The fact that he made 24 tackles is that the attack directs their play at him because of his suspect defence. He has improved this year but the fact is that he still missed 4 tackles and was beaten for pace by Roberts who was able to create a 3 on 2 situation which led lead to Utai's try.

It was clear that the knights played better when Dureau was benched and Mullo and Bails were in the halves. Dureau was offering nothing in attack, and his kicking game was below par.

That is not comparing Dureau with Johns, it is his own current performance that is below par at first grade level.

I hope the kid does bounce back and has a blinder if he is selected next week but at this stage he is struggling. If he wasn't struggling the coach doesn't bench your playmaker.

 

[antonius]

The fact that he made 24 tackles is that the attack directs their play at him because of his suspect defence. He has improved this year but the fact is that he still missed 4 tackles and was beaten for pace by Roberts who was able to create a 3 on 2 situation which led lead to Utai's try.

It was clear that the knights played better when Dureau was benched and Mullo and Bails were in the halves. Dureau was offering nothing in attack, and his kicking game was below par.

That is not comparing Dureau with Johns, it is his own current performance that is below par at first grade level.

I hope the kid does bounce back and has a blinder if he is selected next week but at this stage he is struggling. If he wasn't struggling the coach doesn't bench your playmaker.

I'm not going to argue. However he wasn't the only player that missed tackles that resulted in tries (I don't think Utai's try is down to him anyway, I'd say the NRL stats don't either, he's down with 0 errors). Put Mullen and Bailey in the halves and they will make mistakes, in fact Bailey has made some clangers at 6. I admit Dureau is playing below his best, weather that has anything to do with coming back from injury I don't know,but to say he is too slow at half and doesn't have the skills of a halfback is just incorrect. Dureau may well get dropped for Bailey and Mullen to re-unite, but I still think Dureau and Mullen are our best combination ATM, but that's just my opinion. You obviously don't want him there and don't rate him, your entitled to that opinion.
By the way Bailey made 20 tackles while on does the above rule apply to him as well?

 

[roopy]

Dureau has seemed slow since coming back from injury.
I know he is not slow - i've seen him score 60 metre tries.
All i can conclude is that he is like Walsh last year - his leg injury is not 100% as yet.

 

[Whats Doing]

Dureau has seemed slow since coming back from injury.
I know he is not slow - i've seen him score 60 metre tries.
All i can conclude is that he is like Walsh last year - his leg injury is not 100% as yet.

Hope your right Roops as I haven't seen him with much pace.

 

[aqua_duck]

Long term who's a better prospect at halfback, Dureau or Stig?

 

[Whats Doing]

I'm not going to argue. However he wasn't the only player that missed tackles that resulted in tries (I don't think Utai's try is down to him anyway, I'd say the NRL stats don't either, he's down with 0 errors). Put Mullen and Bailey in the halves and they will make mistakes, in fact Bailey has made some clangers at 6. I admit Dureau is playing below his best, weather that has anything to do with coming back from injury I don't know,but to say he is too slow at half and doesn't have the skills of a halfback is just incorrect. Dureau may well get dropped for Bailey and Mullen to re-unite, but I still think Dureau and Mullen are our best combination ATM, but that's just my opinion. You obviously don't want him there and don't rate him, your entitled to that opinion.
By the way Bailey made 20 tackles while on does the above rule apply to him as well?[/quote]

No. He played lock in the first half when he replaced Zeb.

Don't get me wrong. I hope Dureau becomes the player a lot of others saying he will. From what I have seen this year, in my opinion, I don't think he is first grade material due to his genuine lack of pace and a range of deficiencies in his game that doesn't cover up for this.

However Roops says that he does possess such pace but hasn't recovered from a leg injury. I hope his right and I hope the kid comes good but at this stage I think the knights have better options.

Anyway, whoever is in the first grade next week, I am sure we will all stand shoulder to shoulder and cheer them all on.

 

[Jono078]

Long term who's a better prospect at halfback, Dureau or Stig?

Very hard to say, they are 2 different players, Stig is much more like Mullen, not an organiser.

Dureau has organisation abilities which Smith has stated.

Id like to persist with Dureau, I still think he's great, last 2 games not so flash, but Smith mentioned well early in the year it's hard for a half to play a full year of FG and not go through this.

 

[antonius]

I'm not going to argue. However he wasn't the only player that missed tackles that resulted in tries (I don't think Utai's try is down to him anyway, I'd say the NRL stats don't either, he's down with 0 errors). Put Mullen and Bailey in the halves and they will make mistakes, in fact Bailey has made some clangers at 6. I admit Dureau is playing below his best, weather that has anything to do with coming back from injury I don't know,but to say he is too slow at half and doesn't have the skills of a halfback is just incorrect. Dureau may well get dropped for Bailey and Mullen to re-unite, but I still think Dureau and Mullen are our best combination ATM, but that's just my opinion. You obviously don't want him there and don't rate him, your entitled to that opinion.
By the way Bailey made 20 tackles while on does the above rule apply to him as well?[/quote]

No. He played lock in the first half when he replaced Zeb.

Don't get me wrong. I hope Dureau becomes the player a lot of others saying he will. From what I have seen this year, in my opinion, I don't think he is first grade material due to his genuine lack of pace and a range of deficiencies in his game that doesn't cover up for this.

However Roops says that he does possess such pace but hasn't recovered from a leg injury. I hope his right and I hope the kid comes good but at this stage I think the knights have better options.

Anyway, whoever is in the first grade next week, I am sure we will all stand shoulder to shoulder and cheer them all on.

I've watched Dureau come through all the grades along with Mullen, and Walsh. He does have pace, and he is a natural number 7 he has all the skills, and he has shown those skills in games this year. When he and Mullo are on field together it gives Mullo more time to do his stuff because Dureau (despite some recent lapses) does possess some good last tackle options including a good kicking game To be sure we will stand shoulder to shoulder and cheer them on no matter who is on the field.

 

[Serc]

Long term who's a better prospect at halfback, Dureau or Stig?

Too early for speculation on that mate.

 

[roopy]

Long term who's a better prospect at halfback, Dureau or Stig?

I think the coaching staff have already decided that Stig will be too big to play halfback when fully grown.
He is already about 10kg bigger than Scotty and 15 bigger than Walshy.
I wouldn't care if he was 110kg if he could do the job.

Stig will be a better defender.
It is too early to know if he will ever have the vision or skills to equal Walsh and Dureau.
The skills can be taught, but vision is something you have or don't have i think. Players develop vision more as they get more experience, but it is a god given gift mostly.

 

[Jono078]

Actually, you speak about Mullen going to centre Roopy, maybe Stig would be the one to go well out there?

 

[roopy]

Actually, you speak about Mullen going to centre Roopy, maybe Stig would be the one to go well out there?

I look at the chunky 91kg guy with a great passing game and think 'hooker'.

 

[Jono078]

Well atleast Hooker would utilise his footwork in the middle of the park, but I reckon he could make a decent Centre, he is big enough, knows how to set up the outside men and has the pace to match it with most backs youd think.

Anyway, the best thing is, he is obviously talented and will play somewhere for us in FG soon enough.

 

[otori]

Maybe he'll be a lock for us then?

 

[[furrycat]]

Mullen grounded the ball thats why it was a drop out.

Lol did you even watch the replay? He didn't even come close to grounding it.

 

[macavity]

Lol did you even watch the replay? He didn't even come close to grounding it.

i watched it ad nauseam

mullo grounded it, it popped out, ryan knocked on then ryan grounded it

no way a try