Fitting in Ponga and Armstrong when everyone's available

[Woody90]

I don’t agree that it’s negligent or that he is one hit away from retirement, other than it is a truism that every player is one hit away from retirement.

We know from it happening so many times though that he doesn’t cope with head knocks and making him make 5x as many tackles as he does now will increase the risk of it happening again.

Some players can cop head knock after head knock without any obvious effects. Some seem to get concussed as soon as they cop one. KP unfortunately fits into the latter.

 

[Burwood]

Is Armstrong really a talent who is worth forcing into the side by moving our Captain and most important player into a non-preferred position for? Not really.

This is the depth problem again- great depth for us, but why would anyone want to hang around in the lower grades when they could pick up a first grade gig elsewhere?

 

[perverse]

If he can't play wing then there's not going to be a spot at the club for him moving forward. Not a first string spot, anyway. We're talking about moving arguably one of the greatest assets in Rugby League to accommodate a kid that's debuted at 23 through sheer luck and made a fist of a few games.

I'd wish him very well if he leaves, but do you really get upset letting a Nissan Skyline go when you've already got a Bugatti parked in the garage? I don't get us sometimes. We constantly undervalue who and what Kalyn is to us the minute he's not on the field. The only thing I think we've still got wrong is making him captain... but at least he's grown into that role (somewhat) too.

I said when Armstrong got his debut that he needs to be our Leo Dynevor this year. He's every bit living up to that, and honestly I didn't expect it given how we were travelling, so it's a real blessing.

 

[Apey]

We’ve actually just done what a good club would do. We’ve had a first grade standard backup ready to come in so when the worst possible thing happened, we didn’t fall into a heap like most people outside of the club predicted.

What we need to do is to develop this wealth of FB talent we have across the park. If we want to become a top club we need to be ok with having someone like Armstrong come in and do a job for us when needed and then be happy to see him go off to another club for the opportunity to play in his best position, knowing that we’ll have others ready to step up.

Yeah I think there's a bit of over-excitement that one of our depth players isn't complete trash for once, lol. It's nice when a replacement is above Cogger, Jenkins tier.

I get where he's coming from, we'll miss Armstrong's support play for sure. But as long as the rest of the team doesn't fall back into lazy reliance on Ponga, it's a no brainer.

 

[Old dog]

Am sure Armstrong would be a better wing than Ponga a 5/8 so silly to change.
Happy we have Armstrong to fill in and he might be needed until season end especially if we are out of top 8 contention, also gives Sharpe time to get back fitness etc.
Realistically we will loose Armstrong season end, more opportunity and money elsewhere

 

[Yosh]

Why not just get Ponga to back up on breaks more and offer more support play. Ponga is always setting up for the next play after a break. Just get him to support the ball runner more often. I have no doubt Ponga will be just as effective as Armstrong.

 

[Knight Tales]

KP returns to fullback. Davey back to NSW Cup. It would be tempting to try to and up skill him into a utility. He has great support play. Speed from God. We have to find a way to make it work. He has proven he is good enough.

 

[K-Man]

Why not just get Ponga to back up on breaks more and offer more support play. Ponga is always setting up for the next play after a break. Just get him to support the ball runner more often. I have no doubt Ponga will be just as effective as Armstrong.

Because Ponga actually does play a lot like a half at times. He doesn't have the natural support play tendencies of a traditional fullback, or the pure speed, and in this team he also needs to be a playmaker because we have so little of it going on in the halves.

I think people are missing the point about having a genuine crack at the finals this season with Ponga actually having someone else offering a different type of threat for once. I believe that theoretically the best performance we could produce right now would somehow involve utilising the complementary skills of both players, whilst ensuring Cogger is nowhere near first grade. But it seems I'm the only one excited by the potential of actually having a fullback do fullback things, not just Ponga brilliance things.

 

[Yosh]

To be honest I'm a for Ponga to 6. Hastings to just control the game and let Ponga get the ball as many times as he wants every set. I personally prefer a fullback in the Armstrong/Edwards mold.

 

[Knight Tales]

To be honest I'm a for Ponga to 6. Hastings to just control the game and let Ponga get the ball as many times as he wants every set. I personally prefer a fullback in the Armstrong/Edwards mold.

It would probably be an option if the concussions and his insane form on return last year were not major factors. He will have to improve his support play big time though. It is not something you can just overlook when. It comes to Davey. We have been pathetic with our support play for years. It has lost us many close games. Then we find this kid who has a natural gift for sniffing out a half break and turning it into points. I am not envying O’Brien cos it would have crossed his mind many times in The last month.

If he proves the difference on more occasions between now and KP’s return I have no answer for what we do. Putting him on the wing is like parking your Ferrari in the garage.

 

[Burwood]

Armstrong scores tries. Ponga creates tries. Two different players.

 

[Yosh]

Whenever Ponga has had his best games for QLD he has played that support role and scored tries.

 

[slotmachine]

Whenever Ponga has had his best games for QLD he has played that support role and scored tries.

Because he's usually playing with DCE and Munster so he has that luxury.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Ponga essentially plays as a 6 but has the luxury of being able to stand back and inject himself. Structure at 6 won't work for him.
Armstrong is a totally different style 1. Best in behind the ruck and out in the backline.
We'll lose Armstrong to another club.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I'd rather lose Armstrong than play Ponga at 5/8 again

 

[Joel-22]

Ponga to stay at 1 and pick Armstrong on the wing and use him how NSW used Tommy through the middle when they've been successful

 

[Haffa]

Who drops off the wing for him though? Tuala has been close to our most consistent performer this year and Marzhew might have some defensive mistakes but he's the metre eater we need on those first two or three tackles after kicks. Plus he is near unstoppable on the line.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

Even after one bad game and considering his obvious flaws, I'd much rather see Armstrong on the wing for Marzhew.

Marzhew always had glaring flaws but this season he's fallen off a cliff in every aspect. Can't catch, pass, jump, can't finish, error prone, can't tackle. He's an anchor out there for us. A few decent carries can't cover his horrendous and easily exploitable deficiencies. Kick to Marzhew and your team has an 80% chance of getting a result over him.

Send him to the Gulag with Cogger, Hastings and the Saifiti's.

 

[slotmachine]

I'd much rather see Armstrong on the wing for Marzhew.

We'd never leave our half. Armstrong gets absolutely dominated in every tackle.

 

[Yosh]

Armstrong is no winger. He makes JAC look like SBW. It's either at fullback or nowhere unfortunately.