COACH STERLING
Juniors
- Messages
- 1,906
Halving watched our team roll around this year i'm non the wiser as to what the future should hold for the Eels in the halves and at hooker. Before we can conjure any major signings I believe we need to get this part right otherwise we can go and throw money on the likes of Lewis, Jeremy Smith, and Izzy but it will all go to waste.
I see some potential and more importantly consistency with young Kelly and Nathan Smith however, I have always maintained the team dynamics and our spine have never really gelled. The biggest dilemma surrounds Sandow. Everyone expected him to come good but I cannot see that happening. If there is a place for Sandow at Parra it may well be at five eight. Sandow is not the type of player that can steer a team around the park but rather one who can plays what's in front of him. I believe his best position should be 5/8. Having said this, I've got my crystal ball out and can see the likes of Barba and Hopoate coming through. Both players are versatile yet suited best inthe fullback position best.
This leaves Jarryd Hayne, our best player and a player who most regard as a future 5/8. Hayne himself has admitted to eyeing out a role in the 5/8 position, and I myself can see this happening with the players I've mentioned coming through over the next 12 months or so. I don't like looking beyond this year, but given this year has been a write off and the writing is on the wall for next year, I'm willing to accept some short term pain for a premiership in 2014. So with Hayne potentially a future 5/8, our fullback position covered, I want to know what the general consensus is with Sandow and the halfback position.
Do we look at persisting with Kelly, who I think has a it of ability, do we look at offloading Sandow and buying a New halfback, or do we perserve with Sandow in the hope we can eventually make it work? Also, while Keating has probably had his best year at the club, I also think he's been a major factor with Sandow not performing in the early weeks. There's something about the way he picks the ball up out of dummy half and runs 2-3 meters before he decides what to do with it. Sandow needs direct balls off the ground from dummy half, giving him more time in the decision making role. So there you go, IMO the biggest problem with the makeup is still our halves and hooker positions. We need to get the team dynamics right with our spine, and then we can look at enforcing our other positions. Interesting to see what everyone else's thoughts are on this topic?
I see some potential and more importantly consistency with young Kelly and Nathan Smith however, I have always maintained the team dynamics and our spine have never really gelled. The biggest dilemma surrounds Sandow. Everyone expected him to come good but I cannot see that happening. If there is a place for Sandow at Parra it may well be at five eight. Sandow is not the type of player that can steer a team around the park but rather one who can plays what's in front of him. I believe his best position should be 5/8. Having said this, I've got my crystal ball out and can see the likes of Barba and Hopoate coming through. Both players are versatile yet suited best inthe fullback position best.
This leaves Jarryd Hayne, our best player and a player who most regard as a future 5/8. Hayne himself has admitted to eyeing out a role in the 5/8 position, and I myself can see this happening with the players I've mentioned coming through over the next 12 months or so. I don't like looking beyond this year, but given this year has been a write off and the writing is on the wall for next year, I'm willing to accept some short term pain for a premiership in 2014. So with Hayne potentially a future 5/8, our fullback position covered, I want to know what the general consensus is with Sandow and the halfback position.
Do we look at persisting with Kelly, who I think has a it of ability, do we look at offloading Sandow and buying a New halfback, or do we perserve with Sandow in the hope we can eventually make it work? Also, while Keating has probably had his best year at the club, I also think he's been a major factor with Sandow not performing in the early weeks. There's something about the way he picks the ball up out of dummy half and runs 2-3 meters before he decides what to do with it. Sandow needs direct balls off the ground from dummy half, giving him more time in the decision making role. So there you go, IMO the biggest problem with the makeup is still our halves and hooker positions. We need to get the team dynamics right with our spine, and then we can look at enforcing our other positions. Interesting to see what everyone else's thoughts are on this topic?