Has the dearth of quality halves ended?

[chrisD]

So last season saw the emergence of Morgan, Keary and Hunt and the return of Soward and Benji. Widdop too sort of grew into himself too. This season we have Sezer back fit and Williams having found form again. Townsend also has improved and seems a worthy first grader for now. Emerging we have Austin, Bird, Elgey and Green. Mbye might prove himself a quality half also. Add to all them the potential of Milford, Brooks and Moses.

I think the halves shortage is pretty much over.

 

[magpie4ever]

No it hasn't

 

[Charlie124]

yes it has!

 

[DC_fan]

Time will tell

 

[Charlie124]

No it won't.

 

[some11]

Part of the problem with the perception of this is that not every half can be JT.

Give them time and some of the current crop will be up there.

 

[Perth Red]

There never was one. It was a nonsense perception created by Gus Gould with the vested interest to try and get some funding for a panthers half back academy. Only dumb people bought into it.

 

[magpie4ever]

No it won't.

Yes it will.

 

[pHyR3]

There never was one. It was a nonsense perception created by Gus Gould with the vested interest to try and get some funding for a panthers half back academy. Only dumb people bought into it.

how many GREAT halves are there right now? of the 80's calibre. sterlo and co.

cronk, JT, johnson, foran and maybe DCE. so many more in that era.

 

[T.S Quint]

So last season saw the emergence of Morgan, Keary and Hunt and the return of Soward and Benji. Widdop too sort of grew into himself too. This season we have Sezer back fit and Williams having found form again. Townsend also has improved and seems a worthy first grader for now. Emerging we have Austin, Bird, Elgey and Green. Mbye might prove himself a quality half also. Add to all them the potential of Milford, Brooks and Moses.

I think the halves shortage is pretty much over.

You mention Blake Green but not Corey Norman.
Shame.

 

[POPEYE]

Canberra will have too many when Sezer arrives if Austin is right about Williams being an unsung hero

 

[adamkungl]

how many GREAT halves are there right now? of the 80's calibre. sterlo and co.

cronk, JT, johnson, foran and maybe DCE. so many more in that era.

'right now' vs the entire 80s of so far unnamed halves.

Pick a year from the 80s and give us an example of all the GREATs running around?

 

[Vic Mackey]

Issue is this left and right crap that they play now. And the fact that whole sets are already structured as to what will happen on every single tackle. 'The center looks open but I can't throw that cut out ball, I have to do the inside ball to the back rower cause I'm doing a cross field bomb in 2 more tackles.' Halves aren't encouraged to play what they see, only what they've been coached to do.

It's why naturally talented halves like Albert Kelly are Shipped off to the ESL.

 

[God-King Dean]

It's increased.

This is like those people who say 'ugh, movies were so much back in the day...' That's because only remember the ones you like, not the other thousands of plod movies back then.

 

[Perth Red]

how many GREAT halves are there right now? of the 80's calibre. sterlo and co.

cronk, JT, johnson, foran and maybe DCE. so many more in that era.

Was there? The game was more open without the massive athletes chasing down half backs back in the 80's. It made the guys back then look better ball handlers etc but I'd suggest the half backs today are as good just have to play a different style. It's why orgasmic gets thrown around when Johnson or sandow goes old school and actually attacks the line.

 

[Blues Riff]

There never was one. It was a nonsense perception created by Gus Gould with the vested interest to try and get some funding for a panthers half back academy. Only dumb people bought into it.

.... and the concept of time is just a cheap gimmick invented by the Swiss to sell more cuckoo clocks.

 

[pHyR3]

'right now' vs the entire 80s of so far unnamed halves.

Pick a year from the 80s and give us an example of all the GREATs running around?

i named sterlo

but 1988 saw wally lewis, sterlo, steve mortimer, terry lamb, kevin hastings, greg alexander, alan langer, cliff lyons and ricky stuart just off the top of my head

the halves dearth is definitely subsiding somewhat with bird, elgey and austin coming onto the scene. few good halves still developing like moses, te maire martin, ashley and mbye.

so many more good fullbacks these days though, excess fullbacks not enough halves

 

[Stagger Lee]

so many more good fullbacks these days though, excess fullbacks not enough halves

Exactly - half backs have always peaked and waned over the years but I have never known so may quality fullbacks as these last few years.

 

[anjado]

Their was a massive downgrade in halves about 5 years ago it is why Mitchell Pearce played so many Origin games.

Between 1987 and 1995 all of these players played first grade in the NSWRL Premiership.

Stacey Jones
Scott Gale
Ellery Hanley
Gary Freeman
Wally Lewis
Kevin Walters
Allan Langer
Laurie Daley
Peter Jackson
Chris O'Sullivan
Ricky Stuart
Steve Mortimer
Terry Lamb
Craig Polla-Mounter
Jason Smith
Jim Dymock
Barry Russell
Paul Green
Mitch Healey
Adam Dykes
Kevin Hastings
Adrian Lam
Ben Ikin
Andy Gregory
John Simon
Cliff Lyons
Des Hasler
Geoff Toovey
Michael Hagan
Matthew Johns
Andrew Johns
Brett Kimmorley
Greg Florimo
Jason Taylor
Michael Buettner
Brett Kenny
Peter Sterling
Brad Fittler
Brad Izzard
Greg Alexander
Steve Carter
Chris Mortimer
Anthony Mundine
Noel Goldthorpe
Craig Coleman
Craig Field
Gary Schofield

All of these players were either all time greats, Rep players, Rothmans medallists or great club players.

2010 was the worst time for half backs it was when Barrett, Lockyer, Kimmorley were all very old and the likes of Johnson,Reynolds and Brooks hadn't debuted yet. We are in better shape for halfbacks than we have been for 10 years though and add them to the brilliance of modern fullbacks then the game could be the best it has been.

anyways here is a breakdown


2015

Anthony Milford & Ben Hunt
Blake Austin & Mitch Cornish
Josh Reynolds & Trent Hodgkinson
Jack Bird & Jeff Robson
Aiden Sezer & Kane Elgey
Kieran Foran & Daly Cherry-Evans
Blake Green & Cooper Cronk
Jarrod Mullen & Tyrone Roberts
Chad Townsend & Shaun Johnson
Michael Morgan & Jonathan Thurston
Corey Norman & Chris Sandow
Jamie Soward & Peter Wallace
Gareth Widdop & Benji Marshall
Luke Keary & Adam Reynolds
James Maloney & Mitchell Pearce
Mitchell Moses & Luke Brooks


2010

Darren Lockyer & Peter Wallace
Terry Campese & Josh McCrone
Ben Roberts & Brett Kimmorley
Trent Barrett & Tim Smith
Mat Rogers & Scott Prince
Kieran Foran & Trent Hodgkinson
Brett Finch & Cooper Cronk
Jarrod Mullen & Scott Dureau
James Maloney & Brett Seymour
Grant Rovelli & Jonathan Thurston
Daniel Mortimer & Jeff Robson
Travis Burns & Luke Walsh
Jamie Soward & Ben Hornby
John Sutton & Chris Sandow
Todd Carney & Mitchell Pearce
Benji Marshall & Robert Lui

2005 (15 teams)

Darren Lockyer & Brett Seymour
Terry Campese & Todd Carney
Brait Anasta & Brent Sherwin
Adam Dykes & Brett Kimmorley
Michael Witt & Michael Monaghan
Scott Hill & Matt Orford
Kurt Gidley & Andrew Johns
Nathan Fien & Stacey Jones
Jason Smith & Jonathan Thurston
John Morris & Tim Smith
Preston Campbell & Craig Gower
Trent Barrett & Ben Hornby
John Sutton & Joe Williams
Craig Wing & Brett Finch
Benji Marshall & Scott Prince

2004 (15 teams)

Darren Lockyer & Brett Seymour
Jason Croker & Mark McLinden
Braith Anasta & Brent Sherwin
Greg Bird & Brett Kimmorley
Andrew Walker & Michael Monaghan
Scott Hill & Matt Orford
Kurt Gidley & Andrew Johns
Lance Hohaia & Stacey Jones
David Myles & Nathan Fien
Adam Dykes & Michael Witt
Preston Campbell & Craig Gower
Trent Barrett & Matthew Head
John Sutton & Joe Williams
Brad Fittler & Brett Finch
Benji Marshall & Scott Prince

Jonathan Thurston (Spare)

2000 (14 teams)

Ben Ikin & Kevin Walters
Laurie Daley & Mark McLinden
Brent Sherwin & Ricky Stuart
Adam Dykes & Mitch Healey
Michael Buettner & Matt Orford (Northern Eagles)
Scott Hill & Brett Kimmorley
Matthew Johns & Andrew Johns
John Simon & Stacey Jones
Paul Green & Nathan Fien
Jason Smith & PJ Marsh
Steve Carter & Matthew Rodwell
Trent Barrett & Luke Branighan
Brad Fittler & Adrian Lam
Michael Gillett & Craig Field

1999 (17 teams)

John Simon & Stacey Jones (Auckland)
James Webster & Craig Field (Balmain)
Kevin Walters & Ben Walker
Laurie Daley & Andrew McFadden
Corey Hughes & Ricky Stuart
Adam Dykes & Mitch Healey
Cliff Lyons & Adam Brown
Scott Hill & Brett Kimmorley
Matthew Johns & Andrew Johns
Paul Green & Noel Goldthorpe
Ben Ikin & Jason Taylor
Jim Dymock & David Penna
Steve Carter & Greg Alexander
Anthony Mundine & Trent Barrett
Craig Wing & Darrell Trindall
Leo Dynevor & Dane Dorahy (Wests)


1997 (22 teams)

Kurt Wrigley & Dean Schifilliti (Adelaide)
Gene Ngamu & Stacey Jones (Auckland)
Michael Gillett & Steven Jolly (Balmain)
Kevin Walters & Allan Langer (Brisbane)
Laurie Daley & Ricky Stuart (Canberra)
Travis Norton & Craig Polla-Mounter (Canterbury-Bankstown)
Mitch Healey & Paul Green (Cronulla-Sutherland)
Tom O'Reilly & Wes Patten (Gold Coast)
Scott Hill & Brett Kimmorley (Hunter Mariners)
Trent Barrett & Glen Air (Illawarra)
Geoff Toovey & Craig Field (Manly-Warringah)
Matthew Johns & Andrew Johns (Newcastle)
John Doyle & Andrew Dunnemann (North Queensland)
Greg Florimo & Jason Taylor (North Sydney)
Jason Bell & John Simon (Parramatta)
Steve Carter & Greg Alexander (Penrith)
Shane Kenward & Gavin Clinch (St George) (Yikes)
Dave Watson & Nathan Antonik (South Queensland Crushers)
Julian O'Neill & Darrell Trindall (South Sydney)
Brad Fittler & Adrian Lam (Sydney Roosters)
Scott Wilson & Matthew Rodwell (Western Reds)
Adam Doyle & Steve Georgallis (Western Suburbs)

Anthony Mundine & Noel Goldthorpe (Super League spares)
Cliff Lyons & Leo Dynevor (ARL spares)


1994

Will Robinson & Nathan Wood
Kevin Walters & Allan Langer
Laurie Daley & Ricky Stuart
Terry Lamb & Craig Polla-Mounter
Mitch Healey & Paul Green
Brendan Hall & Adrian Lam
Andrew Dunneman & Craig Coleman
Craig Simon & John Simon
Cliff Lyons & Geoff Toovey
Matthew Johns & Andrew Johns
Greg Florimo & Jason Taylor
Michael Speechley & Stu Galbraith
Steve Carter & Gary Freeman
Anthony Mundine & Noel Goldthorpe
Jason Bell & Craig Field
Steve Georgallis & Jason Alchin

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

i named sterlo

but 1988 saw wally lewis, sterlo, steve mortimer, terry lamb, kevin hastings, greg alexander, alan langer, cliff lyons and ricky stuart just off the top of my head

the halves dearth is definitely subsiding somewhat with bird, elgey and austin coming onto the scene. few good halves still developing like moses, te maire martin, ashley and mbye.

so many more good fullbacks these days though, excess fullbacks not enough halves

Hastings retired after 1987 and only played a couple games that season.