Pre origin Holmes I wasn’t sold on. He struggled at fullback, both in attack and defence. Wasn’t even that great in the wing.
Post Holmes I have come around to him as right up there for attacking fullbacks. Every time he gets the ball from open field he is potentially making a break, just like RTS a few years ago.
And yes he has defensive issues. Very very few 21 year olds with the attacking flair like him are defensively set.
As he matures and grows into the role, I expect the defensive part to really develop. His positioning has improved, the body on the line is certainly better and maybe even the defensive talk and instructions have come along to. There is room to grow and improve 100%.
Post origin Holmes I want in our team, every day of the week.
Pre origin Holmes could have been at the cowboys for all I cared.
At the same age, how was barba at defence. What about slater or even Tedesco. Those guys are the benchmark fullbacks.
These are the fullbacks in the comp.
Tedesco
Slater
Johnston
Holmes
DWZ
Dufty
Boyd
RTS
Mbye
Wighton
Ponga
Martin
Hopoate
Gordon
Turbo
Hayne
Which one of these guys was perfect defensively as a fullback at 21??
None of them?
Attack is natural, but defensive smarts are learned. They say front towers develop later, they definately do. Why? Because more than half the work they do is defensive. They have to learn when to chase hard, when to hang back, when to make the effort of being the third or fourth guy in. Do I make 5 tackles in a row and be gassed for the offensive set??
One of the greatest sharks was an attacking genius from 17. Defensively he was a weak point.
He grew and learned until there wasn’t a better defensive centre in the comp.
Give the bloke time to grow physically and mentally for defence. If he does he will be the best player in the comp.
We are tainted because he saw him in 2014, and feel must be older.
