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Latrell is not a fullback

Danish

Referee
Messages
31,850
Souths should play him at 6. Solves the cost Walker problem at the same time.

Latrell plays well at fullback the same way Manu does, or Inglis before that. You throw a great ball runner a tonne of space and they are going to do great things.

the problem is you then have to get them to, you know, play the position. Manu gives it the old college try and runs around like a jack rabbit when in the 1, even if he still has a lot to learn. Inglis is very similar in build and power game to Latrell, but he had a much bigger heart and motor. Inglis was never caught out of position or refusing to get in there and get dirty trucking the ball out of his own end. Inglis was just flat out too big a body to have back there and he broke down regularly because of it (same was Turbo does now).

Latrell was probably told some of these hard truths at easts, hence the rift and why he left for myrtleler pastures. But Souths aren’t a stupid club. Latrell’s superstar status will buy him another season or 2 at the back but if he doesn’t improve they’ll definitely go another direction and move him to where he is most suited
 

yobbo84

First Grade
Messages
9,822
Souths should play him at 6. Solves the cost Walker problem at the same time.

Latrell plays well at fullback the same way Manu does, or Inglis before that. You throw a great ball runner a tonne of space and they are going to do great things.

the problem is you then have to get them to, you know, play the position. Manu gives it the old college try and runs around like a jack rabbit when in the 1, even if he still has a lot to learn. Inglis is very similar in build and power game to Latrell, but he had a much bigger heart and motor. Inglis was never caught out of position or refusing to get in there and get dirty trucking the ball out of his own end. Inglis was just flat out too big a body to have back there and he broke down regularly because of it (same was Turbo does now).

Latrell was probably told some of these hard truths at easts, hence the rift and why he left for myrtleler pastures. But Souths aren’t a stupid club. Latrell’s superstar status will buy him another season or 2 at the back but if he doesn’t improve they’ll definitely go another direction and move him to where he is most suited
Pretty sure the plan was Suaalii to 1 when ready but we stuffed that up

Also Inglis was an incredible fullback, particularly defensively, he just missed the prime years of his career at the back due to Slater at Melbourne
 

Danish

Referee
Messages
31,850
Pretty sure the plan was Suaalii to 1 when ready but we stuffed that up

Also Inglis was an incredible fullback, particularly defensively, he just missed the prime years of his career at the back due to Slater at Melbourne

inglis dominated at fullback. Like I said the position just broke his body and he retired quite early from injuries for someone as skilful as him.

cpuld have played another 3-4 seasons if he remained at centre or moved into the halves
 

yobbo84

First Grade
Messages
9,822
inglis dominated at fullback. Like I said the position just broke his body and he retired quite early from injuries for someone as skilful as him.

cpuld have played another 3-4 seasons if he remained at centre or moved into the halves
I think his retirement was more mental than anything. He could still be playing now if he was happy to be a solid centre, and then a tough running edge backrower (i.e. the Ruben Wiki trajectory).

It must be tough dominating everything you ever played, from a kid, right through to NRL, Origin and Tests, only to lose that edge and just be a "good" NRL player again. I think this was GI's issue.

Anyway, on the topic at hand. Latrell has all the tools to be the best fullback in the game - he just needs to be willing to go for repeat efforts, which is the area of his downfall at present.
 

Smug Panther

First Grade
Messages
7,004
I think his retirement was more mental than anything. He could still be playing now if he was happy to be a solid centre, and then a tough running edge backrower (i.e. the Ruben Wiki trajectory).

It must be tough dominating everything you ever played, from a kid, right through to NRL, Origin and Tests, only to lose that edge and just be a "good" NRL player again. I think this was GI's issue.

Anyway, on the topic at hand. Latrell has all the tools to be the best fullback in the game - he just needs to be willing to go for repeat efforts, which is the area of his downfall at present.
Not having the heart to put in 100% is a big tool to be missing
 

soc123_au

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
18,506
I think his retirement was more mental than anything. He could still be playing now if he was happy to be a solid centre, and then a tough running edge backrower (i.e. the Ruben Wiki trajectory).

It must be tough dominating everything you ever played, from a kid, right through to NRL, Origin and Tests, only to lose that edge and just be a "good" NRL player again. I think this was GI's issue.

Anyway, on the topic at hand. Latrell has all the tools to be the best fullback in the game - he just needs to be willing to go for repeat efforts, which is the area of his downfall at present.
He doesn’t have the tools at all. The only thing he has is the delusion that he can emulate GI. He will never have the motor required to be a fullback. He needs to embrace being the worlds best centre. Nothing wrong with that.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,798
He doesn’t have the tools at all. The only thing he has is the delusion that he can emulate GI. He will never have the motor required to be a fullback. He needs to embrace being the worlds best centre. Nothing wrong with that.
Its a shame the centre position has become so on the nose. I grew up watching Meninga and Renouf etc when the centre position was seen as a key attacking role
 

soc123_au

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
18,506
Its a shame the centre position has become so on the nose. I grew up watching Meninga and Renouf etc when the centre position was seen as a key attacking role
Same here. Go back a bit further to Steve Rogers. It was a glamour position.

Sadly it’s all about the bucks now. Anyone elite wants the extra few hundred k that comes with a spine position.
 

yobbo84

First Grade
Messages
9,822
He doesn’t have the tools at all. The only thing he has is the delusion that he can emulate GI. He will never have the motor required to be a fullback. He needs to embrace being the worlds best centre. Nothing wrong with that.
I actually think his best position is at five-eighth.
 

soc123_au

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
18,506
I actually think his best position is at five-eighth.
You could make an argument for that. You would want a dominant controlling 7 to add along with him though. Illias in a few years could fit the bill. Latrell and Cody together in the spine has its highlight moments but imo it’s a net negative.
 

Dragonwest

Juniors
Messages
1,654
Latrell is a 6 for me. Pity they have Walker.

In the centers he's starved of ball and he is not fit enough for 1 to work hard from the inside defending the line or making enough return meters.

With a good central 7 and ball playing 13 he can dominate one edge in attack and defend two in to limit his defensive work.
 

Billythekid

First Grade
Messages
6,570
Souths should play him at 6. Solves the cost Walker problem at the same time.

Latrell plays well at fullback the same way Manu does, or Inglis before that. You throw a great ball runner a tonne of space and they are going to do great things.

the problem is you then have to get them to, you know, play the position. Manu gives it the old college try and runs around like a jack rabbit when in the 1, even if he still has a lot to learn. Inglis is very similar in build and power game to Latrell, but he had a much bigger heart and motor. Inglis was never caught out of position or refusing to get in there and get dirty trucking the ball out of his own end. Inglis was just flat out too big a body to have back there and he broke down regularly because of it (same was Turbo does now).

Latrell was probably told some of these hard truths at easts, hence the rift and why he left for myrtleler pastures. But Souths aren’t a stupid club. Latrell’s superstar status will buy him another season or 2 at the back but if he doesn’t improve they’ll definitely go another direction and move him to where he is most suited
Inglis absolutely got caught out at the back and definitely let more balls hit the ground than most fullbacks. A lot of that seemed to be forgotten because of his barnstorming runs back but he wasn't close to the best fullbacks in terms of positioning.

Just like with Latrell that's the price you pay for having such a big body back there, it's a trade off. In Latrells case he isn't quite as good in attack and he is significantly worse in defense than Inglis was so the tradeoff isn't as worth it.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,798
Inglis absolutely got caught out at the back and definitely let more balls hit the ground than most fullbacks. A lot of that seemed to be forgotten because of his barnstorming runs back but he wasn't close to the best fullbacks in terms of positioning.

Just like with Latrell that's the price you pay for having such a big body back there, it's a trade off. In Latrells case he isn't quite as good in attack and he is significantly worse in defense than Inglis was so the tradeoff isn't as worth it.
Slater woudl have to be one of the best positioning FB's ever, Tedesco one of the best attacking/passing FB ever. Tommy turbo has both them skill sets but his body has let him down sadly. Latrell wouldn't be close to any of them. Lots of hype thrown his way and he can break a game open, but only happens one in five or so and thats not enough for a $million player.
 

Saxon

Bench
Messages
2,633
Inglis is very similar in build and power game to Latrell, but he had a much bigger heart and motor. Inglis was never caught out of position or refusing to get in there and get dirty trucking the ball out of his own end.
It took Inglis a looong time to get there though. It took him years to learn to defend at fullback.
Also, a massive criticism of him in his early days was that he didn't put in the effort. Bellamy supposedly once said; "If Greg had the work ethic of Billy Slater he's be the best player in the world."

Latrell might get there one day. But it will be a long hard road. He has a lot to learn about defence at fullback and needs a lot of work on his late season fitness.
 

Danish

Referee
Messages
31,850
It took Inglis a looong time to get there though. It took him years to learn to defend at fullback.
Also, a massive criticism of him in his early days was that he didn't put in the effort. Bellamy supposedly once said; "If Greg had the work ethic of Billy Slater he's be the best player in the world."

Latrell might get there one day. But it will be a long hard road. He has a lot to learn about defence at fullback and needs a lot of work on his late season fitness.

yes he took a long while to come good at defence, but Inglis was a power house getting his team on the front foot with kick returns and hard tackle 1 carries from his first game at fullback.

so the odd defensive lapse was more than made up for by him getting their sets off to a good start.

latrell basically refuses to take hit ups out of his own end. He dumps it off to the closest winger after fielding a kick, then loves to play dummy half shovelling it off to another back on tackle 1 and 2.

he’s averaged less than 10 runs a game since coming back from injury this year and generally runs for less than 100m too. Thats unforgivable laziness for a fullback in the current NRL.

he is basically the anti-Edwards. Dylan is all grunt work all game. Latrell only gets involved in glory plays
 

Pippen94

First Grade
Messages
5,858
yes he took a long while to come good at defence, but Inglis was a power house getting his team on the front foot with kick returns and hard tackle 1 carries from his first game at fullback.

so the odd defensive lapse was more than made up for by him getting their sets off to a good start.

latrell basically refuses to take hit ups out of his own end. He dumps it off to the closest winger after fielding a kick, then loves to play dummy half shovelling it off to another back on tackle 1 and 2.

he’s averaged less than 10 runs a game since coming back from injury this year and generally runs for less than 100m too. Thats unforgivable laziness for a fullback in the current NRL.

he is basically the anti-Edwards. Dylan is all grunt work all game. Latrell only gets involved in glory plays

Drop the laziness bullshit Eddie macguire
 

ATOWN2

Juniors
Messages
149
He went missing over the weekend. Copped a big hit at the start of the game and decided he didn't want to run the ball anymore. I see him as a a Centre.
 

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