Brings us back to the question of why our juniors seldom step up when selected! Look at the Broncos and Melbourne, they seem ready even though they are young.......
Even the Roosters last year debuted young guts that looked comfortable straight away!!
Hope part of this "structure" includes addressing that!!!!
FWIW, I don't have too many issues with Loko, hope he stays in first grade considering this is a building year and it doesnt matter if we win any games........
It's not that our juniors do not step up, it's because they are playing 1st grade with a losing culture and most importantly a weak SPINE.
1. Hayne
6. Mortz
7. Robbo
9. Keating
I still maintain that Hayne is not a great ONE compared to slater, et al.
Just watching Barba last week how he hangs around for an opportunity. Because Hayne is too busy setting up plays, no one at Parra hangs around. His kick returns are rubbish and his defense in the back this year and last has made no real difference. i.e. if it was someone else at 1. He is good under the high ball though.
So our spine is crap.
Our juniors come in and have to put up with this weak spine and so, their errors are more obvious.
Slater, Cronk, Smith
Mini, Anasta, Pearce, Carney, Riddell
Brisbane is a bit weaker but they do have Lockyer there which makes up for heaps. But in the past they have always had a great 1, 6, 9.
So it's not about structure. It's about experience and well drilled set of senior players running the show and the Juniors just do their little bit.
Look at all our juniors running around:
Recently: Maloney, Kelly, Gardner, Hodkinson, KK, etc
Older ones: Ash, Lyon, Tonga, ....
Parra just has a crappy spine and no matter how long you can train someone up such as mortz, it won't work.
I reckon we need to buy the spine.
