^^^ Agree with all that and add :
There a number of new structured attack moves we've bought in this year.
I'm looking forward to seeing our team execute them cleanly.
These new Attack structures have been used since round one. How much was McFadden ( Elliot said he has taken a step back and let McFadden run the attack ) and how much was Elliot.....is by the by....chicken V egg argument.
Key change under McFadden is selecting the right people , playing them in their correct positions. Correct selection for making that template work is McFaddens strength over Elliots weakness. I like what he's doing , but it doesn't matter what I think , it matters whether McFadden believes he has the right players to do those specific plays.
The changes I like the most :
Shaun Johnson delivering early ball to his centers. In the past Shaun would get thrown the ball , and expected to create before passing. When you have a unique runner like Hurrell who is quick over the first 40mtrs....It totally makes sense to get Hurrell to wind up early off quick ball. Long range Try's of the type Anderson had Toopi spark are back on the menu.
When that's not on ( say tackle four inside the opposition red Zone ) we're using Bukuya on that right to wrap around Johnson ( hardly something new)....but Bukuya is relentless with it......he doesn't often get the ball.....but if you look at that play.....Jason is always ready in case Johnson does pass. That combination Bukuya / Johnson works , Johnson gets a smidgen of extra time and space.
Other secound rowers we have used in the past will get frustrated with Shaun and the off the ball decoy runnung drops away....Bukuya was trained by Carney's Sharks where Backrowers never leave the half to create on their own.
The other thing those two do really well is Bukuya chases Johnsons kicks along the ground ( more people need to get there not just one player ) it pressures the Wings and FB into grounding the ball in goal , Bukuya goes very close to scoring himself too.....either way it's rugby league 101 and when the Fish is back he can get to those kicks before Bukya and the opposition FB.
There is also the set move off the Scrum where Tomkins is used on the right to get early ball to Hurrell on the short side.
So....looking forward to more of that from our right edge this year....you can see it building....Konrad Hurrell being used in simple structures ( under 5's stuff....give the ball to the big vicious kid straight away )
On the Left edge: Set move scrum plays look the same as the right one I've described i.e. Tomkins is used to deliver early ball on the short side of the scrum.....the subtle difference , is the target is a Winger ( not the center )........It's a standard overlap play in other words.
When Tomkins passes from right to left that's Sam Tomkins special cut out ball.....it's fast...it's flat....and it's clean.
Both those plays are designed for Tomkins to finish them off , watch how he backs Hurrell and Manu up on the inside waiting for them to pass.
When Manu and Konrad get used to the idea of using that immense threat they both have to draw then pass back ( instead of trampling the defender and dying in the tackle ) Tomkins 140 + Try's for Wigan will make sense in the NRL.
Finally what's not to like about the set play where the number 7 delivers a short pass to a hole running backrower ( Matulino )....Haeremai Ryan Hoffman ! the Left edge hole running ball specialist...you beautiful Cooper Cronk trained thing !
Folks watch for that play....have a look how Mr Everywhere Tomkins screams up on the outside of Matulino /Hoffman ......V the dogs he bagged a Try.....V the Raiders Matulino had Tomkins on him when he scored.
Ryan Hoffman is the perfect player for that Job...he's done it more often than Simon Mannering has had hot lunches ( no disrespect , fact of 200 + game Storm forward Cronk partner ).
