What's new
By:
Advanced search…
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Nightingale its time.

M

MilanDragon

Juniors
Messages
902
RufusRex said:
the NRL app is great … you can go to a game and it has all sorts of interesting features and stats …

This is a nice one … It is the season trend "Heat Map" of where we concede our tries … Says it all ..

View attachment 20199
Click to expand...

Really glad you posted that as I was looking for something similar.

Before I looked I had one theory, and that was that every team would have at least one ‘hotspot’ of where they concede more tries. - I wasn’t wrong.

I went through every team both attack and defence and it was quite interesting.

In defence:

9/16 had their right sided defence as their worst.
4/16 on the left and 3/16 through the middle.

Attack:
10/16 teams had their hotspot on the left attack (coincides with the right defence)
3/16 on the right and another 3 through the middle.

Our attack funnily enough is both the middle and right.. the same wing that Nighty plays but yet he has only scored one try, but yet that side is our attacking strength.

I agree he isn’t what he was before but I still believe he brings a lot more to the team than we realise. Every team is always going to have a ‘weakness’ if we have someone else in his spot we either start saying Lomax is the weakness or find another player to bag.
 
M

MilanDragon

Juniors
Messages
902
RufusRex said:
You make it sound like wanting to identify and act on weaknesses in a team is a bad thing
Click to expand...

Acting on a weakness is a smart thing. I just think we are blowing Nighty being the (singular) weakness out of proportion.

I believe our RHS is our defensive weakness sure, no worse than other sides in the sense it’s not losing us games (and I’m not naive enough to think we should wait until we are losing to fix the error). But just because our right side is our defensive weakness doesn’t mean that’s Nighty’s fault. Otherwise 8 other teams in the comp should also drop their right winger.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,992
RufusRex said:
Well …. Mann would be an easy safe pick

Lomax is the right reign to pull though. Point me to the last 19/20 year old who debuted with 1st grade experience? It is always a risk … He showed in the trials that he was ready but mary has been derping him up though …


The last two or three games we have had tries scored against us by kids given shots as 19/20 years olds . The wing like it or not is a young mans position. Campbell Graham/Nick Cotric/Addo Carr/ even Broncos debut a bloke and he scores/sets up tries as a 19 year old.

Lomax for sure will come in and make mistake … but the team is in a position right now to absorb that - hell we are already absorbing Nightingale's errors every week. Lomax is good, is solid in the air (can take those high bombs above his head) … It is so beyond time to give him at least 40 min … Hell start him and keep nighty on the bench for cover - Mary has demonstrated he is willing to not use that 4th player.
Click to expand...

Start Lomax, we already have Mann as backup! I believe Lomax will do well and improve every game right into the finals; just like Dufty has. Instruct both Frizell and Aitken to go for the safe option in defence. Frizell = speed, Aitken = Speed and Lomax = Speed. Have Dufty = Speed join this trio in a backline raid and we have speed to burn.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,992
It won't happen however, I'd rather see Mann at 5, Lomax at 3, and Aitken taking over Mann's role. I think Aitken would prove to be a winner as the utility player.
 
Frank Facer

Frank Facer

First Grade
Messages
5,069
I rate Thurston as one of the best players I have ever seen play the game, but he is not the same player that he was 2 years ago. He has probably played one year too many too.

I don't think Smith is the same player that he was 2 years ago either.

Both Thurston and Smith are not such weak links, as Nightingale is to us.

Nightingale has gone at least one year too many. Mary should have tapped him on the shoulder at the end of last year. Mary should make the call and drop him now. I would make the call if I was coach.
 
Last edited:
hazzbeen

hazzbeen

Bench
Messages
4,617
Frank Facer said:
I rate Thurston as one of the best players I have ever seen play the game, but he is not the same player that he was 2 years ago. He has probably played one year too many too.

I don't think Smith is the same player that he was 2 years ago either.

Both Thurston and Smith are no such weak links as Nightingale is to us.

Nightingale has gone at least one year too many. Mary should have tapped him on the shoulder at the end of last year. Mary should make the call and drop him now. I would make the call if I was coach.
Click to expand...
Said before if they have to play him use him from the bench ....
 
giboz71

giboz71

First Grade
Messages
9,708
I agree that Nighty eventually has to be replaced but in reality, we haven’t seen enough of Lomax to assess if he’s really ready.

The kid needs game time in ISP where he can prove he can cut it.

Can anyone definitively say he is NRL ready right now?
 
R

RufusRex

Post Whore
Messages
63,726
O'Sullivan said:
I fear too many are trying to keep Nightingale in the side because of what he was, not what he is. 'Every team has a weakness....' ' that winger does it to every other winger in the comp...'it's the centre's fault...' etc, etc.
Click to expand...

Nail head ...

You accept his performance in a 10-20 game rookie with potential to improve but there is no way people would tolerate him if he were not a 2010 premiership legend.
 
R

RufusRex

Post Whore
Messages
63,726
giboz71 said:
I agree that Nighty eventually has to be replaced but in reality, we haven’t seen enough of Lomax to assess if he’s really ready.

The kid needs game time in ISP where he can prove he can cut it.

Can anyone definitively say he is NRL ready right now?
Click to expand...


No ... but no rookie is ever definitely ready .... the club however think he is close otherwise he wouldn’t be named in the squad every week.

One thing for certain .. nighty is past it.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,992
hazzbeen said:
Said before if they have to play him use him from the bench ....
Click to expand...

Nightingale's already got his golden handshake, play him in reserve grade and give him the chance to mentor some of our young backs. Lomax is as ready as any good rookie can be. Now he just needs to be selected and given game time to show is skills. He is faster the Nightingale, bigger than Nightingale and just needs some experience to show he is of first grade standard. Now is the best time to give him a go because if he does well he will have a few games under his belt at finals time.
 
Last edited:
dragon_around

dragon_around

Juniors
Messages
1,291
Nightingale will also grab another accolade against the Panthers as he racks up the third-most appearances by a Dragon, Steeler or St George Illawarra player ever.

Nightingale's 257th first grade game will see him overtake Dragons legend Norm Provan on the combined appearances list.
 
M

MilanDragon

Juniors
Messages
902
dragon_around said:
Nightingale will also grab another accolade against the Panthers as he racks up the third-most appearances by a Dragon, Steeler or St George Illawarra player ever.

Nightingale's 257th first grade game will see him overtake Dragons legend Norm Provan on the combined appearances list.
Click to expand...

So by my calculations (which could easily be wrong) he would tie with Hornby if we make the final, for the most number of games.

Let’s hope that happens! I’m saying that in the sense that if it does occur we are in the GF and Nighty has been playing well enough to contribute (not being a liability as some would say).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top