Thierry Henry said:
ummmm...imo there are a heap of good 5/8ths atm. And since Nathan Fien is one of the worst, it's not too encouraging for us.
Barrett and Lockyer are generally recognised as 2 of the best players in the game, then you have Benji who is a freak, Thurston who won the Dally M, Sutton who is another one of the game's best talents....pretty unusual claim to say 5/8th is weak imo.
I entirely disagree.
In the past, you had a lot of good specialist five eighth. Now, more or less since Gus Gould used Shaun Timmins there its become more or less a makeshift role.
Take a look at some of the five eighths used this season;
Broncos: Darren Lockyer - makeshift, great fullback, top playmaker/kicker, terrible front line defender, either doesn't know how or doesn't have the ability to defend as a five eighth
Bulldogs: Braith Anasta, IMO a better lock forward, good kicking game/running game but at times not enough vision to create for his men wider out
Cowboys: Thurston, good player. But at times have still used Myles, Norton, Justin Smith etc. in the role who are better players in other positions
Dragons: Barrett, very good five eighth
Eels: John Morris, former hooker who's been shifted into the #6 jersey, done a very good job
Knights: The Gidleys, Kurt is a utility, Mathew is a centre, Steve Witt was hopeless, Tighe is an outside back, a couple of other younger players look good players
Panthers: Top quality attacking five eighth, tries hard in defence but is largely a judder bar to hold players up until the calvary arrives
Rabbitohs: John Sutton, very good prospect
Raiders: Jason Smith, good playmaker, on his last legs
Roosters: Never settled on a five eighth, tried Soward (a halfback), Fince (a halfback), Wing (a hooker), Amos Roberts (a winger)
Sea Eagles: Witt, whos' now at his second club and seems unlikely to be a consister first grade player, they played Menzies there who is a lock with little success.
Sharks: Dykes is a good player, but even he was coming off the bench at the back end of the season - they've played Gallen there in the past who's a lock, Bird's been tried there, and then shuffled around, they moved Vagana from centre to play it as well
Storm: Hill is a good five eighth, but in between injuries the likes of Geyer (outside back) have been given a gig there
Warriors: Ropati, no kicking game apparent, Faumuina a makeshift utility, Fien the best preformed five eighth for the Warriors and he is more a halfback naturally
Tigers: Marshall, great running game, like though to see how his kicking game holds up when the pack isn't preforming and Prince is set upon by the markers before waxing laxidazical on him
A hell of a lot of makeshift options being used in that position in the NRL, only Marshall, Hill (and he's played for the Kangaroos at lock), Smith (who's also played rep football as a lock), Sutton, Thurston and Barrett IMO are genuinely settled five eighths playing a usual five eighths game with no apparent weaknesses. Compare that to other positions, and for mine it doesn't really stack up. It appears to be a position often the coaches pencil the players name in last for, regardless of whether the player can play that position either to give an extra running back or an extra backrower.
