NRLW

[The Axe of Druss]

Is Jesse considered one of the best players in the game? I'm not a big follower but I hear more about Turnik and Upton I reckon. They might be more physically gifted but Jesse looks like the best half at the club (including the men's). Her kicking game is the best in the game right?

Who the f**k is Turnik?

 

[Burwood]

Who the f**k is Turnik?

Don’t worry, I speak fluent Yosh. Olivia Kernick.

 

[Yosh]

Who the f**k is Turnik?

See what I mean. Casual fan. Lol

 

[HarVeeGee]

Is Jesse considered one of the best players in the game? I'm not a big follower but I hear more about Turnik and Upton I reckon. They might be more physically gifted but Jesse looks like the best half at the club (including the men's). Her kicking game is the best in the game right?

Tamika won the Dally M in 2023 and Kernick in 2024 and it was deserved in both cases, those two and Isabelle Kelly would probably be who most would identify as the best player in the game right now.

Jesse burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2022 and was very quickly regarded as one of the best halves & likely the #1 player in the game at some point in the future, but she didn’t keep improving in a linear way and honestly she was pretty bad last year. People put this down to different things, we definitely played a very Tamika-centric style where Roche and Southwell played a side each and their job was to play to her constantly, she had carte blanche to overcall whenever she liked, even for kicks (which was a mistake overall IMO as Tamika’s kicking game was a bit of a lottery, even though this set up produced the winning play in a grand final). Jesse definitely looks better as an on ball half with the play running through her on both sides of the ruck.

But also Jesse kind of just did a bunch of stuff poorly last year irrespective of role, and looked a bit out of shape tbh. It may just have been that after winning the comp in her first two seasons there was maybe an understandable motivation/application dip. She’s young and only human. Also she was carving up with her running game very easily as a rookie and the standard of the average player keeps getting better so that’s not so easy for her now.

This year it’s clear she has absolutely worked her arse off over the off-season and on form so far she’s pretty clearly the #1 halfback. Overall kicking game is definitely the best, might not have the biggest boot but it’d be up there and her kick selection and placement is likely the best. And she has the best short kicking game by a mile over the next best. She’s not a tearaway breaking the line a lot like she was as a rookie but her control over the game is unmatched by other 7’s in the NRLW right now.

 

[aqua_duck]

Tamika won the Dally M in 2023 and Kernick in 2024 and it was deserved in both cases, those two and Isabelle Kelly would probably be who most would identify as the best player in the game right now.

Jesse burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2022 and was very quickly regarded as one of the best halves & likely the #1 player in the game at some point in the future, but she didn’t keep improving in a linear way and honestly she was pretty bad last year. People put this down to different things, we definitely played a very Tamika-centric style where Roche and Southwell played a side each and their job was to play to her constantly, she had carte blanche to overcall whenever she liked, even for kicks (which was a mistake overall IMO as Tamika’s kicking game was a bit of a lottery, even though this set up produced the winning play in a grand final). Jesse definitely looks better as an on ball half with the play running through her on both sides of the ruck.

But also Jesse kind of just did a bunch of stuff poorly last year irrespective of role, and looked a bit out of shape tbh. It may just have been that after winning the comp in her first two seasons there was maybe an understandable motivation/application dip. She’s young and only human. Also she was carving up with her running game very easily as a rookie and the standard of the average player keeps getting better so that’s not so easy for her now.

This year it’s clear she has absolutely worked her arse off over the off-season and on form so far she’s pretty clearly the #1 halfback. Overall kicking game is definitely the best, might not have the biggest boot but it’d be up there and her kick selection and placement is likely the best. And she has the best short kicking game by a mile over the next best. She’s not a tearaway breaking the line a lot like she was as a rookie but her control over the game is unmatched by other 7’s in the NRLW right now.

Yep agreed, I’d be shocked if her and Aiken aren’t the Jillaroos halves moving forward. Upton is a freak and I personally hold no resentment towards her at all but imo she can be abit of a hard player to gel with for some halves because she’s so dominant and demands the ball so much for good reason.
I think the way the game is going now with defences abit more organised, better athletes, better conditioning, etc you’ll see a proper halfback like Jesse really shine.
In the past it was about getting the ball to your athletes and letting them do the rest, now teams actually have to build pressure, halfbacks need to organise and steer their team around and short kicking is becoming much more important which means proper halfbacks like Jesse, Tayla Preston, Rachael Pearson, etc become more valuable

 

[Yosh]

Does Jesse also have the best goal kicking in the league? Seems like everyone else misses unless it's right in front.