Our 5/8 Problem

[Johns Magic]

yeah
abes might not be the answer atm
but like Smith said about cutting players
he's just been waiting to see how people work together, and what combinations are being formed
and abe's was getting that chance
if people dont think he's the answer, but cant see any other answer
maybe its a race to see who proves themselves to fill that space first.
abe's might be the answer, but needs time to adjust to the position
play a Anasta style 5/8th, who also should be in lock, but the situation demands they be 5/8th for the moment

Anasta is a million times the playmaker that Abes is

 

[voltron]

Anasta is a million times the playmaker that Abes is

true
but i dont think abe's has played much 5/8th, well at least recently
and shouldnt be expected to be the same as a premiership winning 5/8th (overrated he might have been)
my point was as 5/8th, that is the style he should probably go for.
as opposed to a Lockyer style, or a inglis style

 

[K-Man]

Seeing as I don't think it's been mentioned yet, Brian Smith is quoted in this week's Big League as saying something along the lines of Walsh being a genuine option for first grade in the near future, and that of the genuine halves in the club he is the one likely to be promoted.

So now Smith has publicly backed Abraham for now, as well as saying Bailey is a big chance but just happens to be injured, and Walsh if they decide to go for a true half.

So it seems options such as Brown, Dureau, Hunt etc are well down the pecking order.

Personally I would like to see Brown given a try, I think he could really excel there. Dummy half just doesn't suit him, but he's actually got a good passing, running and kicking game imo, just needs more room to move.

 

[CJKnight]

We don't have a 5/8 problem IMO... Mullen should stay at 5/8. That's where he has played most of his junior fotty and there is nothing wrong with the #6 calling the shots (aka Lockyer). Of course he and the "#7" will probably switch first and second receiver roles.

Bring Walsh up from PL as soon as he is fit. As good a time as any to bleed some young talent. Although I also agree with the opinion that he should bulk up abit.

 

[Johns Magic]

As good a time as any to bleed some young talent.

What, in a struggling side that's just lost its leader? I can think of better times.

Oh and congrats on 1,000 posts

 

[CJKnight]

What, in a struggling side that's just lost its leader? I can think of better times.

Oh and congrats on 1,000 posts

Thanks mate... I just realized I got my first star

Oh, and I meant with having no available half to put in there... it's as good a time as any to bleed Walsh.

 

[K-Man]

Thanks mate... I just realized I got my first star

wow, I've been going like a snail

 

[Pika]

Quality not quantity k-man

 

[voltron]

or just get into an argument or two, of fifty
i reckon thats how most of the high posters got alot of their posts

*EDIT* well discussion then, not necessarily argument

 

[Johns Magic]

or just get into an argument or two, of fifty
i reckon thats how most of the high posters got alot of their posts

*EDIT* well discussion then, not necessarily argument

Hasn't helped me

 

[voltron]

dude
you have 9000 posts

 

[Johns Magic]

dude
you have 9000 posts

Look how long I've been around though

 

[Ben]

In my experience dummy half is the hardest position to pass from - you have to (or at least should) pass from the ground, and you are basically relying only on peripheral vision. I think Brown will be fine throwing them on the run - did you see him play 7 in PL?

Yeah, i'm just going from my personal experience here and i find it heaps harder to pass on the run then pass standing still. But, i haven't seen any of Brown's premier league games and if he's passing game shouldn't be a worry, then i have no other complaints of him playing five-eight.

But with Smith coming out and saying that he has got a right eye on Walsh, then i've got this feeling that Mullen and Walsh's combination is too hard to resist.

 

[K-Man]

I'm afraid I don't have a scanner, but here are a few interesting quotes from Brian Smith in Big League this week:

"Every club wants options but you want the focal point in the halves to be stability, so in the foreseeable future I don't see much change around our half/five-eighth area to be honest. Kurt is going too well at fullback to move, so we'll give Mullen and Abraham a chance to build a combination and to settle in".

"Walsh is a talent and he and Jarrod have played a lot of footy together, so there is a chance they might gel and Jarrod might go back to five-eighth. I'm keen to investigate it at some stage".

"But in recruitment terms we'll just be looking to strengthen our team. There are specific areas we'll target, but it's not for publication just yet".

Very very interesting times ahead of us. I think Smith's brain is working overtime and he is determined to get it right in terms of who he wants around in the future. There won't be any panic decisions like Reyno. I just wish I had more patience, I'd love to get inside his head for a week to see exactly what he thinks of every player at the club and of all the potential recruits.

 

[Big Tim]

Mullo is the long term answer.... Abes or Brown are what we have at the moment.

Brown's short kicking game is A1, but Abes defense and ball running is superior. Depends what we are looking for really.

Mullo is a genuine 5/8, I feel that Walsh would have got the nod in Round 2 had he not have been injured in Round 1. Some times careers are made on timing, I hope, for the clubs sake, that Walsh still gets a good opportunity.

 

[Nuffy]

Geez its nice to hear a Knights coach actually thinking about strengthening a team and tossing up a few ideas.

He might not deliver us a premiership but hes been a breath of fresh air and I'm really looking forward to seeing who will be in the R&B next year.

 

[Jono078]

Just on quotes from Big League.

I personally liked the one where Smith said Johns was getting sick and tired of being the one to do everything and everyone looking at him for answers. And the first thing Johns said to Smith was if he could please set out all the training and stuff..

Very interesting, I wonder what Hagan actually done besides copy and paste names each week?

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I also consider Abes doesn't suit the 5/8 role.
My take on this Halves question is this. Why are we grooming Mullen as a replacement for Joey at 7 when Jarrod is probably the best 6 in the club.
We then have Walsh a natural 7 who has played with Jarrod as his 6 for a few years.
They have been a great partnership through the lower grades.
Why break them up now??
Surely we can give them a chance to show their worth in FG in the roles that they have been playing succesfully for quite a long while now.

I have no issue at all with mullen being in the number 7 for another 10 years at the knights. He has a great kicking game for a halfback. He can tackle as well as most halfbacks in the comp. He has a good passing game. You can tell he has spent a lot of time learning from johns as he plays a similar sort of game, just not up to the consistant level of johns of course. I don't understand why people consider him to be a 5/8 when he plays the game of a halfback.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Just on quotes from Big League.

I personally liked the one where Smith said Johns was getting sick and tired of being the one to do everything and everyone looking at him for answers. And the first thing Johns said to Smith was if he could please set out all the training in stuff..

Very interesting, I wonder what Hagan actually done besides copy and paste names each week?

Good old hages. 300k per year to copy and paste and to depress all the knights fans out there... lol

 

[K-Man]

I have no issue at all with mullen being in the number 7 for another 10 years at the knights. He has a great kicking game for a halfback. He can tackle as well as most halfbacks in the comp. He has a good passing game. You can tell he has spent a lot of time learning from johns as he plays a similar sort of game, just not up to the consistant level of johns of course. I don't understand why people consider him to be a 5/8 when he plays the game of a halfback.

Because although he's a very good halfback, he could be an even better 5-8th. The player he is most similar to in terms of overall strengths is Fittler.

From halfback he isn't getting as much chance to use his big step and acceleration with a bit of room to move. Also if you think back to a lot of our tries and line breaks so far this season, a significant proportion come from the few times Mullen gets a bit wider and is making the "last play" if you will i.e. dummy half passes to someone who passes to Mullen to either hit one of his outside runners or put the kick in etc.

I think his talents are being wasted playing a traditional halfback role of either shifting it wide, playing it short to the forwards, or kicking. I would much rather see a genuine halfback feeding him good, quick ball so that he gets it in space with options like Simpson, Doogs, Kidley running off him.

For example, in the Rabbitohs game when McManus scores of the ball from Tighe, it was Mullen's beautiful cut out pass from 5-8th to Tighe that made it happen. We need more of that. It was actually Woolnough at first reciever who threw a wobbly ball out to Mullen. Let's say it had been the other way around, with Mullen at first receiver, feeding it on to Kidley/Abraham etc. Then you have the players with less skills trying to make the big play. It happened a couple of times with Kidley chiming in and broke down a bit.

I don't particularly care which number Mullen has on his back, as long as his halves partner is also a genuine playmaker so that they can regularly interchange and make the most of the skills at their disposal. Mullen is just too good to play a Sherwin style "guide them around the park" game.