RD 22: Parramatta Eels v Canberra at TIO Stadium Darwin 8.30pm AEST 9/8/14

[TheParraboy]

Agreed they'll be first choice but either of them could be injured or suspended at some stage of the Origin period.

But do we then run to Pearce?

If so it shows the absolute poor depth NSW have in the halves, rather than any brilliance Pearce offers. I like the look of Brooks but he is a good 3 years away. Be silly to throw him in next year.

Id be inclined to put a Bird or Lewis type at 5/8. Origin is that type of game. The short 10 metres, niggle slowing of the tackle allowed in each tackle etc....

 

[Poupou Escobar]

But do we then run to Pearce?

Probably depends on his club form at the time, plus the form of rival halves.

If so it shows the absolute poor depth NSW have in the halves, rather than any brilliance Pearce offers.

Pearce wasn't in the team for his brilliance. He's not that type if player. He's solid, like Hodkinson and Cronk.

I like the look of Brooks but he is a good 3 years away. Be silly to throw him in next year.

Brooks has plenty of talent, but you're right, it takes more than playmaking to play Origin. Defence and long kicking should be the first things we look for in an Origin half. The playmaking is just gravy.

Id be inclined to put a Bird or Lewis type at 5/8. Origin is that type of game. The short 10 metres, niggle slowing of the tackle allowed in each tackle etc....

Their kicking isn't good enough. Metres are so hard to come by in Origin you need at least two blokes who can launch it downfield for big gains.

 

[I'm a loser baby...]

Good assessment, IAL,B.

It is wrong to assume that all coaches got to where they are based on their football knowledge. There are other factors at play when it comes to appointing coaching staff.

Assuming that they have more football knowledge than all fans, it is then wrong to further assume that they will use that knowledge to make correct decisions every time.

Why thank you, good Sir.

 

[Noise]

Probably depends on his club form at the time, plus the form of rival halves.



Pearce wasn't in the team for his brilliance. He's not that type if player. He's solid, like Hodkinson and Cronk.



Brooks has plenty of talent, but you're right, it takes more than playmaking to play Origin. Defence and long kicking should be the first things we look for in an Origin half. The playmaking is just gravy.



Their kicking isn't good enough. Metres are so hard to come by in Origin you need at least two blokes who can launch it downfield for big gains.

Hayne could certainly do that with Hodko

 

[Poupou Escobar]

He could but what if Hayne (or even Hodkinson) is the one playing the ball on the last? That just leaves one kicking option which is easy to pressure if the play-the-ball is slow.

Plus we really want Hayne chasing kicks.

 

[T.S Quint]

No he didn't. Reynolds had one poor game and that was game 3 and Hodkinson is a better defender then Pearce.

Reynolds was terrible in all three games.
People didn't seem to notice because we won two of them. He can't kick. He can't pass. He has dumb brain explosions. His defence can be questionable.
The only thing he has in his favour is his running game, and he never utilized it.

He's like a poor man's Ben Roberts. Yes, he's that bad.

 

[Noise]

He could but what if Hayne (or even Hodkinson) is the one playing the ball on the last? That just leaves one kicking option which is easy to pressure if the play-the-ball is slow.

Plus we really want Hayne chasing kicks.

True but i thought we were talking about long kicks when we are stuck in our end? I couldn't imagine Hayne (or Hodko) playing the ball on the 5th tackle when we were stuck in our end too often. I also can't imagine him leading the chase from a kick from our end too often seeing he then needs to run back to fullback.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Reynolds was terrible in all three games.
People didn't seem to notice because we won two of them. He can't kick. He can't pass. He has dumb brain explosions. His defence can be questionable.
The only thing he has in his favour is his running game, and he never utilized it.

He's like a poor man's Ben Roberts. Yes, he's that bad.

And he was the better of the 2 NSW halves in Origin this year!!!

 

[T.S Quint]

And he was the better of the 2 NSW halves in Origin this year!!!

I don't think he was.
Reynolds was awful.
Hodkinson was just invisible.

 

[TheParraboy]

Probably depends on his club form at the time, plus the form of rival halves.

I would suggest form of the side goes a long way to getting picked as well.

Pearce wasn't in the team for his brilliance. He's not that type if player. He's solid, like Hodkinson and Cronk.

sarcasm is a bitch

Brooks has plenty of talent, but you're right, it takes more than playmaking to play Origin. Defence and long kicking should be the first things we look for in an Origin half. The playmaking is just gravy.

If defence and long kicking game are the two main attributes for an Origin half, then see below

Their kicking isn't good enough. Metres are so hard to come by in Origin you need at least two blokes who can launch it downfield for big gains

.

For long range kicks have Hayne (under utilised for this) on one side of the ruck, and Hodkinson on the other. There is your two options for long rang kickers. For mine no point picking a 5/8th for the sake of picking one if they aren't in form

Long range kicks didn't help us in games 1 and 2 in greater parts of the game, But defence did.

 

[TheParraboy]

He could but what if Hayne (or even Hodkinson) is the one playing the ball on the last? That just leaves one kicking option which is easy to pressure if the play-the-ball is slow.

Plus we really want Hayne chasing kicks.

Why would Hayne be playing the ball on the 5th tackle? Maybe an attacking raid 20 metres out from the QLD line? He certainly hasn't been caught tackled on the 5th deep in his half, cant ever remember that, ever. Hodkinson doesn't run much, so mute point

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

Reynolds was terrible in all three games.
People didn't seem to notice because we won two of them. He can't kick. He can't pass. He has dumb brain explosions. His defence can be questionable.
The only thing he has in his favour is his running game, and he never utilized it.

He's like a poor man's Ben Roberts. Yes, he's that bad.

I don't think he was.
Reynolds was awful.
Hodkinson was just invisible.

Obviously you must have been watching a different game. I can accept criticism for Reynolds but Hodkinson played really well. Everyone thinks that all he did was score that try which is untrue, he had several good touches in all 3 games, was defensively solid, had a great kicking game and actually forced drop outs from QLD.

Reynolds wasn't amazing but I'd still have him over both Pearce and Maloney, who were the real passengers.

 

[DOGS AND EELS!!!]

I'd say the three of them are as good as each other, defensively.

Hodkinson and Pearce are the two best defensive halfbacks in the game. Reynolds isn't even close when it comes to defence.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

For long range kicks have Hayne (under utilised for this) on one side of the ruck, and Hodkinson on the other. There is your two options for long rang kickers. For mine no point picking a 5/8th for the sake of picking one if they aren't in form

Long range kicks didn't help us in games 1 and 2 in greater parts of the game, But defence did.

You also need halves who can kick short (two of them) for Hayne and others to chase.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Why would Hayne be playing the ball on the 5th tackle? Maybe an attacking raid 20 metres out from the QLD line?

He could be playing the ball any time on the fifth tackle if he runs it on the fourth. As our best player that's not out of the question.

He certainly hasn't been caught tackled on the 5th deep in his half, cant ever remember that, ever. Hodkinson doesn't run much, so mute point

You can't ever remember him running the ball on the fourth? lol me neither.

 

[TheParraboy]

He could be playing the ball any time on the fifth tackle if he runs it on the fourth. As our best player that's not out of the question.

Id suggest if he is part of the long kicking plan do you really think he will let the side down by taking a 4th tackle hit up, deep in our territory? too funny

You can't ever remember him running the ball on the fourth? lol me neither.

Not what I said champ, but its ok, defeatist remark

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Id suggest if he is part of the long kicking plan do you really think he will let the side down by taking a 4th tackle hit up, deep in our territory? too funny

Who said anything about a hit up? He will be supporting his team mates on the fourth tackle, which means he could receive a pass. Unless we've only picked one half that can kick long. Then Hayne has to stand around on fourth tackle waiting for the fifth. Great use of the best fullback in the game.

Not what I said champ, but its ok, defeatist remark

No it's not what you said but it is the obvious implication of your statement. The only way to guarantee he isn't playing the ball on the fifth is to ensure he doesn't run it on the fourth you stupid bastard.

 

[T.S Quint]

Obviously you must have been watching a different game. I can accept criticism for Reynolds but Hodkinson played really well. Everyone thinks that all he did was score that try which is untrue, he had several good touches in all 3 games, was defensively solid, had a great kicking game and actually forced drop outs from QLD.

Reynolds wasn't amazing but I'd still have him over both Pearce and Maloney, who were the real passengers.

I'll give you defensively solid. His long kicking was ok.
His kicking in the opposition 20 meanwhile was horrendous. We picked a bloke (Tupou) on the wing specifically to catch bombs in the opposition 20....and every one kicked to him from Hodkinson was off the mark.

His playmaking was completely non-existent. Our attack was nowhere without Hayne.
That's why I didn't say he was terrible...just invisible.

Pearce, while bad in just about every Origin he's played, is still a better player than Hodkinson.
But I wouldn't have either in the Blues team. Mullen is better than both of them.

 

[T.S Quint]

Also, who the f**k goes for both the Eels and the Dogs?

That's just mindbogglingly insane!

 

[phantom eel]

Especially this week!