Round 11 Vs Titans @Cbus Super Stadium - Sunday 26th July 4pm

[mxlegend99]

Gus would have been in on this too. He was the reserve grade fullback right through 2012 but didn't show enough to make the top 25, as it was then, to the point the club signed Wes Naiqama. He took off unexpectedly in 2013.

Yep. Sadly not the last time we made that mistake. Hook and Gus did it with Sivo too.

 

[Kev07]

...He has hands better than many if not most existing halves...

He has only 1 try assist and 2 for his career so far and one being of a grubber kick.

Going of ealry with that statement

 

[betcats]

Turbo is 102kg, 6’4

RTS is 93kg but 6’0

Tedesco is 95kg and 6’0


Can’t see a reason someone who is 6’3 couldn’t play FB in the 100-105kg range

Doeuhi(tigers fullback) is 6'3, not sure on his weight but id bet my house he is slower than Burton. He has been playing well, no one is saying he is too big to be a fullback or half.

 

[soc123_au]

I think you mean 115kg. 155kg would give him a BMI over 40. Even Sam Thiaday was only around 34.

Interesting Fittler is mentioned. His potential was recognised very early but it was more his step. Ball playing and to a large degree RL smarts came later. He could pass the ball though, evidenced by getting the try assist that broke the '91 GF open. When he was Burton's age he wasn't a patch on what he would become.

At Burtons age Fittler had already played for Australia & was 3 years off the captaincy.

 

[franklin2323]

Doeuhi(tigers fullback) is 6'3, not sure on his weight but id bet my house he is slower than Burton. He has been playing well, no one is saying he is too big to be a fullback or half.

Would you call him an elite fullback though? I would take possibly making him an elite backrower over an above average fullback. Especially when we have our fullback locked in for the next few seasons

 

[franklin2323]

Burton is already 88kg (I suspect that is not correct and he is already heavier) and at 6'3" if he has another off-season he is likely to get to 100kg. That isn't a problem if he can retain his agility and speed over 40m.

Since 1980, the tallest 100m Olympic champion was Usain Bolt at 6'5", he weighed 94kg which is also the heaviest weight. What is interesting is that there has been several 6' plus champions including Christie, Lewis, Gatlin and Bailey. The heaviest of these is Christie at 92kg and the lightest was Lewis at 80kg. Clearly, if he is given the right training Burton could be fast. He will need to do the sort of explosive weight training Christie did if he needs to get stronger for the NRL. If he puts on too much weight, even if it is muscle, he will turn into Mansour, slow down and limit his effectiveness as a half. History doesn't lie. Fast means relatively light if you are tall, stocky if you are short.

Burton's weight will be a massive factor In respect of agility as well. A bigger mass is harder to move and his ability to twist, step and move laterally will become more difficult the bigger he gets.

I say all this to point out you cannot predict what your genetics will deliver. He might grow another two inches. He might have the physique of a Cheetah, a la Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt or the powerful broad build of a Linford Christie, Ben Johnson type. Whatever it is he will need to be strong enough to take the impacts so he isn't injured all the time. At the moment he sort of looks like Steve Menzies in build and not the type who gets really bulky.

Once this genetic lottery plays out and provided he gets the right training, he might still be nimble and fast enough to be a half. If not, then a fullback, lock or second rower is more likely. Brad Fittler moved between lock and five eighth and he was 6'1 and 96kg. He was never fast but his ball playing made him a pretty handy player. If Burton keeps developing his skill but the genetic lottery slows him down, he could be a brilliant lock and still get paid a mozza. I agree that second row wouldn't utilise his ball playing and kicking skills. Why would anybody do that? Greg Inglis was a 6'5" 155kg fullback, so Burton could play that position as well. Greg wasn't fast, but he was powerful and skilful.

I'll go out on a limb here and say the club won't try and turn him into a second rower and will want to utilise his skills at lock, five eighth or fullback.

There was an interview with Ivan. He said he gained 6kgs over the season. With another he is likely to do the same.

We are set in all those positions though. Unless Yeo moves to prop maybe

 

[herbert henry1908]

There was an interview with Ivan. He said he gained 6kgs over the season. With another he is likely to do the same.

We are set in all those positions though. Unless Yeo moves to prop maybe

He doesn’t have to gain all that weight. You do it by hitting the weights, he’s unlikely to be actually growing much post his 20th birthday.

He could just as easily shift to a different weights regime.

 

[betcats]

Would you call him an elite fullback though? I would take possibly making him an elite backrower over an above average fullback. Especially when we have our fullback locked in for the next few seasons

He is only 21 he may very well be an elite fullback in a year or two.

Burton is going to end up playing in the halves for someone. Him bulking up big enough to play in the forwards is possible but its not going to happen, he is an athlete he is in control or how big he gets, if he wants to be a half he will get a halves gig here or somewhere else.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Would you call him an elite fullback though? I would take possibly making him an elite backrower over an above average fullback. Especially when we have our fullback locked in for the next few seasons

Turbo is elite and over 100kg.

As much as Edwards has been playing well, I don’t see him as “locked in” at all. He gets a lot of injuries. It’ll only take one major injury for Staines, Laurie or Burton to cement the spot.

 

[Pomoz]

I think you mean 115kg. 155kg would give him a BMI over 40. Even Sam Thiaday was only around 34.

Interesting Fittler is mentioned. His potential was recognised very early but it was more his step. Ball playing and to a large degree RL smarts came later. He could pass the ball though, evidenced by getting the try assist that broke the '91 GF open. When he was Burton's age he wasn't a patch on what he would become.

At 20, he had played in 2 gfs, won 1, played SOO and for Australia. I think he was a brilliant player from the first time he played.

 

[franklin2323]

Turbo is elite and over 100kg.

As much as Edwards has been playing well, I don’t see him as “locked in” at all. He gets a lot of injuries. It’ll only take one major injury for Staines, Laurie or Burton to cement the spot.

He has played more rep games at centre than FB. Maybe his injuries is due to the work a FB does

Even so. He waits for an injury to play FB or halves. Or he moves position or clubs to play regular FG

 

[franklin2323]

He is only 21 he may very well be an elite fullback in a year or two.

Burton is going to end up playing in the halves for someone. Him bulking up big enough to play in the forwards is possible but its not going to happen, he is an athlete he is in control or how big he gets, if he wants to be a half he will get a halves gig here or somewhere else.

Too soon to say. Players move positions all the time very few players look to be able play several positions.

 

[The_Frog]

At 20, he had played in 2 gfs, won 1, played SOO and for Australia. I think he was a brilliant player from the first time he played.

He used to do dumb things, not only on the field either.

 

[herbert henry1908]

He has played more rep games at centre than FB. Maybe his injuries is due to the work a FB does

Even so. He waits for an injury to play FB or halves. Or he moves position or clubs to play regular FG

Turbo is elite. End of story.

 

[WestyLife]

He has played more rep games at centre than FB. Maybe his injuries is due to the work a FB does

Even so. He waits for an injury to play FB or halves. Or he moves position or clubs to play regular FG

Because Tedesco is considered the best player in the game at the moment and happens to be a fullback. Turbo at centre is because he's too good to be left out of the team not because he's not an elite fullback.

 

[franklin2323]

Because Tedesco is considered the best player in the game at the moment and happens to be a fullback. Turbo at centre is because he's too good to be left out of the team not because he's not an elite fullback.

Maybe he would be as good if not better if he had a better body shape for FB. He goes good at centre when he plays there

My point is shouldn't be so tunnel vision as he can play only one position

Take the Storm. Slater debuted as a centre. Cronk a utility
Smith a half... Imagine those guys only being seen as the position they debuted in

 

[franklin2323]

Turbo is elite. End of story.

He scored 3 tries as a centre in SOO.. maybe he could be better elsewhere as he gets older, Slower and bigger

 

[Pomoz]

He used to do dumb things, not only on the field either.

Sure, he wasn't perfect but he was a brilliant player even at 17. I saw him play reserve grade when he ws 16 and it was like watching men against boys. He was so good the coach had to pick him in first grade when he was 17 years old and 1 month. He played against Balmain and came off the bench and scored a try. He played 3 more games on the interchange bench and then became a regular starting player at the age of 17 years and two months.

I know Burton is good, but there are literally a handful of players good enough to be a regular starter at the age of 17, least of all in a team that was in running for the finals and full of good players. He was selected on the Kangaroo test tour when he was 17 years and 8 months. Frog, he really was that good. When he left for the Roosters, it was the biggest player loss in our history, still is. Wade Graham? Pfft.

 

[WestyLife]

Maybe he would be as good if not better if he had a better body shape for FB. He goes good at centre when he plays there

My point is shouldn't be so tunnel vision as he can play only one position

Take the Storm. Slater debuted as a centre. Cronk a utility
Smith a half... Imagine those guys only being seen as the position they debuted in

No doubt you've gotta consider the options.

 

[ACTPanthers]

He used to do dumb things, not only on the field either.

And you haven't?