Round 15 vs Dragons - Game Day Thread

[84 Baby]

I think fitness was a key factor in the swap yesterday, French still recovering from having his knee removed and Gutho is fitness god

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Here are some more stats that aren't based on one game...

This season we have won 4/9 (44% winning average) with French at fullback and 5/6 (83% winning average) with Guth at fullback. Both of them have played four teams that are currently above us on the ladder.

Have a look at the halves they were playing outside. Gutherson didn't have to play outside himself.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Or simply Gunco's all round ability is wasted on wing

I reckon he's wasted on the wing too.

 

[Tommy Coco]

I reckon its fairly safe that Guth wont ever play wing again.

 

[eel01s]

King Guth is on fire at fullback. If it ain't broke.....

 

[BoneyBlake17]

I must say full credit to will smith when he came in to replace kaysa. I actually didnt notice him at the game. And as a dummy half that isnt the worst thing because he didnt make any mistakes made his tackles and just did the job as required.

 

[Djay]

We kicked them to death yesterday honestly it was f**king awesome to watch.

Both Moses and Norman kicked long and short to perfection with some repeat sets here and there, more then I have seen us do in total over the last 5 years.

It was one of the differences, they had to work it out of they're own 10n so so many times yesterday it made it awfully hard for them to get any good position.

On Brown and Mau'u, if they had a decent prop or 2 in front of them mowing up the metres, they would honestly go up another level, if that is even possible? Both absolute guns.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

That second NRL quality kicking option has been our biggest need ever since Foran left. Look at the pressure it's taken off Norman. He's free to run it on the fifth tackle now without risk of getting caught with the ball and killing our set.

 

[Djay]

We also controlled the whole game and won convincingly. You do realise the winner is the team with the most points, not the most LBAs don't you?

But French only made 11 metres yesterday and scored try, while Gutho was MoM with a double...... we didn't get enough LBA's yesterday, damn! Move French back to fullback, it wasn't enough yesterday Gutho didn't provide enough LBA's!

 

[Poupou Escobar]

It just means Gutherson isn't a playmaker, not that he can't play.

 

[Noise]

It just means Gutherson isn't a playmaker, not that he can't play.

We have enough playmakers in Moses and Norman. The days of Luke Kelly and Robson are over.

 

[hindy111]

If bevan wasnt on wing a few things dont happen
Bevan forced a line drop out with his speed.
Bevan scored a try with his speed.
Bevan shut down atleast 2 tries with speed.

A few things that do happen if Auvua on wing

But more grunt, maybe taka has less hit ups.


The question for me isnt about just gutherson or bevan. It is more about Hoffman,taka,Auvau. Who plays where or in first grade.
Id pick Taka at centre so that keeps teams as last game.
If picked Hoffman then Bevan goes to fullback and Gutherson to centre.

Bevan at fullback can create space with speed and footwork while Gutherson can bust tackles with power. Gutherson has a superior passing game at this stage. And defense close to line is a bigger body.
Kicking is equal. Safety is equal. So i dont mind who plays where.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

We have enough playmakers in Moses and Norman. The days of Luke Kelly and Robson are over.

Don't forget Ma'u and Edwards and Takairangi. Arthur's loves his playmakers.

 

[Eelogical]

There's been a whole lot of musings by the learned scholars of the senate on the positional selections made by Arthur Caesar. For mine, Clint has excelled in the #1. Hail Claudius Guffo!

 

[Noise]

Don't forget Ma'u and Edwards and Takairangi. Arthur's loves his playmakers.

So why is it so important that our fullback is one too? According to supercoach stats (not most reliable but easiest to find) Gutho has 7 of your beloved LBAs. The Roosters fullback (Gordon) has 5 and Sharks (Holmes) has 5. I think hs playmaking is fine

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So why is it so important that our fullback is one too?

Because we attack on the edges and need blokes who can 'play football'.

Gutherson is a quality first grader and a good fullback, but his linebreaks tend to come either from supporting somebody else's work, or just because teams still don't respect his running game, meaning they fall for his dummy.

 

[Noise]

So let's say we attack down our left, then we currently have 3 playmaking merkins in a row next to each other (Norman, mau, Taka) do we really need a 4th? And on the right we have 2 - Moses and Edwards.

If we move French to fullback then we will likely lose Taka as a center (replaced by Gutho who you say is not a play maker) and we still have the same amount of playmaking in the team whether we attack on our edges or not.

 

[BoneyBlake17]

Saw a couple of interesting stats today. You can twist them into whatever suits i suppose.

But we are only behind storm (2nd) when it comes to beating teams currently in the top 8. Can be deceiving as we have played more teams in the 8 and probably should be in the 8 with the byes.

But still our record is better against teams above us 5/8 compared to teams below us 3/7.

Then we are 7-0 when leading at halftime despite it seeming we are struggling to close out games.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So let's say we attack down our left, then we currently have 3 playmaking merkins in a row next to each other (Norman, mau, Taka) do we really need a 4th? And on the right we have 2 - Moses and Edwards.

If we move French to fullback then we will likely lose Taka as a center (replaced by Gutho who you say is not a play maker) and we still have the same amount of playmaking in the team whether we attack on our edges or not.

You know French isn't just a playmaker though right? None of them are.

Why do you think Arthur's has picked French at fullback in every game but one this year? Why do you think he said in yesterday's presser that French is a fullback if he didn't want a player like that in his spine?

 

[Noise]

French is a capable fullback. But at the moment he has realized that Gutho is the best option at fullback. Who do you think will play fullback next game?