Round 4 Vs Manly

[Smug Panther]

I can see the hype with Grant, he is a superstar talent imo. I agree that he will be the Aus hooker sooner rather than later.

Cook has awful service really. I'd take Grant over him easy

 

[Panther Pete]

That Tigers team was dogshit on paper and they challenged us last when we were playing well last year. The great players make players around them look better than they are and that's what Grant did before got rushed back from injury. I didn't say he was a lock right now, I was saying he's up there as a rep option after Cook. His nouce at hooker is fantastic if you see what he's doing to the defence with his pass selection.

If you have like a minute you can see an example of it here.
Barring a terrible injury it's inevitable for him to surpass Cook eventually in rep calculations.

Harry Grant looked a million dollars when he played for Queensland in the last origin game last year. He made Cook look like a plodder.

 

[Exsilium]

Cook is only as good as his forward packs momentum.

Speed in and around the ruck is his ace card but when his forwards are being dominated, he lacks creativity to get his side on the front foot.

Cam Smith knew when to run and when to pass. He could also kick well, something Cook doesn’t do.

Grant is a special talent, for a young bloke he’s got great vision and composure.

Now the best hooker in the game would have been Nathan Cleary if he’d ever have moved there

 

[maple_69]

Anyone got any thoughts on why Clearys running game seems to have regressed? In 2019 (by far his worst year) his running game was really strong and he scored a bag of tries. That’s when there were calls for him to shift to hooker. Since then he’s rarely threatened the line.

I get we’ve added Luai and Api who are just more dangerous runners of the ball so assume it’s been an intentional shift on roles for Cleary to be the ball player but he just seems to have lost that half a step off the mark to slip through the half gaps that he use to.

He’s adding a tonne of class to his ball playing but if that real threat to run the ball was there (like it is for Luai) I think it’d create a bunch more space for our right edge guys.

 

[Smug Panther]

Anyone got any thoughts on why Clearys running game seems to have regressed? In 2019 (by far his worst year) his running game was really strong and he scored a bag of tries. That’s when there were calls for him to shift to hooker. Since then he’s rarely threatened the line.

I get we’ve added Luai and Api who are just more dangerous runners of the ball so assume it’s been an intentional shift on roles for Cleary to be the ball player but he just seems to have lost that half a step off the mark to slip through the half gaps that he use to.

He’s adding a tonne of class to his ball playing but if that real threat to run the ball was there (like it is for Luai) I think it’d create a bunch more space for our right edge guys.

All in your head I think. He runs it enough

 

[Jane Murray]

Anyone got any thoughts on why Clearys running game seems to have regressed? In 2019 (by far his worst year) his running game was really strong and he scored a bag of tries. That’s when there were calls for him to shift to hooker. Since then he’s rarely threatened the line.

I get we’ve added Luai and Api who are just more dangerous runners of the ball so assume it’s been an intentional shift on roles for Cleary to be the ball player but he just seems to have lost that half a step off the mark to slip through the half gaps that he use to.

He’s adding a tonne of class to his ball playing but if that real threat to run the ball was there (like it is for Luai) I think it’d create a bunch more space for our right edge guys.

The attachments shows Nathan's running meters. In all three matches, he has ran for over 100 meters.

 

[soc123_au]

Anyone got any thoughts on why Clearys running game seems to have regressed? In 2019 (by far his worst year) his running game was really strong and he scored a bag of tries. That’s when there were calls for him to shift to hooker. Since then he’s rarely threatened the line.

I get we’ve added Luai and Api who are just more dangerous runners of the ball so assume it’s been an intentional shift on roles for Cleary to be the ball player but he just seems to have lost that half a step off the mark to slip through the half gaps that he use to.

He’s adding a tonne of class to his ball playing but if that real threat to run the ball was there (like it is for Luai) I think it’d create a bunch more space for our right edge guys.

His running is fine. I still think even though he hasn't been getting the trys from it yet, he still looks dangerous & creates space. He also gets a quick play the ball when something is on.
It's unlikely he will eclipse Brandy, he just doesn't have that explosive pace off the mark, but he is well on the way to overtaking Gower imo.

 

[Munky]

Nathan until last year would run on the second last and get tackled far too often and ruin the set.

Seems to have removed it from his game.

 

[franklin2323]

Nathan until last year would run on the second last and get tackled far too often and ruin the set.

Seems to have removed it from his game.

That used to drive me crazy and was poor game management. Atleast we have the best 6 in the game now if he does it

 

[Munky]

That used to drive me crazy and was poor game management. Atleast we have the best 6 in the game now if he does it

I think good teams noticed it and would bait him by giving a tiny bit of space and would wrap him up every time.

 

[murraymob]

Flegg
Penrith 26 manly 20
Manly may suck at seniors but there junior system is great

 

[Girds89]

I think Nathan's running game and knowing when to run has gotten better and better every year in grade.

He may not be as quick as brandy but he is exceptionally strong. He can brush blokes off and keep going. He's very hard to bring down.

I'd say he's the best running half in the nrl. There is a few better running 5/8ths, luai, walker, wighton.

When your hb and 5/8 both make over 100m most weeks you are doing very very well.

 

[Smug Panther]

I think Nathan's running game and knowing when to run has gotten better and better every year in grade.

He may not be as quick as brandy but he is exceptionally strong. He can brush blokes off and keep going. He's very hard to bring down.

I'd say he's the best running half in the nrl. There is a few better running 5/8ths, luai, walker, wighton.

When your hb and 5/8 both make over 100m most weeks you are doing very very well.

The try against Souffs last year with his f**ked up bee sting face or his GF try shows he does run and run well

 

[MugaB]

Flegg
Penrith 26 manly 20
Manly may suck at seniors but there junior system is great

You mean blacktown, effectively either penrith or parra's catchment, Manly are as good as the roosters in regards to juniors = non existent

 

[Original Name]

Grant is a good player no doubt. But I'll reserve judgement until he has played a few more games.

I don't get the massive circle jerk surrounding him tbh. Laurie is making about the same difference to the Tigers this year as Harry did last year. An excellent player in team of plod.

Nah Grant definitely had them a better team. Had them in the 8 before his injury with worse players around him.