You don't pay centres $900k though
Throw in if they play Critter there and you are looking at $1.7m for your centre pairing.
That is why they never of promised Burton a half spot
13 for me. I already think a change is on the horizon.
Ivan revolutionised the game with the ball playing 13.
But ivan has said himself recently in podcasts thay we will need to change and evolve.
If i was ciraldo id do something brave and put burto in the 13.
1. Taffe (legitimate 2nd playmaker out back. Can kick. And is a good runner)
2. Kiraz
3. Burto
4. Xerri
5. Tracey (hes played mostly halfs, utility, centre and fb but hes aced everything. I think hes the strongest option)
6. Mann
7. Hutchinson
8. Sutton
9. Reed
10. AFB (if the can get him)
11. Preston
12. Kiks
13. Burto
14. Turpin
15. Fatala mariner
16. Max king
17. Salmon
Whilst hutho and mann aremt the strongest 6 and 7.... you have taffe that is a good ball player as is burto.
Throw in reed and all the middle ball players together adds lots of options.
Hutchinson is very underatted. He was always good for the chooks at 6 when he was there. He never got the credit he deserved.
Mann is a really good runner of the footy.
Its not a great halfs pairing. It wouldnt work with a 1 and 13 and 9 that aremt ball players.
But taffe can ball play, so can burton and reed is very crafty.
I think ciraldo needs to not try copy what our success has been about... rather create his own style. A new style.
Im hoping ivan will stick to what hes said in podcasts and try some new stuff this year.
I think he knows without lenui and critta we will need to do some new things. Yeos brilliant but hes style and our style has been worked out.
Teams know whats coming. If we get it right its still a great option... but we need to evolve..
Not fully change the style... but juat enough to throw teams off.
For me thats simple.
Nath AND luai playing both sides of the ruck. We saw obviously nath do it a few times in the back half of the year to great success.. but i think they both need to really be free to move round.
And the other thing id look to try is moving yeo to prop after 45 or 50 ane running with 13. Kenny 9. Luke/sommerton
Given fish, leota, smith are all capable of 65 mins... i think yeo filling that prop role for a 20min period and having the two hookers go would throw in some more creativity. Yeo can still ball play from prop..
But having a running 9 on with kenny means your still getting really solid service after luke/sommerton really attack tired forwards with their running...
And that would be my instructions to either..you have 15 to 20mins.. run and cause havoc. Kenmy will do the follow up passing after any darts and yeo still plays that middle passing role even if hes technically at prop.
Not a huge change to the game plan.
But enough. Like ivans said himself. We have to evolve and try a few things next year.
