Rumours and Stuff

[Soren Lorenson]

Honestly the whole elite middle forward thing is a myth arising from a coincidence. You can win a premiership without a rep middle forward, you can't do it without a high quality spine. Some recent sides have just been lucky enough to have both.

Regardless, I think Nathan Brown will become an elite middle forward in the next few years. Here's hoping we become one of those sides.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Honestly the whole elite middle forward thing is a myth arising from a coincidence. You can win a premiership without a rep middle forward, you can't do it without a high quality spine. Some recent sides have just been lucky enough to have both.

I suspect this is correct.

 

[miatch]

If we're going with six middle forwards next year we have:

I'll add Terepo to the list of middle forwards:
Alvaro
Brown
Evans
Mannah
Scott
Vave
Terepo
+ someone we'll recruit (I suspect Tepai will move to the edge full time with the return of Peni and addition of Evans)


Kaysa at 14 (is he off contract?)
+ someone we'll recruit at 9

 

[Djay]

So, if you could have any of the current NRL players that fit this description, which one would you want?

Fifita or Bromwich

Younger type ones who are already on the way to being great are Napa and Asiata and McClean.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I was just looking at the top 17. Edwards is our right edge forwards. Moeroa just plays the first 20 minutes there.

 

[Noise]

Regardless, I think Nathan Brown will become an elite middle forward in the next few years. Here's hoping we become one of those sides.

People said that in the past about Mannah too. All we seem to do is talk about potential. I think Brown has a way to go before he is classified as an elite middle forward. He has the following in front of him for NSW:

Fifita
Klemmer
Woods
Frizzell
J Trbjojevic
Maclean
De Belin
Vaughan
Tamou
Merrin

 

[Bazal]

People said that in the past about Mannah too. All we seem to do is talk about potential. I think Brown has a way to go before he is classified as an elite middle forward. He has the following in front of him for NSW:

Fifita
Klemmer
Woods
Frizzell
J Trbjojevic
Maclean
De Belin
Vaughan
Tamou
Merrin

Why is getting picked for NSW the measure of a forward?

You've just demonstrated that there are at least ten players good enough....

 

[Noise]

Why is getting picked for NSW the measure of a forward?

You've just demonstrated that there are at least ten players good enough....

I didn't say they were all good enough. I clearly said they would be in front of Brown. I reckon getting picked for origin is a pretty good measure of an elite player. Yes there will always be a few exceptions but Brown would be way down the pecking order.

What do you think is the best way to measure an elite forward?

 

[Obscene Assassin]

Nah mate, not enough fat blokes who don't tackle.

The people that complain we don't have enough big forwards in first grade are the same people who will complain that we have too many big kids(ignorantly) in our junior system.

 

[Incorrect]

What do you think is the best way to measure an elite forward?

I would say with a ruler or a trundle wheel....

 

[Bazal]

I didn't say they were all good enough. I clearly said they would be in front of Brown. I reckon getting picked for origin is a pretty good measure of an elite player. Yes there will always be a few exceptions but Brown would be way down the pecking order.

What do you think is the best way to measure an elite forward?

If you're talking about them in terms of rep selection, the implication is they are good enough. Who on your list is not, and why?

For the record NSW could probably pick three forward packs of origin level players. And Brown is better than some of them already.

Performance is the only way to measure an elite forward. There are too many variables in rep selection.

 

[Bazal]

I would say with a ruler or a trundle wheel....

Measuring tape is the only way. It's flexible and allows for more precise measurement.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

I suspect Tepai will move to the edge full time with the return of Peni and addition of Evans

What happens to Edwards in this case?

 

[Bazal]

What happens to Edwards in this case?

I reckon Tepai could do with less game time. He and Kenny can potentially share the right edge role and go harder for a shorter time.

 

[Djay]

I'll add Terepo to the list of middle forwards:
Alvaro
Brown
Evans
Mannah
Scott
Vave
Terepo
+ someone we'll recruit (I suspect Tepai will move to the edge full time with the return of Peni and addition of Evans)


Kaysa at 14 (is he off contract?)
+ someone we'll recruit at 9

My bad misread it.

Kenny and Tepai should be switching, when he comes on he always impacts the game.

 

[Obscene Assassin]

What do you think is the best way to measure an elite forward?

Statistically I'd have metres per run, runs per minute, tackles per minute, and decoys higher up than rep selection.

Then anecdotally you'd have line speed, play the ball speed, and wrestling ability. That's just me though.

 

[Noise]

Performance is the only way to measure an elite forward. There are too many variables in rep selection

And I reckon Brown's performance is below that of those guys I mentioned. NSW and Australian coaches / selectors seem to agree.

Unless you have some stats to suggest otherwise?

 

[Incorrect]

Measuring tape is the only way. It's flexible and allows for more precise measurement.

Furry muff... I just can't stand the noise they make when you retract the tape and have banned them from my house. They are not allowed within a 50 metre radius...

 

[Noise]

Statistically I'd have metres per run, runs per minute, tackles per minute, and decoys higher up than rep selection.

Then anecdotally you'd have line speed, play the ball speed, and wrestling ability. That's just me though.

You don't think coaches/selectors have access to those stats?

How do Brown's compare?

 

[Obscene Assassin]

I reckon Tepai could do with less game time. He and Kenny can potentially share the right edge role and go harder for a shorter time.

That's a good plan. It would also mean that we'd give a bench forward more time in the middle.