S J recovery.

[ozbash]

agree, JT's biggest attribute is his draw and pass. SJ doesnt usually pass.

JT would make a fantastic 7s player where as Shaun has still got touch rugby in his game.

Benji is another who was like Shaun, all or nothing,, but now he will pass if anyone can keep up with him..

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

hard to cover someone like SJ with exceptional acceleration (you don't expect someone to make it through a seemingly ok set defensive line so you aren't 100% ready for it - you only start 'anticipatory' cover defence when you see your defensive line with gaps or they have more numbers and you know the shit is about to hit the fan).

Absolutely. I just wanted to add to your description of SJs acceleration his AGILITY! It's very swift. His stepping through and popping through is exactly my definition of carving up.

agree, JT's biggest attribute is his draw and pass. SJ doesnt usually pass.

To add to JT'S draw and pass that you mentioned, it's his ability to call a set play based on his visual analysis of the defence line and then once he gets the ball he plays what's in front of him. More often then not he'll go with the set play but once in awhile he'll do his well timed show and go that he's known for.

It's not only Thurston that does all this as well, guys like Stacey Jones, Cronk and Lockyer are forever linking with their outside backs for try scoring set plays. These guys not only understand how a defensive line behaves but also weaknesses, mismatches and of course overlaps.

SJ, Widdop, Laurie Daley these guys don't have that overall ball playing ability to do it CONSISTENTLY. Don't get me wrong they can ball play. I've seen them call a set play and through goes the receiver or the receiver is given the ball with a 2 on 1 overlap. They just don't ball play as CONSISTENTLY to good effect as your Thurstons. That's why I call Widdop, SJ and Daley running halves cos that's a big part of their game.

Look at it this way..if SJ didn't have his acceleration and agility etc..if he was in the team purely as a ball player, would he be rated alongside Cronk for his ball playing prowess?

 

[Rich102]

Agree Zero.
The other important factor is determining the pace and structure of the game.
We all know the Warriors can have patches when passes don't stick or players get out of groove. The opposition scores and the Warriors fall to pieces.
A good half will settle things down, get back to grinding out sets with a good kick on the end. Give the team time to settle again and rebuild.
Too often SJ will keep firing the no-look passes and low percentage plays.
I know the structure has changed but SJ is a No6 for me. He works best with an organised half alongside him; let's hope Robinson is that this year.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

"Taking the ball into contact"

Not tackling.

He said his tackling his fine.

And yes his tackling has been fine for awhile now.

His taking the ball into contact has been weak as piss his entire career, unless a few meters from the line (like when he broke his ankle).

He has the size, speed, balance, power, and subtle foot work to bust through defenders. He so very rarely tries to though. If he did I think it would add another level to his game. A reasonably organized defensive line can sit off Johnson and drift out more easily knowing that Johnson will either pass it out or split sideways. If he tried punching through more (still with subtle footwork and in the right situations, aka not like a prop trying to barge through a brick wall) defenders would have to remain tighter and less able to slide out earlier. That would further open up his outside opportunities. And he would get through the line inside more than one would expect I reckon.

Or something like that.

The article said taking into contact, Rich said physical contact.

Anyway, he's picked for the 9s. I'll trust in the medical staff who have more data and knowledge than me, and probably that Shaun himself wanted to play.

It just seems like an incredibly ballsy move for McFadden, who knows he is gone burger if he starts the season 2-5 or so - which is a very likely scenario if Johnson was to get reinjured. Does a season need to be made longer after a serious leg injury by adding the 9s to his schedule? I don't have the medical knowledge but I'd suggest it's not ideal. But again, more equipped people than me have made the call so we'll see.

 

[TheDMC]

The article said taking into contact, Rich said physical contact.

Anyway, he's picked for the 9s. I'll trust in the medical staff who have more data and knowledge than me, and probably that Shaun himself wanted to play.

It just seems like an incredibly ballsy move for McFadden, who knows he is gone burger if he starts the season 2-5 or so - which is a very likely scenario if Johnson was to get reinjured. Does a season need to be made longer after a serious leg injury by adding the 9s to his schedule? I don't have the medical knowledge but I'd suggest it's not ideal. But again, more equipped people than me have made the call so we'll see.

SJ shouldn't be considered for the nines unless absolutely 100% full fitness, strength, and proper preparation under the belt.

And even then still only play the tournament if it is deemed to have at least some benefit for him and the team going into the season proper. Whether a nines tournament has that I don't really know to be honest.

Fact that it is a NZ run nines tournament in the Warrior's base city will have some sway too, like it or not. That's fine by me actually cause its about delivering for rugby league fans of Auckland and beyond, and many new ones I guess. If it helps make the code more popular in NZ then great, but you need SJ types to make that a reality.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

We should treat the 9s as a training run for him. Let him play the games where he's 100% comfortable with them and use them to get game time and shake off the rust. If theres doubt them use one ofthe other guys. Hell, put Ali in at half!