Soward to halfback

[b4l]

I would put Soward at fullback. Always felt he would make a good fullback.

 

[redbreed]

agree with this.
its all about left and right side halves, i am surprised there is still so many that dont get this.
drinkwater is the half, get rid of Fien.
i am simply amazed that Price somehow thinks Fien is the option that will best help the team at half.

I think most people get this. But that only occurs when we are playing up the middle corridor. From penalty restarts and when where playing across the offensive line I would prefer Soward to be first receiver, he just refuses to take on the line. Drinkwater seems to have the confidence to take on the line.

 

[FlameThrower]

I would put Soward at fullback. Always felt he would make a good fullback.

Surely this is a joke?

 

[moik]

Not a joke and it's been suggested before.

We all know he can kick, his defence is way better than given credit for and he is, or was anyway, one of the best broken field runners in the game.

 

[Johnny-b-Goode]

I think most people get this. But that only occurs when we are playing up the middle corridor. From penalty restarts and when where playing across the offensive line I would prefer Soward to be first receiver, he just refuses to take on the line. Drinkwater seems to have the confidence to take on the line.

I think he does play first receiver in this case most of the time...

And Soward is a natural fullback, I think he is too scared to go there though!

 

[tumbidragon]

In the last quarter where he passed that intercept, a lot of players heads would have dropped but he ran back and managed to strip the ball back. Now whether the refs call was right or wrong that is another question, but that determination and desperation he showed for the team really says something about the young fella.

That spoke volume to me. He definately has alot of potential skill. But the above effort mentioned, shows that he is a very determined young man. The wonders of youth

 

[Elias1983]

Watching the game friday night there is no doubt in my mind that Drinkwater needs to be the halfback from Round 1.

He has the potential, he took the line 2-3 times in that period where we were pressuring them and that was in his first 5-10 mins of being on the field. I can't remember soward or fien taking on the line at all on Friday night.

IMO Price needs to start him straight away and not introduce him slowly, he needs to look at what Maguire did with Reynolds, there were some teething problems at first but after 6-7 rounds he began to take control.

 

[jenninga]

I can understand him wanting to ease him into first grade, but from the trials I think he is as ready as he is going to get. Prior to the trials I was of the opinion that easing him in and using Fein was the right thing to do. Post trials, I now think deep end is the way to go. I hope Price sees it this way. I think I seen enough in the trials of Drinkwater to see he can develop into a good half and lead us into the future. In the last quarter where he passed that intercept, a lot of players heads would have dropped but he ran back and managed to strip the ball back. Now whether the refs call was right or wrong that is another question, but that determination and desperation he showed for the team really says something about the young fella.

The thing people have to remember with players like cherry evans and reynolds is that Manly and Souths at the time had no other options but to chuck them in the deep end.

We don't have options either so Drinkwater should be our 7.We need a fresher approach,give him a go.If he is struggling say by rd6 then we already know what Fien can do.

 

[Drain the Dragon]

Round 1 v Storm at AAMI up against arguably one of the top 2 halfbacks in the game in Cronk, is not really the ideal place to blood a rookie halfback.

I suppose it gets down to whether you want to chance the Drinkwater card first up , we could get pumped by 40, and the kid's confidence is shot. Or wait until a home game against someone other than the defending premiers.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Round 1 v Storm at AAMI up against arguably one of the top 2 halfbacks in the game in Cronk, is not really the ideal place to blood a rookie halfback.

I suppose it gets down to whether you want to chance the Drinkwater card first up , we could get pumped by 40, and the kid's confidence is shot. Or wait until a home game against someone other than the defending premiers.

Deep end.

 

[watatank]

The thing people have to remember with players like cherry evans and reynolds is that Manly and Souths at the time had no other options but to chuck them in the deep end.

Both at least a year older than drinkwater when they debuted, in much stronger teams that had more players to take the pressure off. He was originally signed as a fourth choice half (at best), I don't think it's fair on his development to bring him in Round 1 just because of panic over Fien.

 

[Elias1983]

I don't think it's panic, I just think he is the better option at halfback.

He looked better than Fien did Friday night.

 

[Slippery Morris]

The reason Fien is there as was Hornby is because they tackle. You can't have 2 halves that can't tackle? Soward is a weakess and the whole team has to adjust to suit his needs.

 

[watatank]

I don't think it's panic, I just think he is the better option at halfback.

He looked better than Fien did Friday night.

Based on what? He hasn't even played a half of football for us.

We've got 26 rounds, plenty of time for drinkwater. We're already short on options, why risk jeapordising that further by throwing him in straight away?

 

[Elias1983]

Based on what? He hasn't even played a half of football for us.

We've got 26 rounds, plenty of time for drinkwater. We're already short on options, why risk jeapordising that further by throwing him in straight away?

Based on that small amount he did play for us.

He just looked more lively and sharper than Fien, he took the line on more in that 10 mins than Fien and soward did.

You wouldn't jeopardise much if you played him, if he gets injured than so be it, it's a part of the game. I don't think it's a good idea to blood him later on in the year if we are struggling, I reckon blood him now so over the year he can improve and either have a reynolds break-out season or he will all the better for it next year. It's a better long-term option.

 

[watatank]

Based on that small amount he did play for us.

He just looked more lively and sharper than Fien, he took the line on more in that 10 mins than Fien and soward did.

You wouldn't jeopardise much if you played him, if he gets injured than so be it, it's a part of the game. I don't think it's a good idea to blood him later on in the year if we are struggling, I reckon blood him now so over the year he can improve and either have a reynolds break-out season or he will all the better for it next year. It's a better long-term option.

I don't agree with that but either way it's easy to look good in a short period of time, we need to look at what he does over a course of a game.

I'm not talking about injuries, I'm talking about the extra burden of both he and the team and how that might affect his confidence. We don't exactly have an easy draw for the first few rounds, we're up against the defending premiers on their own turf first up FFS.

The only reason this is even being considered because we anticipate us struggling in the first few rounds. I doubt drinkwater will change that.

All I am saying is we should just give him time to find his feet. He has plenty of time to develop through the season. Aidan Sezer didn't debut until Round 7/8 and I think he's a better player for it.

 

[jenninga]

Round 1 v Storm at AAMI up against arguably one of the top 2 halfbacks in the game in Cronk, is not really the ideal place to blood a rookie halfback.

I suppose it gets down to whether you want to chance the Drinkwater card first up , we could get pumped by 40, and the kid's confidence is shot. Or wait until a home game against someone other than the defending premiers.

And if he did well over one of the top 2 halfbacks,his season would be well underway with confidence.Instructions would be not try to do too much too soon.Soward is the chief playmaker .

 

[Elias1983]

I don't agree with that but either way it's easy to look good in a short period of time, we need to look at what he does over a course of a game.

I'm not talking about injuries, I'm talking about the extra burden of both he and the team and how that might affect his confidence. We don't exactly have an easy draw for the first few rounds, we're up against the defending premiers on their own turf first up FFS.

The only reason this is even being considered because we anticipate us struggling in the first few rounds. I doubt drinkwater will change that.

All I am saying is we should just give him time to find his feet. He has plenty of time to develop through the season. Aidan Sezer didn't debut until Round 7/8 and I think he's a better player for it.

I see no point in waiting, he has the potential. Price can't afford to wait.

Why would it damage his confidence? I'm sure he knows what he is getting himself into (and he and the both the coach know that it will take time).This is also heavily influenced by how the coach uses him. I.e he shouldn't be expecting miracles from him straight away, but at least starting in the side so he can build his confidence no matter who the opposition is.

For Drinkwater it won't so much about winning at first it would be about gelling into the team and the sooner he does that the better. There is no better preparation for being ina team than by actually playing the game and getting some expereince under your belt, he'll be a working process but hopefully there will light at the end of the tunnel. It shows Price is thinking ahead and not just using band-aid solutions.

I take your point with Sezer, you're correct with that. It shows I think both approaches can work (the way you suggest by slowly introducing him) but on the other hand by throwing a young gun in there at the deep end like Maguire did with Reynolds - (and let's face it there would have been no deeper end than trying to get souffs running the way they did!!!) it could be the making of Drinkwater.

I say take a risk and go with Drinkwater.

 

[coast_dragons]

Price isn't a risk taker he come's across as a boring individual with no sign of personality and the way the Dragons are playing its found its way onto the field.

You have Soward who just passes and Fien who hasn't got any speed to speak of what does that mean boring football it worked with Bennett but its not going to work anymore.

You brought the kid to the club to compete if he shows more he deserves a go if you don't give him that shot its alot of what if's at the end of the year hopefully it speels the end of Price at the club marked never to be seen again.

 

[redbreed]

The last thing we need is for players thinking they have mortgages on positions regardless of how poor their playing. A chop and change here and there will keep them all on there toes. Drinkwater did only have ten or so minutes but don't get confused between enthusiasm and talent, this kid has the talent and strength to make it this year. South's have arguably the biggest forward pack going round and that didn't seem to rattle him at all.