State of origin series

[chrisD]

Burton is a 6. Tago is a better centre than him (and Crichton). Burton isn't great in contact at this stage of his career and would have serious drawbacks playing back row.

I don't know because I haven't seen him play there but I'd back him to be a better fullback than centre or back rower.

 

[Fangs]

It makes sense to fit in your best players at rep level. We did it for years with guys like Fittler and Daley.

At club level Burton should be kept in the halves. Way too early to move him from there. Needs more time for his skillset to develop.

 

[betcats]

Looking at pure stats. I will disregard kicking because he is the only 6 I can think of that is their sides 1st choice kicker. Lets go with the Origin 6's and NZ Brown that are the top 3 in the comp

Tries

Dylan Brown 7
Munster 7
Luai 6
Burton 3

Try Assists

Luai 12
Munster 12
Burton 10
Brown 8

Possessions per game (Is good to see how they go with limited ball)

Munster 50
Burton 44
Brown 42
Luai 37

Linebreaks

Brown 12
Munster 11
Luai 6
Burton 4

Tackle busts

Munster 53
Brown 49
Luai 38
Burton 34

Errors

Burton 23
Munster 10
Brown 7
Luai 7

So while he is developing and we won't see his best for a couple of seasons. The small sample size we have there are areas he is behind the best

He is 22 playing in a dogs side that has been woeful for years. You cant compare stats. Do you really think a 22 year old munster or Luai would be any better in that dogs side instead of Burton? I think given most of the good things the dogs have done this year have come off the back of his incredible boot there is a fair argument to suggest 22 year old munster or Luai instead of Burton would make the dogs a worse side.

True!

But even the last gane for the dogs they won by heaps and i dont think he had a single try or line break assist.

Hes a great ball runner and kicker but the creativity side of his game still needs a lot of development.

Penrith scored 40 last time out and Romey didnt have any of those things either, that doesnt mean either of them didnt play well.

 

[Girds89]

The burto and luai debate im sure will always continue.

Whether burto overtakes luai someday we will have to wait and see.. but luai is the perfect fit for cleary. He knows when to chime in and knows when to sit back.

The real challenge for luai imo will be next year without kikau.

I think some fans will be in for a rude shock. You dont realise how good something is till its gone.. when garner is getting chopped down one on one by luke brooks next year we will all be appreciating kiks a lot more haha.

So luai is going to have to step up and evolve in the coming years. That will decide how good of a player he turns out to be

 

[Iamback]

He is 22 playing in a dogs side that has been woeful for years. You cant compare stats. Do you really think a 22 year old munster or Luai would be any better in that dogs side instead of Burton? I think given most of the good things the dogs have done this year have come off the back of his incredible boot there is a fair argument to suggest 22 year old munster or Luai instead of Burton would make the dogs a worse side.

Which is why I am saying it is too early to say either way.

 

[Iamback]

The burto and luai debate im sure will always continue.

Whether burto overtakes luai someday we will have to wait and see.. but luai is the perfect fit for cleary. He knows when to chime in and knows when to sit back.

The real challenge for luai imo will be next year without kikau.

I think some fans will be in for a rude shock. You dont realise how good something is till its gone.. when garner is getting chopped down one on one by luke brooks next year we will all be appreciating kiks a lot more haha.

So luai is going to have to step up and evolve in the coming years. That will decide how good of a player he turns out to be

Even if he does overtake him. Luai does what he does off minimal touches in a game and isn't the number 1 kicker.

That role doesn't suit Burton

 

[mxlegend99]

So if Wighton comes back, I think he has to go to the bench for Talakai. If he was a right edge player I would drop Crichton for him in a heart beat. But as a left edge player you can't remove the Penrith connection and you have to IMO use Wighton as the utility back.

He's big enough to play the same role as Talakai was picked for, but with versatility to slot in anywhere basically. Crichton really is lucky he's the only right edge centre in good form with big game experience. He was improving last night, but so far he hasn't really done enough to deserve to keep a proven performer out. Except play in a position none of the proven guys can play.


I see talk of Mitchell coming back. But the guy hasn't played in months and it would be a mistake to drop Burton for him and a huge gamble to try him on the right side ahead of a match fit player who is only just starting to look more comfortable in Origin.

 

[Iamback]

So if Wighton comes back, I think he has to go to the bench for Talakai. If he was a right edge player I would drop Crichton for him in a heart beat. But as a left edge player you can't remove the Penrith connection and you have to IMO use Wighton as the utility back.

He's big enough to play the same role as Talakai was picked for, but with versatility to slot in anywhere basically. Crichton really is lucky he's the only right edge centre in good form with big game experience. He was improving last night, but so far he hasn't really done enough to deserve to keep a proven performer out. Except play in a position none of the proven guys can play.


I see talk of Mitchell coming back. But the guy hasn't played in months and it would be a mistake to drop Burton for him and a huge gamble to try him on the right side ahead of a match fit player who is only just starting to look more comfortable in Origin.

Slippery surface too. Didn't allow for expansive footy. Early on NSW went left and went behind To'o into touch.

Every try besides To'o v 12 players was from going through them.

Brisbane will be better for Crichton's strengths too

 

[Murraymob1]

No Penrith players with charges out of last night great news

 

[GongPanther]

No Penrith players with charges out of last night great news

I'll have to watch the game again to confirm, did Kafusi get charged after that hit on Luai?

 

[The Realist]

That is it. Coote was a weapon at getting to those kicks

Coote AND Lewis were great at it. As others have said most of our squad were capable at contesting kicks though the Nathan Smith reference was LOL.

 

[betcats]

The Luai Burton debate is irrelevant to me, Luai is great for us and burton is going to be great for someone. At the start of 2020 I was all for going with Burton but we went with Romey and I am glad we did it has worked out brilliantly for us, Luai is having another very good year. Its a shame Burton left but he was always going to go and play in the halves somewhere if he didnt get it for us. He could end up better than Luai he could not, a lot will depend on the teams he plays in, if he finds himself in a quality side over the next few seasons he looks to have enough potential to be better than everyone imo, if he continues in struggling sides he will still be a star but it will limit him a bit like it would any half, no matter how good he ends up it doesnt mean we were wrong to go with Luai.

 

[Murraymob1]

I'll have to watch the game again to confirm, did Kafusi get charged after that hit on Luai?

Cleary was placed on report but cleared today

 

[Sime_11]

Burton's step is very underrated IMO - very Fittler-esqe - his turn of pace makes him very dangerous with the ball in hand.

just awesome that Romey and Burto both got a ring playing in the same squad

 

[Kilkenny]

Like i just said to Girds I meant special as a 6, nowhere else besides this forum is it questioned whether he should be playing in the halves. He is an out and out running five eighth who is good enough and big enough to be a star in a number of positions. Playing him in the centres last year and last night made sense because you want a guy with his abilities in the side but no one is talking about moving him to the back row now he is far to good for that.

Just wasting his talents in the back row in my opinion.

 

[CCJohnC]

Did we enjoy Ch 9 coverege? I did not.

 

[Iamback]

Did we enjoy Ch 9 coverege? I did not.

It is hard for them with all their talent either retiring or in the state coaching

Still was better than Blocker or Shane Flanagan commentating

 

[Blues Riff]

lol Coach Slater gets a bit prickly after a loss eh?

 

[GongPanther]

Did we enjoy Ch 9 coverage? I did not.

At times, the loudness of the commentary sucked the life out of the crowd atmosphere. Calling the match should be secondary to the overall listening listening experience. I told Gould this a few years ago, so he blocked me on Twitter.

 

[forby]

Andrew Johns couldn’t give any credit to the Penrith boys during the game. He did in the wash up but only because he didn’t have anybody else to praise.