This is a pretty good point and a fair way to look at it given the back-end of 2016 the main issue was our stinking attitude. That would surprise, and disappoint me however if Vete didn't work hard in the off-season. There might be a bias towards thinking Gavet worked harder because of his past and the fact he is more of a heart on the sleeve operator than Vete is. We saw with Matagi in '14 (?) when he burst out of the gates, but wasn't able to sustain it at all and got lazy, and was of little use to us. Hopefully that won't be the case with Gavet, however I can see Vete having a more sustained career than James. Would like to be wrong as Gavet has some serious weapons.
Hurrell needed a massive performance or two in pre-season matches to get near the side, and the All-Stars try aside I don't think he produced it. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get his chance within 5-6 rounds, and hopefully he's ready for it. Lolohea did get shown up v the Dragons, but so did Ayshford by Dugan, from memory. Spose he's given more leeway as he was marking Dugan and is a long-term centre, while Lolo was skinned by Evan Aitken. Still, it doesn't sit right for me that all off-season we've been saying Lolo is up to it defensively and has all the hallmarks of a great centre, one bad performance and we're seemingly throwing the baby out with the bath water. That to me, is not coaching. It's selectorial dart throwing.
My best guess...and it is only worth that....a guess....is that the coaches have used the opposite thinking to what you have been saying about settled combinations during the off season.
I did hear that the Warriors tried all and sundry in the center wing combinations during the preseason....including rank outsiders CNK and Henare Wells (read Wells makes nines team as an out and out winger and CNK gets Titans trial at center).
It was clear watching the Nines that Wells is a winger. It was hard to make a call on Klockstad as a center in the Titans trial....the rest of our outside backs are a known quantity....good offensively....come up short defensively.
The reason the Warriors used all that time to play around with all possible combo's is obvious....they don't know who's best suited where.
They are basically trying to convert players for the lack of specialists.
The emphasis is defence...so maybe the blame lies with Justin Morgan more than anyone else for the constant chopping and changing.
Morgans philosophy was that he believes the Warriors need a defensive system tailored to the players they have....as opposed to using a generic template (e.g Melbourne's).
So it makes sense that they would bugger around with so many combinations....since in theory....Morgan would need to study all individuals at center and Wing in training...before shaping a defensive pattern to suit those player types (independent variables).
It's an interesting idea, but as you have pointed out...at some point you have to stick people in one position and give them a chance to specialize.
I imagine (rightly or wrongly) that since Morgan was assigned the hardest coaching task at the Warriors (not the hardest in terms of being fired...that would be Cappy....hardest in terms of skills deficits to rectify).....that he was given a lot of sway on the selection and right to meddle with the outside backs.
Seeing Hurrell in good physical shape is encouraging. Cappy has banged on about KPI's with this guy in the past....If Hurrell is serious, it should be relatively achievable to meet those goals in the slower paced NSW cup.
Hurrells short comings regarding performance indicators...we are told...are his off the ball work.
That should tell him (I'm sure he has heard this a hundred times in video analysis...which begs the question...'has he been listening') that he has to prove he is fit enough to basically be in the right place at the right time when he doesn't have the ball.
Where a lot of our players get exposed is not chasing out of marker, other areas include outside backs not pushing up in defence from the inside to help their Winger stay on their line.
Extra bonus points for Kick chases, helping with Kick returns and shielding the fullback for catches under the high ball.
Hurrell could pass the ball a bit more, but there is no point in knit picking at his attacking game...since that has nothing to do with his exclusion from the top grade.
Gavet and Matangi comparisons are fair in terms of impact guys that may or may not last.
Gavet will be at a much higher risk of Injury than other players...it's cause and effect.
Unlike Matangi, Gavet is tall raw boned player whereas Matangi was a short squat type forward. Gavet is a natural trainer, raw strength, keeping weight off and having the lungs to keep going are less an issue for him....he is one of our fittest forwards.
Personally I hope now that Gavet has basically bullied his way into the team, that after the first few rounds, the coaches dial back the level of use and abuse factor they expect of him.
Look after a player like that and they are more likely to learn to pace themselves and last. You should really only lump the responsibility of forcing a momentum shift on an impact player a couple of times in a match....otherwise you need ask questions of what the rest are doing.
