This may have been done in another thread, but I was wondering what other people think of him as a 5/8th.
Personally I think some of the accolades he has gotten in the last week are a little over the top, but that is not to say I don't rate him highly.
My view, well the best 5/8ths that I have seen are lewis, kenny, fittler and daley in my time. From footage a little behind that I would add Fulton to the great 5/8ths of the past 35 years or so. Is he on par with those guys, well for mine at this stage no, but I think he can get to that level.
So to the guys on the next level guys who played origin and/or tests when the above 5 were not there, the likes of Lamb, Lyons, Walters, Barrett, M.Johns, A. Thompson, Florimo even Mundine. Now its debate that thoe guys are all in one group, but does Lockyer rate better than them, well for mine clearly yes.
So where he is he, well in between the greats and the champions. He is for mine the best support player I have seen, as good as lamb. He has speed which very few of the above possess. His defence can be brittle, but in the 2nd half of the year he has really improved. His improv play against a rushing defence on the last is 2nd to none. His short passing game is good, his long pass is not consistent tends to float a lot of balls and many don't hit the mark, in between can throw some pearlers. His long kicking game is good, kicks nice mid field bombs, attacking kicks while mostly good can vary in quality. Fantastic behind a winning pack, but like many halves can struggle when behind a losing one. That last point is perhaps a key, while lewis, fittler and daley had size and strength in those tough spots lockyer doesn't. Kenny is his great 5/8th days didn't either, but perhaps had a few more unorthodix tricks than Locky.
So in my view he currently sits behind the true champions, but has time to join them, but is a cut above the chasing pack.
Personally I think some of the accolades he has gotten in the last week are a little over the top, but that is not to say I don't rate him highly.
My view, well the best 5/8ths that I have seen are lewis, kenny, fittler and daley in my time. From footage a little behind that I would add Fulton to the great 5/8ths of the past 35 years or so. Is he on par with those guys, well for mine at this stage no, but I think he can get to that level.
So to the guys on the next level guys who played origin and/or tests when the above 5 were not there, the likes of Lamb, Lyons, Walters, Barrett, M.Johns, A. Thompson, Florimo even Mundine. Now its debate that thoe guys are all in one group, but does Lockyer rate better than them, well for mine clearly yes.
So where he is he, well in between the greats and the champions. He is for mine the best support player I have seen, as good as lamb. He has speed which very few of the above possess. His defence can be brittle, but in the 2nd half of the year he has really improved. His improv play against a rushing defence on the last is 2nd to none. His short passing game is good, his long pass is not consistent tends to float a lot of balls and many don't hit the mark, in between can throw some pearlers. His long kicking game is good, kicks nice mid field bombs, attacking kicks while mostly good can vary in quality. Fantastic behind a winning pack, but like many halves can struggle when behind a losing one. That last point is perhaps a key, while lewis, fittler and daley had size and strength in those tough spots lockyer doesn't. Kenny is his great 5/8th days didn't either, but perhaps had a few more unorthodix tricks than Locky.
So in my view he currently sits behind the true champions, but has time to join them, but is a cut above the chasing pack.
