The backrow problem. What to do?

[Magpies Forever]

I think we all agree our existing backrow is too small and certainly doesn’t threaten the opposition. The regular 3 selected are Blair, Fulton and Anasta.

Blair has been a less than successful signing for WT. Since coming here he has not performed anywhere near consistently enough to be worth the coin we’re spending on him. I assume he was to be Ellis’s successor but he is not. Ellis dominated both is attack and defence, Blair does not- more often than not Blair goes absent during a game. He is a puzzle.

A lot of us thought Anasta would be used a lot more for tactical kicking but that doesn’t seem to be the case with Marshall retaining that role- whether by design or just happenchance who knows.

Fulton is a smallish backrower not known for his attacking skills but more a good defender who could be counted on to do his fair share in defence.

So, what suggestions do people have to remedy the situation both for the remainder of this 2013 season and for next year in terms of new targeted recruitment.
This year I’d suggest the following:
· Fulton and Anasta should share the same position with one being the run on and the other on the interchange bench.
· This allows the promotion of Ben Murdoch-Masila or Ed Pettybounre or Bodene Thompson to the run on squad. Who would be the best for attack from that group?
· We have to put up with Blair but I’d be telling him this is his last year here and he should look for a new club for next season.

For next season I’d be looking to recruit a big, damaging backrower who can provide some attacking ability but who?

 

[Wizardman]

OIver the last 4 years, the biggest pussy pack in the comp

 

[bubblesunlimited]

We need to bite the bullet and do this.

Woods - No change required in performance
Farah - Refer above
Bell - Run hard and straight
Pettybourne - Run hard and straight
Murdoch Masila - Run hard and straight, a bit wider and use the ball
Fulton - Tackle like a mangy dog in a rodeo

Blair - Do something.
Buchanan
Ava .........
Anasta

 

[BrotherJim05]

We need to bite the bullet and do this.

Woods - No change required in performance
Farah - Refer above
Bell - Run hard and straight
Pettybourne - Run hard and straight
Murdoch Masila - Run hard and straight, a bit wider and use the ball
Fulton - Tackle like a mangy dog in a rodeo

Blair - Do something.
Buchanan
Ava .........
Anasta

Blair - Find new club or accept new contract at half the price
Buchanan - No change required. This kid is an invaluable investment. Give him a couple of years and he will be a solid front rower.
Ava - Too early to see. He has only played 15 minutes or something in NRL so far
Anasta - Needs to f**king retire or be dropped

Imagine if we retained Gibbs, Fifita and Heino...wouldn't be having these f**king problems

 

[BrotherJim05]

Just to add, I would love nothing more than to see an overhaul at our club. Imagine if we could get rid of all players being paid well but not standout performers...the salary space would be huge.

e.g get rid of or offer cheaper contracts to:

- Moltzen
- Lawrence
- Blair
- Anasta
- Utai
- Tiquiri

I'm not saying that all the players above are bad and worth dropping, i'm just saying that they all would receive considerable salaries and if we cut them we could buy an monster pack and finally give Farah, Miller, Benji space to move. We have plenty of promising backs moving up through NSW cup and if you have an experienced forward pack, the backs can catch up fast enough....just my opinion

 

[deemac77]

Just to add, I would love nothing more than to see an overhaul at our club. Imagine if we could get rid of all players being paid well but not standout performers...the salary space would be huge.

e.g get rid of or offer cheaper contracts to:

- Moltzen
- Lawrence
- Blair
- Anasta
- Utai
- Tiquiri

I'm not saying that all the players above are bad and worth dropping, i'm just saying that they all would receive considerable salaries and if we cut them we could buy an monster pack and finally give Farah, Miller, Benji space to move. We have plenty of promising backs moving up through NSW cup and if you have an experienced forward pack, the backs can catch up fast enough....just my opinion

Fair call, maybe shift Lawrence up into back row, would that work? Pettybourne needs some more game time. BMM brings nothing really, slow, never breaks the line or no offloads.
I have nothing here. Who knows what we are going to do?

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Woods - No change required in performance
Farah - Refer above
Bell - Run hard and straight and hurt with your tackles
Pettybourne - Run hard and straight and hurt with your tackles
Murdoch Masila - Run hard and straight, a bit wider and use the ball and hurt with your tackles
Fulton - Tackle like a mangy dog in a rodeo with a minimum of 45 a game, leave your ball playing skills ;-) at home,

Blair - Do something. He's on a 4 year deal isn't he? So it might cost us if no one want him. I'd move him to the front row as an interchange player with the same instructions as Bell & Pettybourne above.
Buchanan - No change required. This kid is an invaluable investment. Give him a couple of years and he will be a solid front rower.
Ava - Too early to see. He has only played 15 minutes or something in NRL so far but when he does get a run, please run hard and straight and hurt with your tackles
Anasta introduce yourself to the NSW Cup coach,

 

[madunit]

Our centres are not capable enough defenders to play as back rowers. They are okay one on one against backs, but against back rowers and props, they'd get steamrolled.

Furthermore, especially in the case of Lawrence, it'd be a complete waste of his speed.

The backs in my view are fine, its the forwards which is the sore point. Buchanan, Woods and Ava have all been impressive and they are free of criticism.

Fulton is good value and worth retaining, as he will eventually become a good defensive benchie, maybe even by next season.

I'd be cutting Thompson, Pettybourne, Anasta and Blair and go and buy two quality back rowers who can bend the line and make an impact in defence. Bukuya from Sharks, Symonds from Manly as examples.

With Galloway, BMM and Bell (possibly even Groat) to throw in the mix, it would give us a little bit of depth until the young forwards get a crack, which we have a few of coming through I believe.

 

[Tigers Tale]

That is a pretty good summation Madunit. I can't speak highly enough of Woods and now Buchanan is starting to show his ability and desire to work hard.

To lose Ellis and Dwyer in quick succession has really shown there was no plan in place for their replacement. Dwyer was obviously the heir apparent to Ellis but dare I say it sadly that is now spilt milk.

We really need to free up money to find some damaging forwards. There is no need to for the club to go on about loyalty as they set the standard and showed what they can do when they want...how they disposed of Gibbs, Fifita, Hino and Ryan. Someone must have the balls to say this is the plan and this is how it will be implemented. Put simply some players are no longer good enough at this level so send them out to pasture.

We need some aggression in this team (as much as I hate to say it Manly shows this week after week). Buy some players that will get the team going forward. Then and only then will the backs show their talent...and if they no longer measure up move them on too.

Potter needs a blank cheque to buy some talent....

 

[macnaz]

By the way tiger tale the Manly pack is actualy smaller than ours.. but has what u pointed to in Aggression. I hope Potter is working on it.

 

[BuffaloRules]

What's the theory behind Fulton and Anasta "sharing" a spot?

Have seen it here a few times.

Neither offers impact off the bench.

Anasta's work rate is too low. He shouldn't be in the 17 at all.

 

[macnaz]

I guess Buffalo thats the best of 2 evils. Both are locks at best so to have both o at once is a liability.

 

[TrigaTheTiger]

Correct me if Im wrong, which is more than possible, but arent Anasta and Fulton both 80 minute players?

If Im right, and Im pretty sure I am, thats the reasoning.

We are blooding a significant number of sub 50 gamers and they need short stints. Having three forwards (+Farah obviously) that play 80 minutes allows us to work out bench better.

Having said all of the above, both Fulton and Anasta have the same problem, too slow for the backs and too small for the forwards. Fulton makes up for it with his defence.

Is we had:

8 Galloway
9 Farah
10 Woods
11 Someone big
12 Blair
13 Fulton

I think we would all be pretty happy - Blair has played better this year.

Remember, Potter inherited this team and has to live with it. Looks like hes going with experience first, which makes sense. Its also nice that Teddy is getting a run in FG, even if its on the wing.

 

[Magpies Forever]

I guess Buffalo thats the best of 2 evils. Both are locks at best so to have both o at once is a liability.

That's exactly it.

Anasta is a problem since the ex-Teflon kid signed him last year. He talked of him as a halfback and thankfully Potter has kyboshed that and sensibly plays him in backrow or a backup 5/8 if something happens with Marshall on the field. But he is limited as a backrower but he has a first class tactical kicking game which is not really being used at the moment, so he realistically can only be a shared position player.

Similarly, Fulton is a tackler- no more, no less. Doesn't attack well and he is there to clean up potential breaks in our defence line, so if our plan is to go out and attack he is not he best- so in that circumstance I'd also rate him as a shared position player.

Simply put you have Anasta and Fulton share a backrow spot. When we plan to attack have Anasta on, when we plan to defend have Fulton on.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Anasta is a problem since the ex-Teflon kid signed him last year. He talked of him as a halfback and thankfully Potter has kyboshed that and sensibly plays him in backrow.

Did someone speak too soon

 

[Magpies Forever]

Did someone speak too soon

Ha!!!!!!!!!!! Looks like I did. I'm just hoping it works- I'm that nervous about it I'm preferring shifting Marshall to 1/2 and putting Anasta into 5/8.

Maybe though its an acknowledgement the backrow lacked grunt and aggro in the past few weeks and changes have to be made. Now its fine tuning where changes can be effected without too much disruption
.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Well at least we have 7 forwards on the field this week and Anasta won't be shifting out to the centres in defence.

 

[bubblesunlimited]

We had a back row that looked like the cast from little people big world.

Look at Souths, they have giants that provide a platform for their halves.

 

[madunit]

Frank Pritchard doesn't think he'll be at the dogs next year...

 

[FootynRacing]

Frank Pritchard doesn't think he'll be at the dogs next year...

Hmmm, ha ha I seem that article and have been thinking about this too. Experience and talent... Would be a welcome combination to our front row yeah