What are our options for the halves. . .?

[lewiscook]

Ok so im pretty sure everyone is "umming" and "arghing" about some of the decisions made by our halves throughout our first few games and especially lastnight.

I know that alot of you think Robson is great as the "workman" kind of 7 that we need. But after lastnight i feel the complete lack of structure especially in our attack in the oposition twenty and creativity around the ruck when bringing the ball back out of a half killed us greatly, we just went one out continually and driven back.

I know i highlighted Robson in my last paragraph but the issue lies beyond the man wearing the number 7, i also feel Matt Keating and Kris Keating didn't lead and as a result all our 6, 7 and 9 just relied on Hayne. Which resulted in our forwards gettin dominated due to the poor ball service and our outside backs left stranded to catch a cold.

Last night there was a perfect example of what our halves should be doing when Tahu got around there centre and put Inu over in the corner. This was produced by Hayne demanding the ball and creating an overlap (which our 6,7 and 9 should be doing as well), Giving Tahu plenty of room and creating a nice try.

All in all i feel we really need one of our 6, 7 and 9 too be able to take control of the game and structure our attack because we are a shambles, none of our forwards are getting any quality ball and i feel its time for one in individual whether its, kk, mk, dm, ant mitch, tom humble or whoever to grab at this opportunity get us some structure because at the moment our team is looking to someone in our halves to givve them some quality ball because Hayne can't be everywhere he needs help.


I hope you can see what im saying, i just thought i'd express my thoughts on our main issue.

cheers.

 

[Joely01]

I think 6. kk 7. morts 9. mk (give him a chance while our forwards arent laying a solid platform for him to hurt defence)
But please can we bring kevin kingston back......

 

[bartman]

I don't think the halves are a big problem? We were smashed across the park, didn't get any momentum in the forwards. And we give away far too much ball to the opposition from our mistakes. Very hard to win games when this is happening, no matter who is in the halves.

I'm happy with:
6. K Keating
7. Robson

Then 14. Mortimer (will develop into a great talent one day, just expecting too much from him yet).

In attack Hayne has to do his share of coming into playmaking role to justify his money (and the impact that his money has on the money available for other positions). Hayne actually did this fine last night, just that Wests were too good and it didn't work.

 

[zuess]

Should sign Matty Head ""injury free"" he has that x factor which has defenders guessing. Also have heard on Fox that Tim Smith could be playing for the Sharks as early as this monday night. Will be interesting.

 

[Joely01]

Matty head would be a great buy.. if we sign someone for the rest of the season can we use money that we recieved via the shackelton injury towards it?? just curious not sure what that money goes towards.

 

[tresurehunt]

do you really think this current side can play with structure,structure didnt get us to the g/f.
maybe your right,i really dont know.

 

[Pazza]

does anyone else feel like we are only getting half of mateo's game by him playing at lock? i feel he could be doing so much more atm than just being a battering ram with the odd offload.

 

[BissyB]

Mateo can stay at lock but jeez, all these coaches that tell him to hold the ball should shut up. His miracle offloading can produce something out of nothing. Yeh he'll turn it over sometimes but seriously, that's what makes him such a great player. Also forwards are runnin by themselves. They should have 2 or 3 running beside them to create indecision in defence. Right now there is no possible ball receiver when our forwards run it up so 3-4 defenders crunch us.

PS: Also noticed that we are not producing big hits like last year. Last year we tried to shatter bones, this year we are laying them on te ground softly.

 

[El Diablo]

7. Mortimer
6. Mateo

best option imo

 

[haynemagic]

totally agree pazza mateo was at his best when he was playing five eightbecause he was given a gameplan to just do what ever he wants with the ball. Ando is tryin to turn mateo into a player his not, mateo is so much betta when he is standing wider where he can link up with hayne, tahu, burty.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Woah woah woah?

I thought M Keating has looked ok so far this year? Verging on 'good'?

K Keating looked wretched last night. And half of the blame for that can go to Robson - who was sluggish in making the pass and whose kicking game has got to be one of the worst in the NRL? [despite his pearler to Reddy last night]

It simply MUST be K Keating and Mortimer in the halves, and K Keating needs to listen to the coaches and stop trying to give away penalties.

If they can direct traffic between them, they might actually give the defence a reason to look at them and not Hayne all the time.

 

[BissyB]

Well, maybe Mateo could move from lock into the 12 or 11 jersey and run wider.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Well, maybe Mateo could move from lock into the 12 or 11 jersey and run wider.

I agree. Get him into the 12 or 11. I reckon reddy grothe and tahu would be good in the back row too.

 

[ianlovesparra]

Drop Robson. KK 6 Mortimer 7. It's that simple. Robson has to be one of the worst attacking half backs in the history of rugby league, offers nothing.

 

[lingard]

Woah woah woah?

I thought M Keating has looked ok so far this year? Verging on 'good'?

K Keating looked wretched last night. And half of the blame for that can go to Robson - who was sluggish in making the pass and whose kicking game has got to be one of the worst in the NRL? [despite his pearler to Reddy last night]

It simply MUST be K Keating and Mortimer in the halves, and K Keating needs to listen to the coaches and stop trying to give away penalties.

If they can direct traffic between them, they might actually give the defence a reason to look at them and not Hayne all the time.

The forwards played one-out, we dropped the ball and gave away stupid penalties, the possesson count was 60% to 40% against us at half-time, and the Tigers played absolutely magnificently .............but it`s Jeff Robson`s fault (half, anyway) that Keating looked totally lost out there last night. Right. :sarcasm:

 

[ianlovesparra]

Keating looked lost out there because his halves partner was not helping him, he left him to do everything on his own. This made him an easy target for the tigers defence, he was the only play maker and the tigers forwards set out to get him.

Robson offered nothing in attack and the tigers would not have wasted energy targeting him. Anderson needs to bite the bullet and seriously drop this guy or put him at 14 to come on and be back up hooker because he can defend.

 

[lingard]

Ok so im pretty sure everyone is "umming" and "arghing" about some of the decisions made by our halves throughout our first few games and especially lastnight.

I know that alot of you think Robson is great as the "workman" kind of 7 that we need. But after lastnight i feel the complete lack of structure especially in our attack in the oposition twenty and creativity around the ruck when bringing the ball back out of a half killed us greatly, we just went one out continually and driven back.

I know i highlighted Robson in my last paragraph but the issue lies beyond the man wearing the number 7, i also feel Matt Keating and Kris Keating didn't lead and as a result all our 6, 7 and 9 just relied on Hayne. Which resulted in our forwards gettin dominated due to the poor ball service and our outside backs left stranded to catch a cold.

Last night there was a perfect example of what our halves should be doing when Tahu got around there centre and put Inu over in the corner. This was produced by Hayne demanding the ball and creating an overlap (which our 6,7 and 9 should be doing as well), Giving Tahu plenty of room and creating a nice try.

All in all i feel we really need one of our 6, 7 and 9 too be able to take control of the game and structure our attack because we are a shambles, none of our forwards are getting any quality ball and i feel its time for one in individual whether its, kk, mk, dm, ant mitch, tom humble or whoever to grab at this opportunity get us some structure because at the moment our team is looking to someone in our halves to givve them some quality ball because Hayne can't be everywhere he needs help.


I hope you can see what im saying, i just thought i'd express my thoughts on our main issue.

cheers.

You make some good points, Lewis Cook. I`m starting to lean towards replacing Robson, too. Trouble is, I really don`t see Kris Keating as an alternative, and I must admit I`m starting to wonder about Mortimer, too. Also, how much of our halves` poor performances can be put down to the forwards not going well? I don`t know. Personally, I think Robson is just doing enough to retain his spot, in the absence of anyone else really standing up to take it from him.

 

[Haynzy]

I say put everyone in the 2nd row!

 

[Y2Eel]

I say put everyone in the 2nd row!

My thoughts exactly Putting Reddy at lock Put Tahu i lock why do we need to play them out of postition..



I dont know what it is Mateo looks lost out there every time he runs it he doesnt have anyone running off him for an offload (thats were M keating should be)..

Robson doesnt take any pressure of Hayne and the rest of the team by kicking the ball deep when we are under pressure.. Ive also noticed when we are attacking the oppositions line he drops the ball all the bloody time or get caught with it... Structured play didnt get them into th GF last year but a little bit at the start of the season will go along way....

 

[caylo]

I wouldnt make wholesale changes but my team would be

Hayne
Reddy (he is better under the high ball and thus should be on the wing)
Tahu
Inu (better at reading defence in the centres IMO)
Burt/Grothe (injuries)
Mortz
KK
Poore
MK
Fui
Hindy (play through the middle)
Benny (Right edge)
Mateo (left edge)

Robson/Mitchell
Horro
Cayless (will have better impact then Poore IMO)
Mannah