Zac Lomax

[Poupou Escobar]

He was a solid NRL player thats all. Slightly above average I'd say. He just wasn't worth the pay day we gave him. Still carved out a decent career.

The biggest mystery is how he played so much Origin. Picked at centre for NSW at the age of 19, and then after his mission played four more games on the wing. Then he left Parra and never played Origin again.

 

[King-Gutho94]

The biggest mystery is how he played so much Origin. Picked at centre for NSW at the age of 19, and then after his mission played four more games on the wing. Then he left Parra and never played Origin again.

I recall in 2011 when Manly won the comp Hopoate had more explosiveness in his game. He was very good on the wing in that GF as well.

But he had more speed and power on the wing that year

Not sure if the sabbatical halted that progress.

I felt when he came back he was more of that finnese type of player without the power and speed he started with.

 

[the phantom menace]

The biggest mystery is how he played so much Origin. Picked at centre for NSW at the age of 19, and then after his mission played four more games on the wing. Then he left Parra and never played Origin again.

I'd forgotten that he'd even played Origin, pre-Parra. So would have been a great signing for us at the time - but disappointing return on investment post-mission.

Surely our NSW centre stocks weren't that low at the time? You'd be hard pressed to even squeeze Hopoate into Parramatta's top 10 centres in the NRL era, which says a lot for an "origin" player.

 

[King-Gutho94]

I'd forgotten that he'd even played Origin, pre-Parra. So would have been a great signing for us at the time - but disappointing return on investment post-mission.

Surely our NSW centre stocks weren't that low at the time? You'd be hard pressed to even squeeze Hopoate into Parramatta's top 10 centres in the NRL era, which says a lot for an "origin" player.

Michael Jennings and Jarryd Hayne were the other 2 left centres picked in that 2011 origin series.

Jennings game 1
Hopoate game 2
Hayne game 3

Mark Gasnier played on the right.

Jamie Lyon wasn't interested in rep footy
Josh Morris must have been injured
Brett Morris only played game 3
Josh Dugan was still a Fullback in those days.

 

[hindy111]

The biggest mystery is how he played so much Origin. Picked at centre for NSW at the age of 19, and then after his mission played four more games on the wing. Then he left Parra and never played Origin again.

Hype. Commentators love to hype up new kids. Right now it's Galvin. He deserves it tbh. But soon it will be someone else

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Commentators don't pick Origin sides.

 

[the phantom menace]

Commentators don't pick Origin sides.

In the same way that forum posts never influence opinion...?

 

[JokerEel]

Commentators don't pick Origin sides.

Didn't Brandy "pick" the NSW side ?

 

[RustedonEel]

Not sure if the sabbatical halted that progress.

I felt when he came back he was more of that finnese type of player without the power and speed he started with.

That sabbatical absolutely screwed him up. He was never the same again.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

In the same way that forum posts never influence opinion...?

If Origin sides were selected by fans then you'd have a point, but as usual you don't.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Didn't Brandy "pick" the NSW side ?

Yeah he must've listened to the Hopoate hype when he picked him back in 2011.

 

[the phantom menace]

If Origin sides were selected by fans

Well they're not chosen by neutrals, or people supporting their opposition. What are selectors if nothing else but paid ("professional", lol) fans of the side they are selecting?

then you'd have a point, but as usual you don't.

I have lots of points, whether you agree with any of them or not doesn't make the points disappear.... If only that were possible, the majority of your posts would quickly turn to invisible text!

 

[Gary Gutful]

Agree with MJC. He might have a centre number on his jersey, but I'm looking forward to some potential swapping in various attacking plays during a game, that will keep us (and the opposition) guessing.

That's the beauty of having fresh coaching staff and likely some added freedoms in the attacking playbook.

Let’s hope he defends well, along with the rest of the team. Attacking playbooks mean f**k all if we can’t stop the opposition from scoring. I’d love to see as have that ruthlessness in defence that we had a few years back.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Let’s hope he defends well, along with the rest of the team. Attacking playbooks mean f**k all if we can’t stop the opposition from scoring. I’d love to see as have that ruthlessness in defence that we had a few years back.

A few years back i assume Brian Smith days. When we constantly top 2/4 in defence every season

 

[Poupou Escobar]

A few years back i assume Brian Smith days. When we constantly top 2/4 in defence every season

Not every season. 1998-2001, then 2005.

2002 to 2004 he forgot how to coach. And 2006.

 

[King-Gutho94]

Not every season. 1998-2001, then 2005.

2002 to 2004 he forgot how to coach. And 2006.

2002 we were still 4th best defence in the comp.

Rule changes, injuries to Jamie Lyon & David Vaealiki getting himself suspended for 6 weeks in the same game exposed our outside backs for the 2nd half of the season.

Bill Harrigan screwed us over in that Newcastle game when he binned 4 blokes and had us playing with 10. I think we would have won that night instead it kept us on a downward spiral to the bottom half of the 8.

2003 & 2004 we just recruited poorly especially 2004 we grabbed a lot of journeyman and rinsed them out within 12 months for a big recruitment spree in 2005 in Tahu, Riddell, Stringer, Morrison,


2002 Top 4 defensive teams

Team	Points Conceded	Av.
Sydney Roosters	405	16.88
Brisbane	425	17.71
Bulldogs	435	18.13
Parramatta	440	18.33

 

[the phantom menace]

Let’s hope he defends well, along with the rest of the team. Attacking playbooks mean f**k all if we can’t stop the opposition from scoring. I’d love to see as have that ruthlessness in defence that we had a few years back.

Yep, defence is the aspect that would give me some confidence about our season hopes. There were so many years there where we'd predictably and frustratingly leak down each edge whenever stretched...

One off season might be too much to ask of Ryles to fix the structures across the field, and for Lomax to learn his defensive trade in the (newish) centre position. But hopefully we make some progress, and build toward that strength in defence that oppositions hate (rather than look forward to) playing.

 

[Gazzamatta]

If Moretti or Guymer can become our Liam Martin we will be well on our way. That guy is a machine and a definite game changer.

 

[JokerEel]

If Moretti or Guymer can become our Liam Martin we will be well on our way. That guy is a machine and a definite game changer.

Martin seems to have gotten more aggressive l. We have no one like that in the second row.

Sorrenson and Martin are one of the best back row pairing in the NRL now.

I am not sure we have anyone near them