General Is the Metcalf experience to halves over?

[Playdaball]

Round 6 and Metcalf not really looking like a decent 7 - should he revert to 6 or 1???
He has yet to really set up attacking opportunities, CHT is our #1 general kicker - just asking for a friend?
We also have Boyd on stand by.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I think he needs longer - half a season?

But he doesn’t look like he has the skill set to me

 

[Mr Drag]

I think he needs longer - half a season?

But he doesn’t look like he has the skill set to me

We are losing a attacking 6 with him at 7, so we are losing twice on attack with him at 7

 

[Damo]

It's not quite clicking yet but today was not his fault.

 

[Get them onside ref!]

It's not quite clicking yet but today was not his fault.

Just another shoveller my friend
Pass the parcel guy

 

[roguei]

Watching other 7s in this comp and he isn't to bad in my eyes. Still seems to be figuring out who to pass to on the edge, but it's rough with our edges changing every single game and during the game. You could see quite a difference between early game Metcalf attack and late game. Early on he runs first and nearly found a gap to no success otherwise was crabbing/scuttling to find someone to pass to but was unable to make shape. Late game we run deep into the line to make some good passes, once leading to a try assist and another by CHT leading to a try.

I think the longer a spine stays together the better they are. Look at early Hughes, people brushed him off the same way and wanted to move him back to fullback. Fullbacks should not be playing 7, he has no idea how to make shape etc. The building of a spine takes a long time and will work. This is just a quick reasoning but I'll try to come back to this with some stats.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Not even in the slightest. Rookie 7 and we are in the 8? Job done

 

[Wrighty]

Watching other 7s in this comp and he isn't to bad in my eyes. Still seems to be figuring out who to pass to on the edge, but it's rough with our edges changing every single game and during the game. You could see quite a difference between early game Metcalf attack and late game. Early on he runs first and nearly found a gap to no success otherwise was crabbing/scuttling to find someone to pass to but was unable to make shape. Late game we run deep into the line to make some good passes, once leading to a try assist and another by CHT leading to a try.

I think the longer a spine stays together the better they are. Look at early Hughes, people brushed him off the same way and wanted to move him back to fullback. Fullbacks should not be playing 7, he has no idea how to make shape etc. The building of a spine takes a long time and will work. This is just a quick reasoning but I'll try to come back to this with some stats.

I would be very interested in you making a list of the starting 7s he is better than

 

[roguei]

I would be very interested in you making a list of the starting 7s he is better than

Off the top of my head chad.

 

[Inruin]

Off the top of my head chad.

He said starting 7's

 

[Noitall]

Watching other 7s in this comp and he isn't to bad in my eyes. Still seems to be figuring out who to pass to on the edge, but it's rough with our edges changing every single game and during the game. You could see quite a difference between early game Metcalf attack and late game. Early on he runs first and nearly found a gap to no success otherwise was crabbing/scuttling to find someone to pass to but was unable to make shape. Late game we run deep into the line to make some good passes, once leading to a try assist and another by CHT leading to a try.

I think the longer a spine stays together the better they are. Look at early Hughes, people brushed him off the same way and wanted to move him back to fullback. Fullbacks should not be playing 7, he has no idea how to make shape etc. The building of a spine takes a long time and will work. This is just a quick reasoning but I'll try to come back to this with some stats.

Think Barnett hit the nail on the head when he said they need to get into the game earlier. Metcalf took the line on early and Roach commented that it was a good sign, then didn’t hear much from him until the try saver that was a beauty. The last play where he beat Munster with his speed is where it’s at. He needs to back himself more. The signs are there that there’s a good halves pairing, provided Egan is threatening too. He was targeted defensively today by bigger bodies that he couldn’t cope with. That’s on the big bodies on our team around him as much as him

 

[roguei]

He said starting 7's

Aye he was for the first 5 rounds

 

[Wrighty]

Off the top of my head chad.

Probably better than
1) Knights Phoenix Crossland - but everyone knows he is a stop gap for 2025
2) Eel Hawkins - he will be out of the league soon

Probably about on par with the following three
1) St George Illias
2) Rooster Savala (although I didn't watch him only heard things)
3) Sullivan Rabbits

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Doesn't matter as he is our number one guy. Too early to kill the idea.

Top 8 at this stage and what we need from him is to get a bigger mouth and own the steering wheel. The only way to do that is get the ball and the team around the paddock to success. Happy to see him feel the pain and the glory.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I would be very interested in you making a list of the starting 7s he is better than

I would keep Metcalf over

Ilias
Katoa
Luai
Foran
Nico
Crossland

 

[Inruin]

I think he needs longer - half a season?

But he doesn’t look like he has the skill set to me

Pretty much this. What we are seeing from LM is what we saw from him at 6. He isn't the main man as much as he talks about it. If he was playing 7 for another side we were coming up against I think we would be dismissing him.

Our best organiser with the best kicking game and goal kicking is playing 7 in cup. Our most creative half and best playmaker is playing 6 in cup.

It's not going to change though unless injury enforced.

 

[Beastmode]

What a laugh

Didn’t take long for the knives to come out
Wheres the poll??

 

[Inruin]

What a laugh

Didn’t take long for the knives to come out
Wheres the poll??

Well Cuddles did say we would see the best from our halves in games 6 and 7 so if this is it it's a legitimate question

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I think the longer a spine stays together the better they are. Look at early Hughes, people brushed him off the same way and wanted to move him back to fullback.

Haha facts. Let’s play TMM for zero more wins and then restart the hunt for a 7 next year. That’s a warriors move if ever I have seen one.

 

[roguei]

What a laugh

Didn’t take long for the knives to come out
Wheres the poll??

Nah it is fair to be questioned and Metcalf himself said he wants that level of pressure.
Now interesting that people have the most amount of questions and pressure here over our 2nd rowers or how we've shuffles and reshuffled our backline is a bit odd. But people have always gotten into halves over any other position.
But still good to hear differing opinions.