NRL New Importance of the Second Row

[Five&Last]

The games been trending toward mobile athletic forwards for a number of years.

Something we don’t have outside of AFB and Marata

We seriously likely have the most unathletic forward pack in the comp if you think about it.

Capewell, Ford, Barnett, Bunty, Tohu, Tevaga, Ale

All been plodders this year for the most part.

It’s not a surprise that young Laban comes in and hits a few crash balls with a bit of pace and everyone starts to think he’s the new messiah

In all seriousness, the sooner we can start phasing these guys out for our younger athletic crop of forwards the better

 

[MrFrankWhite]

The games been trending toward mobile athletic forwards for a number of years.

Something we don’t have outside of AFB and Marata

We seriously likely have the most unathletic forward pack in the comp if you think about it.

Capewell, Ford, Barnett, Bunty, Tohu, Tevaga, Ale

All been plodders this year for the most part.

The sooner we can start phasing these guys out for our younger athletic crop of forwards the better

I think we saw a rise of the big wingers, then the mobile lock, big minute forwards, and now I think its the mobile 2nd row. You can make do with a lot of north/south props if your 2nd row is agile enough. That was us last year, but Broncs take it to another level.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Exceedingly fair. However by the same token we are 3/9 with him so far

He is not the same player he has been due to this being the back end of his career. It happens to everybody.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Let a prop be a prop. But yeah a second rower now has to be everything from a second rower to a centre to a wing to a ball playing six foot three, one hundred and thirteen kg speedster. Only dialling all of those attributes back from max level to good at all. Like a B plus would be sufficient. David Fifita is good size and strength but I still remember that he got too pissed, committed break and entry, sat on someone's couch and had a burger. So his strengths are permanently tainted for me.

My ideal would be big enough to run through a half. Big enough to bump their opposite. Brave enough to run lines and holes. Intelligent enough to not get penalized doing the last point. Tackles opposition strongly and intelligently vs just smashing a bloke who gets up anyway plays the ball fast and we give away a try. Ball playing is not big on my list but pass and catch is. There you have it.

 

[Boats n Hoes]

I dont think there's a "new" importance to the 2nd row. Just think in our case this season having 2 second rowers who arent naturally attacking players has highlighted a real lack of punch on the edges for us.

Even at his other clubs that was never Capewell's go, and while i quite like Fords whole hearted efforts he's not a natural ball player. You can see it on the odd times he actually breaks the line, its like he's surprised himself and doesnt know what to do next. I think u can have one of these guys but as a pairing their pretty impotent.

I know they seem pretty deadset on Niukore playing middle once he returns, but id have him back out on that edge asap, the ability to attract defenders and open up space would improve our attack immensley.

 

[Inruin]

I dont think there's a "new" importance to the 2nd row. Just think in our case this season having 2 second rowers who arent naturally attacking players has highlighted a real lack of punch on the edges for us.

I think this is a very good summation of where we are at.

Add the lack of bench use and we are struggling to really dent the line (AFB excluded) and create real front foot ball and space. Its been noticeable the lack of opportunity Egan has had running from dummy half for example. Our set plays that worked for us last year look impotent currently.

 

[mrblonde]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/05/21/end-of-an-era-are-we-seeing-a-new-style-of-rugby-league-tactics-developing-before-our-eyes/

Just found this article while looking to see what today's NRL News Shock was going to be....

 

[snake77]

The Roar article above mentions it. I was watching a video and Phil Gould was talking about he spoke to some of the people around the game around the GPS data and how much faster the game has got.

He used the Bulldogs vs Panthers game where Cleary did his hamstring. The first 15 minutes was faster than Origin traditionally in terms of the number of metres per minute. The ball is in play a lot longer now.

This link should start with Gould talking about it. He is answering more around the number of injuries. Like always with Gould there may be a bit of his own agenda as he goes on about the RLPA.


View: https://youtu.be/XRFeJmJM84Y?t=82

 

[MrFrankWhite]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/05/21/end-of-an-era-are-we-seeing-a-new-style-of-rugby-league-tactics-developing-before-our-eyes/

Just found this article while looking to see what today's NRL News Shock was going to be....

It’s no surprise that some of the favoured sons of ‘underrated NRL player’ lists are ranked highly here, with Jake Trbojevic, Cam McInnes, Reuben Cotter and, inevitably, Dylan Edwards among the very best.

ooft