I like the back line, but not starting
Addin Fonua-Blake with what we've got .... if we had JWH yeah sure...
I am very new to the NRL. Most of what I have learned has been on this site with more experienced fans like Jagged etc taking time out to explain things to me over the years.
So take any post I make with a grain of salt due to my Inexperience
In my view
Addin Fonua-Blake should play off the bench.
I think our second and third best props should start and finish the game and the best prop should play in the middle stanza of the game.
In my observations each NRL game folds out in this fashion
FIRST 20 MINUTES:
Big Hits
Crunching Tackles
Teams blitz each other and take some risks to try to jump out to an early lead to put scoreboard pressure on the opposition
The game has not developed a rhythm yet
Teams are full of adrenaline and even a bottom celler dweller team can keep pace with an elite team in the first twenty minutes through sheer adrenaline, extra effort etc. They can't keep this up the whole match but can go hammer and tongs for a short time with the bog boys. Eg on the weekend against the panthers we were in the match for the first twenty minutes before fading as the pace and skill of the panthers eventually overwhelmed us later in the match.
Helter Skelter
Intercept tries
MIDDLE 40 Minutes
This is the arm wrestle period
Each team knuckles down and goes for set completion
War of attrition
This is where an elite prop can single handedly tip the arm wrestle in your favour and why Addin should play off the bench
FINAL 20 Minutes
Both teams are gassed
The game is less high octane
Ideally the coach has saved a 4th prop or a second rower just for this period as fresh legs
The game is less of an arm wrestle
Teams down on points are spinning it wide early in the tackle count
Ideally you will have experienced players on the field who at this stage of the game won't give away a play of the ball error, a loose carry or some other N00b preventable mistake.
Some teams when losing kick it up to new levels and teams who are nursing a lead need to play with great composure. These are the championship minutes.
Eg Le
Chad losing us a match by panicking when we were up by 8 and going for a drop goal and giving away a vital 7 tackle set instead.
You don't need your best prop here as long as you have other leaders on the field
So that is why Addin off the bench. But i would play him like 50 minutes a match so when he came off there were only 10-15 to go and in a real tight one you could leave him out there and ask him to play 60 minutes and play both the middle stanza and the final 20 minutes. He has a bog motor and for $750 000 we should use him.
