Brandon Wakeham #267

is Wakeham a Moneyball signing.

I hated us signing Mbye. HATED HATED HATED
Yet he performed far better then expected. One thing that Mbye did well was he had smooth hands. He passed when many others did not. Arguably players played better with him because he gave more opportunities.

^we should have never signed him and signed him at 750k was Madness.

Wakeham seems to be a similar player. Nothing flash, but others are playing better with him in the team. That's the moneyball premise. Basketball teams with 5 stars in them...FAIL! Why, no team. Just 5 players trying to all control 1 ball*.

I think Wakeham too knows his place and could be a reserve half for us (no Will Smith is NOT this player).

Far more important for us to keep our spine at:
Api + Wakeham + Brooks + Bula.
Get our forwards going forward, get our backs defending and working on Combinations.

No changes to spine unless injury forces us.

*Perhaps the Chicago bulls are an exception to this. but that was early days of basketball. LA Lakers really fit this as it was Kobe + players supporting him.
 
Halbrowne61 said:
I guarantee he’ll have a much improved game next week.
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Hope so mate! Some of the best players had games like that. They were reality checks that questioned how badly they wanted a career in rugby league. Thurston had a few shockers in his doggies days. But he always had a go. He would never go missing and you could rely on him making an effort even after he stuffed up. The one positive about Brandon Wakeham's game on Thursday is that he had a go and didn't hide.
 
Luke Brooks #27 Fan said:
Hope so mate! Some of the best players had games like that. They were reality checks that questioned how badly they wanted a career in rugby league. Thurston had a few shockers in his doggies days. But he always had a go. He would never go missing and you could rely on him making an effort even after he stuffed up. The one positive about Brandon Wakeham's game on Thursday is that he had a go and didn't hide.
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Correct, and he’ll know how badly he played and lift next week. Plus a few words in his ear from Coach Marshall will help as well.
And remember he’ll most likely be at 7 which is his normal position.
 
Even though he still made errors, I thought he looked more assertive and authoritative when brooks went off. Not criticising brooks, but Api is a MUCH bigger loss than Brooks, and I think Wakeham will go well at halfback and will play a more traditional distributing role than Brooks played. Only issue is if we can find someone to play 5/8 outside him.
 
watersider said:
Even though he still made errors, I thought he looked more assertive and authoritative when brooks went off. Not criticising brooks, but Api is a MUCH bigger loss than Brooks, and I think Wakeham will go well at halfback and will play a more traditional distributing role than Brooks played. Only issue is if we can find someone to play 5/8 outside him.
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Agree with that Watersider, same with Toa who moved to 5/8 and looked assertive and confident.
Maybe the players feel a little differently when Brooks not out there.
 
Halbrowne61 said:
My thinking is Toa to 5/8, Talau to right centre( imo better there than left, drops less pill and attacks more productively) and Naden to left centre.
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InshAllah 🙏
While Wakeham is a superb goal kicker, he did not show much in general play, including long/short kicks, and he never tried to break the line with his speed/footsteps.
 
InBenjiWeTrust said:
InshAllah 🙏
While Wakeham is a superb goal kicker, he did not show much in general play, including long/short kicks, and he never tried to break the line with his speed/footsteps.
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No, we both know he has no speed or sidestep but he can put someone into a gap, and his long kicking game is ok, so I’d have him focus on those two things plus kicking every goal.
 
Halbrowne61 said:
No, we both know he has no speed or sidestep but he can put someone into a gap, and his long kicking game is ok, so I’d have him focus on those two things plus kicking every goal.
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If he never tries to break the line, the defence will always rush and intercept the ball, knowing that's his only play 😢
 
I live with a 76 year invalid that could have outrun Cliff Lyons at his peak.

Speed doesn't mean success or failure.
 
Halbrowne61 said:
My thinking is Toa to 5/8, Talau to right centre( imo better there than left, drops less pill and attacks more productively) and Naden to left centre.
But that might be way off the mark.
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The more I look at this, the more I go.... NO.

Keep the centers the same. Toa is not a 5/8 and unless Benji has some 5/8 juice and can make Toa change.

People are going to hate me saying this.
Daine Laurie.

He is the only option and only person we have on the books who could play 5/8 and maybe we would have a chance of winning.

AD, injured.
Brooks, injured.
Will Smith (IMHO too old, but maybe should be more open to this).
 
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