Benji played at #7 toward the back end of his career, even though he was a natural #6.
Luai is now going down the same path.
Who Benji picks at #6 and #7 will basically decide whether we are a chance of playing finals footy this season.
Will Benji persist with Luai at #7 because of his individual goals, or go with the team first approach and play him at #6?
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Our last good #7 was Robert Lui. He was there when we made the semis in 2010 and 2011. It was no coincidence in 2012 we didn't make the semis after he had left. Lui and Latu look to be very similar players.
Creatively, the #7 is where everything starts.
The #7 is the chief and needs to strategically control the team around the park, telling the team where they need to play the ball for him in 4 tackles time. When they see an opportunity they also need speed to dart off the mark, because #7 can be quite dormant. This is a strength of Latu and he's already scored few tries this way. We haven't seen it in open play/further down the field yet though, but it's obviously there and is a strength. Luai is not good from a standing start and just hops around like a kangaroo waiting for something to open up... Where as a good #7 doesnt need to do that and simply strikes when the gap is there..
A good #7 activates the #9... they start to compliment each other and become more dangerous around the ruck... E.G prince and Farah .... Lui and Farah .
A good #7, #9 and #1 playing creatively around the middle activates the #6 who then activates the outside men.. the #6 is an "in motion" ball player.... Like Benji and luai... They are/were both at their best when running with the ball in their hands.
When the spine is right, starting with the #7, it means the #11 and #12 are activated in an attacking sense, then Samuela and KPP start looking exciting with their ball running and ability to offload in open play.. Then the #3 & #4 get alot more ball from the #6, because the team is playing into space - it's the tigers style of old and we saw this in the last 20 vs the cows when Luai basically played a #6 role.
*****
For me the decision is easy, it's:
6.Luai
7.Latu
But what does Benji do?
Luai is a leader, but he can be a Darren Lockyer #6 leader . He doesn't need a #7 on his back to do it .
I'm bloody optimistic. None of this happens without good go forward, but that's for another time..
So who would you play the #6 and #7 role, and why?
Luai is now going down the same path.
Who Benji picks at #6 and #7 will basically decide whether we are a chance of playing finals footy this season.
Will Benji persist with Luai at #7 because of his individual goals, or go with the team first approach and play him at #6?
*******************************************
Our last good #7 was Robert Lui. He was there when we made the semis in 2010 and 2011. It was no coincidence in 2012 we didn't make the semis after he had left. Lui and Latu look to be very similar players.
Creatively, the #7 is where everything starts.
The #7 is the chief and needs to strategically control the team around the park, telling the team where they need to play the ball for him in 4 tackles time. When they see an opportunity they also need speed to dart off the mark, because #7 can be quite dormant. This is a strength of Latu and he's already scored few tries this way. We haven't seen it in open play/further down the field yet though, but it's obviously there and is a strength. Luai is not good from a standing start and just hops around like a kangaroo waiting for something to open up... Where as a good #7 doesnt need to do that and simply strikes when the gap is there..
A good #7 activates the #9... they start to compliment each other and become more dangerous around the ruck... E.G prince and Farah .... Lui and Farah .
A good #7, #9 and #1 playing creatively around the middle activates the #6 who then activates the outside men.. the #6 is an "in motion" ball player.... Like Benji and luai... They are/were both at their best when running with the ball in their hands.
When the spine is right, starting with the #7, it means the #11 and #12 are activated in an attacking sense, then Samuela and KPP start looking exciting with their ball running and ability to offload in open play.. Then the #3 & #4 get alot more ball from the #6, because the team is playing into space - it's the tigers style of old and we saw this in the last 20 vs the cows when Luai basically played a #6 role.
*****
For me the decision is easy, it's:
6.Luai
7.Latu
But what does Benji do?
Luai is a leader, but he can be a Darren Lockyer #6 leader . He doesn't need a #7 on his back to do it .
I'm bloody optimistic. None of this happens without good go forward, but that's for another time..
So who would you play the #6 and #7 role, and why?
