OFFICIAL Blake Austin [Discussion]

@tig4ever said:
I love Austin's attitude but he can only dream of having Moses' ability in my humble opinion.
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I don't know whether he has Moses' ability but he certainly has the right confidence and heart.
 
@Justo said:
Austin may get found out, then again, he may be just as good as he was last week, or he may even be better. History tells us he knows what he's doing. Albeit a short history. There's no doubt he has a good footy brain and has more commitment than a lot of players. I see a bit of Josh Reynolds in his approach to the game.

If anyone is qualified to make a call on a fullback it's Potts. I like Austin, and really hope he grabs the spot by the horns and puts egg on a lot of us doubters. And if he doesnt, and fails miserably, then it's probably no worst off than any other player we had to chose from. Moses included.

And as _Cosimo_Zaretti_ clearly stated. It's science be-atches!
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I'm prepared to wait and see how Austin goes before I judge.
 
@Newtown said:
@tig4ever said:
I love Austin's attitude but he can only dream of having Moses' ability in my humble opinion.

I don't know whether he has Moses' ability but he certainly has the right confidence and heart.
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I have seen blokes with more ability fail, and some with less succeed.

I'm prepared to go with Potters choice at this stage and I also think Austin has earned the chance.
 
Yeah I think the coach may know a thing or two about what it takes to make a good fullback, so I'm not gonna criticise the selection. I am happy for Austin - hope he kills it and makes the position his own for the rest of the season.
 
If he kills it then we have an answer to the Tedesco injury problem and will still have a chance at finals.

If he fails miserably then we will be back to where we would have been if he didn't get picked anyway.

It's a calculated move and based on his performance in Canberra it is the logical choice
 
Hope Austin kills it. He's been asked to do so many different roles this year and just throws himself at it. He not afraid and won't die wondering. That sort of attitude is infectious. Great team man - Just like Beau Ryan was for us.
 
It's a big call on Potter's behalf. I hope it works out. I would have preferred Pat Richards at fullback and keep Austin to come off the bench as a sub for Luani. Promote an outside back to fill the Richards' spot. Just an opinion but I am not sold on Austin at fullback.
 
I would have liked to see Jy get a run, but Moses would likely get bashed and there even though there is no question about his heart and character, why send him to the wolves.
Windsor wolves a different story :wink:

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Richards is too tall and awkward for fullback as proven when he had trouble fielding a low kicks as fullback against Warriors earlier this year.
 
Its not a big call on Potters behalf his top 3 choices at fullback aren't available - Tedesco, Rowe and Simona. We have no full time fullback available. Therefor he had to manufacture one. He has consistently shown he doesen't want to move players around unessecarily and combine that with Richards never having played fullback and Nofo not for a few yrs and never in adult competition. Austin did the job last week without preperation this week he has a fiullback who won 2 dally m medals to teach him for a week and a week of practice to prepare
 
The smile may well be because according to NRL360 Mosses could well be a late inclusion into the side. :slight_smile:
 
you can have Tedesco @ fullback but with Luani @ hooker it means jack. For example what's wrong with Halatau at 9? & i don't want to begin on as to why.
One thing i can tell you for sure is that Potter is no hooker.
A hooker thinks more than a fullback throughout the match - Im talking headspace - Halatau has it.
Where is the logic in this.
Any takers?

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@AmericanHistoryX said:
you can have Tedesco @ fullback but with Luani @ hooker it means jack. For example what's wrong with Halatau at 9? & i don't want to begin on as to why.
One thing i can tell you for sure is that Potter is no hooker.
A hooker thinks more than a fullback throughout the match - Im talking headspace - Halatau has it.
Where is the logic in this.
Any takers?

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Halatau is named in the side..
 
@AmericanHistoryX said:
as hooker?

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I think the issue with Halatau for this game is the lack of matches he has played so far due to injuries

Im with you, years ago he was in competition with Robbie for the No 9 spot and i rate him better the Luani but we have to get a lot of mins from our 9 for this game.

Im just hoping Halatau has a good start and stays un-injured this game
Poor bloke has had bad luck since coming back
 
@Bones said:
@Newtown said:
@tig4ever said:
I love Austin's attitude but he can only dream of having Moses' ability in my humble opinion.

I don't know whether he has Moses' ability but he certainly has the right confidence and heart.

I have seen blokes with more ability fail, and some with less succeed.

I'm prepared to go with Potters choice at this stage and I also think Austin has earned the chance.
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It's not just his ability Bones…it's the whole package. Moses hates to lose & demands high standards of himself at all times. You can't teach that you're born with it mate. But as I said, I do admire Austin's attitude. I'm sure Potter will make best decision for the team.
 
He could be anything in any of the spine positions

But he has to work on his passing game , he has a great running game , but I haven't seen him put someone in a hole once this season

That's an issue , but he can work on that
 
Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks has warned new fullback Blake Austin to prepare himself for a kicking barrage when he faces former club Penrith on Sunday afternoon.

Despite speculation that prodigious teenager Mitchell Moses is set to make his debut in the No. 1 jumper alongside his high school halves partner, Austin remains favourite to fill in for injured star James Tedesco this week.

And Brooks has told him to be ready.

"Obviously it's his second game at fullback so I think they will target him, but he'll be alright. He'll be up for the challenge," Brooks said on Thursday.

"I think he went well [last week]. That would've been his first game at fullback so he did well. He wouldn't have known he was going to play fullback all week so he did well to be put in that position. Hopefully he can back it up this week as well."

One player who hopes Austin's move to the backfield will be a success is returning utility Dene Halatau, who was slated to be the club's Mr Fix It this season but has managed just a handful of minutes since returning to Concord from Belmore over the summer.

Halatau, who was part of the joint venture's 2005 premiership win, broke his ankle in a trial game in February before suffering concussion two minutes into his comeback game against the Rabbitohs in Round 14.

"Yeah, [Austin's] a great fullback! He was really good there last week. If Teddy's out for the rest of the year, why not play Blake there?" Halatau suggested.

"I'm happy to play anywhere [Potter] wants to put me… Austo has had a great year. He's a pretty talented guy and at Penrith he was earmarked as a future half. He's come over here for an opportunity and had a really good pre-season and I could see he was itching to play first grade. And he's been outstanding.

"Obviously it means if I'm to fill the utility role I'm going to have to work hard to try and get that off him. But at the same time I'll work hard and see. If we can find a spot for both of us in the team, then so be it. It's what makes a team good – when there's competition for spots."

While club physio Peter Moussa confirmed on Thursday that Tedesco's knee injury is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season, winger David Nofoaluma is expected to play despite failing to train all week due to a troublesome knee.

Nofoaluma came off after hurting his knee in the second half of their win over the Raiders last Saturday night, but returned to finish the game.

"The club's been good with me, just laying off until the last minute. So I should be alright," he said. "I just keep tampering with it. It's a little niggly. I get in bad positions and unfortunately when you re-do an injury it gets a bit harsh.

"If it gets any worse, then I'll have to do something about it. [But] it's fine. As long as I keep strengthening it with physio and keep getting it treated, it's fine.

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