Halves

[Todd Packer]

Like I said else where Daine wasn't terrible and seemed to get a bit more vocal and involved as the game progressed.

Would like to see him have a few more games in reserves before he gets a run in NRL, if that is going to happen sometime down the track.

As someone else said, Will Smith playing on the right side still seemed a bit more dominant, but hey, this was Daines first game in the halves and he he didn't appear to be disinterested as some were saying he was playing in reserves prior to this.

Probably kicking stones after being dropped and now that he has been given a run in the halves maybe that has been a bit of a spark to get his interest back again.

What really pissed me off was an interview with Brent Naden that was up on the big screen.

I wasn't paying that much attention but he was being asked the usual stuff about when he was likely to be back again and so on. My ears pricked up when I heard him start talking about how we were going to go and Brooksy steering the team around the park and that kind of fluff talk.

I know I've said plenty of times in the past that I didn't think the #6 or #7 on your back mattered that much these days but I think it is about time we stopped pretending that Luke was running this side.

I've got no problem with Brooksy staying provided it is on a reasonable contract and he has the #6 on his back and it is made clear that someone else has the task of managing the team and that Luke doesn't have that pressure on him any more, either that or see 'ya later.

I know a lot of people have said that Brooksy doesn't listen to the outside noise, but I just can't imagine how it's possible that it doesn't have an affect on him, no matter how mentally tough he is.

If by vocal you mean he was spitting the dummy and blaming his teammates every time he made a mistake, then yes he was vocal.

 

[earl]

Starford set up the two tries on his wing yesterday on his own, he had to do all the work. The first try Brooks gave him a cut out ball but in no way did he set that try up for him, Starford dragged the outside man in then pumped the ball to Staines.
The second try Brooks passed Stafford the ball and Starford broke through 2 tackles to score.
The third try Api busted through weak defence and scored.

So Brooks executed as well as anyone possibly could have and we scored from two of those plays.

Remember a couple of weeks ago and we were stating that Brooksy couldn't create in the opposition attacking zone. How times change.

 

[Vicious]

If we summarise what most supporters see as the problem and want in our number 7, we want someone who will be heavily involved regularly receiving the ball at first receiver, bringing our forwards onto the ball with the option to run, kick or play out the back when warranted.
We want someone who is a natural leader, very vocal who drives his team mates and wants to win at all costs.
We want someone who can make individual line breaks, score individual tries, but also be able to straighten the attack, dig deep into the line and cop a hit to create for his outside men when required.
We want someone who has a good long and short kicking game and have the playmaking skills required to have their fair share of line break assists and try assists.
We want someone who plays tough, defends aggressively and is not a liability when defending.
If they can be a 90% successful goal kicker that would help too.
If we are being honest does this player or anything close to this player exist ?
Nathan Cleary, Nicho Hynes and Adam Reynolds tick quite a few of the boxes, but nobody else comes close.
Of the ones not already regular starting at NRL level, I’d say it’s only Braydon Trindall or Jayden Sullivan who even have the potential to come close to the number 7 we want and need at Wests Tigers.

 

[ToddSanchez]

Let's be real clear what they did. There are two halves in a team plus back-ups. They got rid of 1 halves option (Hastings) and a back-up option (Madden).

Brooks as one of our halves has performed well this season. 2 20 minute periods of ineptitude amongst generally solid play plus he has been a key player in most of the tries we've scored the last 2 games. It's a massive out performance so far.

Doueihi was extremely poor and then did his ACL. He was playing well the game he did his ACL.

We bought Wakeham to replace Madden.

The club definitely made the wrong decision in letting at least one of those players go but how bad a decision is it ?

Are Madden and Hastings really killing it ?

Are you………Justin Pascoe?

 

[Todd Packer]

So Brooks executed as well as anyone possibly could have and we scored from two of those plays.

Remember a couple of weeks ago and we were stating that Brooksy couldn't create in the opposition attacking zone. How times change.

I guess if you're setting the bar that low that simply executing a play that every other half in the comp. performs as a matter of course, then yes he was adequate on a couple of plays in the 80 minutes.
The other 79 minutes maybe not so much.
"We are Wests, we aim for adequate."
We should have that over Brooks' locker to inspire him.

 

[earl]

I guess if you're setting the bar that low that simply executing a play that every other half in the comp. performs as a matter of course, then yes he was adequate on a couple of plays in the 80 minutes.
The other 79 minutes maybe not so much.
"We are Wests, we aim for adequate."
We should have that over Broks' locker to inspire him.

This isn't true and it's not even close. He has been heavily involved in 5 out of the 7 tries we've scored the past couple of weeks.

You are right though in a way. The criticism towards Brooks is so stupid it's the easiest thing to argue against.

Your comment though sums it up. He did stuff up one critical play but so did Tupou and Bateman.

Brooks had another good game. He was heavily involved in 2 out of the 3 tries we scored. He put in a fantastic kick on the 5th in the attacking zone that Bateman was close to grounding for another try.

For your argument to be rational he had to have had a shocker apart from those plays. Please provide a list of the dud plays he made apart from the ones I listed above.

 

[earl]

Are you………Justin Pascoe?

Can we both delete these posts. I'm trying to keep it a secret.

 

[earl]

If we summarise what most supporters see as the problem and want in our number 7, we want someone who will be heavily involved regularly receiving the ball at first receiver, bringing our forwards onto the ball with the option to run, kick or play out the back when warranted.
We want someone who is a natural leader, very vocal who drives his team mates and wants to win at all costs.
We want someone who can make individual line breaks, score individual tries, but also be able to straighten the attack, dig deep into the line and cop a hit to create for his outside men when required.
We want someone who has a good long and short kicking game and have the playmaking skills required to have their fair share of line break assists and try assists.
We want someone who plays tough, defends aggressively and is not a liability when defending.
If they can be a 90% successful goal kicker that would help too.
If we are being honest does this player or anything close to this player exist ?
Nathan Cleary, Nicho Hynes and Adam Reynolds tick quite a few of the boxes, but nobody else comes close.

Great post.

I said in another thread we need 2 halves. We need one at that level and another better than Brooks. The first piece isn't happening. We can't even get the second to occur.

 

[KingRobbie]

This isn't true and it's not even close. He has been heavily involved in 5 out of the 7 tries we've scored the past couple of weeks.

You are right though in a way. The criticism towards Brooks is so stupid it's the easiest thing to argue against.

Your comment though sums it up. He did stuff up one critical play but so did Tupou and Bateman.

Brooks had another good game. He was heavily involved in 2 out of the 3 tries we scored. He put in a fantastic kick on the 5th in the attacking zone that Bateman was close to grounding for another try.

For your argument to be rational he had to have had a shocker apart from those plays. Please provide a list of the dud plays he made apart from the ones I listed above.

Earl, he’s a $1 million halfback and has lost 17 games in a row.

He shows zero organisational skills, consistently crumbles under pressure when the game is on the line, and is beyond incompetent in turning our superior field possession into points.

Because for the amount of possession and red-zone ball we have per game, the amount of points our playmakers create is disgraceful (especially to start games).

Yes, he’s a target.
And yes, Wakeham isn’t good either.

But he’s also being paid MASSIVE dollars to do what he does.

I understand you think he’s a good player and you’re more than allowed to have your opinion, but there is also a reason why almost the entirety of the forum thinks you are trolling.

 

[earl]

Earl, he’s a $1 million halfback and has lost 17 games in a row.

This is valid criticism but it's also in the way you frame it.

I also don't consider him a million dollar halfback. If you frame his performances like that it's unacceptable. If you frame it that he is the running or non-dominant half who is on a heavily back ended contract that the club stuffed it changes your perspective. It's the difference between expecting Hynes, Moses, Cleary, Reynolds and Brooks.

He shows zero organisational skills, consistently crumbles under pressure when the game is on the line, and is beyond incompetent in turning our superior field possession into points.

This isn't true. It's clearly hyperbole. Sure it was a little true at the start of the season but he has improved considerably. You can't get around the reality that he has been involved in 5 out of the last 7 tries we've scored plus he has created other chances that we haven't capitalized on.

If we are talking about his whole career it's hard to take him out of the situation we are in but that isn't an agreement he is the issue.

understand you think he’s a good player and you’re more than allowed to have your opinion, but there is also a reason why almost the entirety of the forum thinks you are trolling.

No offense but the trolling comment in my opinion is just a cheap shot.

I'm not going to spend my whole day though arguing against this though. I have better things to do like play video games and stuff.

 

[tigermate]

You can't just answer directly ? I've watched a bit of Hastings and he hasn't looked that good to me. I haven't seen Madden play.

I think the big issue has really been Doueihi's low performance and then injury rather than anything else.

Well then we just disagree on who we think are good players. TO say Hastings is as good or only a little better than Brooks is ridiculous - because if you asked any NRL pundit out there - that wasn't alinged to Luke Brooks - they would all say the same thing. And this year has finally emphasised more than anything.

Luke hasn't won a game in over a year.

Has not played finals in ten years.

Has had 4 coaches, different players come and go and still can't win a game.

When he does things normal NRL first grade half backs do, like throws a cutout pass for a try, everyone focuses in on those - when in fact they are standard.

He is the black cat of this side and we will never make a finals appearance with him.

Feel bad for him. They shouldve let him go to Newy.

Is the halfback of the team so wears the most of the criticism because he is the main playmaker as halfback... regardless of what Sheens says about the whole spine is all as much responsible as the other. No. Sorry. That's just an excuse and the reason that the tigers never replaced Prince with a halfback until Lui. Has always been Sheens' achiles heel. He fails to place enough importance on the halfback.

 

[DUCK]

With no immediate answer to our problem with the halves, I believe we have our number 7, and he is currently playing in jumper number 9. It certainly would not have been my first choice in moving the NSW State of Origin and three times Premiership Winning Hooker, but desperate times require desperate measures. Unfortunately that means moving our $ Million man to 5/8. My preference is move him to number 14 but then that would require trying out Daine Laurie at 5/8 and I think he would be used as a speed hump by the opposition teams.

 

[cktiger]

So Brooks executed as well as anyone possibly could have and we scored from two of those plays.

Remember a couple of weeks ago and we were stating that Brooksy couldn't create in the opposition attacking zone. How times change.

All Brooks did was pass the ball in a backline movement.

 

[Tucker]

I think Laurie provides 2 things- he's a good support player around the ruck, which would be a help. Way better than Brooks, Wakeham or Doueihi.

He's also a little bit Ewen McGrady. You're never 100% sure what he's going to come up with. He's unpredictable in a fairly predictable team.

I'm 100% ok with Laurie playing 7 or 6 at this stage.

Laurie would be a complete disaster at 7, even worse than when coaches tried to play Benji there.

 

[liltiger]

Yes, he looked much more comfortable but think the other centre needs to go with Talau coming in.
Did anyone else notice how committed and intense TT was yesterday. And thought Stef had some angry pills as well.
Klemmer seems a good guy but would have trouble breaking a line of paper mache at present.
Do we actually know what a line break is ? I thought we purposely slowed the game down yesterday to stop the opposition gaining momentum.
And interesting to see the old run around come back, again and again and again. A Tim ploy no doubt to try and get some attack going .
It partially worked as well. I’m sure it’ll scare the hell out of the Panthers next week.

I think if we could put points on it would be a decent game next week, but we're just struggling to get over the line, can't even imagine us having a chance of winning. They're coming off a loss aswell. If they're awake we could be in for another Brisbane scoreline unfortunately. The team seem to have heaps more fight and mongrel in them so I'm happy about that, just wish our halves could help convert all the ball we get in the opposition 20 into tries.

 

[liltiger]

So Brooks executed as well as anyone possibly could have and we scored from two of those plays.

Remember a couple of weeks ago and we were stating that Brooksy couldn't create in the opposition attacking zone. How times change.

The tries were created by the ball carrier, even if Brooks did create it, he did bugger all with all the other ball we had in the opposition 20. Give that much ball to dce or cleary they set up 30 points.

 

[hugh1954]

This is the argument to kill all the low IQ "Hastings didn't do anything here, we finished last year with him" troll comments.

No shit Sherlock. We finished last with Brooks here last year too but that doesnt stop your Brooks bootlicking!!! Difference is your 10 year excuse has been Brooks never played behind a decent pack. Now he is he cant convert a single play in the 20m attack. Hastings would have us at 5-2 this year behind our 2023 pack. Give yourselves an uppercut.

There is no excitement when we are in the attacking 20 of any teams we have played so far,we know that our 10 year veteran does not have a clue when the whips are cracking

 

[Tiger Tarl]

I think it's pretty clear that we are one quality organising half away from a winning team.

Whoever fills the 5/8th role (Brooks, Doueihi, Laurie) will do the job there and Api will continue to carve it up at 9 but number 7 is the glaring missing piece that we need.

We went all in for Moses who would have fit great but now who is there?

 

[tigertragic]

So Brooks executed as well as anyone possibly could have and we scored from two of those plays.

Remember a couple of weeks ago and we were stating that Brooksy couldn't create in the opposition attacking zone. How times change.

Giving someone the ball and creating an opportunity are two different things

 

[The Chad]

I think it's pretty clear that we are one quality organising half away from a winning team.

Whoever fills the 5/8th role (Brooks, Doueihi, Laurie) will do the job there and Api will continue to carve it up at 9 but number 7 is the glaring missing piece that we need.

We went all in for Moses who would have fit great but now who is there?

Can we talk Foran out of playing for the Titans?