Quickest at the club ??

[supercoach]

Brooks quickest over 100m, Moses and Teddy have got that acceleration that is so important in any code of football, but Brooks would beat them over 100m going away. Simona, has had leg or hammy issues for a couple of seasons now that has brought back to the field, but every now and than really hits the after burners, but I don't know if it is physical or mental, but this doesn't happen often any more

 

[jirskyr]

Simony outstripped Alex Johnston last year when we went back to back against souffs, and sometimes covers massive ground to make tackles, but seems a lot slower ball in hand, and loves to make a boneheaded decision like kicking on the first… :smiley:

Totally agree.

I get the impression that Simona has not done a lot of sprint training, I could be wrong, but I mean in terms of working on his technique and sustainability. Sure it can be injury-related, but I too have seen him both blitz opposition players and get blown away by them too.

When he scored that solo try against Penrith he showed a tremendous turn of pace with good staying power.

He also doesn't look particularly fluid as a runner, even though he goes pretty fast, you can't properly tell if he's in top gear or struggling to hold form.

Tedesco on the other hand is far more predictable - really dangerous short energy burst, but in the clear he gets quite haggard, his shoulders start to hunch and his neck shortens. Both Cooper Cronk and Jason Nightingale pulled off try-saving cover tackles on him in the back half of the year because he lacks that staying power.

I used to love the old (young) Benji run - straight back, bum arched away from the cover, high arm action with ball tightly tucked away. He looked a little ungainly in the knees but held his speed over 100\. Until the day he got run down by Ben Smith, that was the beginning of the end.

Oh and early-day Chris Lawrence. Such a powerful runner, even if you caught him he looked super difficult to put a tackle on because of his shoulder and thigh strength. If anything he used to get faster in a straight line as he approached 100m. That try against St George with the kick return, the LO game where he outpaced a fit Billy Slater in the dying minutes, and of course Game #1 when he put a shimmy on a no-slouch Shaun Berrigan.

 

[clifferdSH]

Simony outstripped Alex Johnston last year when we went back to back against souffs, and sometimes covers massive ground to make tackles, but seems a lot slower ball in hand, and loves to make a boneheaded decision like kicking on the first… :smiley:

Totally agree.

I get the impression that Simona has not done a lot of sprint training, I could be wrong, but I mean in terms of working on his technique and sustainability. Sure it can be injury-related, but I too have seen him both blitz opposition players and get blown away by them too.

When he scored that solo try against Penrith he showed a tremendous turn of pace with good staying power.

He also doesn't look particularly fluid as a runner, even though he goes pretty fast, you can't properly tell if he's in top gear or struggling to hold form.

Tedesco on the other hand is far more predictable - really dangerous short energy burst, but in the clear he gets quite haggard, his shoulders start to hunch and his neck shortens. Both Cooper Cronk and Jason Nightingale pulled off try-saving cover tackles on him in the back half of the year because he lacks that staying power.

I used to love the old (young) Benji run - straight back, bum arched away from the cover, high arm action with ball tightly tucked away. He looked a little ungainly in the knees but held his speed over 100\. Until the day he got run down by Ben Smith, that was the beginning of the end.

Oh and early-day Chris Lawrence. Such a powerful runner, even if you caught him he looked super difficult to put a tackle on because of his shoulder and thigh strength. If anything he used to get faster in a straight line as he approached 100m. That try against St George with the kick return, the LO game where he outpaced a fit Billy Slater in the dying minutes, and of course Game #1 when he put a shimmy on a no-slouch Shaun Berrigan.

Iirc Lawrence had an athletics background as a young in, was a national hurdle champion or something hence the powerful running game

Of course the speed is pretty much long gone now though

 

[fergiefurr]

yeah lawrence was pretty special. i dont know if ive seen a guy who had such powerful acceleration but would keep it up the length of the field, the longer he ran the more he would distance himself from the chasers. those two memories mentioned above (seeing him smoke BMorris & Slater) were awesome

 

[innsaneink]

I used to love the old (young) Benji run - straight back, bum arched away from the cover, high arm action with ball tightly tucked away. He looked a little ungainly in the knees but held his speed over 100\. Until the day he got run down by Ben Smith, that was the beginning of the end.

Great description…to a T

My favourite runners of all time were John Dorahy & Steve Rogers....Joe Cool made it look easy with a great step, and Sludge was so smooth...both had great balance

 

[Cosimo_Zaretti]

Brooks has awesome acceleration but gets very little quality ball with daylight, which is fair enough since he's supposed to be putting others through gaps. The try he scored against Newcastle at Cambo was a little reminder how quick he can take off. From memory that was from Moses switching left of the ruck to set him up. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[happy_tiger]

I used to love the old (young) Benji run - straight back, bum arched away from the cover, high arm action with ball tightly tucked away. He looked a little ungainly in the knees but held his speed over 100\. Until the day he got run down by Ben Smith, that was the beginning of the end.

Great description…to a T

My favourite runners of all time were John Dorahy & Steve Rogers....Joe Cool made it look easy with a great step, and Sludge was so smooth...both had great balance

It got worse when he got run down by either Tamou or Fifita , can't remember who , all I remember they then went on to score from 60 out later in the game

 

[Glennb]

Lawrence running always reminded me of Garry Jack. Very strong thighs and tackle busting by strength rather than outright speed.

 

[happy_tiger]

Brooks has awesome acceleration but gets very little quality ball with daylight, which is fair enough since he's supposed to be putting others through gaps. The try he scored against Newcastle at Cambo was a little reminder how quick he can take off. From memory that was from Moses switching left of the ruck to set him up. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Drives me nuts , he could be a devastating ball runner if he hit the ball at speed

When you hit the ball at speed your footwork grows a mind of itself imo , much like Fittler used to , bang ,bang massive right foot step try time

The addition of Idris must help this , when defenders start drifting /sliding off Brooks to watch his outside men he will become a terror

Imagine having a second rower that could break the line as well 😛ray:

Almost having wet dreams a killer centre and a back rower with punch and speed

 

[Tigerdon]

Naiyaravoro has been inform. He's now a chance of playing for Australia on the spring tour.

 

[jirskyr]

I used to love the old (young) Benji run - straight back, bum arched away from the cover, high arm action with ball tightly tucked away. He looked a little ungainly in the knees but held his speed over 100\. Until the day he got run down by Ben Smith, that was the beginning of the end.

Great description…to a T

My favourite runners of all time were John Dorahy & Steve Rogers....Joe Cool made it look easy with a great step, and Sludge was so smooth...both had great balance

It got worse when he got run down by either Tamou or Fifita , can't remember who , all I remember they then went on to score from 60 out later in the game

Tamou, after Benji made a line break from our end if I remember correctly.

 

[jirskyr]

yeah lawrence was pretty special. i dont know if ive seen a guy who had such powerful acceleration but would keep it up the length of the field, the longer he ran the more he would distance himself from the chasers. those two memories mentioned above (seeing him smoke BMorris & Slater) were awesome

At that time, not so long before he busted his hip, I was thinking Lawrence could have been one of the great centres. He just ran so hard and fast, great lines and holes, his hands didn't seem quite so bad as they are now.

His major downside was his defensive selections, he used to get beaten a lot and make bad reads, but he fixed that over about 12 months.

But I really thought we had a top-flight centre on the books for years. Then the hip, then the hammys, and he still ends up playing for Australia, but it was a gradual decline in those key backline attributes from there. Good on him for resurrecting his career as a 2nd rower, but oh what he could have been.

 

[fergiefurr]

Naiyaravoro has been inform. He's now a chance of playing for Australia on the spring tour.

thats not much to get excited over. TN played reserve grade for 3 years. if he was any good another club would have picked him up.

 

[barra]

Brooks has awesome acceleration but gets very little quality ball with daylight, which is fair enough since he's supposed to be putting others through gaps. The try he scored against Newcastle at Cambo was a little reminder how quick he can take off. From memory that was from Moses switching left of the ruck to set him up. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

**Drives me nuts , he could be a devastating ball runner if he hit the ball at speed
The addition of Idris must help this , when defenders start drifting /sliding off Brooks to watch his outside men he will become a terror**

Yes, it would be good to see this situation arise and Brooks starting to take the line on like Cronk does.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Naiyaravoro has been inform. He's now a chance of playing for Australia on the spring tour.

thats not much to get excited over. TN played reserve grade for 3 years. if he was any good another club would have picked him up.

I'm a chance of playing for Australia in Thugby.

 

[happy_tiger]

Naiyaravoro has been inform. He's now a chance of playing for Australia on the spring tour.

thats not much to get excited over. TN played reserve grade for 3 years. if he was any good another club would have picked him up.

I'm a chance of playing for Australia in Thugby.

The way the Australian 11 is going you'll be a dual international shortly :smiley:

 

[Cosimo_Zaretti]

Brooks has awesome acceleration but gets very little quality ball with daylight, which is fair enough since he's supposed to be putting others through gaps. The try he scored against Newcastle at Cambo was a little reminder how quick he can take off. From memory that was from Moses switching left of the ruck to set him up. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

Drives me nuts , he could be a devastating ball runner if he hit the ball at speed

When you hit the ball at speed your footwork grows a mind of itself imo , much like Fittler used to , bang ,bang massive right foot step try time

The addition of Idris must help this , when defenders start drifting /sliding off Brooks to watch his outside men he will become a terror

Imagine having a second rower that could break the line as well 😛ray:

Almost having wet dreams a killer centre and a back rower with punch and speed

Step 1 is getting rid of Rankin. Our left edge's problems begin with having no credible threat on the wing, so the opposing outside backs know they only need to jam in on Simona, and there's no wider option to put them in two minds.

Push Simona out 1 wider with Idris at centre and the opposing backs have to watch the massive unit Idris, who'll need two blokes to stop him at speed and the quick cut out option with Simona on the wing, cos you don't usually get a second grab at Simona, miss him and he's away.

This indecision buys more space for Lawrence whose opposite number is already unsure whether he'll need to slide onto Idris.

Throw in some crisp service off the deck at dummy half, assuming Taylor's plan for cohesiveness comes off, and Brooks might find that when his outside three take off on about tackle 4, he finds space to go himself a whole lot more often.

Gotta get a real winger in there.