Rankin and Lovett

@TIGER said:
There's one thing you can't deny Lovett and that's effort, even if you don't rate him his effort is there every week.
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He really puts in. I just don't think he has the leg drive to play in the backrow.
 
Overall Rankin has done a good job this year.

You could put him anywhere and he will do a decent job. Wing might be his 3rd or 4th best position.

He was great tonight.

He has been been a really good signing.
 
Both were fantastic tonight however I feel the criticism has generally been justified.

Rankins tried hard but struggled with his transition to wing.

Lovetts improved since last year but lacks impact. To me he could be a decent lock but doesn't offer enough to be a full time edge player.

Happy to focus on the positive though, both were great tonight.
 
JRank is a far better FB than winger, that's what I'll say.

Lovett looked fairly strong, I was in shock when he almost carried 4 Raiders players over the line last week. If he keeps improving… who knows what he can achieve.
 
@fergiefurr said:
Both were fantastic tonight however I feel the criticism has generally been justified.

Rankins tried hard but struggled with his transition to wing.

Lovetts improved since last year **but lacks impact**. To me he could be a decent lock but doesn't offer enough to be a full time edge player.

Happy to focus on the positive though, both were great tonight.
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he made some great runs vs raiders where he carried 3 guys with him and he was still pushing forward,he needs to do that more often
but people forget hes only in his 2nd year so still a lot of time to improve
 
I think people are under rating Rankin and have been all year.

He is currently 6th in the comp for line breaks (7 in 9 matches) and equal 5th on the try scorers list when playing for a team that has only won 3 games.

His goal kicking needs work but he has a great teacher in JT so will get better.

He was at his best this year last night partly I agree because he played some fullback but also partly because when coming off his wing he was running hard and did great work poking his head through gaps which he has looked like doing a lot this year. He is relativley safe under the high ball def better then Nofa.

For a bloke starting out on the wing he is going great guns and if Tedesco is injured I'd feel confident with him at FB and part of me thinks he would go well at 5/8 if one of the halves was out although I liked Lawrence their last night.
 
Id drop Noffa for JAC before Rankin. Noffa needs to wake up to himself with some of the crap he's produced this yr.
 
@Boonboon2 said:
I think people are under rating Rankin and have been all year.

He is currently 6th in the comp for line breaks (7 in 9 matches)
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But how many of those are off Tedesco line break assists?
 
I think I am 50 / 50.

I always rated Rankin and was really excited after watching the highlights reel and also that we had signed him. He doesn't rate himself as a winger - FB, 5/8, half, centre and then wing I think is how it went. However he has made a pretty good job of a position that he doesn't like very much. Hasn't thrown any tizzies about not getting a go at a position he prefers, has just put his head down and got on with it. He is slowly getting used to the position and it's finer points and in his ninth game on the wing is starting to look a little at home. Think he has been unfairly used as the whipping boy for most of those games. He is a real talent and if he ever gets to play in his preferred positions I am sure he will show us just how good he is. GK aside, he will get better, but you can't get into him for this, he is the best we have.

Now to Lovett - never rated this guy and thought he was a waste of space. I am now beginning to believe that I was incorrect in these assumptions - not saying he is a world beater or will be but he is improving and he does put in. Improved quite considerably from last year and if he makes the same amount of improvement in this current season he would be pretty handy next year and would only be 24\. Needs to work on a few things, someone said leg drive - agree with that and needs to hit harder and to be able to play longer minutes.

So all in all I think I was unfair and am happy to give him a real go.
 
What I liked about Rankin was the change in attitude under the high ball. Last night when he copped the massive head clash, it's because his eyes were on the ball and nothing else. The game a couple of weeks ago where everybody bagged the second ball on the field which he looked at and thus dropped the main ball is exactly what I didn't want to see a repeat of.

Willing to put your body on the line when all you care about is the ball is all I'm after out of these players and he delivered that in spades. Onya champ.
 
I think Rankin and Lovett are most unfairly maligned.

Lovett is no star, but he is alot better than people give him credit for.

I think Rankin has been good all year. He has shown nous all season with good options on the shifts, holds his space well and has decent (if not brilliant footwork)

2 of the best last night.
 
Rankin had a great game and did an amazing job, I'm glad he reads the forum

How much did those refs want the bunnies back in the game, gees it was terrible
 
Rankin was always going to be a decent buy as he can cover all positions in the backline. I was just surprised to see him start on the wing but now he is getting better with every game and we have a decent cover option at FB due to Teddy's injury.
I would assume Hunt and JAC would be in contention for the vacant wing spot if Teddy is out for a period of time.

Lovett was decent last night but i still dont rate him. He is a plodder when he runs, has no footwork, cant run a decent line, and his defence at times is lazy most likely due to Taylor leaving him on for longer than he needs to be which results in missed tackles at crucial times in the game. To me Lovett would not get a start at any other NRL club. I would much rather use MCK as edge backrower than Lovett. While he went OKAY last night, i still think he is an average player.
 
I'm a fan of Rankin, especially out of position. He's reliable and last night really showed the dynamic side to his game - he runs quite a bit like Teddy but with more footwork than fending (still a long way to go to match him though). If one of Moses or Brooks leaves then I think he could step up comfortably, and if Teddy is out injured then I think we'll see him shine even more. I understand all the clamoring for the raw talent of Addo-Carr, but none of our back 5 really warrant dropping and on their day each can win us a game or go close.

I've not been a fan of Lovett at all, I understand the attraction to him but I thought he hasn't deserved selection most of the year but I'm happy to eat humble pie on the back of this game. I think in the past he's struggled being in the same team as Halatau, Buchanan and an underperforming Sironen, but in a restructured pack with plenty of aggro and go-forward he really came in to his own. He and Fine and Chee Kam are poles apart, but with the right players around him he could prove valuable.

It's probably premature but I'd drop Grant before I drop Lovett now.
8\. Woods
10\. Ava
11\. Lawrence
12\. Halatau
13\. Sue
14\. Sirro
15\. Aloiai
16\. Lovett
17\. Chee Kam/Grant
 
I must say Lovett has been a huge improver over last year..

His defence is solid and whilst his attack is one dimensional, he chalks up the meters.

He has become the Liam Fulton of this team
 
Agreed, Rankin was a class act at the back and was solid in every facet of full back play. Lovett toiled well, like most of the forwards, and if he shackled Inglis, that's a massive achievement!
 
They both played well, but we won the game because we played as a team.
We played smart footy, with pride, toughness and discipline.
As for Rankin, i like to see him have a turn playing in the halves.
Lovett was decent Thursday night. Hope he continues to improve.
 
I like Rankin, though just not particularly as a winger - I suspect we'll see much more of him at fullback, especially after training there full time. He's no Teddy, but he'll be a very handy back up there IMO.

As for Lovett, I'm not a massive fan. He is better through the middle and should never really play on the edge again IMO, but even through the middle he gets dominated far too often, can't generate a quick play-the-ball, and by the same token gives up quick play-the-balls.
His work ethic is without peer, so I can definitely see why JT relies on him, but I just wish we had some genuine quality in our 17 rather than honest tryers that are lacking.
 
Rankin has been terrific all year. Hope he finds a regular spot in the top squad. He is great utility value and a real goer. Good on ya, Jordan!
 
Lovett will get better as he gains experience, at present very much a work in progress, but the effort is there every week unlike a couple of other forwards that do not turn up to play some weeks.

Rankin is not a natural winger but seems to be a quick learner. I think no1 will suit has game and my gut feeling is he will do a very good job. High ball is still a bit of a worry, but that seems the case for all our outside backs except Teddy
 
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