@Tiger Come Lately said:
@jirskyr said:
I reckon Cherrington is suffering from Lichaa Syndrome. It's all well and good to dominate in attack at NYC level, but if you can't make 40+ tackles on first-grade quality opponents and still have something left in the tank for attack, you will struggle to offer much to most clubs.
I think in the modern game, the hooking role is foremost about defensive load and quick distribution, before creativity.
You could be right with the Lichaa syndrome.
Im not sure its a modern game thing. Defend in the middle and traffic is going to come your way has always been the case. I don't see the 9 as ball distributor alone, i think he does need to be an attacking option. A good kicking game out of the 9 is essential, everyone is onside - especially when you are close to the opposition line. An attacking ability holds the defence in two minds and if they just keep dishing it up to the halfs it puts pressure on them as the defence is on to them.
When I grew up watching footy in the 80s it was a 5m defensive line and forwards could only be subbed on fresh once, from a very small reserves, some of whom may have played a lower grade game earlier in the day. Also with the leather footies they could not steam onto faceballs very easily; indeed they usually took possession well back from the ruck from a looping pass.
I would love to know if there are stats for metres per carry from back then, because I'm sure they'd be comfortably inferior to the metrage of modern forward carries.
Modern forwards as a group are also arguably more professional and fitter than they they have ever been, and with the meteoric increase in the number of Polynesian-background players, possibly consistently larger/heavier as well.
So I think we get these new young hookers who are still growing and not carrying huge frames like young props might, being asked to be fast enough to take advantage of retreating defensive lines, whilst having a judicious kicking game and a deft pass. There are plenty of them in the halfback-type mold, but then you chuck them into reserves and firsts and they have to make 40 tackles.
I took a quick look at the NYC POTY, where they ended up:
2015 Jayden Berrell (Broncos)
2014 Manaia Cherrington (Tigers)
2013 Michael Lichaa (Sharks)
2012 Michael Lichaa (Sharks)
2011 Kurt Baptiste (Broncos)
2010 James Segeyaro (Cowboys)
2009 Travis Waddell (Raiders)
2008 Masada Iosefa (Panthers)
You can definitely make a similar list and argument for the failed development of halfback from NYC, but I think there are more potential young stars making an impact in the halves right now - Cleary, Martin, Moses, Milford, Keary, Ash Taylor, Elgey etc.
I agree that hookers really need to have an attacking ability in the modern game, just that some of them are finding it being beaten out of them by the defensive load. I don't think you'll find a more highly-touted junior hooker in the last 10 years than Lichaa, and he has absolutely not come on at all.
