NEWS Bennett insists McCullough ready for Maroons call-up

[pagey]

Macca looks very tidy there.

Great stats

 

[Alec]

McCullough is probably the best of the QLD actual hookers right now, but I fucking hope there's someone more talented coming in through the lower grades somewhere ASAP.

 

[Mr Fourex]

This isn’t a video game where you can up some stats.

It isn't?

Well that changes everything. I've been looking at it all wrong.

I will just have to learn to accept mediocrity then I s'pose

 

[winslow_wong]

Um ! Pretty sure i mentioned two other coaches, but maybe with your tunnel vision you missed it.

Didn't miss it just making a point about bennett. Is that ok?

 

[WASSHHH]

Yet Bennett, bellamy and meniga all have said he is the logical choice. So they must think he offers something.

Bellamy did say Boyd would be a good choice as captain - so you can pretty much forget everything else he said on the matter as he’s obviously out of his tree.

Jokes aside, try and follow the upcoming ramblings...

For mine, the choice of QLD 9 comes down to 2 things - defence and attack (groundbreaking, I know). For the simple fact that no one will be able to manage a game like Smith did from 9, we shouldn’t even waste our time by trying to burden any of the cantidates with that.

McCullough is head and shoulders above every other possible choice when it comes to defence, only Friend even begins to come close. Defence is also so damn important in Origin so it really is an easy win for Macca.

So attack it is.

Hunt would be the most dangerous attacking hooker and whilst he is a solid defender (albeit not in the middle third), he’d be lucky to play a half of Origin at 9 because they’ll run big blokes at him relentlessly, which will tire him out and nullify his attack to no end. So he’s out.

Next is Granville - but he’s in such ordinary form like most of the Cowboys, we surely couldn’t take that risk.

Next has to be McCullough. Everyone knows he’s no livewire from dummy half and he looks like he’s running in quicksand most of the time. But if he has a clear and simple job to do, he’ll get it done without a doubt.

For those reasons, I believe he is the only logical choice.

Captain? Well that’s a whole different story.
To answer that, I think it hinges on the 7 and 14, because Munster is a shoe-in at 6.

Before Smith’s retirement, I would have thought Munster at 6, Milf at 7 (he’s practically playing it (and 6!) for us right now and I am still not convinced Hunt is a game manager regardless of how well the Dragons are going, as blind Freddy can see Widdop has a lot to do with it), Smith at 9 and Morgan at 14. As that won’t be happening and assuming Macca is at 9, we need a captain and that certainly won’t be Munster, Milf or a bench player.

For that reason, and as Morgan truly excelled under pressure last year with the Cowboys 7 jumper and captaincy like no one could ever have predicted - including himself I believe, I’d be doing the same for Origin and putting Hunt or Milf at 14. As I’ve already said, I’d prefer they were around the other way (that said, I still don’t think halves of Munster and Hunt could manage a chook raffle let alone an Origin game, so now we don’t have Smith I’d prefer Munster and Milf), as Morgan can play everywhere except prop, whereas Hunt / Milf are far less versatile. But because I can’t see anyone else capable of stepping up to the captaincy, I don’t know how else to balance the team and captaincy.

If none of that panned out (which is highly likely) the only other possibility I see is Inglis, but I’m not so sure. I just get a sneaking suspicion it’ll be too much of a burden for him.

Anyway, whatever way they do go, for the love of god, please don’t let it be Boyd.

 

[Number6]

Bellamy saying Boyd for captain. You know he is a blue. Would be my choice too if from NSW.

Leadership vacuum galore here. Scott seems only choice for me. Morgan as VC even off bench that’s a non issue these days. Inglis as other option. Short term thinking but that’s a problem for next year see who stands up rather than be stuck with wrong choice longer term.

 

[Super Freak]

Hunt averaged 28 tackles a game at hooker for 88% efficiency. His defence improved in the middle, despite making more tackles.

He was better defensively than what some people remember. He'll handle the defensive side of it just fine, and he'll handle the fitness side of it, just like he did for the Broncos, because he is a very fit bugger. He will also be playing in a much better defensive team than what he was at the back end of 2017.

Keep in mind, we also have a utility on the bench that can jump in at hooker.

Have Hunt start at hooker with Granville coming off the bench.

 

[broncos4life]

If Hunt plays hooker we will lose.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

I'd choose Inglis as captain.

 

[Number6]

Hunt averaged 28 tackles a game at hooker for 88% efficiency. His defence improved in the middle, despite making more tackles.

He was better defensively than what some people remember. He'll handle the defensive side of it just fine, and he'll handle the fitness side of it, just like he did for the Broncos, because he is a very fit bugger. He will also be playing in a much better defensive team than what he was at the back end of 2017.

Keep in mind, we also have a utility on the bench that can jump in at hooker.

Have Hunt start at hooker with Granville coming off the bench.

Couldn’t agree with defensive argument. Defending at hooker is completely different to half. Put Macca at half and see his efficiency drop. At half easier to be isolated or out of position trying to cover 2 runners. Hunt isn’t the ideal solution (although think if he was a full time hooker would be Australian hooker) but how do people not get how truly average Macca is. Good defender but number of tackles or ‘efficiency’ doesn’t hide how non dominant he is in them and bottom 5 attacking hooker. If he is best we offer especially with new halves can’t see a win. We need to take risks to win this series. Safe or average isn’t going to cut it.

 

[bronx89]

I disagree with most of that. Years ago, then yes, but he has been getting better in all those errors and they are no where near as bad as you are making out. As for a comparison to Hunt as Unbreakable says below it would be a nightmare.

As for the snippy ‘I’ll play along’ attitude you can stick it up your arse. It was a genuine question that I asked twice because I genuinely didn’t know the answer. Get over yourself.

Haha don’t attack him he will issue you with a warning hahah. But yet contradicts himself and attacks people.

 

[Alec]

Couldn’t agree with defensive argument. Defending at hooker is completely different to half. Put Macca at half and see his efficiency drop. At half easier to be isolated or out of position trying to cover 2 runners. Hunt isn’t the ideal solution (although think if he was a full time hooker would be Australian hooker) but how do people not get how truly average Macca is. Good defender but number of tackles or ‘efficiency’ doesn’t hide how non dominant he is in them and bottom 5 attacking hooker. If he is best we offer especially with new halves can’t see a win. We need to take risks to win this series. Safe or average isn’t going to cut it.

The problem is that Macca's competition is playing like shit, while Hunt is in some of the best form of his career in the halves, probably the form halfback of the comp right now.

 

[BroncsFan]

Good defender but number of tackles or ‘efficiency’ doesn’t hide how non dominant he is in them

I've seen many a time where Macca has cut players down one on one. His defence is much needed with the loss of Smith.

 

[Number6]

I've seen many a time where Macca has cut players down one on one. His defence is much needed with the loss of Smith.

Hunt can chop a player too. But Macca as a Bronc unfortunately doesn’t wrestle or control the ruck like Smith does. While good defence is a necessary condition for a hooker if we are picking our hooker primarily on defence then big problem. Almost as bad as picking a defensive halfback like Pearce. Ask NSW how that worked...

Having said that as a Broncos fan not a lot of downside for Macca playing origin. If he goes to next level huge bonus, if doesn’t at least forced to give someone else a good shot at hooker (given Macca and Thaiday won’t be options) and don’t have to watch the game in fast forward to see a quick pass from dummy half.

 

[Super Freak]

Haha don’t attack him he will issue you with a warning hahah. But yet contradicts himself and attacks people.

He would only be issued with a warning if the rest of the staff deem it's worthy of a warning, which isn't up to me as the message is in reply to my post.

If you're unhappy with any staff action against you, you are more than welcome to open up a thread in staff chat and discuss it.

 

[Reyter]

He is a certainty if he doesn't get injured. He will go ok but not "well". He is merely "solid" or "workman-like" at NRL level. It doesn't bode well for Origin. There is a good possibility when the next Australian team is selected the entire forward pack will be from NSW and backs from QLD.

 

[Aldo]

Granville - 10 games, 1 try, 2 try assists, 2 line-break assists, 0 forced drop-outs, 36.9 tackles per game @ 90% efficency
Friend - 10 games, 0 tries, 1 try assist, 0 line-break assists, 2 forced drop-outs, 42.6 tackles per game @ 90% efficiency
McCullough - 9 games, 2 tries, 3 try assists, 2 line-break assists, 2 forced drop-outs, 44.2 tackles per game @ 95% efficiency
Hunt - 10 games, 3 tries, 8 try assists, 7 line-break assists, 5 forced drop-outs, 17.0 tackles per game @ 77% efficiency

Spot the Halfback..

Just out of curiosity, are you able to put up those stats for Smith, McInnes and Cook. Be interesting to see how they stack up.

 

[Unbreakable]

Just out of curiosity, are you able to put up those stats for Smith, McInnes and Cook. Be interesting to see how they stack up.

Smith - 10 games, 0 tries, 1 try assist, 2 line-break assists, 1 forced drop-out, 38.3 tackles per game @ 93% efficiency
McInnes - 10 games, 2 tries, 3 try assists, 3 line-break assists, 3 forced drop-outs, 36.8 tackles per game @ 93% efficiency
Cook - 10 games, 2 tries, 2 try assists, 1 line-break assist, 0 forced drop-outs, 42.0 tackles per game @ 91% efficiency

Didn't include running metres, but Cook is comfortably the best of the bunch in that aspect at 110 metres per game, the next closest out of the 6 Hookers listed is McInnes at 61 metres per game.