PLAYER Ezra Mam

McHunt said:
I'm not investing a lot of worry into the current state of 6, 9 and 14. I've been reasonably happy with Paix, given he has three playmaking alphas completing the rest of the spine. I can understand why he's not trying to be another, and I'd presumed he was following orders. Maybe I was wrong, but I'm not certain they were switched because Paix was underperforming.

Billy's try last week was probably the highlight of the match. I'm not that fussed either way with the rest of his game. Calls to move him to 6 and drop Hunt are pretty ridiculous. They're not even remotely in the same class. Hunt has played 20 Test matches. Billy's dad - who was no slouch - played 11. Billy has never even been in the QLD conversation. Hunt is the most decorated player we've had in the team since, ahem, Darius Boyd. He gets the benefit of the doubt.

I see both Cory and Billy being stopgaps until the main events - Hunt at 9, Mozer at 14 and Mam at 6 - arrive. Relegating Paix to 14 suggests he will be the first to drop off, but I don't care which one goes first or if one stays a few more weeks. As long as we upgrade to something that's clicking before we lose grip on the Eight.
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To me the decision on hooker is typically who the coach wants to finish the game with.

They will only want to spend 1 interchange at hooker... so I've always felt that Billy should be starting with his better defence and if Madge thinks Paix is his better overall hooker then he should be looking to finish with Paix.

The number on the back of the jersey doesn't mean anything when it comes to hookers... you can identify the number 1 hooker to the coach by whichever one gets the most minutes each game.

In a Hunt + Mozer combo... I suspect we will see Mozer finish the game at hooker, but Hunt can be brought on near the end of games as a ball playing lock if needed... that will mean Kobe's minutes will go even lower than what it already is.

I don't think Mozer's defence can hold up to start games and have him still be effective, but I don't necessarily think Hunt is the best starting hooker either... as he's not been great at that role for Qld when he's just trying to buy time until Harry comes on the field. Hunt's best moments in origin are usually in his second stints... the 40/20's, the try in the decider, linebreaks against tired defenders, etc.
 
McHunt said:
He doesn't seem comfortable at 6, and was atrocious last weekend, but his handling error rate is lower this season than the previous two.

See for yourself:

www.nrl.com

Players

Players
www.nrl.com www.nrl.com
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How does NRL.com even track errors vs handling errors?

Somehow Ponga has 14 errors, but 17 handling errors... I would've thought 'errors' would be total errors (whatever that would mean) and handling errors would be the amount of those total errors were actually handling errors.

But it clearly can't because Ponga would be up to at least 17 'errors'... and it's not the opposite either, because Marzhew has less handling errors than errors... so what the **** is the difference between the two?

Either way Ponga has taken over on the errors department when considering on a per game basis... with Walsh injured expect the media to jump over to Ponga in the lead up to origin.

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McHunt said:
I see both Cory and Billy being stopgaps until the main events - Hunt at 9, Mozer at 14 and Mam at 6 - arrive. Relegating Paix to 14 suggests he will be the first to drop off, but I don't care which one goes first or if one stays a few more weeks. As long as we upgrade to something that's clicking before we lose grip on the Eight.
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I agree and I'm not necessarily advocating for either, other that from my uneducated eyes, we looked better with Billy starting than with Corey. I'm not pushing for Billy at 6 either.

When Hunt starts at 9, if paix/mozer/billy are not bashing the door down, getting him to play 80 might also be an option. However, if we are serious about having someone on the bench to cover an injury to a backline player, then maybe we need Billy anyway. Do we really want Moser/Paix and Mariner on the bench?
 
Brotherdu said:
I agree and I'm not necessarily advocating for either, other that from my uneducated eyes, we looked better with Billy starting than with Corey. I'm not pushing for Billy at 6 either.

When Hunt starts at 9, if paix/mozer/billy are not bashing the door down, getting him to play 80 might also be an option. However, if we are serious about having someone on the bench to cover an injury to a backline player, then maybe we need Billy anyway. Do we really want Moser/Paix and Mariner on the bench?
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I thought the opposite: Billy's individual try was great, but the rest of the first half was appalling.

Yes, I would like Mozer on the bench.
 
McHunt said:
I thought the opposite: Billy's individual try was great, but the rest of the first half was appalling.

Yes, I would like Mozer on the bench.
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I feel like Paix got hooked last game, because his passing was woeful... everything looked clunky when he got on the field.

I thought Billy was much better than him last week... can't recall him going for any headless runs to nowhere with no support... seemed to play a bit more within himself, but still took the opportunity when the defence presented it.
 
BroncsFan said:
I feel like Paix got hooked last game, because his passing was woeful... everything looked clunky when he got on the field.

I thought Billy was much better than him last week... can't recall him going for any headless runs to nowhere with no support... seemed to play a bit more within himself, but still took the opportunity when the defence presented it.
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I think there is only one game this year where you could say Paix has outperformed Billy and even then, Billy was good too.

If Billy wasn't Billy, people would be calling for him to replace Paix who has really disappointed since round 1.
 
Sproj said:
Pretty impressive if teams have managed to make him drop the ball or kick into legs /out the back of in goal with no one else around. Other teams must be employing some amazing psychs.
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Look for habits .
Put him under pressure . Then he will throw crazy passes and kick dead or into legs .
Not rocket surgery .
 
Big Del said:
Look for habits .
Put him under pressure . Then he will throw crazy passes and kick dead or into legs .
Not rocket surgery .
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Well yeah...except you missed the bit about NO ONE AROUND HIM - not sure the pressure is there if there is no one around him.
 
Sproj said:
Well yeah...except you missed the bit about NO ONE AROUND HIM - not sure the pressure is there if there is no one around him.
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How about this psy op .

He has played on the right side how many years ?
His move is the show and go off his right foot . Shrug under the tackler and hit the clear .
Ok so if you `re the opposition defensive coach you cue the tape and show how on the left side his signature move gets in every ones way . So keep the pressure on his supports because he`s gonna want to pass or kick because his running isn`t anywhere near the threat . Not as strong off his left foot so you can slide off him and get in the faces of his supports . He will get frustrated pretty quickly and try to force things .
Then he will choke and take bad options .
 
the_next said:
I fear a lot are thinking Ezra is our saviour. I think he will struggle unfortunately.
Every away crowd will boo him Matt Lodge 2.0 style. And I think that will impact him and his confidence. Hopefully I am wrong but I have my worries.
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As soon as he scores his first try or sets one up, puts in a good performance it’ll shut everyone up. Maybe a few weeks more for the media who will run troubled bronco star headlines.
 
BroncsFan said:
How does NRL.com even track errors vs handling errors?

Somehow Ponga has 14 errors, but 17 handling errors... I would've thought 'errors' would be total errors (whatever that would mean) and handling errors would be the amount of those total errors were actually handling errors.

But it clearly can't because Ponga would be up to at least 17 'errors'... and it's not the opposite either, because Marzhew has less handling errors than errors... so what the **** is the difference between the two?

Either way Ponga has taken over on the errors department when considering on a per game basis... with Walsh injured expect the media to jump over to Ponga in the lead up to origin.

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You really want to get a laugh, try finding 6 agains...not just nrl, but anywhere... nothing suss of course
 
This whole billy vs paix chat is not what is important to me (billy is definetly winning at the moment though). Madge has created competition in positions, all of them. Billy, riki and piakura weren't getting dropped last year and it meant they proceeded to take advantage of that.

Willison to second row is a winner for sure. Thought he was good against the warriors too bar a couple brain fades. We need to find metres in our team. Willison was able and willing to take tough carries out of our end last night. I also think this game highlighted we need te kura, or even tapau if te kura is injured, in place of smoothy or smoothy takes the 14 as a hooker/lock hybrid until mozer picks up and paix out for now. Even 10-15 mins of them would allow us to keep momentum and we can't and shouldn't run carrigan and haas into the ground, it will tell on them by seasons end. I get madge wants smoothy on for defence like hethrington but we just completely lose momentum. Even though paix is a better hooker than smoothy, smoothy can at least go into that lock role if we get a couple middle injuries or 700000 6 agains defensivly could help. Riki off the bench with junt dropping off too would help us.

11. Willison
12. Piakura

14. Smoothy
15. Jensen
16. Te Kura/tapau
17. Riki
 
honestly would be surprised if Mam doesn't go straight into our starting side as soon as he is available.

Hunt to bench Hooker, Billy starts.
 
Mustafur said:
honestly would be surprised if Mam doesn't go straight into our starting side as soon as he is available.

Hunt to bench Hooker, Billy starts.
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Did you hear Madge talking about it the other day? He was doing the coach thing saying it's not guarenteed. But it very much is. If he doesn't walk right back in, rocks in heads.
 
Nashy said:
Hopefully with the idea that Piakura and Smoothy are on the way out?

I do not understand how fans can watch those two players attempt to play football, and think "YEP! PICK THEM!"
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Smoothy is already out he has a super league move moted already, Piakura is hopeless defensively, like even in this game dogs aimed at his edge to score, there is a reason they didn't aim at Xavier's edge because he actually knows how to defend.
 
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