A prop is a prop

[Brent81]

Apparently I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to props, so I'll leave it to Peter Mulholland and Brian McClennan to make the point.
"In the old days, Laurie Daley could play five-eighth, centre or lock, and Trent Barrett and Brad Fittler were the same," Mulholland said. "But a lock these days is a middle player and we mistakenly think they are front-rowers. If something like Gallen playing in the front row in Origin works, then clubs emulate it, but to me a prop has a stature and a physical presence that a lock doesn't have."

Former Kiwis and Warriors coach Brian McClennan agrees. "I think that through State of Origin they started picking some really mobile props and they just aren't giving the big, younger ones a shot," he said.

 

[noisetheory]

have always said parker is not a prop and shouldnt be playing there. stand by it till i die.

 

[Renegade]

tldr

what's your point exactly? i can't be bothered going back through whatever previous argument/stances you've occupied.


give us the meat bra

 

[Anonymous person]

whats the point of this topic?

 

[Kimlo]

Honestly, I don't see the point of making a thread to prove a point.

Obviously a prop is a prop, that's like saying a phone is a phone. Some backrowers can play prop better than most full time props, some can't. It's not exactly black and white.

 

[BroncosAlways]

A thread is a thread.


Except this one.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

I think he makes a fair point. A lot of people have said there is no difference between a prop and a lock.

The first thing I think of when I think prop as a huge animal who rips in for the first couple of hit-ups, is aggressive and can hit hard while a lock is more agile.

Of course, different players have different styles and the two positions overlap sometimes but it's fair comment and the current Australian team is exhibit A of what happens when you don't pick specialist props.

 

[Nashy]

I have not read one person who has stated that a lock is a prop. If they did say it. I would assume they are an AFL fan, who's opinion doesn't matter.

 

[rnabokov]

A prop is a prop ...

That's kinda funny in a team of full backs and back rowers

 

[ivanhungryjak]

I have not read one person who has stated that a lock is a prop. If they did say it. I would assume they are an AFL fan, who's opinion doesn't matter.

I know I have read it at least once on here. May have been 1910 but don't quote me.

Hold on, are you saying you've never heard it said that there is no difference between lock and prop?

 

[Porthoz]

The only thing I've seen being said here, is that some players play very similarly, whether at prop or lock. Haven't seen anyone saying a lock is the same as a prop though...

 

[mieko]

I have not read one person who has stated that a lock is a prop. If they did say it. I would assume they are an AFL fan, who's opinion doesn't matter.

Yeah Not in so many words but there was a lot of "doesn't matter what number he wears" etc etc he still plays his usual game, to me that implies they (poster) think the game has evolved that much that they are the same.

anyway, two genuine big boppers next year starting please Wayno.

 

[Big Pete]

...in reference to how the Broncos used Parker & Thaiday at 10 & 13 respectively.

Really, that whole arrangement was just another way to name Thaiday in the exact same role he was in last time.

And a lot of people bought it. Not necessarily on here but in general.

 

[Foordy]

...in reference to how the Broncos used Parker & Thaiday at 10 & 13 respectively.

Really, that whole arrangement was just another way to name Thaiday in the exact same role he was in last time.

And a lot of people bought it. Not necessarily on here but in general.

Oh, they bought it on here too. They stopped whinging about Thaiday playing prop, and started whinging about Parker playing prop.

Parkers stats this year backed up my theory, that he didn't play any different regardless of the number on his back.

 

[Harry Sack]

Took this thread to be about the moving away from big workhorse props to smaller mobile second rower/prop hybrids personally....and how that's a mistake. Not everyone is Paul Gallen.

 

[bazza]

Well the thing is Parker didn't in fact play the same role. He didn't play 80 minutes, more-so he couldn't play 80 minutes because he wasn't playing the same role. If it were the exact same role, he would of played 80 minutes. He was the world's best lock, and if the roles were the exact same he'd also be the world's best prop too. But he wasn't because he just wasn't as good or effective playing a completely different position. He is a lock forced to play prop.

 

[bazza]

Took this thread to be about the moving away from big workhorse props to smaller mobile second rower/prop hybrids personally....and how that's a mistake. Not everyone is Paul Gallen.

Yep you bet. Not everyone's a drug cheat.

 

[bazza]

See people often make the mistake that lock and prop are interchangeable since they both play in the middle third of the field. Now, here's the distinction, you can make it interchangeable ONLY if the game allows you to.

For the sake of mobility, it is possible to discard having big props, instead replacing them with much more mobile and agile lock forwards. We have tried that in recent years, however the current state of the NRL does not permit that, especially when the rest of the teams in the NRL have giant forward packs.

Mobility counts for nothing if your up against monsters who can roll straight through your middle third. Now if a few rules in the NRL were tweaked, for example: less interchanges, less wrestle, etc than mobility would become more of a necessary attribute for winning matches as opposed to just pure size.

Either way, the NRL has always had a place for big props. They are a necessity in game of rugby league, both in the past, as well as today. Thus, to achieve the best of both worlds, especially in the current game, big props are required as well as mobile back rowers and locks. It is too hard to compete with the other teams otherwise...

Every successful team has had big prop forwards.