PLAYER Billy Walters

[tommy]

^^This ^^
...it's not ALL completely on BW, when he runs and finds himself stranded.

and I don't see much of a difference from our "runners" when Paix is on either.

Yes and no……none of us know.

if the backline is setup for a planned movement and he still takes a scoot ignoring the call from captain then it’s on him.

 

[tommy]

Not every dummy half run needs to be a try. If he’s making ten metres he’s doing his job

This also. It’s not like his dh runs are completely useless.

 

[1910]

Do we not have a 'call' when a DH run is on? If not, why not? This is a coaching thing, but also any of the players could implement this as well. Should have a call for a quick PTB ("quick" will do here) and one for other situations where the DH spots something. In both cases the surrounding players should take note and push up in support.

idk this seems so simple, even as someone who has followed the sport for decades but never actually played a game - am I missing something?

That's hard to do, you want your hooker reacting instinctively to what's in front of him- slow player or poor marker.

The other players need to then react to the hooker.

It's actually the opposite to calls- the Broncos have trained in silence, so players learn other players physical cues.

 

[Cult]

This also. It’s not like his dh runs are completely useless.

And there have been games where we are stuck in our own half and he’s done it. When they are the absolute best option

 

[LittleDavey]

That's hard to do, you want your hooker reacting instinctively to what's in front of him- slow player or poor marker.

The other players need to then react to the hooker.

It's actually the opposite to calls- the Broncos have trained in silence, so players learn other players physical cues.

Wow ok that's interesting. Does make sense though - look at Kev/Alf, or Thurston/Bowen, or Thurston/Cronk/Smith/Slater...that was familiarity which made them so dangerous. Walsh and Mam are, pleasantly, building exactly this sort of combination. Reyno/Capes for the kick behind as well. My mistake for assuming, I guess!

I do understand by the instinctive reaction too, and yeah the other players around need to be switched on themselves. Watching the game you can feel the momentum shift every time there is a quick PTB, the guys on the paddock have to be aware of it. Just another thing that we will build with the team training and playing together I suppose?

 

[Gaz]

Used to be said a halfback was born - not bred. He started off with the right instincts and gut feelings to know when to pass, run, kick or try to break the line. It came easy to the good ones.

I must admit times have changed a tad and it appears hookers are now are in the same boat.
They need to have the instincts, a second sense and the support players need to understand them and get on the same page. They need to know when the dummy half spots a gap he will go through the process of scooping the ball and gapping the players and need to be with him and accepting the ball on the other side.

All good in theory but Billy’s simply out of his depth.

 

[BroncosFever]

People talk about spine and halves being the crucial member of the spine, I tell you what, there aren't a great heap of quality hookers out there either.

Regardless of whether or not Billy is in the side because his dad is the coach, there's no question he's an upgrade on McCullough/Turpin. Paix might be better than all 3 of them but he can't do it for 80 minutes, this is all common knowledge at this point but we keep going around in circles.

 

[Jason Simmons]

It actually is a coincidence, and when Walters comes on at the back end and we put on a bunch of points everyone is silent. I’m genuinely curious about what you guys think Paix does when he comes on that’s so different?

I swear if people followed Walters at the start point would happen.

One of those coincidences that just keeps happening again and again…

 

[Cult]

One of those coincidences that just keeps happening again and again…

It's almost like it's the game plan to bring on a nifty, quick hooker after the other hooker has taken the brunt of the first 20 minutes or something. Genius..

 

[Big Pete]

It's about time Kevie gets to the bottom of the Broncos slow starts. They've conceded the first try in five of seven games and even in the Dolphins game it took them until the 22nd minute before they posted points despite opportunities in the red-zone.

Swapping Paix & Walters around for a game would be well worth a look.

I also co-sign @Mustafur's assessment. A quality dummy half's job is to work the ball in the right spots for his halves. On Saturday there were too many occassions where Walters got out of dummy half and the ball died in a poor position on the field because nobody could make heads or tails of what he was trying to do.

Yes there was that one occassion where Walsh dogged him and Riki scored not long after. However there were others where he went off script and no one was with him.

That's not even including the fourth tackle kick for no one.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Coaches need to ask ...why isn't anyone paying attention?
Where's the communication.....
Why isn't coach Reynolds on the job....its happening right in front of him.

Support for those plays could definitely improve.
his game awareness of when to run and when support is available probably needs some work, too?

 

[Jason Simmons]

It's almost like it's the game plan to bring on a nifty, quick hooker after the other hooker has taken the brunt of the first 20 minutes or something. Genius..

Thanks Sherlock… But if you swapped the players roles around, I doubt few would expect our attack would click as well…

 

[McHunt]

we keep going around in circles.

Yes, but sometimes the dimension, orbit and direction of rotation changes. Which makes it all worth it.

there aren't a great heap of quality hookers out there either.

I would say about half the hookers in the NRL are match winners in their own right, regularly picking up accolades. Hooker fetish is a thing.

Regardless of whether or not Billy is in the side because his dad is the coach, there's no question he's an upgrade on McCullough/Turpin.

He's certainly in the same conversation as that pair. They're better defensively, but Billy's service is better.

In terms of whether Billy's in the team because of his dad, well of course he is because his father brought him to the club. In 62 pages I think we've established the club could've acquired a superior hooker with their bottomless bucket of cash, but he would've cost more. Several names come to mind. But whatever.

The issue now is the uncomfortable position Kevvie's put himself in. At some point, Billy should make way for another player. Mozer, maybe. He won't want to do that.

 

[theshed]

It's about time Kevie gets to the bottom of the Broncos slow starts. They've conceded the first try in five of seven games and even in the Dolphins game it took them until the 22nd minute before they posted points despite opportunities in the red-zone.

Swapping Paix & Walters around for a game would be well worth a look.

I also co-sign @Mustafur's assessment. A quality dummy half's job is to work the ball in the right spots for his halves. On Saturday there were too many occassions where Walters got out of dummy half and the ball died in a poor position on the field because nobody could make heads or tails of what he was trying to do.

Yes there was that one occassion where Walsh dogged him and Riki scored not long after. However there were others where he went off script and no one was with him.

That's not even including the fourth tackle kick for no one.

Glad to have you on board, Pete

 

[theshed]

That's hard to do, you want your hooker reacting instinctively to what's in front of him- slow player or poor marker.

The other players need to then react to the hooker.

It's actually the opposite to calls- the Broncos have trained in silence, so players learn other players physical cues.

lol this actually explains a lot

 

[ejbronco]

I think the situation doesn’t help itself when Walters looks gun one week and Paix looks shit, and then the reverse the week after… I do think Paix simplifies our game a bit more and the forwards run a bit more, but he has nowhere near the vision, scramble, running or kick Walters does. He’s just a crisp passer and occasional runner. If you made them switch places I think Paix would be less effective

 

[Big Del]

Yeah it shouldn't be hard to recognise and react to a quick ptb, but for whatever reason the rest of the team arent going when the hooker goes.

Paix has gone a couple times as well, but no one went with him... I think in the tigers game?? He went for a scoot and then skipped back to the open side where Palasia was running a line for him, Paix passes it but Palasia dropped it cold. Keenan was the only runner that presented himself for the ball.

I'm not sure if it's a lack of communication from the DH, the DH ignoring calls from the backline (who also want quick ptbs) or a lack of attention from the team as a whole.. who end up missing the quick ptb altogether.

It would seem that Billy is pressing the go button to run, whereas maybe Paix is happy to just feed the backline and let them do their thing on quick ptb.... on yardage if Reece is at DH he'll typically look to run and the backs are generally aware and going with him (mostly Jesse and Herbie).

Maybe we've just been focussing almost entirely on defence so repetition isnt really there in attack for everyone being comfortable with each other and able to react/know what they're going to do ... the spine is still pretty new to each other.

An example where it did work was Walsh going through the middle against dolphins and passing to Jesse who busts straight through the middle... but I feel in those yardage runs outside backs would be looking for quick ptbs and feeding off each others work for the next guy to go (Staggs is good at lining up for a run on the back of a quick ptb).

It's something the rorters backs talk about ie. working the quick ptb and then giving the next guy a quick ptb to work from... building momentum and suddenly the backs have rolled 50m down the field before the defence can react.

These guys [with the exception of Riki ] have played rugba league since they were kids . It baffles me that they can`t react when they can see its going to be a 1 marker situation .

I identified this back during pre season . And here we are again .

Watch Cody Walker with Cook for the model of what I am talkin about .

 

[Big Del]

Coaches need to ask ...why isn't anyone paying attention?
Where's the communication.....
Why isn't coach Reynolds on the job....its happening right in front of him.

I have been asking the same question .
WTF is Captn / Coach Reynolds saying to his boys on field ?