PLAYER Ezra Mam

Big Del said:
He`s been in elite systems since he was a teen ager .
I reckon he has had the basics well and truly drilled by now .

Old high light reels show he has all the skills a half might ever need .
If anything he has played conservatively .

Anyone remember the trick he pulled going to ground on his hip keeping the ball off the ground and offloading for a try assist ? That was very special .

The flick pass for a Reyno try ?

Fit and hungry he`s a match winner .
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Yeah all that but how does he come into a side with Ben hunt playing in his jumper? Or does he take the spot of Adam reynolds?.. barring injury he plays qcup.
 
Foordy said:
I think he'll be made to earn his way back through QLD cup.

But to answer your question, it would be because we would significantly improve the hooker position, while bringing in a class player to replace him at 6. our spine would simply be much better overall.
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I'd rather keep the halves as strong as possible and not disrupt a halves combo mid season. We've already got the explosiveness of Walsh, i'd rather have Hunt as a second play maker to let Reynolds organise and kick.
 
Foordy said:
Ben Hunt will be going to hooker when Mam is ready to return to the NRL side ... even Ben Hunt has said this.
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But if we're humming along nicely it becomes a nice problem to have.

I think he comes back through cup and if we're going very well, he comes in from the bench for a few games so it provides the least disruption.
 
theshed said:
I’m a big fan of Mam. I’m mostly just stirring.

I do think it won’t be as easy as just walking back into the team if the spine is firing. Which means he’ll need to play off the bench - but at the cost of who?
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I can't see Mozer playing many games this season.
 
McHunt said:
I can't see Mozer playing many games this season.
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So does that mean Ezra plays back up hooker?

Do we move our 5/8 into dummy half mid game?

Does Paix play 80 and Ezra comes on in that Ponga origin bench role?

I just can’t see an elegant solution
 
theshed said:
So does that mean Ezra plays back up hooker?

Do we move our 5/8 into dummy half mid game?

Does Paix play 80 and Ezra comes on in that Ponga origin bench role?

I just can’t see an elegant solution
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Can't either, but the situation would've been forced sooner had Mozer been fit. All this speculation that Ezra needs to do some shame time in the QLD Cup ignores that Madge has been watching them all oppose train, and will have a pretty good idea of who makes the most impact.

We saw in the trials he's a fan of rotating dummy halves rather than have a 9 run around following the play across the field. You can bet he's doing that at training, and he'll be plotting a fluid halves/hooker combination. Our most threatening attack, without Mozer would include Hunt, Mam, Reynolds and Paix. If Mozer is fit, maybe he will supplant Paix.

The question isn't so much who comes off the bench, but who gets rested. Maybe that will be Reynolds. We have that kind of flexibilty now.
 
I reckon Mams in a pickle if everyone is fit and firing.
He doesn't see space that well, if Hunt has his outside backs pumping any coach would be reluctant to change that.
Paix/Mozer combo with Hunt , Reyno halves a 7 or 8 win start Mams coming back through Cup I'm afraid.
 
McHunt said:
Can't either, but the situation would've been forced sooner had Mozer been fit. All this speculation that Ezra needs to do some shame time in the QLD Cup ignores that Madge has been watching them all oppose train, and will have a pretty good idea of who makes the most impact.

We saw in the trials he's a fan of rotating dummy halves rather than have a 9 run around following the play across the field. You can bet he's doing that at training, and he'll be plotting a fluid halves/hooker combination. Our most threatening attack, without Mozer would include Hunt, Mam, Reynolds and Paix. If Mozer is fit, maybe he will supplant Paix.

The question isn't so much who comes off the bench, but who gets rested. Maybe that will be Reynolds. We have that kind of flexibilty now.
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I’m sure the disclaimer for this discussion goes without saying from all parties, that form, injury, suspension, origin or all of the above will render this all redundant.

That aside, Ezra is great when in form no doubt. I think at this very moment, an inform Hunt at 5/8, beats an inform Ezra at 5/8, but even if you don’t strongly agree with that, there isn’t a huge difference - just a preference in style of player. That being the case, Hunt has a massive advantage - he has first chance of being part of a halves pairing that is firing.

If we are somehow sitting in the top 4, or even top 2, and looking comfortable - and it’s partly off the back of attack clicking. I just can’t see a good coach voluntarily disrupting that without external factors.

It’s different story completely if Ezra was available from round 1. But you don’t chop and change a winning spine - for anyone.

If you look back at the historically long Sack Kev thread, my initial canary in the coal mine was his chopping and changing of halves, and the way he kept fiddling with the spine/bench utility. Madge might have a trick up his sleeve but it would be a massive gamble to make such a big change to a spine that’s performing.

My view has zero to do with Mam’s conduct. It’s purely pragmatic
 
What Ezra was amazing at was his support play in 2023. I was thinking along the same lines as McHunt in that I imagine him coming on and being a game breaker whether it be through the 9 or 6 allowing players like Reynolds to rest. Tired legs would not like the sight of Ezra coming onto the field. An interesting weapon to have and build upon.
 
I don't think Mam will ever reach the heights of 2023 again with everything that has gone on. I really do fear he wont be able to cop the fans backlash now as he will be a hated figure moving forward for what transpired in the off season and I don't think he has the mental fortitude to be able to deal with it on an ongoing basis. Happy to be proven wrong but I was firmly in the sack him and move on department because of what I saw last year with the Lenui incident. He was a shell of himself last year after that.
 
mitch222 said:
I don't think Mam will ever reach the heights of 2023 again with everything that has gone on. I really do fear he wont be able to cop the fans backlash now as he will be a hated figure moving forward for what transpired in the off season and I don't think he has the mental fortitude to be able to deal with it on an ongoing basis. Happy to be proven wrong but I was firmly in the sack him and move on department because of what I saw last year with the Lenui incident. He was a shell of himself last year after that.
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I get that we're all carrying some Milford trauma however I'm a bit more confident with Mam given he's surrounded by quality teammates. Everyone will be gassing him up. On top of that, I think if anyone can instil an 'us vs everyone' mentality it's Madge, and that is what Mam will need to take on. I would agree with you if he had a passive/submissive coach like Kevvy, Seibold, etc.
 
FACTHUNT said:
I get that we're all carrying some Milford trauma however I'm a bit more confident with Mam given he's surrounded by quality teammates. Everyone will be gassing him up. On top of that, I think if anyone can instil an 'us vs everyone' mentality it's Madge, and that is what Mam will need to take on. I would agree with you if he had a passive/submissive coach like Kevvy, Seibold, etc.
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You mean surrounded by two quality halves for 2 years. Then after that he is supposed to be the man and I don't think he has it in him to assume leadership of the team. When Reynolds and Hunt retire, I feel we are going to need to go to the market for an experienced half to guide the team around unless Black is the next wonder kid (he could be but **** me its a lot of pressure to put on a kid)
 
mitch222 said:
You mean surrounded by two quality halves for 2 years. Then after that he is supposed to be the man and I don't think he has it in him to assume leadership of the team. When Reynolds and Hunt retire, I feel we are going to need to go to the market for an experienced half to guide the team around unless Black is the next wonder kid (he could be but **** me its a lot of pressure to put on a kid)
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I would not discount the possibility that Walsh might move into the halves, although I don't see another star fullback on our horizon.
 
mitch222 said:
You mean surrounded by two quality halves for 2 years. Then after that he is supposed to be the man and I don't think he has it in him to assume leadership of the team. When Reynolds and Hunt retire, I feel we are going to need to go to the market for an experienced half to guide the team around unless Black is the next wonder kid (he could be but **** me its a lot of pressure to put on a kid)
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Mam will be in his 5th season by the time Hunt finishes his current contract. Walsh in his 6th. A young halfback shouldn’t be an issue by then, if they are of decent quality. Hunt might even stick around a third year to help the transition.
 
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