NEWS In Turpin we trust

[tommy]

Macca doesn't even know what to do with an offload. He stands there like a deer in the spotlight before gaining 4 metres and being tackled, or alternatively passing to a flat-footed forward not expecting it.

 

[Footy Fanatic]

McCullough's defence has been pretty impotent over the last few years. He would just hit high and hold on for the ride, usually letting the attacker carry him for metres and letting them get a quick play the ball.

 

[WASSHHH]

For me, discussing Macca's defence is a distraction. Of more interest to me is his try assists, line break assists, taking on the line creatively and not just running into the defence, and how well he controls the middle and creates opportunities for support runners as opposed to simply shovelling the ball one out.

On those measures, for mine, he fails to be the hooker a team of this calibre needs. We don't need our team, our game plan, constrained by Macca's style, which has been the case for years.

You won’t get any arguments from me regarding those criticisms of him.

I would say he has had his moments over the years where he’s looked like he could do a lot of those things you’ve listed, but unfortunately they’ve been fleeting moments.

 

[Dazza 92]

i still remember when Granville broke into the first team, end of season we had to make a decision; back Granville into the role full time, split the role 50/50 between him and Macca...or simply back the incumbent...at the time it wasn't that easy a choice.

Cant blame the club for sticking with a 80 minute hooker we already had, don't blame Jake for thinking his time had come and moving on. Both were instrumental for getting their respective clubs to square of at the GF.

Thing is; that game represented the peak for both, plus a change was introduced into the game that is still not fully appreciated; data analysis

Went a long way towards accurately quantifying what Cam Smith had spent most of his career doing from dummy half. Hence everyone said "get the next Cam Smith..."! yeh about that...

But what it did do was start to change the way the hooker is used; conventional wisdom said your halfback needed the ball in his hands the most, but the data showed the fitness levels of modern players were making the playing field less "wide" so the best place to gain advantages now is around the ruck; use the 1 guy who touches the ball more than anyone, give him a half backs brain and vision allied with acceleration to really bend a defensive line back and take advantage of half gaps etc...

Enter Damien Cook...

So seems like Brisbane (and NQ) were caught out as the changing of the guard began, and as neither club took any notice of this we are where we are...

Of course, you cant click 2 fingers together and produce another Cook/Smith, but at least acknowledge the trend and plan accordingly...

 

[Foordy]

Remember the “once Smith retires from origin he’ll be the QLD hooker

they were right on that ... he became the Origin hooker when Smith retired

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

they were right on that ... he became the Origin hooker when Smith retired

Almost gave the Blues a 3-0 whitewash that year. Thank God, Kevie come to his senses and stamped his papers 30mins into Game 3.

 

[Big Pete]

Almost gave the Blues a 3-0 whitewash that year. Thank God, Kevie come to his senses and stamped his papers 30mins into Game 3.

Coming off the field up by 8?

You're giving Macca too much credit.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Coming off the field up by 8?

You're giving Macca too much credit.

Should have been up by 20+, guy took the wrong option every single time on that Blues goal line. I'm betting Munster and DCE, told the trainers to drag him off.

 

[Big Pete]

Should have been up by 20+, guy took the wrong option every single time on that Blues goal line. I'm betting Munster and DCE, told the trainers to drag him off.

Didn't the Blues score two tries right after he came off as well to take an unlikely HT lead?

Yes, he was found out that level but let's not rewrite history.