Round 7 - Broncos vs Knights - Post Match Discussion

[Rally Towel]

I keep harping on about it, but I really do want to see both him and McCullough on at the same time after the 55 or so minute mark. Both are excellent dummy half runners, and when you are making 12+ metres a run and getting a quick play the ball, it's more effective than just having someone like Kennedy jog up and make 0 impact. Especially as McGuire seems to be the only main prop who bends the line consistently.

I'm down with the idea. Especially if we don't have four quality forwards that Hook won't use. Better to have him on hand for the right moments than have a wasted spot.

From what I've seen of ISC this year he's been in good form.

 

[Rally Towel]

Rewatching the highlights and geez, Boyd won't be forgetting that night in a hurry.

Gillett rolls over the top of him for a try, Copley puts the moves on him for another, and then Hannant head butts him in the face en route to number three.

 

[bazza]

I keep harping on about it, but I really do want to see both him and McCullough on at the same time after the 55 or so minute mark. Both are excellent dummy half runners, and when you are making 12+ metres a run and getting a quick play the ball, it's more effective than just having someone like Kennedy jog up and make 0 impact. Especially as McGuire seems to be the only main prop who bends the line consistently.

Couldn't agree more, I was actually going to mention this, but forgot to. McCullough seems to be taking alot of dummy half runs already and he is causing opposition defences headaches. You can almost guarantee he would make more than a few line breaks by taking a dummy half run straight after Granville takes one. With the amount of space on offer after Granville takes a run, McCullough is the one that will capitalise the most. The speed of Granville + his quick play the balls creates a lot of space because of the retreating defence and also poor marker defence from the opposition, which allows us to be on the front foot. We'll be guaranteed a lot of metres up the ruck as well as a lot of penalties.

 

[KingWebcke]

Gillett rolls over the top of him for a try, Copley puts the moves on him for another, and then Hannant head butts him in the face en route to number three.

it was mighty enjoyable wasn't it!

 

[Rally Towel]

it was mighty enjoyable wasn't it!

Worth rewatching for sure!

He better sort his game out before Origin though....

 

[Morkel]

Couldn't agree more, I was actually going to mention this, but forgot to. McCullough seems to be taking alot of dummy half runs already and he is causing opposition defences headaches. You can almost guarantee he would make more than a few line breaks by taking a dummy half run straight after Granville takes one. With the amount of space on offer after Granville takes a run, McCullough is the one that will capitalise the most. The speed of Granville + his quick play the balls creates a lot of space because of the retreating defence and also poor marker defence from the opposition, which allows us to be on the front foot. We'll be guaranteed a lot of metres up the ruck as well as a lot of penalties.

Where do they defend? You'll be taking away a ~100kg rep backrower and replacing him with 70 kegs of whippett. Unless he subs for Hoff?

 

[Alec]

Where do they defend? You'll be taking away a ~100kg rep backrower and replacing him with 70 kegs of whippett. Unless he subs for Hoff?

Those weights are highly exaggerated. Swap him for a front rower, and they'll still be both defending in the middle.

 

[CaptainHook]

Absolutely. Parker has been playing exactly the same, whether he wears the 10 or 13 on his back.

It has taken way too long for people to start to understand the move and why it has happened.

Disagree. It's about quality not quantity. Statistically, his contributions may be identical regardless of the position, but his offloads, tackles, hit-ups etc are much more effective in the second row than prop.

 

[Porthoz]

Disagree. It's about quality not quantity. Statistically, his contributions may be identical regardless of the position, but his offloads, tackles, hit-ups etc are much more effective in the second row than prop.

How? He has always played through the middle of the ruck. I could agree if he used to be a damaging fringe running second rower, and became a lot less effective through the middle, like Thaiday last season. But not Parker... his runs are the same, with the same effectiveness and same result.

 

[CaptainHook]

I guess if he ends up winning the Dally M Front Rower award we'll know for sure.

 

[Foordy]

Disagree. It's about quality not quantity. Statistically, his contributions may be identical regardless of the position, but his offloads, tackles, hit-ups etc are much more effective in the second row than prop.

Well then lets take a look at his stats then shall we (since you want to bring stats into it)

After 7 rounds in 2013 Parker had the following stats:

Total Meters: 822 (average: 117.43m per game)
Total hitups: 112 (average: 16 hitups per game)
Total Offloads: 12 (average: 1.71 offloads per game)
Total tackles: 278 (average: 39.71 tackles per game)

and this included games against at least 3 of season 2013 bottom placed teams (Titans, Tigers, Dragons)

Season 2013 - NRL Stats

After 7 rounds in 2014 Parker had the following stats:

Total Meters: 879 (average: 125.57m per game)
Total hitups: 106 (average: 15.14 hitups per game)
Total Offloads: 22 (average: 3.14 offloads per game)
Total tackles: 234 (average: 33.43 tackles per game)

Season 2014 - NRL Stats

so these stats IMO prove he is in fact playing slightly better at prop than lock.

his meters and offloads are up
his hitups and tackles are slightly down (probably due to him not playing 80 mins ATM)

sorry to ruin your argument with FACTS.

FTR, i used the same source to get the stats for accuracy.

 

[CaptainHook]

I wasn't using stats to backup my opinion. Did you read the part about "quality not quantity"?

It's like comparing 10 marshmallow runs from a player (let's say Kennedy from the bench) to three damaging runs from a player (let's say Jason Taumalolo). Statistically, Kennedy would be performing better according to your theory...

 

[Foordy]

I wasn't using stats to backup my opinion. Did you read the part about "quality not quantity"?

It's like comparing 10 marshmallow runs from a player (let's say Kennedy from the bench) to three damaging runs from a player (let's say Jason Taumalolo). Statistically, Kennedy would be performing better according to your theory...

using that runs example you just gave: his runs are obviously better in 2014 since he is making more meters from less runs

 

[Cult]

One of Parkers best skills is his offload which he doesn't do when he takes the first few hitups because they're the more careful play. As he is taking those runs his offloads have been limited and therefore we aren't utilizing our best offloader at all. Last night when he was taking hitups in the last few tackles he offloaded and we scored points.

 

[Foordy]

He has made 10 more offloads this year than the same time last year. in fact he made 5 against Parramatta, his best total of the year

 

[animal eater]

Very impressive performance by the team. Funny, did anyone else notice that Hodges really seem to struggle in defense a fair bit. Too many poor arm tackles.

 

[Cult]

He has made 10 more offloads this year than the same time last year. in fact he made 5 against Parramatta, his best total of the year

Well there have definitely been opportunities where he could offload and didn't and I can guess that is because of what tackle they're on.

 

[bazza]

Where do they defend? You'll be taking away a ~100kg rep backrower and replacing him with 70 kegs of whippett. Unless he subs for Hoff?

Hopefully Parker starts at Lock. To have Granville and McCullough on at the same time, you take someone like Hannant/Kennedy off and then temporarily push Parker to prop. That way McCullough assumes the role of the lock in theory, but it allows an extra hooker/play making option in attack. Plus with the injection of Granville's speed, a mobile pack would benefit the most, hence Parker and McGuire as Props during that temporary period, while Hannant/Kennedy are off.

Granville would defend where the traditional hooker does anyway, while McCullough can defend at lock. This would mean Parker can defend where a prop traditionally does. The defending position really doesn't change, as either way they'll be defending through the centre anyway. McCullough and Parker are tackling machines, so doesn't change much defensively as both defend in the same part of the field regardless of the position they're playing.