Wallace Watch

[gUt]

Four rounds in and the team is looking pretty good. Some would argue that we have not really met a top side yet and been tested. I reckon the Titans and Canberra at home are decent tests.

Last season we spent a lot of our time arguing back and forth about Wallace. I think the consensus was that this is his make-or-break season. He must know that too. So how is he going?

Personally I am giving him a pass mark - just. As usual his defense is the more consistent part of his game and it's a good thing in a side with a lot of inexperienced backs. I am less impressed with his long kicks. I think whenever possible he should let Locky move the team downfield. Wallace's passing has been ok but he is a halfback so that's hardly something to cheer about.

Lastly he has laid on a couple of tries but more often than not his options and executions let him down. I still think the Broncos play too flat, whether that's deliberate or if it's the youthful exuberance of outside backs rushing up I don't know. This seems to limit both Lockyer and Wallace's options.

So while the team is winning, Wallace can probably hold his spot. But surely Hunt's time is coming and any sort of injury that keeps Peter out for a number of weeks might spell the end of his run with the Broncos...

 

[langer77]

he is playing well this year

 

[Coxy]

Good, fair summation, gUt. I think Wallace would be par at best so far this season. I don't really care about his defence - that's not what we pay him for - it's his playmaking and you only need to look at our poor attacking record to see we're not getting results with the ball in good attacking positions.

That said, he's not the only one responsible, with Hunt, Macca and Lockyer being average at best so far too.

Agree about his long kicking. I can't recall him finding the turf with a kick this year. It's worrying.

His short kicking (apart from his brain explosion in round 1 to kill the game) has been pretty good, though he does occasionally get his bombs too deep allowing the opposition to field them on the full and get a 20m restart.

He's slightly better than last year, but still not earning his keep.

 

[mrslong]

he needs to watch Thurston & Cronk and see how they find the grass more than 50% of their long kicks.

 

[Coxy]

he needs to watch Thurston & Cronk and see how they find the grass more than 50% of their long kicks.

Kick lower.

 

[Browny]

he needs to watch Thurston & Cronk and see how they find the grass more than 50% of their long kicks.

Kick lower.

He dead set kicks them straight to the fullback and winger much like the NSW's halves in the 07 series

 

[Anonymous person]

hes not really any better than last year or the year before IMO.

like Coxy said, who cares about his defence - a halfbacks job isnt to be a great defender. his job is to get us over the line, making breaks, and putting pressure on the opposition with his kicking game. hes done none of that this year.

 

[kluppy]

he needs to watch Thurston & Cronk and see how they find the grass more than 50% of their long kicks.

Kick lower.

He dead set kicks them straight to the fullback and winger much like the NSW's halves in the 07 series

lockyer is no better though.......

 

[Renegade]

C- thus far.

Doing _just_ enough to not be booted from the side.

 

[Coxy]

he needs to watch Thurston & Cronk and see how they find the grass more than 50% of their long kicks.

Kick lower.

He dead set kicks them straight to the fullback and winger much like the NSW's halves in the 07 series

lockyer is no better though.......

I can recall at least 5 kicks from Lockyer that found the turf and forced the winger/fullback to chase back and pick it up...so he is doing better. Just.

 

[Bucking Beads]

If hunt had been playing qld cup and playing well I would replace him with wallace in an instant. Wallace is doing ok but simply is not doing good enough. If hunt was in qld cup where he should be wallace would be gone imo

 

[Bucking Beads]

If hunt had been playing qld cup and playing well I would replace him with wallace in an instant. Wallace is doing ok but simply is not doing good enough. If hunt was in qld cup where he should be wallace would be gone imo

 

[elyod138]

he needs to watch Thurston & Cronk and see how they find the grass more than 50% of their long kicks.

Thurston's kicking game has been terrible for the past few years, I'd say 70% of them are caught on the full.

 

[OXY-351]

Kicking to players on the full isn't always a bad option. Just ask Paul Carriage ....

 

[OXY-351]

he needs to watch Thurston & Cronk and see how they find the grass more than 50% of their long kicks.

Yep, Cronk knows how to find the grass. You just have to look at last night's game to know that.

 

[Porthoz]

I agree with the OP mostly.

Wallace never had a monster kick, so it's unlikely he'll ever improve much in that aspect.
Aspect which has been clearly exacerbated by the amount of time we have spent in our own half of most games. It's tough to find grass when you're kicking from your own 30 mtr and have 2 wingers and a Fb waiting for it, even if you're Mullen or Campese!

I agree that defense is not the main responsability of a halfback, but don't dismiss how important it has been, especially in a team with such a young and inexperienced left side. While Wallace may not have won us games in attack, he definitely helped a lot winning them in defence!

Like others, I think we're not far away from a turnaround in our ball control, and once things start clicking, let's see whether Wallace can keep up.

 

[Big Pete]

I don't buy that Wallace is that great a defender.

He's good in that he absorbs the attack, but he'll rarely dominate a tackle.

 

[OXY-351]

but he'll rarely dominate a tackle.

Being dominant just isn't in Wallace's genes