Where have the true centres gone?

[Coxy]

With all the debate about the abysmal performance of our right side defence, and the constant bagging of Steve Michaels on the left, it's noticeable in any discussions about alternatives that there is, well, no alternative.

Right Side
Hodges at right centre is instantly the best option. As lazy as he can be, he's the best reader of defence out there.
Folau has proven me right. He's not a centre. He is terrible out there in defence, and in attack he's ineffective.
Alex Glenn is a backrower and he got shown up in the centres a few times.
Yow Yeh's a winger, end of story.

Unless one of the 20s is doing something I'm not aware of, I can't see any decent right centre option until Hodges comes back (for 2 games before he's injured or suspended again no doubt).

Left Side
Michaels: plenty said, but I tend to agree with some that he's probably better on the wing.
Winterstein: Going great guns on the wing. His combination with Michaels isn't that great, they''ve been caught out quite a few times...would it be better with him in the centres? Doubt it.
Folau: see above. He's shit in the centres on his familiar right side....why play him in a position where he's shit on a side of the field he's not used to? Yuck.

What other options are there?

In fairness to Folau and Yow Yeh, our right side problems aren't just theirs. Locky has been worse than a turnstile, and he gets zero protection from Parker or Te'o, depending who is 4th in at the time.

This conundrum is the one Henjak has to solve ASAP...and of course, now he has a week with the baby Broncos, then 1 day with the Origin guys after game 2....

**** I hate the NRL scheduling. **** Origin off to the end of the season FFS!

 

[ningnangnong]

I think Folau could prove to be a decent centre in a few years time. I was wrong about him for now though. He's not done anything to warrant playing in the centres. I do think that once he gains a bit more experience, he would be pretty damaging there.

You're right though, at the moment Hodges is our only real option in the centres.

I read somewhere that Winterstein was originally a centre? Give him a run there i reckon, send Michaels to QLD Cup and stick Beale or Yow Yeh on the wing. It would be a very inexperienced left side, but Michaels has done nothing at all this season so i think it's about time we dropped him.

As for the right side, well until Hodges comes back it'll either be Folau or Glenn playing centre. What about that Dale Copley chap, isn't he a centre?

Maybe we could pick one up at the shopping centre.

I have said centre too much.

 

[Jeba]

I still wouldn't mind seeing what Izzy can do at left centre. Defensively he would have to do a lot of work, but I reckon he would really put the opposition in 2 minds on our second man plays. Usually we just go straight out to our winger, but a short ball to Izzy close to the line on that play would be near unstoppable. Also, Izzy's dummy half running would be better going from left to right where he can use his right foot step (a move mentioned on the Roast today). So I reckon we try Izzy and Winterstein on the left, Hodges and Yow Yeh on the right.

 

[Ari Gold]

I don't see how bringing Yow Yeh in ahead of Michaels doesn't improve the team a lot. Maybe the left centre position isn't improved too much, but surely the backline in general receives a massive boost. Maybe we could swap Taylor and Michaels when in attack, seeing as big Dave, despite his lazyness, is still 1000x more lethal than what Michaels would ever be. Plus, he knows how to pass. I don't think that word is in Michaels' dictionary.

 

[Beale]

Gerard Beale would be a great centre, on either side of the field

 

[ningnangnong]

I don't see how bringing Yow Yeh in ahead of Michaels doesn't improve the team a lot. Maybe the left centre position isn't improved too much, but surely the backline in general receives a massive boost. Maybe we could swap Taylor and Michaels when in attack, seeing as big Dave, despite his lazyness, is still 1000x more lethal than what Michaels would ever be. Plus, he knows how to pass. I don't think that word is in Michaels' dictionary.

Seriously, if Taylor had been playing in Michaels position this year, i guarantee we would have scored a lot more tries. [icon_wink

 

[Jeba]

Pfffffffffffffffft Taylor. Put him in the red and green now.

 

[Kimlo]

Gerard Beale would be a great centre, on either side of the field

I can imagine you would say that [icon_wink

 

[Professor47]

Hodges is definitely the best. Seriously. I'm going to pause here and toast him for a moment. Really great player and has easily become my favourite centre I've seen. Absolutely awesome footy to watch when he's on his game. I'm sure a lot of people agree.

The game has changed forever. When will we ever see another Renouf again. I LOVED the way he played. Don't get me started on the glory days. *sigh*


And on top of that, how good were the late 90s ladies and gentlemen? (including 00' lol)

 

[Coxy]

Hodges is the favourite centre you've seen? Better than Renouf? For serious?

 

[lyn]

Heres something from left field. If not Glenn then what about Te'o at left centre while Hodges is out?

 

[Flutterby]

I think you are judging Izzy too harshly - he needs to spend time in the centres to become the awesome centre I still believe he will be. As many have said - you don't spend that kind of money on wingers, it's time Henjak makes a permanent move of Izzy to centre. No he won't be an instant success there, but given the opportunity he will develop into one of the greatest centres of all time IMO. And yep Hodges is still definitely one of the best centres in the game when he is actually on the field - and that is his greatest liability, he spends so much time injured or suspended.

In thinking about this on a bigger scale - the lack of quality centre options is not just limited to the Broncos. There are actually very few really good centres in the game at al ATM. Just look at the quandry we are in for the Origin team - the options are not great.

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

its really a moot point as michaels will never get dropped

 

[Coxy]

I think you are judging Izzy too harshly - he needs to spend time in the centres to become the awesome centre I still believe he will be. As many have said - you don't spend that kind of money on wingers

Worst. Argument. Ever. Not picking on you, as you say, others said it when we signed him as well.

But have we forgotten the time when Sailor and Tuqiri were two of our highest paid players? Wing is an incredibly important position in the modern game and there's no shame in spending a decent chunk of your cap on a quality one. And frankly, Folau is and will be the best winger in the world.

Why try and turn him into a centre at this stage of his career? Give him a couple of years at least to develop fully, then consider whether he's more at home in the centres, wing or even back row.

 

[Coxy]

Plus don't forget the other benefit Sailor and Tuqiri gave, and that Folau has huge potential to bring - is having an extra forward to hit the ball up early in a set. If Folau can work on his kick returns, especially in picking the weak point in the chase to try and bust through, the Broncos will have such an improvement in their go forward.

Little blokes like Winterstein aren't going to bend the kick chase.

 

[mal]

In regards to all the Hodges talk... eh... Yes.. he _can_ be the best defensive centre in the game.. yes he _can_ be the difference between the win and a loss. But let's be honest. How many games have we seen him produce the goods since his 2006 season? Players like Lyon (ugh -pain), Hayne (ugh -pain), Inglis producing the good consistently...

Until Hodges can consistently produce results without giving away stupid penalties and actually be on the field not injured it's kinda hard for me to think of him offering that much to the Broncos in regards to a whole season.

 

[Dexter]

Plus don't forget the other benefit Sailor and Tuqiri gave, and that Folau has huge potential to bring - is having an extra forward to hit the ball up early in a set. If Folau can work on his kick returns, especially in picking the weak point in the chase to try and bust through, the Broncos will have such an improvement in their go forward.

Little blokes like Winterstein aren't going to bend the kick chase.

Wouldn't that be good to see. I would agree with him staying at wing if he actually did a decent hit up at pace.
He should be moved to centre asap because he will learn how to play there and more importantly we have no options at centre but we do have options for wing.

ATM it looks like we bought him to contest kicks and run from half.

 

[ronnyd]

I think we are discounting just how bad playing outside Locky is making Folau's defence look. Folau played all of last year with the storm at centre at looked more than comfortable in defence (didn't he win dally M centre of the year??). Poor defence is a problem across the board at the broncs at the moment and I don't think Folau's been any worse than the rest of the lot!