Current dummy half

[dubby]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

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[The Nickman]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

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Ummmm… you realise he's a hooker, right??

[dubby]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

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Ummmm… you realise he's a hooker, right??

Same thing

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[The Nickman]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

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Ummmm… you realise he's a hooker, right??

Same thing

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[Northern Raider]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

Cam Smith hasn't improved for a lot longer period.

[Roger Kenworthy]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

Cam Smith hasn't improved for a lot longer period.

Cam Smith is always adding chiropractor moves to his game.

[Neeeegz]

I think Ricky should go with a spine of Havilli, Hodgson, Wighton, cnk with starling on the bench. Hodgo stiffles our attack too much at hooker in my opinion, we looked better structured when he was injured. In my opinion.

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[Billy Walker]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

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I agree with Dubby, but would ask whether it’s all on Hodgo or whether a lot has to do with the options players are giving him. If the criticism is that he’s taking bad options then that’s on him but at times it seems he might be taking the best of very few bad options in attack. Can’t put players through holes they aren’t hitting no matter how good you are. Not disputing his form hasn’t progressed as we might have hoped but interested in others views about whether that is all on him?

[zim]

There's a lot of individual efforts to fix from the eels game before we start moving our best hooker.
He's just come back from an injury and made the most tackles in the team. That fatigue would affect his decision making.

[Billy Walker]

There's a lot of individual efforts to fix from the eels game before we start moving our best hooker.
He's just come back from an injury and made the most tackles in the team. That fatigue would affect his decision making.

I wouldn’t be moving him anywhere! I guess the question I was asking is how much impact the rest of the team has on a play makers ability.

We are often hard on Hodgo and the halves for not being creative enough but isn’t it a bit of a chicken and egg situation? The playmakers can pick good options if there are multiple players running good lines and providing good options to select. I suspect if you threw Cam Smith in the Bungendore 4ths he would struggle to put anyone through a gap if nobody is running a line.

[zim]

There's a lot of individual efforts to fix from the eels game before we start moving our best hooker.
He's just come back from an injury and made the most tackles in the team. That fatigue would affect his decision making.

.
I wouldn’t be moving him anywhere! I guess the question I was asking is how much impact the rest of the team has on a play makers ability

We are often hard on Hodgo and the halves for not being creative enough but isn’t it a bit of a chicken and egg situation? The playmakers can pick good options if there are multiple players running good lines and providing good options to select. I suspect if you threw Cam Smith in the Bungendore 4ths he would struggle to put anyone through a gap if nobody is running a line.

I wasn't replying directly to you sorry Billy
It's a pretty complicated question you're asking.
I think there's definitely a threshold the rest of the team has to hit before we can start really pulling apart a playmakers game as the reason for a loss, or a reason to have to change a roster.
Generally the better the playmaker, the lower that threshold for them to make a difference is going to be.
Things like your forward pack getting dominated or lower completions are really going to cut down a playmakers time and opportunities, which leads to more pressure and bad decisions. A halfback like Sezer (or Sammy) needs more opportunities to produce as he's not going to make the most of the majority.
You need good service from dummy half. That doesn't mean you always get it when you want it , but when it comes to you it needs to be crisp.
In general there's also salary cap distribution to take into account. Thurston having a few crap games should shoulder more blame than Williams because he's not only capable of better you're also skewing your cap on the fact that he is expected to be better.... And if you think that balance is a mess than coaching and recruitment needs to be looked at.

I think our team (at least this year) has consistently met the thresholds required to ask for more from our 7s. In the eels game, no. There were too many bad options taken by most of the team in defence and with the ball in hand.

[Billy Walker]

Cheers Zim - that makes sense to me. I feel like Hodgo hasn’t been going too badly this year but I’m keen to watch his decision making more closely next game particularly when we are hard on attack. I do think he over plays the flat crash ball but I will try see if there was a half screaming for it or a better play on offer.

[Pete Cash]

I think Ricky should go with a spine of Havilli, Hodgson, Wighton, cnk with starling on the bench. Hodgo stiffles our attack too much at hooker in my opinion, we looked better structured when he was injured. In my opinion.

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I really think people are seeing something that doesn't exist with how we played while Hodgson was out. I thought our attack was pretty bad. It had all the same problems that we apparently have with Hodgson in the side.

Like serious question out of the matches against the Bulldogs, West Tigers and Cronulla which one was it where you thought our attack looked better structured. The cronulla game was pretty much the parra game but Crokers kicking got us over the line, west tigers we really should have won by 50 and most of our tries were kind of lucky and the bulldogs was just a horrendous game

That said I do agree with Papabear that maybe Stuart should have used given Hodgson a break on the weekend. The humidity and it being his return game it seemed a bit insane to play him a full 80 minutes when his decision making was progressively getting worse. The whole team got absolutely demolished as soon as Papalii and Tapine were off the field. The decision making was fairly bad across the team.

[Neeeegz]

I think Ricky should go with a spine of Havilli, Hodgson, Wighton, cnk with starling on the bench. Hodgo stiffles our attack too much at hooker in my opinion, we looked better structured when he was injured. In my opinion.

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I really think people are seeing something that doesn't exist with how we played while Hodgson was out. I thought our attack was pretty bad. It had all the same problems that we apparently have with Hodgson in the side.

Like serious question out of the matches against the Bulldogs, West Tigers and Cronulla which one was it where you thought our attack looked better structured. The cronulla game was pretty much the parra game but Crokers kicking got us over the line, west tigers we really should have won by 50 and most of our tries were kind of lucky and the bulldogs was just a horrendous game

That said I do agree with Papabear that maybe Stuart should have used given Hodgson a break on the weekend. The humidity and it being his return game it seemed a bit insane to play him a full 80 minutes when his decision making was progressively getting worse. The whole team got absolutely demolished as soon as Papalii and Tapine were off the field. The decision making was fairly bad across the team.

I thought havilli played more direct and gave the halves more ball when they called for it, and starling was quick out of dummy half and also hits above his weight in defence

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[Pete Cash]

That isn't really answering my question though. Which game was it you thought we looked better structured. I will watch it again because I am not seeing it. The dogs game was a complete mess but we had a ton of injuries so getting the two points there was what mattered. I have already gave my thoughts on how our structure was against the West Tigers (crappy) on page 1 of this thread. Cronulla I thought we looked pretty good.... until we didnt . That said I could apply the same logic to the Parra game where we looked pretty good... until we didnt.

If 30 minutes against the sharks is enough to dump Hodgson that is a scorching hot take

[Botman]

I think Ricky should go with a spine of Havilli, Hodgson, Wighton, cnk with starling on the bench. Hodgo stiffles our attack too much at hooker in my opinion, we looked better structured when he was injured. In my opinion.

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I really think people are seeing something that doesn't exist with how we played while Hodgson was out. I thought our attack was pretty bad. It had all the same problems that we apparently have with Hodgson in the side.

Like serious question out of the matches against the Bulldogs, West Tigers and Cronulla which one was it where you thought our attack looked better structured. The cronulla game was pretty much the parra game but Crokers kicking got us over the line, west tigers we really should have won by 50 and most of our tries were kind of lucky and the bulldogs was just a horrendous game

That said I do agree with Papabear that maybe Stuart should have used given Hodgson a break on the weekend. The humidity and it being his return game it seemed a bit insane to play him a full 80 minutes when his decision making was progressively getting worse. The whole team got absolutely demolished as soon as Papalii and Tapine were off the field. The decision making was fairly bad across the team.

We put TWELVE **** points on the bulldogs and could have easily lost the game, the idea that we are better in attack without Hodgson is asinine and anyone peddling that **** should be sentenced to 400 hours of watching Glenn Buttriss, Travis Waddell, Alan Tongue and what ever other **** EDIT we had play the position in this turn of the centuary before Hodgson.

[zim]

I think Ricky should go with a spine of Havilli, Hodgson, Wighton, cnk with starling on the bench. Hodgo stiffles our attack too much at hooker in my opinion, we looked better structured when he was injured. In my opinion.

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I really think people are seeing something that doesn't exist with how we played while Hodgson was out. I thought our attack was pretty bad. It had all the same problems that we apparently have with Hodgson in the side.

Like serious question out of the matches against the Bulldogs, West Tigers and Cronulla which one was it where you thought our attack looked better structured. The cronulla game was pretty much the parra game but Crokers kicking got us over the line, west tigers we really should have won by 50 and most of our tries were kind of lucky and the bulldogs was just a horrendous game

That said I do agree with Papabear that maybe Stuart should have used given Hodgson a break on the weekend. The humidity and it being his return game it seemed a bit insane to play him a full 80 minutes when his decision making was progressively getting worse. The whole team got absolutely demolished as soon as Papalii and Tapine were off the field. The decision making was fairly bad across the team.

We put TWELVE **** points on the bulldogs and could have easily lost the game, the idea that we are better in attack without Hodgson is asinine and anyone peddling that **** should be sentenced to 400 hours of watching Glenn Buttriss, Travis Waddell, Alan Tongue and what ever other **** retards we had play the position in this turn of the centuary before Hodgson.

Please do not besmirch the two N fraternity. Glen Buttriss.

[Botman]

sincere and genuine apologies

[dubby]

Hodgo is a very good half. But he hasn't improved in a while.

Not a good sign.

Still, I'm happy he's ours

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Ummmm… you realise he's a hooker, right??

Same thing

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[papabear]

I dont get the glen buttriss hate. Honestly he was a plodder, but he always gave his best and never **** things up.

Its sort of like hating on joe picker.

[The Nickman]

I dont get the glen buttriss hate. Honestly he was a plodder, but he always gave his best and never **** things up.

Its sort of like hating on joe picker.

He was a plodder in the key position on the field! Literally touched the ball more than any other player on the field and was honestly one of our worst, week in, week out

None of us hate on the guy himself, seems like a top bloke, but he had no business playing 100 odd NRL games in one of the most crucial positions on the field

[Botman]

Yeah he seems like a genuinely great guy who was a much loved team mate and friend. And to be clear he’s got more footballing ability in his pinkie than most have In their families combined. So I’m not grading him on a large scale against you or I, I’m grading him against his peers and I think he’s the worst player I’ve seen get to 100 games.

[bonehead]

he was solid and tried hard, it's on our management for not upgrading the position

[papabear]

That’s what I mean, it’s not glens fault he kept getting picked and when he was picked he always Gavin his best with what he had. Nor was it the coaches fault for picking him as we had garbage in that position at that time.

The hate should be on the guys signing contracts not on the poor bloke who made the most of what he had.

Like bulgarelli hate and all the players who did nothing with what they had or genuinely **** up our very few chances at success I am in on. But good ol glen he was a trier.

Don’t get me wrong we are better now then where we were in terms of Hooker, but I don’t like CNK less or put him up to a higher standard because as a club we generally have ran out with excellent fullbacks. It just is what it is.

[papabear]

Only fair to bump this one when hodgson has a good game.

It was good to see hodgson go to sezer more and more, which resulted in lots of ball movement, results outside and most imp[rotantly forced st george to spread their line a bit wider so hodgo could destroy them in the middle.

Hopefully hodgo continues to give sezer more ball.

Shout out to jack as well for backing up fantastically after a great origin series.

[The Nickman]

Only fair to bump this one when hodgson has a good game.

It was good to see hodgson go to sezer more and more, which resulted in lots of ball movement, results outside and most imp[rotantly forced st george to spread their line a bit wider so hodgo could destroy them in the middle.

Hopefully hodgo continues to give sezer more ball.

Shout out to jack as well for backing up fantastically after a great origin series.

That's a very good point, papa. Funny as it sounds, I actually think Hodgson's game benefitted greatly from giving Sezer much more early ball than he usually does. Sezer's game obviously benefitted from it too, and consequently, the whole team.

Just less crash balls and more good service to your halves. And then when he chose the crash balls, they worked a treat, to both Tapine and CNK.

EDIT: Oh, and Havili!!

[Billy Walker]

Only fair to bump this one when hodgson has a good game.

It was good to see hodgson go to sezer more and more, which resulted in lots of ball movement, results outside and most imp[rotantly forced st george to spread their line a bit wider so hodgo could destroy them in the middle.

Hopefully hodgo continues to give sezer more ball.

Shout out to jack as well for backing up fantastically after a great origin series.

Hodgo was great last night - his kick early in the set at the start of the second half was on the money. Saw Dufty was out of position and forced a repeat set. I think Pigman mentioned on the other thread that our whole spine gelled last night. Really positive stuff and it seems to start with Hodgo.

[Botman]

You see the value of the crash ball last night when the game script allows it to play out. We were aggressive in getting the ball out wide early, and making those backs defend in space, and playing a lot 1-2 wide of the ruck, so now when the defense is strung out a bit, and Hodgson can get out of hooker on the back of quick play the balls, you get guys like Havilii, CNK and Tapine hitting holes or single defenders with all the momentum and the crash ball produces 3 tries

Havilii and Tapine didnt go over soft defenders either, but they didnt stand a chance because they were isolated

[Northern Raider]

Only fair to bump this one when hodgson has a good game.

It was good to see hodgson go to sezer more and more, which resulted in lots of ball movement, results outside and most imp[rotantly forced st george to spread their line a bit wider so hodgo could destroy them in the middle.

Hopefully hodgo continues to give sezer more ball.

Shout out to jack as well for backing up fantastically after a great origin series.

Hodgo was great last night - his kick early in the set at the start of the second half was on the money. Saw Dufty was out of position and forced a repeat set. I think Pigman mentioned on the other thread that our whole spine gelled last night. Really positive stuff and it seems to start with Hodgo.

I'd say that was the best example this season of all our spine contributing well. Wighton was more reserved than we've seen recently. Possibly because he's coming off an Origin game or because he overplayed it against the Eels with bad results. Could even be a combination of the 2. Whatever the reason it worked very well. Hopefully we can repeat it as a good balance in the spine takes the pressure off everybody.

[Northern Raider]

You see the value of the crash ball last night when the game script allows it to play out. We were aggressive in getting the ball out wide early, and making those backs defend in space, and playing a lot 1-2 wide of the ruck, so now when the defense is strung out a bit, and Hodgson can get out of hooker on the back of quick play the balls, you get guys like Havilii, CNK and Tapine hitting holes or single defenders with all the momentum and the crash ball produces 3 tries

Havilii and Tapine didnt go over soft defenders either, but they didnt stand a chance because they were isolated

Good point. The crash balls are often used to condense the defense early and create space on the edges later. Problem is it can become predictable and the defenses simply adjust after tackle 4. Last night was the opposite. By attacking the edges earlier thinned out the interior defense. Credit to Sticky and other coaches for the plan and to the players for solid execution.

[BJ]

Good clean early ball from Hodgson to Sezer benefited both players last night.

I really enjoyed the links from Hodgson to Sezer and then out the back to Wighton. We Looked organised.

[The Nickman]

Good clean early ball from Hodgson to Sezer benefited both players last night.

I really enjoyed the links from Hodgson to Sezer and then out the back to Wighton. We Looked organised.

Agreed. I have no idea why, but all of a sudden Hodgson was giving Sezer a LOT of early, clean ball and the whole team benefited as a result of it, Hodgson included.

[Seiffert82]

Yes, that was by far the best looking attack we've had all season. Hodgo didn't overplay his hand, and as a result had more space, while Sezer looked a lot more confident with early ball more often.

In saying that, the Dragons defence was pretty ordinary, but our speed around the ruck made them look totally disorganised.

Some of the comments in this thread are hilarious BTW.

[The Nickman]

Yes, that was by far the best looking attack we've had all season. Hodgo didn't overplay his hand, and as a result had more space, while Sezer looked a lot more confident with early ball more often.

In saying that, the Dragons defence was pretty ordinary, but our speed around the ruck made them look totally disorganised.

Some of the comments in this thread are hilarious BTW.

This thread is as stupid as the Croker one. Our two captains too, of all people.

[Seiffert82]

Gotta point the finger at someone I guess!