Official Jack Williams

BurgoShark

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Sparkles said:
I saw plenty of growth over the year. In his consistency, impact and the trouser area as a result.
Not as much as I had over Talakai early on, but he's gotten better with more game time and has a way to go I reckon.
But I agree, our whole pack is a few steps behind where they need to be
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:ROFLMAO: He definitely improved. He plays more like a "normal" prop than any other Sharks middle, which is probably one reason why people like him.

The Sharks didn't finish second by accident though. They had to be doing something right in the middle third.
 
BurgoShark

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I also reckon the whole "Sharks middle forwards were powderpuffs vs Souths" is a bit overblown. It was a disappointing performance, but they were down two middles (Hunt and Williams), BHU and Finucane were carrying injuries, and the team was without 2 of the the best yardage "back 5" players in the NRL. Yeah - Toby had a piss poor miss early on, but a try in the 2nd minute shouldn't have been a nail in the coffin.
 
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BurgoShark said:
I also reckon the whole "Sharks middle forwards were powderpuffs vs Souths" is a bit overblown. It was a disappointing performance, but they were down two middles (Hunt and Williams), BHU and Finucane were carrying injuries, and the team was without 2 of the the best yardage "back 5" players in the NRL. Yeah - Toby had a piss poor miss early on, but a try in the 2nd minute shouldn't have been a nail in the coffin.
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I watched that game live. We did not seem to have any energy to be aggressive. I think we were gassed - the week before took a lot more out of us physically, mentally and emotionally I think.
 
bort

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NRL prop said we were hardest pack to play against but forum knows best.
We were **** because we didn’t have anyone throwing high tackles and getting away with them… of course we’d hate that person for that too
 
BurgoShark

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Shortfin Mako said:
I watched that game live. We did not seem to have any energy to be aggressive. I think we were gassed - the week before took a lot more out of us physically, mentally and emotionally I think.
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That wasn't the middles' fault. The Sharks had enough possession in the Souths end to win 3 games.

bort said:
NRL prop said we were hardest pack to play against but forum knows best.
We were **** because we didn’t have anyone throwing high tackles and getting away with them… of course we’d hate that person for that too
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(y)

Something else to consider... 4 Sharks forwards featured in the top 10 in the NRL statistically for decoy runs. Adjusted for minutes played Toby Rudolf and McInnes are the two of the best middle forwards in the NRL "off the ball".

bort said:
Blake Lawrie… now I know he’s **** but that just means he has more better players than him he has to play against so like him, it does carry some weight
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:ROFLMAO: Thanks for adding weight to the above. Lawrie is the only prop in the NRL who had more decoy runs than Toby. What a player does when he doesn't have the ball matters.

For middles... McInnes, Rudolf, Jurbo, Lawrie, Cotter. Nobody comes near those 5 guys (except Tolman, but he's gone now :(). Lots of second rowers and halves feature heavily in those stats. Very few middles.
 
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Dream job. Decoy runner and marker in defence.

I used to do heaps of decoy runs when I was playing prop in high school open division.

I had a feeling that the half back didn't like me though because I was always calling for the ball.
 
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Thresher said:
Dream job. Decoy runner and marker in defence.

I used to do heaps of decoy runs when I was playing prop in high school open division.

I had a feeling that the half back didn't like me though because I was always calling for the ball.
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:ROFLMAO: players who think they are getting it make the best decoys!

Make it second marker too. Just tap the other bloke on the ass and tell him to do the hard bit. Job done!
 
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Thresher said:
Dream job. Decoy runner and marker in defence.

I used to do heaps of decoy runs when I was playing prop in high school open division.

I had a feeling that the half back didn't like me though because I was always calling for the ball.
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Season I played at prop the ****s actually kept passing to me, much more tiring than just taking the decoy haha
 
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BurgoShark said:
:ROFLMAO: Thanks for adding weight to the above. Lawrie is the only prop in the NRL who had more decoy runs than Toby. What a player does when he doesn't have the ball matters.

For middles... McInnes, Rudolf, Jurbo, Lawrie, Cotter. Nobody comes near those 5 guys (except Tolman, but he's gone now :(). Lots of second rowers and halves feature heavily in those stats. Very few middles.
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That’s interesting, I wouldn’t have paid much attention to Lawrie through season especially off ball but I wouldn’t have guessed that.

Tbf to him I think he’s actually got half decent last couple seasons. Not rep player, but better than I thought he’d be. Gotta be the heaviest of the boys you’ve listed too, can’t make extra efforts easier
 
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Hunt really stepped up last season IMO - thought he was strong for us and had some powerhouse games

Williams has been poor when played in the backrow in years gone by, he is a bench middle that is where he plays best and a role he can keep it simple in and avoid the cluster of errors previously was prone to

Paul Gallen must have had the least decoy runs of any forward in history lol - if his legs were moving, it was to get the ball
 
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Yeah this bloke is not a second rower imo. Needs to be bench middle if he’s to play.
 
bort

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Gumby said:
Yeah this bloke is not a second rower imo. Needs to be bench middle if he’s to play.
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Him or perhaps Colquhoun could come in if two of Nikora/Wilton/Graham are out. With maybe McInnes or the other ones of those two spending some time there to keep them from doing 80.

That's more a reflection of depth in that position than it being a position they ideally play though. Probably our shallowest spot.

Don't think O'Kane (train and trial) improved his stocks much in trial 1 and not named in trial 2.
 
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bort said:
Him or perhaps Colquhoun could come in if two of Nikora/Wilton/Graham are out. With maybe McInnes or the other ones of those two spending some time there to keep them from doing 80.

That's more a reflection of depth in that position than it being a position they ideally play though. Probably our shallowest spot.

Don't think O'Kane (train and trial) improved his stocks much in trial 1 and not named in trial 2.
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Probably don't want Wade playing 80 these days tbh. Imo one of those guys probably gets minutes if either of Briton/Teig don't play.

I think trial #1 was likely an addition for Jesse to see if he can be that "4th back rower". He has the motor, and while imo his long-term future is as a middle, having do spot duty at back row would be a good way to get him NRL experience.

It also raises the question of whether or not you want Wade playing on the right side if Briton is the guy out. If the left edge is Teig's spot, surely we should be done with the "move Teig to the right so Wade can play left" business.
 
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