Official Blayke Brailey

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Do people seriously not remember McInnes at hooker? He was great for the style that was needed at the time, someone who could play 80 mins, make 50 tackles and get the ball to first receiver. Pretty much exactly what people are critical of Blayke for doing. So now that McInnes has filled out and changed his body shape, is he somehow expected to become Harry Grant/Reece Robson/Reed Mahoney? As that's the same standard we are holding Blayke too.

I don't know the answer. I think he's a good footballer, but I agree he doesn't ever look like he has it all on the line out there. We've seen him run and kick and be more versatile. Fitz seems to be a smart operator, there's obviously a reason he plays this way out of 9. Given the shape we run out the back I can only assume it's something along of direct as many forwards through the guts as possible and shift when you get a quick ptb or a few guys piled in a tackle.

From what I've seen of Berrell, we're not sitting on a quality upgrade there. I don't hate the idea of getting some spark out there like Atkinson, but that's only going to weaken the middle that everyone's so critical of.

The reality of the hooker landscape is pretty dire in the NRL. So I think until we can recruit/develop a gun to come through the ranks, a more appropriate question how can Fitz change the game plan to diversify/develop Blayke's game.
 

Gumby

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danny levi ran for 14m in 3 minutes

blayke ran for 16m in 80 minutes

this bloke is a ****ing fraud
Glad I’m not the only one now seeing it. He is one of the worst hookers now in the comp when it comes to his ability with ball in hand.
 
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He's just a filler in our squad.

Hasn't really matured in his position, he's there cause we don't have any one better. Can make a case for McInnes.
 

bort

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As far as getting to hooker to make his pass and getting through tackles he is right at the top end.

As a runner, or engaging markers to help create space he is towards the bottom end.

At this stage he is a cog player, you either accept that (because there is no clear alternative that would be an improvement), or you hope we sign a replacement, but a better player will cost more, especially to poach in a spine position. The new Chad, plays his part while we stare enviously at the super stars other teams have. Most teams other than Storm have players in their spine who just play their part and aren't positional top 5 or even top 10 guys.

Love to see him find a tiny bit more ceiling room to come up to. If he could close the gap between him and Grant by like 25% it'd be massive for us.

I still also personally thing there is an option worth exploring in giving McInnes the first 15 just to take the edge off Blayke's workload, if that would give him more confidence to expend energy getting out of hooker a bit more.

Start Hunt, BHU, Finucane in forwards. After about 15 Hunt off for Blayke (Finucane to prop, McInnes to lock). Another 5 or so BHU off for Rudolf/Kaufusi and another 5 or so Finucane off for Kaufusi/Rudolf. See how McInnes is travelling, could take him off with 5-10 to go for Williams or Graham.
Be worth a look as it is a bigger side to try get a good start if the conserved energy would benefit Blayke. Do lose impact of McInnes subbing on but tbh that has looked slightly down to me so far this year anyway.
 
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bort

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I don't think he'll ever be more than what we've seen.

He is pretty one dimensional.
Looking that way. He is excellent in that one dimension though at least.

Might have to persist and hope one of the youngins' gets to the point sooner than later they are worth a stint off the bench in NRL with a view to take over.
 

Sparkles

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I don't think he'll ever be more than what we've seen.

He is pretty one dimensional.
Has shown a few alternate dimensions worth visiting though, which is the most puzzling part. I reckon we'll see more in the years to come. Prefer to see it this year though.

An 80 minute hooker with great service and defence at 24 years old is pretty phenomenal if you can't get Harry playing for your team.
 
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Jaws

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we kept the wrong brailey, yeah Jayden has had a few injuries the last few seasons but how long do you wait for blayke to live up to his potential he had coming through the grades. Atleast Jayden was solid in defence and would run from dummy half.
 

bort

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we kept the wrong brailey, yeah Jayden has had a few injuries the last few seasons but how long do you wait for blayke to live up to his potential he had coming through the grades. Atleast Jayden was solid in defence and would run from dummy half.
Mutual fans seem quite split on this in my experience but I do think if we had kept Jayden and let Blayke go we probably wouldn’t be in a drastically different spot since (assuming his injury doesnt happen
for us)
 

Jaws

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Mutual fans seem quite split on this in my experience but I do think if we had kept Jayden and let Blayke go we probably wouldn’t be in a drastically different spot since (assuming his injury doesnt happen
for us)
It’s easy to say with hindsight aswell but blaykes attempt to tackle Corey hosborough on his 1st try was woeful. A simple hit and spin and his through.
 

Wiz

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danny levi ran for 14m in 3 minutes

blayke ran for 16m in 80 minutes

this bloke is a ****ing fraud
He’s fu*ing disgusting

Gets outplayed by his opposite number every week
Glad I’m not the only one now seeing it. He is one of the worst hookers now in the comp when it comes to his ability with ball in hand.
getting to the point where I can’t stand him
 

Wiz

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Mutual fans seem quite split on this in my experience but I do think if we had kept Jayden and let Blayke go we probably wouldn’t be in a drastically different spot since (assuming his injury doesnt happen
for us)
Blayke is literally all hype

Micheal Licha vibes except we continue to put money into him
 

Gards

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Yep, mob mentality.

That's right, the mob has caught on to wanting more from their 9

He's just a filler in our squad.

Hasn't really matured in his position, he's there cause we don't have any one better. Can make a case for McInnes.

The club don't view him as a filler though - they have backed him hard to be our future and something special

It doesn't help that we have Ennis back at the club singing Blaykes praises while seemingly doing little to improve his game

While Blayke is still young I agree he hasn't really matured or evolved alot at this point, he has gotten more bland if anything. If this were his first season of NRL I would be impressed but it isn't, he debut back when we still had Sorro, Capewell, Boogs and Xerri in our squad in 2019

feel old yet? haha

other than his defense and being less frantic I can't think of many aspects of his game that have improved all that much and like I said some things have actually regressed

Just because we don't have anyone better right now doesn't mean Blayke should be immune to criticism because we need to at least be open minded about exploring options. The coaches focus is probably elsewhere (not like he doesn't have alot of other stuff to fix)

We need the resurgent Nikora to give Blayke a pep talk on shaking the OWB tag
 

XGinga

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McInnes to 9
Talakai into the forwards
Iro into the centres
Iro is not the answer. Defence is worse then Talakai. Go back and watch Nsw cup highlights this week.
Talakai defense will improve if Moylan was dropped when Hynes is back and Trindel defends in Moylans spot.
 
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