Official Briton Nikora

[Vichyssoise]

That break he made (which lead to the try on the next play), I rewatched the game and noticed the play before he actually ran through the line expecting to get the ball.

He did so well to get himself back, then turn and run when Brailey skipped out.

Little things like this are the type of effort plays we have been waiting for from the Sharks.

Great stuff.

I was actually surprised to see him ready and in position to make that 2nd play. Showed both fitness and commitment.

 

[apezza]

I was actually surprised to see him ready and in position to make that 2nd play. Showed both fitness and commitment.

It also shows how much more confidence we have at the moment

3 or 4 weeks ago we would have been happy to keep running the ball and get tackled in the corner for a handover on the last.

 

[beaver2233]

Thought he was below par last week (except for 1 good run). Followed it up last night with a few uncharacteristic errors (some bad passes though). Unusual for him, he usually is one our most reliable and consistent.

 

[Vichyssoise]

Thought he was below par last week (except for 1 good run). Followed it up last night with a few uncharacteristic errors (some bad passes though). Unusual for him, he usually is one our most reliable and consistent.

He did get a couple of hospital passes that he usually miraculously holds.
Thought he did a good job in defence. I saw him several times doing some good work in the middle too.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Thought he was below par last week (except for 1 good run). Followed it up last night with a few uncharacteristic errors (some bad passes though). Unusual for him, he usually is one our most reliable and consistent.

I quite liked him last week tbh. Definitely copped at least one did pass last night.

 

[Sparkles]

Not to keep "arguing" with you, but... haha

Point 1, I think that has remained true through all our seasons with Fitz, and even under Bomber, so no particular reason for his work in that space to decline now UNLESS others are stepping up to take workload off him, which is a positive I guess, even if it makes him look worse.

Point 2, Brit and SJ definitely had a good connection, I'm interested in how that correlates to tries
19 SJ 24 games, 7 tries (.29)
20 SJ 16 games, 6 tries (.375)
21 SJ 22 games, 4 tries (.18)
22 Nicho 24 games, 8 tries (0.33)
23 Nicho 25 games, 8 tries (0.32)
24 Nicho 25 games, 10 tries (0.4)
25 Nicho 8 games, 5 tries (0.625)

In ATTACK it is hard to say Nicho is doing anything wrong by him. Very hard to say. It is more skewed towards Nicho than I expected. Brit getting more experience wouldn't be a non-factor, although you can also argue his main weapon is more and more expected.
Is there is a disconnect in his use elsewhere? Maybe, although we also acknowledge we perhaps under use him elsewhere, so minimally Nicho's fault, IMO.

Third point I think is a difficult to confirm or deny opinion. He appears to me to be the main organiser but others refute that. Sometimes he tries things and they don't come off and he gets called disorganised, erratic, Nichoball etc but in a quiet game we demand he step up, try things, impact the game. We're pretty clear we see this differently and I don't think there is a way to definitively know either way. Could be an element.

Fourth point, well it definitely does seem to be a coach/team strat yeah. As a pretty highly paid and pretty well regarded edge forward agree it would be good to see him take on board his role but make an impact in otherways if the gameplan doesn't bring him into it. Where was he on some of our kick chases etc? That dirty work is the bread and butter of guys like Martin and Crichton, but even guys like Kikau. That wouldn't even translate to SC points but is a way I'd like to see him elevate his impact.

It may be that we're mixing up the gameplan? Trying not to be too predictable..?
Probably more that we've been working out how our halves operate and where the ball goes through sets.

 

[beaver2233]

Dunno but this guy has been off for a number of weeks. Has been my favourite player to watch over the last few years and these last few weeks have been really disappointing imo.

 

[G.H Shark]

Besides running decent lines, what else does he offer? Not trying to **** stir.

 

[Jaz]

Man up ****, you're meant to be a leader.

 

[bort]

Besides running decent lines, what else does he offer? Not trying to **** stir.

Was a top 3 back rower in the comp last season

Just hasn’t really got going properly for some reason this season.

 

[Jaz]

Was a top 3 back rower in the comp last season

Just hasn’t really got going properly for some reason this season.

Started slow last year too. Not good enough for an "elite" player.

 

[G.H Shark]

Was a top 3 back rower in the comp last season

Just hasn’t really got going properly for some reason this season.

But was it because of his line running?

 

[Milkshark]

Nikora is inconsistent, has been for a while. He looks amazing hitting a line and diving over for a try, but he is so inconsistent.

He is a bit of a 1 trick pony.

Fitzgibbon should be asking for more.

 

[Wizard]

The Nicho Nikora under ball got played to death tonight

 

[Western Sharkie]

The Nicho Nikora under ball got played to death tonight

It’s worked a lot previously and we were getting desperate

So I can see why Nicho kept trying, but yes, if you keep playing the same plays, the D is going to repel it more often than not as they are expecting it.

Best offence is more unpredictable, so harder to read

 

[Vichyssoise]

The Nicho Nikora under ball got played to death tonight

Yep. Teams have worked that one out. We should mix things up a little bit more.

 

[SF]

Besides running decent lines, what else does he offer? Not trying to **** stir.

Also generally makes 40 tackles a game, a lot of them with venom. Last night not a good example with the 7 missed tackles.

Not sure what the issue is but the right side always seems squashed at the moment, tonight the worst so far. Maybe being too elaborate on the inside

 

[JimBob]

Outside of his line running (which has been off for a while now) what does he add?

 

[Wilson]

Disgusting defence

 

[beaver2233]

Outside of his line running (which has been off for a while now) what does he add?

Worst season from him by far. Don't know wtf has happened.