Official Briton Nikora

He can lead off the bench this year, then at right centre next year 🙂
 
Sharkfox said:
He can lead off the bench this year, then at right centre next year 🙂
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Or we could just play an actual centre @ centre

Nikora's club form is already questionable in his actual position of backrow

I don't think I want to find out how Briton's passing to a winger is....

He is seemingly in our squad to make tackles and spill the ball on the odd line run

He won't get to make all those tackles standing in the back line (spilling the ball he could still manage)
 
Gards said:
Or we could just play an actual centre @ centre

Nikora's club form is already questionable in his actual position of backrow

I don't think I want to find out how Briton's passing to a winger is....

He is seemingly in our squad to make tackles and spill the ball on the odd line run

He won't get to make all those tackles standing in the back line (spilling the ball he could still manage)
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If we dont get an experienced centre replacement for next year then trial him there, then Billy B starts with him on that right edge, guessing stoney goes right wing, and it also frees a bench spot for a forward
 
Sharkfox said:
If we dont get an experienced centre replacement for next year then trial him there, then Billy B starts with him on that right edge, guessing stoney goes right wing, and it also frees a bench spot for a forward
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If we haven't got a centre replacement already in mind for Ramien the club have screwed up

Like I get what your saying but we should not be in the position to have to do that in the first place

Surely we are bring up someone from the lower grades
 
Sharks NRL Prospects said:
Not really a topic for the Nikora thread… but there are definitely plenty of centre options in the system. Just no consensus among fans on who will get the gig.
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Good to know, this is my understanding as well although I haven't seen that much of said junior players, fans comments on here seem to suggest none of them are quite ready for the step up but this was said about Iro as well.

It's a shame it didn't work out with Jackson Ferris, I rated him, looked very promising.

Although he would be 28 by now so not the long term future for the position

But yea there is no way me would move Ramien on without viable replacements coming up through our system as we don't seem to have the cap space to go externally
 
I think behind the scenes we are probably looking at a ‘adequate quality’ centre to serve a few purposes.
Can actual hold a spot in FG, competition for spots & mostly to buy some time until the younger cavalry are FG ready.

Ideally we would have kept Hiroti, I’m not sure if we ever entertained the thought of of giving him a 2 yr deal (before he signed for Titans) or whether the money he got from Titans was not in our budget?

We probably thought MG was ready by now which, for a few reasons isn’t probably where we anticipated him to be??
 
Gards said:
Good to know, this is my understanding as well although I haven't seen that much of said junior players, fans comments on here seem to suggest none of them are quite ready for the step up but this was said about Iro as well.

It's a shame it didn't work out with Jackson Ferris, I rated him, looked very promising.

Although he would be 28 by now so not the long term future for the position

But yea there is no way me would move Ramien on without viable replacements coming up through our system as we don't seem to have the cap space to go externally
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Yep, yep, yep and yep.

Back on the Nikora/Burns thing... I don't see why it has to be Nikora vs Burns all the time. Having them both in the lineup is a good thing. Some of Burns best moments have been in the middle (including the Raiders finals try).

I've also read/heard it repeated several times that Nikora has come off the bench and played in the middle. That has never happened. In 100% of the times Nikora came off the bench he went to his normal position and Burns moved to the middle.

If/When you have to re-sign Nikora for double what Billy is on maybe make the call then; while you have both players in the team you want to be using both of them. Current plan of Burns as a high-energy middle and first man in for Teig/Brit seems to be working very well.
 
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Sharks NRL Prospects said:
Yep, yep, yep and yep.

Back on the Nikora/Burns thing... I don't see why it has to be Nikora vs Burns all the time. Having them both in the lineup is a good thing. Some of Burns best moments have been in the middle (including the Raiders finals try).

I've also read/heard it repeated several times that Nikora has come off the bench and played in the middle. That has never happened. In 100% of the times Nikora came off the bench he went to his normal position and Burns moved to the middle.

If/When you have to re-sign Nikora for double what Billy is on maybe make the call then; while you have both players in the team you want to be using both of then.
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I'm happy to use both but would be alot happier if Nikora's performances match the value the coach places on him in the team

The thing I liked about Nikora coming from the bench for the Sharks when he returned from injury was although he was slotting into his usual backrow position he had so much more energy and intensity to put into his runs as he's pretty quick on his feet for a forward.

I get it wasn't practical to play him from the bench long term taking a spot from a middle forward or utilty like Puru

I get there are things Nikora does on the field and contributes that we probably don't notice and that he being there to make all those tackles means a player like Billy has less to do and can be more effective as a sub or on the middle whatever.

I think the form of every player in the squad is good right now, Briton is the only one I have a question mark on. If I had to chose between having Billy Burns or Nikora (forget salary/cap and positions for a moment) I am choosing Billy. Nikora might arguably offer the least with the ball of any player in our team outside a prop forward like Hazleton.

He gets belted on that short ball line run and spills the ball half the time which use to be one of his few go to plays in attack. Maybe we still do it to setup for something else on the next ruck but it doesn't work if he can't hang onto it.

So yea don't necessarily disagree it's good to have both in the team and that it doesn't need to be Nikora vs. Burns but it shouldn't exclude a player from legitimate criticism.

Did you watch SOO? I didn't see that much of it but it seemed Nikora did pretty well (came from bench in first game though then was a starter).
Anyone care to comment how Billy used Briton on the field compared to Fitz or was it pretty much the same?
 
Gards said:
I'm happy to use both but would be alot happier if Nikora's performances match the value the coach places on him in the team

The thing I liked about Nikora coming from the bench for the Sharks when he returned from injury was although he was slotting into his usual backrow position he had so much more energy and intensity to put into his runs as he's pretty quick on his feet for a forward.

I get it wasn't practical to play him from the bench long term taking a spot from a middle forward or utilty like Puru

I get there are things Nikora does on the field and contributes that we probably don't notice and that he being there to make all those tackles means a player like Billy has less to do and can be more effective as a sub or on the middle whatever.
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He actually referenced this in his interview with Sam this week...

"Doing all the little efforts things that you don't see on TV. That's what I try to build my game on. If I get opportunities with the ball to showcase what I can do I'll take that with both hands".

Gards said:
I think the form of every player in the squad is good right now, Briton is the only one I have a question mark on. If I had to chose between having Billy Burns or Nikora (forget salary/cap and positions for a moment) I am choosing Billy. Nikora might arguably offer the least with the ball of any player in our team outside a prop forward like Hazleton.
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Yeah I get that a lot of people feel this way, but nobody is actually being forced to choose - unless they are arguing for Nikora to be outside the team completely. There might a few who have that opinion but I think it would be the minority.

I do think that Burns also playing in the middle gives the impression that he is a more heavily involved player in attack with regard to taking hit-ups and making metres. People remember players who do more stuff. I think as attacking edge players they are similarly involved, including in yardage sets.

Gards said:
He gets belted on that short ball line run and spills the ball half the time which use to be one of his few go to plays in attack. Maybe we still do it to setup for something else on the next ruck but it doesn't work if he can't hang onto it.
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Agree.

Gards said:
So yea don't necessarily disagree it's good to have both in the team and that it doesn't need to be Nikora vs. Burns but it shouldn't exclude a player from legitimate criticism.

Did you watch SOO? I didn't see that much of it but it seemed Nikora did pretty well (came from bench in first game though then was a starter).
Anyone care to comment how Billy used Briton on the field compared to Fitz or was it pretty much the same?
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Was the same really. A lot of defensive work. Didn't see a heap of ball but when he did it was in similar ways to how the Sharks use him.
 
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Bundy Shark said:
I think behind the scenes we are probably looking at a ‘adequate quality’ centre to serve a few purposes.
Can actual hold a spot in FG, competition for spots & mostly to buy some time until the younger cavalry are FG ready.

Ideally we would have kept Hiroti, I’m not sure if we ever entertained the thought of of giving him a 2 yr deal (before he signed for Titans) or whether the money he got from Titans was not in our budget?

We probably thought MG was ready by now which, for a few reasons isn’t probably where we anticipated him to be??
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Will quote this one in the Ramien thread.
 
Sharks NRL Prospects said:
He actually referenced this in his interview with Sam this week...

"Doing all the little efforts things that you don't see on TV. That's what I try to build my game on. If I get opportunities with the ball to showcase what I can do I'll take that with both hands".


Yeah I get that a lot of people feel this way, but nobody is actually being forced to choose - unless they are arguing for Nikora to be outside the team completely. There might a few who have that opinion but I think it would be the minority.

I do think that Burns also playing in the middle gives the impression that he is a more heavily involved player in attack with regard to taking hit-ups and making metres. People remember players who do more stuff. I think as attacking edge players they are similarly involved, including in yardage sets.


Agree.


Was the same really. A lot of defensive work. Didn't see a heap off ball but when he did it was in similar ways to how the Sharks use him.
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Will say one thing about Nikora - I can't remember a time in this forum where anyone has criticised him letting a try in or leaving a gap in defence etc.

Remember - it was Burns and JC that Hughes ran straight through in the prelim last year.

If the coach wants him to be a defensive machine 90% of the time then so be it. I'm sure Slater was the same.

Don't get me wrong - I'm one of the ones screaming at the tele when he spills those short balls near the line.

But I'm also a realist to know that Fitz probably (just) knows more than me. Just.
 
He’s been better the past few weeks. I just wanna see some more variety in his runs rather than the step off the right every time
 
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