What our halves (Chad in particular) have been guilty of in the past is that they don't really draw the defence. They just pass the ball out and the defence slides. Easy to defend against.
But if they draw a man and pass that's when gaps can appear.
We seem to be the least capable team of doing that.
Draw and pass OR straighten up - him and SJ both had some good games where they straightened up last year (and others where they didn't).
Best way to draw that extra defender is to have the pace to get outside your man, which attracts the next guy, or be enough of a physical threat that the next guy doesn't have confidence your man can stop you on his own.
If Chad is drifting you can hang off him because he isn't particularly athletic so he won't burn you and isn't enough of a physical threat you have to be concerned about being one-on-one with him, you don't have the be drawn in to him.
That way you can wait until his hand is forced while your defensive line adapts to what is unfolding. When drifting he needs to play right up to the line to commit his defender and pass which then means a) he has less space to make his next move (which he needs, not being a premier half) and b) we have played away from our main strength on the left, early ball to Graham.
But if Chad straightens his line then the defense does need to react and slow their slide, he can then hit Graham who can take advantage of that slower slide by the defense to make his decision. He has a better toolbox of skills and is a much more significant physical threat himself.
SJ has more athleticism so he can skip to the outside of his defender to draw the next one OR can straighten knowing the defense must adapt.
Honestly if all Chad does all game on backline plays is straighten up to slow the defensive slide and early ball to Graham he's doing that part of his job. Johnson on the other hand we are paying much more and thus expectations are much higher that he will personally make more of an impact.
