Official Connor Tracey

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Jack of all trades, master of none.

Only way he's in the 17 next year is if we have injuries. Even then I'd prefer to go specialist if we can - if a winger goes down bring in Ika, Stonestreet, Miller (with a off season training on the wing). If a centre goes down put Talakai in or even Ronnie.
 

Wiz

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I’ve never understood why people say he is a bench player.

yes, He gives 150%+ but has never had the ball playing skills or X factor.
At best he is cover for centre or wing (not hooker or halves) when injuries strike but not a game changer.

I like the guy I really do.
I also love his 1000 miles per hour returns, attitude and determination, but he won’t win us games so we need to make him a Jet next year.
Mate I’ve seen people call for him to be starting half then call for him to be starting centre I’m just happy we’ve now gotten to the point where people realise he needs to be out of the starting 13 completely
 
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Mate I’ve seen people call for him to be starting half then call for him to be starting centre I’m just happy we’ve now gotten to the point where people realise he needs to be out of the starting 13 completely
I’ve never thought he was a starting playing in any role.

He without a doubt will give you 150% in whatever starting position he plays but he has only been a stop gap measure and doesn’t have the skill set for the 14 utility role and is “master of none” as a starter.
A Good but never great player in any position in most part.

Harsh I know, but I truely think that this season highlights all of that.

Connor needs to either become a specialist in the outside backs and become “great” over the off season or he plays jets moving forward.
 

Sevshark

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Jack of all trades, master of none.

Only way he's in the 17 next year is if we have injuries. Even then I'd prefer to go specialist if we can - if a winger goes down bring in Ika, Stonestreet, Miller (with a off season training on the wing). If a centre goes down put Talakai in or even Ronnie.

I could of sworn I clicked on the Nicho thread and was about to have you committed before I scrolled up mate.
 

bort

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I still reckon you could knock a tooth out and tell him he’s the 3rd choice lock, everything McInnes does all off season you do
 

Gumby

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Not in our best 17 at this stage. Needs a huge off season and coach needs to figure out what his best position is and stick with him there.
 

Sparkles

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Not in our best 17 at this stage. Needs a huge off season and coach needs to figure out what his best position is and stick with him there.
If Fitz is playing with a utility on the bench who is it you're putting in?
 

Gards

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he needs to be out of the starting 13 completely

He should be starting lawn mowers after 2 shocking finals games

He Gerard Bealed us

But Gerard was a proper back line utilty

Connor isn't a jack of all trades simply because he has been played around the park over the years covering for injuries. We needed better in some big important games (from other players more senior than Connor as well tbf).

He should be like 2nd choice depth winger behind Ikavalu after what he showed us the last 2 weeks
 
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Honestly I think we need to move away from the smaller body outside backs. He is a fill in winger at best.
he's been awesome for what he gives us. but a few head knocks and he might be into wade graham territory.
and yeah, big body backs a must. although faster than talakai.
 

Sparkles

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He should be starting lawn mowers after 2 shocking finals games

He Gerard Bealed us

But Gerard was a proper back line utilty

Connor isn't a jack of all trades simply because he has been played around the park over the years covering for injuries. We needed better in some big important games (from other players more senior than Connor as well tbf).

He should be like 2nd choice depth winger behind Ikavalu after what he showed us the last 2 weeks
It's undeniable he'd earned the right to take a crack at a starting spot. It's also looking pretty definite that he won't get one.
I love this bloke as the bench utility or next man in. And I'm sticking with the thought that he could have (and maybe still will somewhere, somehow) turn into a solid starter if he was able to play in one position next to the same people for long enough... but that ship has all but sailed. I'd be more excited by a 'proper' centre like Iro coming through now.
 
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I think Fitz sees this too. He didn’t make our starting when ever we were at full strength, so seems like he’s seen as depth which is what he should be.
Yep, he clearly has the right attitude you want for the next man up. Probably busts his ass at training and prepares really well. If you reward that with game time you set the message for the rest of the wider squad.
 

Sparkles

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Yep, he clearly has the right attitude you want for the next man up. Probably busts his ass at training and prepares really well. If you reward that with game time you set the message for the rest of the wider squad.
Definitely pushes the other blokes. You can't undervalue that contribution. I mean, we do here, sure... But the pundits don't.
 

bort

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I think Fitz sees this too. He didn’t make our starting when ever we were at full strength, so seems like he’s seen as depth which is what he should be.
Well it appeared Fitz had him in first choice centre pairing however some early injuries undid that and unfortunately the way things panned out knocked Tracey's position in the side around.
He was still clearly preferred to Ikuvalu, Hiroti and Iro so he was well in contention as a backup still - basically centre 3 and winger 3.
He earned that with his effort but the shuffling around appeared to give him some trouble.

I think they either make him focus on play as a winger, centre or as McInnes-lite as it looks like we won't get the best out of him moving forward with him clearly just Mr Fix It and not focused on something. He has the capacity to come good at one of those roles if he can commit himself to it fulltime.

Definitely pushes the other blokes. You can't undervalue that contribution. I mean, we do here, sure... But the pundits don't.
The more blokes you have putting in the extra efforts at training the better, even if they aren't in the 13 or 17
 

bort

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Looking to be an odd man out in a healthy squad

If Miller leaves there is a chance Tracey becomes Cup 5/8 - 1 Dykes 6 Tracey 7 Trindall 9 Berrell 14 Puru
Not sure who else would play there unless Jets have re-signed Davies. Puru himself could take the spot of course - and hopefully he would as I don't want Tracey playing halves in NRL so no point him playing Cup there?
All well and good Billy Mags can fill into halves but maybe make that plan C at best.

With only needing two HIAs to activate your 18th man now Tracey is not a bad shout as a versatile ball of energy / jack of all master of none but to fit that role well he needs to be playing more like a 13 when he is in Cup (I guess maybe he could play 6 with it in mind? Maybe that can work...)
That could be the best team use for him.

Alternately focus Tracey on either centre or wing as a primary spot and let him actually get used to it as there is potential there but definitely some refinement required.
With Ramien's risk of suspension and Iro being a left specialist right centre (and maybe a little preseason at right wing too as Ikuvalu is out) could be a good option. Otherwise you're looking at Hiroti who seemed to go decent in Cup last season but is off-contract this year behind Tracey in team pecking order you'd think.
 
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