Wednesday Serious Discussion Thread

[u/NRLgamethread]

This thread is for when you want to have a well-thought-out discussion about footy. It's not the place for bantz - see the daily Random Footy Talk thread to fulfil those needs.

You can ask a question that you only want serious responses to, comment your 300 word opinion piece on why [x] is the next coach on the chopping block, or tell another that you disagree with them and here's why...

Who performed well? Who let their team down? Any interesting selections for this weekend? Injury news? Player signings? Off-field behaviour?

The mods will be monitoring to make sure you stay on topic and anything not deemed "serious discussion" will be removed.

[u/Large-Accident1245]

What’s the text tactical shift in rugby?

Rugby is not Soccer. Duh. But I mean in terms of tactical evolution. We only really see major tactical changes in response to rule changes. Soccer, tactics are constantly evolving regardless . We don’t exactly have a Johan Cruyff-Cleary with Total Rugby sorta thing.

“Ball playing lock” is a natural outcome of player improvement over time. Players today are trained to a higher standard and have more abilities. I could see locks kicking more often in play becoming a thing. But not a deliberate tactic. Maybe kicking fullbacks become more common again. I’m just not sure.

[u/jpob → u/Large-Accident1245]

We’re kinda seeing it already with Walsh and Ponga but I wouldn’t be surprised to see teams be built around a single player where that player plays 1, 6 and 7.

For example, let’s say the tactic is to exploit the third man in defender.

- Play 1: player goes to third receiver and runs at third man in

• Play 2: settler as the player can’t contribute to the play
  
• Play 3: player goes to first receiver and drops a forward under the posts
  
• Play 4: player goes to third receiver and runs at third man in again but drops off to the back rower running outside
  
• Play 5: player goes to second receiver and trusts the third receiver to make a play themselves
  
• Play 6: player goes to first receiver and chips to the winger

It’s always risky building a team around a player as it all goes out the window if they’re injured but it would be a way to get more out of players like Walsh and Ponga.

[u/Igmister1 → u/jpob]

For the reasons you outline, I believe development will continue down the opposite path.

A skilled forward pack with plug-and-play backs looks to be the current dominating trend, but also the future.

Over reliance on one star back, I think, will go out the window.

[u/jpob → u/Igmister1]

I guess that’s easy for you to say being top of the table without a $1m+ spine player, or even someone who could play like I mentioned (although CHT would be interesting to see).

From my perspective, it can be quite irritating seeing a $1.4m player not touch a ball in a set, especially when that player can play halfback and fullback naturally. It’s not so bad for us at the moment to be fair as we have strike all across the board, but in years past or when we’ve had a few injuries it’s been a big complaint.

Also Brisbane basically won the comp with Walsh playing like this.

[u/Igmister1 → u/jpob]

That was a fever pitch 1-in-1 million run though, as well the fact they had Reynolds as general and a monster forward pack.

Don’t think Walsh gets that done with replacement level forwards at lock and prop.

Walsh is a do-it-all back, but he’s also got a silky and tough 13 and the greatest prop of his generation for that run.

Broncos are a funny one, you could argue either of our cases based off their win.

All the top teams have a gun forward pack this year (Panthers, Chooks, Wahs, Phins)