Fletcher Sharpe discussion
- Thread starter Joshhh
- Start date
It’s a game-wide issue tbh, virtually nobody is producing halfbacks. How many of the current topliners are over 30 and playing way later because there’s no decent junior options out there …
KPGreatness
Clinton O'Brien
Tbh AOB has done great things since being here with talent
Turned Crossland into a very good utility
Turned Crossland into a solid 9 and got him a NZ call up
Turned Lucas into a second rower
Brodie Jones has made a crazy improvement under AOB
Best has turned into one of the games elite centres and is a blues rep
Brought Leo up and developed him with actual first grade experience
Decided to move Young to the wing and developed him into a powerhouse winger
Even KP has taken great strides in becoming a leader and finding consistency in his footy under AOB
If this move with Sharpe works out i agree it will be his best because of the need of the position but it will also go into a pretty decent list of developing talent
Would say Bulldogs, Roosters, Raiders, Cows have the next batch of good 7 talent coming through, but also yet to debut and prove themselves.
Dogs - O'neil, Tia, Woods, Conti
Roosters - Rodwell
Raiders - Sanders
Cows - Duffy
Titans - Zane Harrison
Broncos - Coby Black
IF we can sign Brown and we'll continue with Sharpe at 6 from here on then we are looking fan bloody tastic. Then continue development of Linnane, Butler, Connor Votano, Loza/ also sign next gen game management 7's which I dare say after POS signs Brown will be his next big target
KPGreatness
Clinton O'Brien
That’s a fallacy in reality there are really good options being held back
Humphries
Sanders
Rodwell
Woods
Ashton
Tia
Dufty
Harrison
Black
and so on
It’s just NRL coaches nowadays are so scared of using young talent they prefer the tried as at least they know if they can do it and this has made a nation wide stagnation in junior development as coaches do not want to use 19 year old halves and rather use 30 year olds as they can see the data where using kids is widely untested and subject to failure in lament terms
They want someone like Sam Walker but don’t want to give them the experience they need to get better opposite is the Roosters given him the chance and what do you know it worked
It’s a stupid way to do it but there are really good halves being held back, some have to be held back for development but not all of them.
KPGreatness
Clinton O'Brien
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
It’s the hardest position to play so it stands to reason that it’s also the hardest position to develop.
Yeah there are a lot of guys in that 18-21 age range who look very talented, but you can also always go back 5-10 years, list the guys who were 18-21 back then and looked to have the goods, but they flamed out, just haven’t been able to cut it, for whatever reason.
You know who was a very hyped junior half? Jack Cogger.
Yeah there are a lot of guys in that 18-21 age range who look very talented, but you can also always go back 5-10 years, list the guys who were 18-21 back then and looked to have the goods, but they flamed out, just haven’t been able to cut it, for whatever reason.
You know who was a very hyped junior half? Jack Cogger.
Yeah I was going to also mention conservative NRL coaches don't help. If the player is good enough I always think they'll get the chance, though.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
A few of the players on that list were 17 last year though, I don't think it's overly conservative to not pick those guys...
slotmachine
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Lacked the athleticism for NRL.
Yeah I'm more thinking clinging onto the 34yo rather than giving someone else a shot. Short term pain vs possible long term gain.
danknights
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Cameron Smith lacked athleticism. He did alright. Albeit different positions but if your brain is better than your legs you'll be ok.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I think it depends who it is really. There’s absolutely a class of #7’s where you really should cling onto them until they literally can’t play anymore. Clubs think they can replace them but it turns out they probably can’t (see: Reynolds, Adam).
Also something which makes that transition from a capable guy in his 30’s to a young guy much easier is if that guy in his 30’s will stick around and mentor him, but realistically that’s a big ask. That takes a lot of putting aside ego and all that. Often having a big ego, that self belief, is why that guy plugged away in reserve grade all those years to finally get the shot someone’s already putting an expiration date on.
Canberra are in a pretty good spot with Fogarty by all reports being a very gracious guy, generous with his time to that Sanders kid, but even he’s asked the club, hey can I at least see what would be out there at other clubs before I passively consent to whatever lowball offer I have to accept to take my option up?
They’re also in a bad spot because Ricky is their coach, so Sanders is probably going to be a flop, because Ricky is the halfback killer.
To be honest I always thought both Lamb and Cogger were a bit overrated coming through the junior system. That lead to a heap of pressure when they entered FG as people expected way more than they were capable of.
The last half we had come through who actually had the ability to match the junior hype to me was Mullen, and that was 20 years ago.
The last half we had come through who actually had the ability to match the junior hype to me was Mullen, and that was 20 years ago.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Honestly think he’s just a guy who’s happier playing lower level footy, playing for fun, not making it his whole life. That’s not the end of the world.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I reckon there are less talented players than Brock playing week to week first grade right now.
Cogger, didn’t he break his pelvis or something & that ****ed up his ability to kick properly for years?
I don’t know, I don’t think it’s that hard to see what people liked about Cogger. He’s smart, he does exactly what coaches want, he can land his kicks accurately. He’s coming through right as Cooper Cronk is winning his second Dally M. If he pans out like Cronk, for 15 years you have a halfback who’ll help the coach cook up the game plan on Tuesday and execute it perfectly on Sunday.
Reminds me of leg spinners in cricket. Good young ones will go for a few runs, so captains/coaches are reluctant to use them, then their development is hindered.
I think Crossland and Madden are another good example. Madden probably had bigger raps coming through and was head-hunted to leave. Crossland stayed, but has had to develop in roles away from half to play firsts. Madden meanwhile has never had the trust of his first grade coaches and has stagnated a bit.
But what i really wanted to say was this. I've watched the highlights of the trial about 18 times now. I know it is only a trial. But wow, I'm excited to see Sharpe develop as a 6. I'd argued from the start of preseason that he needed to be closer to the ball, not stuck on a wing. I thought it was a pipe dream originally. But that left side of Marz, Braddy, Sharpe, Ponga and Lucas. How much scoring potential?