It's not "ball playing skills" per se. Kalyn Ponga throws better money balls than almost any other player in the game but also had massive issues with the role he was given this year of trying to be on-ball more, working the team to the right positions, doing the lead-up work which disorganises the defence so that someone like Kalyn Ponga can punish it (too bad he wasn't in positions to do so anymore!).
Throwing passes to unmarked wingers & other money balls like those described are absolutely not indicators of a good ball-playing skill set *for a half*, specifically. When you watch Sharpe and Sandon Smith play, try to turn your attention away during the parts where they are directly involved in a try being scored. Watch the other parts. Watch what they're doing in yardage sets, watch how and when they are delivering the ball to their outside men when the team is working through its shapes - what decisions are they making, how consistently is the defence reading it and shutting it down with a dominant tackle vs being stressed and making ineffective contact + giving up quick play the balls. Watch for if the ball is out in front of those outside men or behind them. Watch for when they're turning down opportunities to keep spreading the ball to run it instead. Watch for something as simple as how switched on and clear in their positioning the forwards and backs playing off the back of said half look. What kind of grade would we give Fletcher and - I'm not singling Sharpe out here - Kalyn on any of these points?
Sandon Smith - Connor Watson comparisons. That'll do me.
