The Halfback Conundrum

Which potential halfback, available from November 1, should the club make the #1 priority?

  • Ben Hunt

    Votes: 7 11.9%

  • Braydon Trindall

    Votes: 8 13.6%

  • Jonah Pezet

    Votes: 27 45.8%

  • Sam Walker

    Votes: 3 5.1%

  • Daniel Atkinson

    Votes: 3 5.1%

  • Lachlan Ilias

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • None of the above - Stick by Jack Cogger and continue to nurture kids currently in the system

    Votes: 6 10.2%

  • Other (comment with their name)

    Votes: 1 1.7%

  • Ronald Volkman

    Votes: 1 1.7%

  • Toby Sexton

    Votes: 3 5.1%
  • Total voters
    59
KPGreatness said:
Gotta agree I remember some time ago when Burton was at Penrith Gould said something about Burton along the lines of “some players are to good for reserve grade and need to play in the NRL to continue their progression” Pryce is that kind of player that will stagnate at the NSW Cup level and needs first grade experience to get better.

He won’t get better in NSW Cup like some people he will stagnate he needs the first class experience to get better
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It seems like he has improved in NSW Cup though, because at the start of the season there were reports he was terrible, and he must have improved a lot to make NSW Cup team of the year.

What do you base it on that he won't improve from playing it?
 
Les Misérables said:
I've been a huge advocate for Pyrce since the moment we signed him. I want to see him play a lot more FG than he did last year. That said, we're heading into 2025 and Pryce is arguably still the same player he was when he arrived. We had a year to develop him and OB refused to play him because Pryce might cost him his job. OB preferred to play Cogger - a dead-end player - instead of blooding someone like Pryce who's ceiling is immeasurable

And because of this, we're heading into 2025 having wasted last season by playing Pryce in reggies which is probably a step below the ESL. Pryce needed to be in FG last year and he wasn't and now we'll pay for it, when this year could've been the year we had Pryce fixed for the 6 position.
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I've similarly been a big advocate for Pryce since he got here. Same reason I think it's worth giving Sharpe a go at training at 6 - in a competition with 1 winner and 16 losers, you need to optimise for high ceiling, high variance outcomes. Better to flame out taking big swings than make the 'safer' decision that leaves you a middling team at best.

But I don't know how anyone can say that we should have just played Pryce in FG last year with an eye on 2025 and beyond - it was pretty clear he wasn't ready for the first half of the season, and he showed flashes but not enough to earn a spot later on.

This isn't madden, the players are real people, not digital simulacra. A coach picking a player that isn't ready for it yet, and isn't the best option on a week-to-week basis does have an impact on all the other players. Telling the playing group 'we're just looking at next year' does have a broader negative impact.

Think it's unfair to criticise AOB for that one. Though I still hope Pryce kills preseason this year in such a way he demands selection - that's the path to our highest ceiling.
 
If he has been impressing in pre-season and they have a strong feeling about him, there’s no better time to extend him than now. Could end up with a great bargain here.
 
KPGreatness said:
Gotta agree I remember some time ago when Burton was at Penrith Gould said something about Burton along the lines of “some players are to good for reserve grade and need to play in the NRL to continue their progression” Pryce is that kind of player that will stagnate at the NSW Cup level and needs first grade experience to get better.

He won’t get better in NSW Cup like some people he will stagnate he needs the first class experience to get better
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Completely agree. The guy has pedigree. And his problems as a footballer strike me as the kind that either fix themselves quickly or not at all.

If he wasn't so talented I'd agree that a more traditional pathway would be hard to rebuke. I reckon the young bloke just needs consistent time in FG learning at that level. Imo we wasted a year hoping he'd learn something in NSW Cup that he didn't learn at Huddersfield. Pretty silly assumption if you think about it
 
MontyBrogan said:
I've similarly been a big advocate for Pryce since he got here. Same reason I think it's worth giving Sharpe a go at training at 6 - in a competition with 1 winner and 16 losers, you need to optimise for high ceiling, high variance outcomes. Better to flame out taking big swings than make the 'safer' decision that leaves you a middling team at best.

But I don't know how anyone can say that we should have just played Pryce in FG last year with an eye on 2025 and beyond - it was pretty clear he wasn't ready for the first half of the season, and he showed flashes but not enough to earn a spot later on.

This isn't madden, the players are real people, not digital simulacra. A coach picking a player that isn't ready for it yet, and isn't the best option on a week-to-week basis does have an impact on all the other players. Telling the playing group 'we're just looking at next year' does have a broader negative impact.

Think it's unfair to criticise AOB for that one. Though I still hope Pryce kills preseason this year in such a way he demands selection - that's the path to our highest ceiling.
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His performances in FG weren't too bad, he was doing a lot of great work, marred by a few moments of recklesness, his greatest area for improvement imo wasn't the quality of his involvement but the quantity.

Thought he wasn't pragmatic or involved enough. The few moments he did have i thought were mostly decent.

On those performances one could fairly argue that Gamble, Cogger and even Crossland were both ahead of him for the 6 jersey. So naturally Pryce would go to reggies, right? Well, I'm arguing that we should've kept him in FG, or at least have reintroduced him for a longer stint later in the season because his arc for improvement could be so steep we might have what we need from him within a month in FG. I'm saying it was a calculated risk we probably should've taken.
 
KPGreatness said:
True but I’d still do it

6. Pryce
7. Cogger
14. Gamble

Cogger purely because he has a better kicking game than Hastings with a lot less attitude and he can steer the team around and let KP, Pryce and the rest take over once in position.

Gamble as 14 as he can come in at 6,7,9 or 13 and brings that fire if needed. Settle that for 10 games and see what happens
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I just can't agree with Cogger at 7 if Hastings is fit. Hastings wasn't fit last year, Cogger was, yet Cogger got dropped for Crossland. Nothing from Cogger since coming home has indicated he is better for the job than Hastings, Hastings had a rough 2024 (injury ridden) but when fit in 2023 he had a great year, much better than cogs in 2024.

And for Gamble being 14, I'm not against it but while you have Crossland in the 17 who can play 6, 7, 9, and 13 (all but 6 better than Gamble) then why would we carry Gamble and drop Brailey when Brailey still can do a great job at 9.
 
It’s projecting based on his talent level & his late season form in Cup, under the assumption he absolutely canes the pre-season. I don’t think anyone is saying he’s outplayed Gamble in the NRL.
 
Kurriboy said:
Hastings is the best half at the club. If fit and likeable.

Gamble the best 5/8th option.
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Hastings is our best half when fit and in a good headspace I agree. But if we are willing to settle for Gamble being our best 6 option then our ceiling is not going to be very high once again. What has Gamble really done to get first pick at 6, he has 8 seasons in the NRL and played 63 games, yes he had a good 2023 but feeding Ponga ball in the form he was in, barely warrants him getting first choice.

If we want our ceiling to be higher than any of our previous years then we have to take a punt on Pryce if he's earned the spot through pre season.
HarVeeGee13 said:
It’s projecting based on his talent level & his late season form in Cup, under the assumption he absolutely canes the pre-season. I don’t think anyone is saying he’s outplayed Gamble in the NRL.
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As HarVeeGee has said here, no one has said he's been better than Gamble at NRL level yet but on projection of getting in NSW team of the year, from where he started the season. Turning up with an injury and first time ever living out of home, not to mention but that out of home being a 24 hour flight from his family, friends and home country, this would of taken a massive adjustment (as Pryce has said himself) and a mental toll on the 22 YEAR OLD KID.

I'm simply not willing to fall on the sword of having Gamble at 6 because he's a 28 year old half 8 years into his career that has had one decent season to date. Yes he's a competitor and a great back up option or option for our 17 but if we can take a punt on someone who has shown signs then why not. Let's strive for more then making the 8 for once, not only if the Pryce punt works out we will position well this year but it will set us up for future years which is what we need. Ponga - 26, Pryce - 22, and Crossland - 24 is a future spine halfback, pending of course
 
If we follow the pattern of the last few seasons, the guys will come back in the next few days and go straight into a week long camp with a reduced squad of just over 30.
By the end of the week they'll probably have settled on the preferred starting 13 and spend the next 5 weeks tinkering around with that.
I don't think we will be told, because they are keeping very quiet this year, but I think the coaching staff will have decided on our preferred halves after next week.
 
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