The Halfback Conundrum
- Thread starter HarVeeGee13
- Start date
I’m sort of at this point too. I’d love us to sign a good half, but realistically there are no viable options.
With all our issues last year I think it’s easily forgotten that in 2023 after the regular season we had the best attack in the comp with Gamble and Hastings in the halves despite Ponga being out a lot of the year. Obviously a number of factors contributed to the big fall in the halves last year, but it’s also not completely unrealistic to predict that if we can just stick with a combination and playing style next year + have some luck with injuries in the spine, our halves will show at least some improvement. I think the chances of that happening are more likely than us finding a great half from nowhere anyway.
I also think it’s completely underestimated the impact that Brailey coming back from 2 ACLs had on the halves. He definitely started to improve a lot towards the end of 2024 though and the attack did too.
Brad tighe
Michael Eagar
Tom Duffy is the most credible option
Les Misérables
Sean Rudder
This. Exactly.
Why aren't we doing it? I can't see any other options aside from growing our own and unfortunately we don't have a 7 in our system likely to play FG in the next few years.
Les Misérables
Sean Rudder
Some legend on insta just posted this. Duffy with 33 try assists in 22 games in Cup. Alongside sitting first for goals and points.
Attachments
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
There’s honestly a much better chance of the Dogs sticking with Sexton over Woods than there is of the Roosters retaining Smith over Rodwell long term.
Celticman98
Sean Rudder
Wouldn't be the worst idea that Parr should meet up with Gus again.
Doesn't take much for Gus to talk up his track record with developing juniors so I'm sure Parr will get something out of meeting up with him.
The Knights creating a halves academy similar to Penrith and the Bulldogs is probably the only way I can think of were we can develop a long term 7.
frankLauda
Tony Butterfield
Or we poach one of these halves from them? They can't keep them all. But logically being a development club that would make sense we do the same. Give someone like Mullen a job.
Lefty
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I think Mullen could perform a similar role that Terry Jenner did for Shane Warne. Jenner didn’t realise his full potential, Mullen would be able help emerging halves avoid making mistakes.
OK, a playmaking academy is being discussed and I've had my say on Liam Sutton having all the tools. I think we agree there is a dearth of playmakers in the nrl atm and very few coming through. I think Katoa is going to be great, Sam Walker is an out and out playmaker, but there aren't that many kids jumping out of the ground. I thought I'd give my thoughts on how playmakers should be developed. I'm warning that it is going to be LONG. I'll probably do over multiple posts. I'm going to be very specific in saying the type of half I'd aim to develop is a Johnathon Thurston style. To me, he refined specific areas of Joey's game to become incredibly effective, and this is teachable. No point trying to replicate a Benji Marshall or Preston Campbell, they were instinctive, you can't teach that. There is plenty to take from Cleary's game obviously, but I think Thurston had that covered anyway. Moses has evolved closer and closer to Thurston as he's gone along. Read on if you have the time...
Cows won't let him go, Clifford is just a stop gap until Duffy is ready
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
People forget how skilful Michael Dobson was as a half.
He came through the Canberra system just after Terry Campese, who would have been one of the greats if he didn't get injured every 5 minutes.
Dobson then went to the ESL and worked on his skills. He had a great ESL career.
He came to the Knights and picked the brains of all our good halves, but he just wasn't an NRL level athlete.
Honestly, Dobson is a smart guy who has all the halfback skills and can teach them to young guys. Guys like Loza, Hunt and Sutton developed a lot of playmaking skills under Dobson in Flegg last year and he has them all for reserve grade this year.
He came through the Canberra system just after Terry Campese, who would have been one of the greats if he didn't get injured every 5 minutes.
Dobson then went to the ESL and worked on his skills. He had a great ESL career.
He came to the Knights and picked the brains of all our good halves, but he just wasn't an NRL level athlete.
Honestly, Dobson is a smart guy who has all the halfback skills and can teach them to young guys. Guys like Loza, Hunt and Sutton developed a lot of playmaking skills under Dobson in Flegg last year and he has them all for reserve grade this year.
So the first step is talent identification. I'm thinking 14 is the ideal time to start a kid at an academy. Before that, things are a bit complex, after that, too old to be a padawan they are. There are three musts for me: 1) a long kicking technique is a must. If you don't have that at 14 you aren't learning it later. 2) must be quick enough over ten metres to be a running threat 3) must show enough intelligence/sporting intelligence to be able to take on what is being taught. Players who back their instincts over what is being taught aren't academy candidates. They may make footy players one day, but aren't what I'm after.
Brad tighe
Michael Eagar
Dobson when he came here was played out of position at 5/8. He was cover for Roberts as he was really inconsistent and probably wasn’t nrl quality. Before Mullens injury and Alex Mckinnion injury and packers incident I have no doubt Bennett was trying to win the 2014 competition. If none of those things happened I think we probably win it or go close. Dobson would’ve been great with Mullen.
Brad tighe
Michael Eagar
Fletcher Hunt looks a real talent
what's that pong
Jason Hoogerworf
Not happy making the 8, wants to drop an under performing player for a player that's not upto fg and happy to lose the next week.
I guess that's the kind of intelligence we can expect from someone that is proud to be from kurri kurri
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You start with passing drills designed to make sure the player is square to the defensive line as they pass and are playing straight. Young players, especially if they are quick, are going to be used to beating players on the out side. As a half, you can't do that much in first grade. They have to unlearn what they have learned. Start learning now what will work in first grade. The basic passing drills should be about playing straight with an "edge" decoy on their hip and finding the "sweep" player, passing both left and right. This drill should be completed about a million times in their time at the academy.
The other drill at a young age is the key to playmaking and vision. The playmaker, an edge and sweeper against two defenders. The playmaker should learn to play in a corridor a metre wide. Use witches hats if need be. He plays straight and reacts to the defenders, picking the best between three options 1) dummy and run 2) hit the lead runner 3) hit the sweeper. As the defenders react to what he is doing, he will learn to react to them. Again, needs to be repeated about a million times, until the "vision" required is second nature. At this point it is done without any inside pressure, that will come.
That’s ice cold.