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
All I've seen from Phoenix is an energy machine and a great tackler. I cant recall him setting up tries or guiding the teams attack around the field. I saw him purely as a fill in at the end of last year. I think Hooker he is well suited to and does well there, but at halfback he's just energy and tackling. Not what we need long term, especially if we want to start scoring points.
 
Tim said:
All I've seen from Phoenix is an energy machine and a great tackler. I cant recall him setting up tries or guiding the teams attack around the field. I saw him purely as a fill in at the end of last year. I think Hooker he is well suited to and does well there, but at halfback he's just energy and tackling. Not what we need long term, especially if we want to start scoring points.
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Bingo.
 
numlock105 said:
Phoenix 7 Sharpe 6 Brailey 9 Arthur 14
Personal Hope AB goes with this
What i saw in the finals makes me believe Phoenix could be long term he straightens our attack got big boot on him.
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Granted Crossland even said he was actually letting Cogger set things up and he was just playing a running eyes up role.

So Crossland wasn’t actually doing anything it was Cogger setting up the play and Crossland was just going with it and playing eyes up.

(If you’d want to look for the article you prob could but I don’t want to)
 
Tim said:
All I've seen from Phoenix is an energy machine and a great tackler. I cant recall him setting up tries or guiding the teams attack around the field. I saw him purely as a fill in at the end of last year. I think Hooker he is well suited to and does well there, but at halfback he's just energy and tackling. Not what we need long term, especially if we want to start scoring points.
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The game against raiders a couple of years ago he kicked us out of trouble and basically won us the game. Crossland is a victim of his versatility he is a half it just happens his better at hooker.

Crossland is so much like Kurt Gidley except he has a longer and better kicking game. He easily has the longest kicking game at the club
 
KPGreatness said:
Granted Crossland even said he was actually letting Cogger set things up and he was just playing a running eyes up role.

So Crossland wasn’t actually doing anything it was Cogger setting up the play and Crossland was just going with it and playing eyes up.

(If you’d want to look for the article you prob could but I don’t want to)
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This to me fairly straightforwardly answers the question of "can Dylan Brown play halfback in the NRL?" What is a halfback and what is a five-eighth, really? Alfie Langer, Ricky Stuart, Cooper Cronk, Ben Hornby - all halfbacks. Anthony Milford, Ezra Mam, Blake Green, Kieran Foran, James Maloney - all five-eighths. Johnathan Thurston, Jarome Luai, Jake Clifford, Luke Keary and Luke Brooks are all going to play a lot of footy with both 6 and 7 on their back.

In some teams, 6 & 7 just indicate left and right. Munster and Hughes are very very similar players, robust run first halves who have strong kicking games and play a very ad-lib style. I don't think there's actually much difference in their roles at all, besides where they stand on the field.

But the closest thing to a consistent definition is the 7 is the "primary" half and the 6 is the "secondary" one. Someone like Mam plays the secondary role by playing almost a purely eyes up, run-first, support play-heavy style, while Reynolds does most of the thinking. Blake Green did it by doing the opposite, not even touching the ball that much but focusing heavily on constantly talking and making sure everyone is setting up correctly for what the team is about to do next, and playing an unselfish style focusing mostly on just getting more dangerous players into good positions. Then you have someone like Maloney who sort of wore both those hats at the same time.

Probably not a coincidence: Mitchell Pearce looked like a much better player next to someone like Blake Green or James Maloney than he did with Connor Watson or Kurt Mann as his 6.

Could you drop Brown into just any team, and have him play halfback? No.

Could you drop him into the Knights next season, put the 7 on his back as a way of telling him "you are one of the main men on this team, we are going to look to you to create points for us the way we look to KP", and post Cogger & Gamble on that right edge as a Blake Green style "supporting half". In my opinion, yes, absolutely.

I don't think the issue with the spine is a lack of players who can competently steer the team to the right spots on the field & then get the ball where it needs to go. The issue is a lack of quality & threat besides KP.

I honestly think that solves the halves question in the short term, and then whether guys like Sharpe/Pryce/Votano/Loza force their way into the team, whether Brown's role changes to more of a key organiser one to accommodate that, that's a problem for the future which can be solved at the club's leisure, rather than trying to force it ASAP.
 
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Brad tighe said:
The game against raiders a couple of years ago he kicked us out of trouble and basically won us the game. Crossland is a victim of his versatility he is a half it just happens his better at hooker.

Crossland is so much like Kurt Gidley except he has a longer and better kicking game. He easily has the longest kicking game at the club
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Gids was considerably more skilful. Faster. Fitter and had a far better footy brain.
 
I have to go have a sit down every time someone suggests crossland should be the in the halves this year.

His career was on a one way trip to the real NRL until someone at the club realised the stuff he does well doesn't make for a good halfback, but could work at 9.
He has publicly stated he prefers to play 9 on several occasions.
He just played 9 for New Zealand and won their players player award for the series.
 
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slotmachine said:
I have to go have a sit down every time someone suggests crossland should be the in the halves this year.

His career was on a one way trip to the real NRL until someone at the club realised the stuff he does well doesn't make for a good halfback, but could work at 9.
He has publicly stated he prefers to play 9 on several occasions.
He just played 9 for New Zealand.
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True d’at! 👍
 
Crossland should be our starting 9 anyway. Brails can come back through Reggie's.

Would be ridiculous to drop crossland to the bench as utility after last season and representing NZ at 9.

His energy would be great to start games and get us on the front foot.
 
Crossland just got moved to 7 last year off the back of our worst two performances at Manly then home to Brisbane. AOB said it a million times, he and the coaching staff felt they needed to inject further effort and grit into the side. Hopefully that is not an issue moving forward, but if we lack that again, Brailey playing big minutes at 9 and Crossland & Gamble as a halves pair will be the best solution to that issue with our current squad.
 
Kurriboy said:
Crossland should be our starting 9 anyway. Brails can come back through Reggie's.

Would be ridiculous to drop crossland to the bench as utility after last season and representing NZ at 9.

His energy would be great to start games and get us on the front foot.
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I wouldn’t be putting Brails back to Reggie’s. The are both very good 9 options. I do agree Crossland needs probably more game time than Braily though.
 
Look all im saying is they looks way better when crossland is first receiver taking the line on while ponga sweeping under.finals game you could see defence compressing
Compared to cogger taking line on they weren't even fazed.get it cogger better as organiser won't debate that.. but need more than organiser playing in the half's
cross reminds unpolished version of kerian foran.
 
numlock105 said:
Look all im saying is they looks way better when crossland is first receiver taking the line on while ponga sweeping under.finals game you could see defence compressing
Compared to cogger taking line on they weren't even fazed.get it cogger better as organiser won't debate that.. but need more than organiser playing in the half's
cross reminds unpolished version of kerian foran.
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I think Gamble can do the same at 7 with a bit more organising.
I'd go,
1.Ponga
6. Pryce, Sharpe, Cogger (whoever stands up in trials/training).
7.Gamble
9.Crossland
14.Brailey

Gamble and Crossland have to be in the team for their energy, effort & D.
 
Crossland would not be my first choice halfback for the Knights. Having said that, in his games at 7 he didn’t look close to as hopeless as Hastings & Cogger did at times in 2024. He is a low ceiling/high floor option that depending on the form of others may need to be utilised again.
 
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