Hughes or Jacks or Croft at half back

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Storm Spirit
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Hughes at 1, Croft at 7, Munny at 6 and Drinkwater will eventually partner Scott in the centres post Will
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blazza18
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We're going to miss having a game manager once Smith retires. Unless Croft has a major jump in his development next season I think we might be better long term with Munster moving back to fullback and recruiting someone to play in the halves.
scriptyx
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I don't think Munster moves to FB now. He is our game manager after Smith moves on. He is getting much better at reading the flow of the game this year and I think he will be ready by the time Smith retires.

1. Hughes/drinkwater
6. Munster
7. Croft
scriptyx
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Jacks doesn't have a place in the team. He is 27 next year and he is not a great player. He is realiable but can't win us games. I think he might make a good hooker tho
Itzbek the Purple
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scriptyx wrote:Jacks doesn't have a place in the team. He is 27 next year and he is not a great player. He is realiable but can't win us games. I think he might make a good hooker tho
I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment but would you rate him a better hooker solution than Harry Grant?
Itzbek the Purple
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blazza18 wrote:We're going to miss having a game manager once Smith retires. Unless Croft has a major jump in his development next season I think we might be better long term with Munster moving back to fullback and recruiting someone to play in the halves.
According to Matthew Johns, a good half back doesn't really get to know his role until he's played 50 games. So if that's correct, Smith's presumed retirement at the end of 2019 season would put Croft at about the requisite number. That said, however, I think the coaching staff will be intensely monitoring Croft's progress and if not at an acceptable rate, I would guess that we'll be in the market for a HB for as we all know failure is not an acceptable option.
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Itzbek the Purple wrote:
scriptyx wrote:Jacks doesn't have a place in the team. He is 27 next year and he is not a great player. He is realiable but can't win us games. I think he might make a good hooker tho
I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment but would you rate him a better hooker solution than Harry Grant?
No. Grant has loads more potential.
scriptyx
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Agree that Grant is a better option. I think Jacks will only be signed if dirt cheap
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Anyone curious to see what Craig could do with Shaun Johnson?
Mattpoet
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Yes and no
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sallymay
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Itzbek the Purple wrote:
scriptyx wrote:Jacks doesn't have a place in the team. He is 27 next year and he is not a great player. He is realiable but can't win us games. I think he might make a good hooker tho
I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment but would you rate him a better hooker solution than Harry Grant?

no way in the world is Ryley better then Harry
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Surely when Cameron Smith retires Brandon Smith will be first choice hooker. But I agree Harry is a better hooker than Jacks.
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Danger D
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Drinkwater was good in his debut but it's a different story playing NRL week-in-week-out. We saw it with Brodie's fantastic showing last year and his average games to start this year.
My preference: Hughes 1, Munster 6, Croft 7.
If we keep Jacks in the post-Smith era he could play a role off the bench but I don't have him featuring in any top 17 for us in 2019.
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Scooter wrote:Surely when Cameron Smith retires Brandon Smith will be first choice hooker. But I agree Harry is a better hooker than Jacks.
100%! Surely!
Ice
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Danger D wrote:Drinkwater was good in his debut but it's a different story playing NRL week-in-week-out. We saw it with Brodie's fantastic showing last year and his average games to start this year.
My preference: Hughes 1, Munster 6, Croft 7.
If we keep Jacks in the post-Smith era he could play a role off the bench but I don't have him featuring in any top 17 for us in 2019.
Totally agree that some have a great debut and don['t go on with it, that said every young bloke deserves a fair crack to find out if he's one of the good ones or the other that don't go on with it. I remember when we signed Drinkwater there was no shortage of other clubs wanting to sign him and while I know that doesn't mean he'll go on with it, I reckon this bloke will be an absolute gun and thought so even before his debut.
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