Radley back to ball playing lock?

[A Country Member]

Victor needs to step up. Since being penalised out of the game he has lost his edge. Coupled with now being a new father, he hasn’t been the same since the Covid return to the comp 2020.

[Bates]

Victor needs to step up. Since being penalised out of the game he has lost his edge. Coupled with now being a new father, he hasn’t been the same since the Covid return to the comp 2020.

I thought he played well last season.

[Bates]

It's about his attack, not his defence. He defends well everywhere. Josh Reynolds on the radio who is a good judge imo and a roosters fan spoke at length on the radio about Victor needing to be a threat in the middle in the absence of our first choice half.

Let's be honest, Victor is in the top 17 players in the comp. Ball in hand he is a gun. In the middle he is excellent, because he has good feet, runs straight, and hits straight holes.

That's my thinking too.

We don't need him ball playing and clogging up the middle when Sammy is back. Now's the time for Victor to play the link role as there's not much creative spark in our halves combination.

[Rooster_6]

The game has moved away from ball playing locks again, most defences have figured out how to defend a lock who plays as a first receiver. Even Yeo, arguably the greatest exponent changed his game up a bit last year and started ball playing less. Thought the best thing we did last year was just get quick early ball to the halves and stopped trying to get too cute with it.

I like Radley at lock though, mainly for his yardage, thought he was really good in that role last year and with a lack of experience and depth in the front row that’s probably why I would be selecting him at lock more so than for his ball playing ability.

However willing to see how he goes over the course of the first 5 rounds this year in the second row given he’s actually had a full pre-season preparing for the role this year, my main concerns with him in the second row last year was his lack of involvement in attack and the minimal threat he offered on the edge for his halves. If he can’t improve in these areas especially what he offers his half in attack then I would like to see Wong, McCathie or Foketi get a run there.

[Thirteen]

No thanks. Keep him out wide.

[Thirteen]

Victor needs to step up. Since being penalised out of the game he has lost his edge. Coupled with now being a new father, he hasn’t been the same since the Covid return to the comp 2020.

I’d have to agree with you. Still effective and I love him in the side but his aura is not what it once was.

[kakaruk]

Move him back to lock that’s his natural posisition imo

[ARD]

If there’s one criticism of Robbo I’ll listen to, it’s his use of backrowers.

[ism22]

Move him back to lock that’s his natural posisition imo

He's a small guy who does a heap of big tackles in the middle by launching himself at bigger players uncontrollably in the hope of clocking them hard when the timing's 100% on point. What could go wrong there aside from injuries and suspensions?

Yeah nah. We have Butcher, Whyte and Watson. We want players on the field right now... not suspended!

[Bondicigar]

Victor needs to be out wide to add some doubt into the defence and give our halves some options.
Our edges look quite good with Gus and rads, they will create space and opportunities.

[Rooster90]

If there’s one criticism of Robbo I’ll listen to, it’s his use of backrowers.

He seems to have a fascination with every edge backrower must spend time playing in the middle - did the same with Gus and now Wong
Only Whyte has seemed to adapt to this.

Someone needs to tell him, that sometimes...it's okay to play players in their proper spot - Rugby League is a simple game
I reckon he could sign someone like Luke Garner or Euan Aitken and still expect them to play up front first

[Vasco]

He is definitely wasted on the edge.

[bondi paul]

Radley has lost speed and gained weight.

[Qld Chook]

He seems to have a fascination with every edge backrower must spend time playing in the middle - did the same with Gus and now Wong
Only Whyte has seemed to adapt to this.

Someone needs to tell him, that sometimes...it's okay to play players in their proper spot - Rugby League is a simple game
I reckon he could sign someone like Luke Garner or Euan Aitken and still expect them to play up front first

It honestly does my head. It's all great building versatility but when it's stunting their development with all the chopping and changing it needs to stop. I'd rather really good second rowers and really good middles, but instead we just have average forwards because they are not allowed to master one or the other.

Wong looked a great prospect when he burst onto the scene as a right edge second rower, then Robbo played him in the middle (even the front row for periods) last year in NSW cup and his development has fell off a cliff. The same can be said for both Butcher's, Gus (as mentioned) Sitili at stages and now it's Rads turn to cop it. Lock them into their natural position, let them nail it down and stop shuffling the deck. It shits me. We have a playing group that have been together for some time, but they look clunky and play like they don't know each other as they afe constantly learning new positions.

Rads is ineffective on the edge. We are short creativity without Walker and he could bring that by linking with the halves as a ball playing lock. Put Wong or Nat on the right edge, both who have excelled their and look far more comfortable.

[Chook2]

It honestly does my head. It's all great building versatility but when it's stunting their development with all the chopping and changing it needs to stop. I'd rather really good second rowers and really good middles, but instead we just have average forwards because they are not allowed to master one or the other.

Wong looked a great prospect when he burst onto the scene as a right edge second rower, then Robbo played him in the middle (even the front row for periods) last year in NSW cup and his development has fell off a cliff. The same can be said for both Butcher's, Gus (as mentioned) Sitili at stages and now it's Rads turn to cop it. Lock them into their natural position, let them nail it down and stop shuffling the deck. It shits me. We have a playing group that have been together for some time, but they look clunky and play like they don't know each other as they afe constantly learning new positions.

Rads is ineffective on the edge. We are short creativity without Walker and he could bring that by linking with the halves as a ball playing lock. Put Wong or Nat on the right edge, both who have excelled their and look far more comfortable.

Robbo seems to make the simple hard and over complicate things at times doesn’t he
rads is a gun 13 and Wong a natural edge