The Great Halfback debate

[The Brain]

My Brain is killing me on The Cronk Factor if he doesnt play .He is the steadiest hand we have had since SBW,Brad Fittler before him and the late Great Artie.
I had doubts about Cronk at the begining ...tooo old tooo Melbournish etc.I was definately wrong ...massive Footy Brain watching his last saturday was a master at work.Every positional defence and attack play he was barking positions no stop.
So if he is out? Ive changed my mind 10 times on what we should do as an chookpen arm chair critic.
Is Trent Robbo in the same boat?.
This mornings thoughts we do not need to shuffle the whole team around to accommodate.
We dont want Luke Keary to move to half although he would do a top job .Our backs need his running game .
Osully Jr ..Im Thinking not.Bad move.Too inexperienced they will run at him.
Ryan Mattersonas Half ? -possibly gives a big body in defence at least ..can pass the ball..has a bit of a kick in him but not half backs know how..Him and Keary can swap around etc dont know.
If it happens Im worried Friendy may over play his hand and generally when he does he gets messy.
Heres a thought if we had another hooker -Baptiste and friend plays half that could work but this is a GF not a regular game.
Im losing it over this ..ok Lindsay collins to play Halfback hahahhaha.

[Roosterfarian]

Momirovski at halfback Brian..he can do anything mun!

[The Brain]

Momirovski at halfback Brian..he can do anything mun!

hahahah one of your local boxhead mates....Very good young player shame he has moved on.

[Roosterfarian]

LOL

Incidentally, I was sweating bullets hoping you WEREN'T sitting next to me last Saturday night. Remember the last Roosters-Rabbits prelim game?

[NorfolkStreetKid]

I can't see Cronk playing, so forget that option. Keary needs to stay where he is at 5/8th. Someone needs to feed the scrums and play half, I think Matterson is the obvious choice. He has the most first grade experience. I don't think SOS is up to it. Latrell can take the kicks for line. Keary and Friend can kick on the last.
Teddy
Fergo
Latrell
Manu
Toups
Keary
Matto
Liu
Aubo
Cords
SST
Friend
JWH

Napa
Tets
Victor
Collins

Losing Cronk is a massive blow, we don't have anyone who can offer what he does but that's life. We need size and experience against Melbourne. I think Matto can handle a simplified role at half as well as any other option we have. He deserves the spot and has been solid all year.

[Tommy Smith]

If Jake Friend makes half a dozen kicks to take the pressure off of Keary I think we lose.

1 will go out on the full, 1 will be a mishit that goes 20m, and 4 will go straight down Billy Slater's throat.

We absolutely need another kicking option so I feel as though it has to be SOS.

[The Brain]

LOL

Incidentally, I was sweating bullets hoping you WEREN'T sitting next to me last Saturday night. Remember the last Roosters-Rabbits prelim game?

hahhaha yeah i do i has souffs supporters in my box had another mate couple of boxes down ...didnt need to say a word just the look on their faces was enough

[Chris]

This is what the team should be:

1. James Tedesco
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Latrell Mitchell
4. Joseph Manu
5. Blake Ferguson
6. Luke Keary
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
9. Jake Friend
10. Sio Siua Taukeiaho
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Isaac Liu
13. Victor Radley

Interchange:
14. Dylan Napa
15. Zane Tetevano
16. Mitch Aubusson
17. Ryan Matterson

Give Cronk every opportunity to play. If he can by some miracle get through the game, Matterson can play as a forward, if not Matterson jumps into the 7. I wouldn't expect him to do a great job though.

[Lydon]

Interesting tweet from NRL Physio below regarding Cronk..The cynic in me says why would the Club use the word severe and show their hand so early in the week,something smells fishy!


One possibility for Cooper Cronk not yet discussed; a rotator cuff contusion (bruise/cork). Would fit the mechanism of injury (direct contact to posterior shoulder), can cause short term loss of function in shoulder. Pain & weakness often settles in 3-5 days. Would be best case

Cronk showed good strength and mobility in the sheds at half time, despite carrying shoulder heavily in second half. Don’t often hear this referred to as a “severe rotator cuff injury” but the vision gives hope

[stephenj]

is cronk spending healing time in a barometric chamber?

[Thirteen]

Interesting tweet from NRL Physio below regarding Cronk..The cynic in me says why would the Club use the word severe and show their hand so early in the week,something smells fishy!


One possibility for Cooper Cronk not yet discussed; a rotator cuff contusion (bruise/cork). Would fit the mechanism of injury (direct contact to posterior shoulder), can cause short term loss of function in shoulder. Pain & weakness often settles in 3-5 days. Would be best case

Cronk showed good strength and mobility in the sheds at half time, despite carrying shoulder heavily in second half. Don’t often hear this referred to as a “severe rotator cuff injury” but the vision gives hope

Way too jovial in the press conference yesterday. Didn't appear like a guy who was going to miss a GF. I reckon he will be good and I reckon The Roosters already know whether of not he will play. Hopefully one of our mates will text us some inside info again LOL

[Hark Marris]

It has to be O'Sullivan.
2 kickers to spread the kick rushers thin.
Then no one has to play out of position and we keep a good bench.
Then run Cronk with the water bottle like Alfie.
Our general can then still run the team.
OR better still, fake the severity of Cronks injury all week and then pull the Fine Cotton switch.

[The Brain]

it has to be o'sullivan.
2 kickers to spread the kick rushers thin.
Then no one has to play out of position and we keep a good bench.
Then run cronk with the water bottle like alfie.
Our general can then still run the team.
Or better still, fake the severity of cronks injury all week and then pull the fine cotton switch.

lol....

[NorthChook]

Cronk will be named but IF as expected last minute is out before kick off, going off what Robbo has done earlier this year I reckon he will go with:

6. Keary
7. Matterson

with SOS on the bench.

Robbo will probably play it safe and gone of what they have done before and have SOS as cover for the halves if things go wrong and have a 3 man bench.

Don't necessarily agree with this but think it will happen. At least Robbo seems to be on top of his team management recently and will have confidence in rotating the forwards at the right time.

I think the worse case scenario though is playing SOS in his 2nd First Grade game on field, off the bench fresh in a Grand Final...would be very similar to tupou off the bench but with a lot less experience and a lot more pressure.

In saying that hopefully if he kills it and it will be a great story to remember

[melon....]

I can't see Cronk playing, so forget that option. Keary needs to stay where he is at 5/8th. Someone needs to feed the scrums and play half, I think Matterson is the obvious choice. He has the most first grade experience. I don't think SOS is up to it. Latrell can take the kicks for line. Keary and Friend can kick on the last.
Teddy
Fergo
Latrell
Manu
Toups
Keary
Matto
Liu
Aubo
Cords
SST
Friend
JWH

Napa
Tets
Victor
Collins

Losing Cronk is a massive blow, we don't have anyone who can offer what he does but that's life. We need size and experience against Melbourne. I think Matto can handle a simplified role at half as well as any other option we have. He deserves the spot and has been solid all year.

No. Friend must not kick at all. Keary to kick in general play. The second half was all him and his kicks were as good as cronk.

I say let aubbo feed the scrums .. He was on Saturday. Bring in the kid SOS Strict instruction play first receiver and pass to keary Let keary and brains son in law sort out the back line movement.

As brain pointed out... Were not going to lose a half back, were going to lose an organiser.. A general. That's where keary must own it.