Robbo’s Lesson

[Thirteen]

It’s clear to see that Manu performs best when he is more involved. I think his 3 best games this season were when he wasn’t playing centre.

Based on the example set by Tom T in origin, I think Robbo needs to come up with a plan that allows Manu to roam around from right centre. Almost like he is playing the role of a second fullback, not defensively but in attack. Tom T is a special talent and can read the game so well and I don’t know if Joey has these smarts, but he needs to be more involved every game, not just when he’s not playing centre.

It’s a good challenge for Robbo to figure out how to get Manu more involved. It may also entice Manu to re-sign with us. He isn’t going to be playing 6 next season and obviously fullback is taken too.

Manu is such a weapon when he is regularly getting his hands on the ball. In the Under-20s he was the go to man. We need this from him in first grade on a regular basis.

It’s over to you Robbo….

[The Skeez]

Send him an email. I’m sure he needs the ideas

[player 1]

If he's staying in centres, and as you say it doesn't appear an option otherwise, not only does he need more ball we need to offer him more than premium centre money to stay with us.

We cannot let this guy go. We haven't seen the best of him. Gee that left foot step solo try of his was a flash back to Freddy and how he could just pull clutch tries like that out of nothing.

[ism22]

Send him an email. I’m sure he needs the ideas

I think his e-mail address is trent.robinson@hotmail.com.

[Johnny Tobin]

He already roams from centre. Has been doing so for a while. I think it will increase though.

[stringaz]

Also good to avoid a case of "too many cooks". Robbo has the Roosters playing as a team unit, a good problem to have, Manu, and Robbo has said they plan to unlock him more.

Another headache is keeping suaali in first grade. He's past "bring him on slowly on the wing" and should only be centre. I guess it comes down to jmoz, i assume he is playing another season? And is the plan to put joe on the left with toops?

[dice]

I am sure I heard Robbo make reference to using Manu as a second fullback like Tommy T in SOO1. Might have been the pre-game interview on Foxtel.

[Roosterfarian]

Give him the edge roaming role and have Teddy hang around the middle as he is more effectively around that region.

[Thirteen]

He already roams from centre. Has been doing so for a while. I think it will increase though.

He runs across field a lot but I don’t consider this roaming. When was the last time you saw him link up with the left centre? He hasn’t.

[BUDDY]

He was probably the best centre in the game a couple of years ago but has gone down the pecking order a bit. Best centre now would be Turbo followed by Trell.
Turbo's game in SOO the last couple of years might have redefined a centre's attacking role going forward. Not sure Jmoz can play that roaming centre but Joey has all the attributes that it would suit his running game. Hopefully Robbo puts a rocket up him for this week's game.

[Rooster_6]

I think it's a lot easier to talk about these things in theory than it is to execute on them.

It almost feels like de ja vu, Tommy Turbo also did this in Game 2 of 2019. He absolutely tore up from centre scoring a hattick and roaming all over the field and we had these exact same discussions on here about unleashing Latrell and Manu from the centres more often and Robbo acknowledged the performance publicly stating that he would love to allow his players similar freedoms.

Problem is in game 3 of 2019 Turbo was kept very quiet and every time he left his centre position QLD were able to counter it by also reallocating their defensive numbers as the right edge pretty much became redundant in attacking play. We saw this in game 1, Josh Addo-Carr may as well have been sitting in row 1 with the fans in attacking sets. In Game 3 2019 NSW were also far less dominant in terms of field position so the opportunities to roam were far less than game 2 which was very similar in nature to game 1 this year where we dominated field position and the ruck for the full 80mins.

The real question is, is this tactic as effective when you're not dominating momentum and field position all game and if so how?

I think it's naive to suggest Robinson learnt a lesson on Wednesday because all we saw was a repeat of what happened in 2019... we know it can be done in a side that's dominating but how do you do it in a side playimg back foot footy or in a tight contest whilst also maintaining an attacking threat down the edge you just removed your centre from.

Does your 2nd rower move into the centre position? Is that 2nd rower mobile enough? Who then takes the 2nd row position?

Does your lock move into the 2nd row position? Do you want Radley playing 2nd row in good ball or do you want him still distributing from middle?

I don't think it's as simple as some are making out.

[Thirteen]

I think it's a lot easier to talk about these things in theory than it is to execute on them.

It almost feels like de ja vu, Tommy Turbo also did this in Game 2 of 2019. He absolutely tore up from centre scoring a hattick and roaming all over the field and we had these exact same discussions on here about unleashing Latrell and Manu from the centres more often and Robbo acknowledged the performance publicly stating that he would love to allow his players similar freedoms.

Problem is in game 3 of 2019 Turbo was kept very quiet and every time he left his centre position QLD were able to counter it by also reallocating their defensive numbers as the right edge pretty much became redundant in attacking play. We saw this in game 1, Josh Addo-Carr may as well have been sitting in row 1 with the fans in attacking sets. In Game 3 2019 NSW were also far less dominant in terms of field position so the opportunities to roam were far less than game 2 which was very similar in nature to game 1 this year where we dominated field position and the ruck for the full 80mins.

The real question is, is this tactic as effective when you're not dominating momentum and field position all game and if so how?

I think it's naive to suggest Robinson learnt a lesson on Wednesday because all we saw was a repeat of what happened in 2019... we know it can be done in a side that's dominating but how do you do it in a side playimg back foot footy or in a tight contest whilst also maintaining an attacking threat down the edge you just removed your centre from.

Does your 2nd rower move into the centre position? Is that 2nd rower mobile enough? Who then takes the 2nd row position?

Does your lock move into the 2nd row position? Do you want Radley playing 2nd row in good ball or do you want him still distributing from middle?

I don't think it's as simple as some are making out.

It’s not simple at all. Yes there are certainly ways to combat a guy like Tom T but you can’t stop him all together. Lucky it’s Robbo’s ‘problem’.

[Bondicigar]

Manu should concentrate on being the best centre in the world again.Hes can do it from his side of the field with some help from the men inside him.
rep teams look good with 3 fullbacks while the points are ticking over . When it come to desicion making in defence, thats when you want a specialist centre.
Freddys master-stroke with Turbo was balanced out with Queen Guthos diabolical defensive display at centre for NSW last year

[ROC181]

He was probably the best centre in the game a couple of years ago but has gone down the pecking order a bit. Best centre now would be Turbo followed by Trell.
Turbo's game in SOO the last couple of years might have redefined a centre's attacking role going forward. Not sure Jmoz can play that roaming centre but Joey has all the attributes that it would suit his running game. Hopefully Robbo puts a rocket up him for this week's game.

In this year SMH players poll, Manu was voted best centre in the comp. Hasn’t gone down too far if his peers believe he is the best.

[zac]

for mine joey's a centre who does best when he gets his hands on the ball, but looking at our team now i think the way to get the best out of him is to play him at 5/8. losing lam is not ideal but he hasn't set the world on fire and the upside is that joey s is picked in the 13 and he has a lot of potential upside.
joey's not a great kicker so that's a downside but when he's on keighran gives the team options. joey's not a bad passer - his pass to iku at the end there v titans was a real beauty and when rads comes back he'll give us even more options on that front.