With the move of Eddy to halfback over the last couple of weeks and the difference it has made to us being less predictable, and the addition of Sydney Stack to our backline, what are people’s thoughts on Cotchin playing some time there too when he gets back? Not permanent by any stretch but some time there.
For me Houli is still the weak link in our backiline, he is ok but to be honest I just think his best days are over and we can do better both defensively and being less predictable. Sure he still racks up kicks but does he really hurt sides on the rebound?
I think the only way to cover the loss of Rance is to change it all up a bit.
With our midfield doing really well the last couple of weeks with some new fresh faces in there, why not keep moving forward with it. Ross especially just seems to have changed our running patterns or set ups, but we are different. Bolton as well has given us more pace and movement.
Add that to Dusty potentially playing a bit more forward like he did on Saturday night, in the DeGoey mould, and I think our side could be harder to stop.
I don’t think you could tag Dusty or Cotch if they weren’t in the middle. And I don’t think opposition coaches would bother tagging Ross, Bolton or even Prestia, so it would basically be a shoot out between sides.
Better clubs seem to have worked us out a bit but maybe it’s not our game style that needs to change all that much, maybe it’s just different personal in different positions.
If our young guys can keep doing what they have been doing in the middle and we don’t lose much without Dusty and Cotchin in there all the time, those two get to add to other places in the ground.
And when Jack comes back we shuffle the runners around and Bellis takes up a roll in the twos.
So a side looking like this
Stack Grimes Vlastuin
Edwards Broad Cotchin
McIntosh Prestia Bolton
Baker Jack George
Rioli Lynch Dusty
Nank Lambert Ross
Balta Caddy Higgins Astbury (to play on the Hawkins types)
