Quote: Andy Gilder "Yes, having a player who is defensively weaker, has a much worse pass from dummy half and often crabs sideways before throwing mediocre passes to marked team-mates in one of the key positions for 80 minutes in no way weakens the team.
Seriously.
I appreciate everything Rob Burrow has done for Leeds, but arguing that he's every bit as good as Aiton as a starting hooker is obstinacy mired in nostalgia.'"
Timing of the pass to the runner is critical at dummy half, the forwards seem to trust ,Ailton's timing and are running hard onto the ball, Anyone who plays or has played knows the huge difference it makes when you get a pass you don't have to slow down for, reach back or forward for, Ailton has really got his timing nailed in the last few games and it adds 2-3 metres of go forward and makes a quick PTB more likely, I think Burrow has been an amazing player and still does some tremendous things, he would always be in my 17, But his dummy half passing is not as sharp or as well timed as Aiton's.
Yes he can crab sideways and find gaps - all good half backs used to do that in the past - running sideways is not a problem in league - Andy Gregory was a master at tempting defenders out of the line and punishing them - but you don't want your hooker doing it.