Quote: SmokeyTA "Smiths kicking game was hardly brilliant was it.
Englands problems stem from a lack clinical finishing to breaks made in the middle of the park, a lack of a ability to force repeat sets, and a lack of really threatening last tackle options.
These problems stem from not having two classically good half backs. We dont even have 1.
That really is the difference, we dont have even 1 difference maker in the halves. Our pack can compete, for the first time in a long time our backs can compete AND we have a fair bit of depth there, we have two hookers who have proven they can compete. Our halves just can't.
Widdop is a good NRL level half. He probably isnt an NRL or international level half. We could probably get away with it if we were playing Thurston next to him
Smith isnt close. We dont really have anyone else who is close at home. Perhaps Brown or Burrow or anyone else you want to argue should have been there instead, would have won the game, but thats only because the games were so tight and yeah maybe they would make a break, maybe they would have got on the end of something but that is only because they are different, not better. They arent the answer for us either.
Eastmond is a heartbreaker, he really could have been 'the one' He and Tomkins should have been grabbed at a very young age and moulded in to half-backs. Tomkins has some stuff missing from his game at Half but its nothing that shouldnt have been both apparent and fixable at a young age. Eastmonds problems were always 'growing pains'
Whether its the style of play in SL or it is something more endemic at youth level, we really arent producing half backs for international RL in either style or sufficient quality.'"
Widdop just a good 6 in the NRL.......!!!
He was the 2nd highest ranked half back for the 2014 season in the NRL behind Thurston and came 4th overall in the Dally M standings. Its no coincidence that Storm struggled in 2014 without him failing no less than 4 times to find a quality replacment!
What we need is a quality dominent 7 with a good kicking game and the indroduction of two quality back rowers and we win more than we lose. Over all I think this has been a great 4 Nations comp that could of gone either way.
