Quote: upthecats "I always like to judge halfbacks when the pack they’re playing behind are dominant, on the front foot, getting quick play the balls, thus giving said halfbacks time and space to do what they’re in the side to do and create things!
For months our pack wasn’t doing that.
The last three or four games our pack seems to have had much more energy and go forward...and guess what...Miller and Brough have looked far better players...HKR away especially...
Sunday was a tight game...referee’d poorly, there were slow rucks and short tens and little fluidity from either side...were Brough and Miller any worse than Williams and Leuluai? If anything I thought ours created more...
Fact is...over that ten game or so period when we were decimated through injuries, busted and playing injured forwards you could have had a 25 year old Brough at the top of his game and I think he’d have made very little difference...
He’s contracted for another year and in a full strength squad playing well can still be an asset for me but may need looking after a bit, like Saints have with Roby this year..'"
Some valid points and I agree with what you are saying. You could even take it a step further and say that having Johnstone out for 90% of the season has impacted our forwards in some respects. The way he wins the collision when returning the ball often getting a quick PTB which is a dream for a forward taking the next drive. You only have to look at Saints with Makinson & Grace.