Loose Forward : Wed Jul 30, 2014 5:44 pm  

Just looking at some of the team Line-ups suggested for this week (and from what I've seen in the last couple of weeks) then where do we go with this position when everybody is fit?

I think it's a position people fill sometimes without too great a thought perhaps? Whilst Sutcliffe and Ward are sounded out for the future I'm thinking about just this remainder of the season and who should play there.

The strongest back row 3 with JJB showing form on his return seems to be Ablett, JJB and Delaney. Ablett surely is the left side 2nd row so between the other two who plays loose and who goes to 2nd row? Much has been made of Delaney's 'killing' of play towards his centre when he's there so do you stick him in the middle?

Re: Loose Forward : Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:02 pm  

Delaney's the archetype modern loose-forward. A big ball-carrier who hits hard defensively.

The superior footwork of Ablett and JJB is best used running wider as second-rows.

Re: Loose Forward : Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:24 pm  

The ball playing lock appears to be dying out, Aussie style 3rd prop seems to be in vouge at moment, so for me Delaney there

Re: Loose Forward : Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:32 pm  

The loose forward can be whatever role you want them to be.
It'll depend on the make-up of the rest of your team. If you're light up front you can put a prop eg Bailey there. If you need some pace you put a quick second rower there eg JJB. If you need some creativity/structure/whatever you put that kind of player there.
The seeming demise of the ball playing loose forward has been more to do with the rise of the fullback being used as a pivot or creative player rather than just defensive or support player, in my opinion.

Re: Loose Forward : Thu Jul 31, 2014 6:00 am  

I think if Delaney isn't playing Prop then he will play there but I'd hope Ward/Sutcliffe eventually make that position their own with the other in the halves if not then maybe Singleton with a new Prop needed.

Re: Loose Forward : Thu Jul 31, 2014 6:57 am  

Him - that may be the reason for the demise of the old-fashioned loose forward in England, but I can't ever remember them existing in Australia to any extent - they seem to have always believed for some daft reason that two halfbacks (plus a fullback at times) is sufficient. IMO its one of the reasons why England in the past has produced so few great halfbacks as they always share the ballhandling role too much.

Re: Loose Forward : Thu Jul 31, 2014 7:08 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Him - that may be the reason for the demise of the old-fashioned loose forward in England, but I can't ever remember them existing in Australia to any extent - they seem to have always believed for some daft reason that two halfbacks (plus a fullback at times) is sufficient. IMO its one of the reasons why England in the past has produced so few great halfbacks as they always share the ballhandling role too much.

I would agree.

the fact that GB and England have had Sculthorpe, Farrell and Sinfield at 6 for large chunks of the last 2 decades, players who primarily played as 13's for their clubs, proves the point.

Re: Loose Forward : Thu Jul 31, 2014 7:26 am  

i'm afraid Ward is along way off cementing a place at loose forward or anywhere else in the team , another poor performance last week with the try he scored being his only worthahile contribution . His size is always going to hold him back in my opinion .

Re: Loose Forward : Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:01 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Him - that may be the reason for the demise of the old-fashioned loose forward in England, but I can't ever remember them existing in Australia to any extent - they seem to have always believed for some daft reason that two halfbacks (plus a fullback at times) is sufficient. IMO its one of the reasons why England in the past has produced so few great halfbacks as they always share the ballhandling role too much.

Brad Fitler, Jason Smith, Scott Hill, Shaun Timmins, Greg Bird?

Re: Loose Forward : Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:19 am  

JJB still looks a little off the pace to me at the moment. Hopefully more matches will fix that.

In practice, the positions tend to shift around a bit anyway. When Burrow, Sinfield and McGuire are on the pitch (and Aiton too at times) it's hard to be certain who is playing 6,7,9 and 13.