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Half-back academy


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Gus Gould has been bleating on for some time now that the NRL should set up a half-back academy which would help to shape the next Thurston, Johns, Langer etc.

I think this idea would actually be more suited to the game here with the country's best young half backs spending a couple of days per month with legends of the past and present. I could imagine Myler, Tomkins, Ratchford and Eastmond really developing had they spent a couple of years between the age of 17-19 at a specialist half back academy. Natural talent can't be coached, controlling the game, kicking options and leading a side around the park can.

I am sure that players like Andy Greg, Tony Myler, Deryck Fox, Sean Long, Garry Schofield etc. could be called on to give somthing back. We could also call on guest input from great players from overseas (I think English cricket did it with Rod Marsh and Denis Lillee).

Something like this may also start to buck the trend of clubs making an overseas no.6 and no.7 priority signings.

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maybe a little bit too much to expect the RFL to fund such a specialist thing.. but you'd think within the RFL's Elite performance group they'd be input from the kind of former players mentioned to players within the squad that play the same positions as they did ..

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It sounds like a cracking idea. There is a crop of young players who look to have the potential to develop into really good halves.

But then again, I also thought Robinson and especially Richard Horne would be become fantastic halfbacks.

It can do no harm at all. Is it any different to employing kicking coaches or sprint coaches?

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