Match thread: Championship Round 15. Halifax v Featherstone Rovers. Sunday 14th July 2024.

[Monkeymagic22]

37 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

I'll second that ☺. 

You think that Dec Paton would be a certain starter after his ban. Gives us plenty of options towards the playoffs.

[sentoffagain2]

9 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

You think that Dec Paton would be a certain starter after his ban. Gives us plenty of options towards the playoffs.

  If Reynolds and Turner are playing well in the halves Patton could fit in at 13 ball playing loose forward.

[Wolfey Rovers]

I'd much prefer Reynolds and patton then Turner at 13 giving him space to be the running threat 

[The Phantom Horseman]

In my opinion one issue when people start talking about playing half backs at 13 in the modern game is you have to look at it from a defensive point of view as well as in attack. The guy who plays 13 has to defend in the middle, and that means making maybe 40-50 tackles a game against big forwards and outside backs if he plays the full 80 minutes, or pro rata if he gets subbed, whereas half backs probably average around 15 tackles against slightly smaller players over the 80 minutes.

The player who plays "13" (really it's just a third middle in the modern game) is also expected to do his share of carries; it's a tough job and Addy often looks physically exhausted during games, acknowledging he often plays the full 80 minutes. We briefly tried Bowes at 13 against Halifax and it didn't work at all and he was quickly whisked back off again.

Not saying it's impossible as some teams do still try it but a smart coach will target a half back with slightly suspect defence all day if he's played in the middle.

[Michael Bates]

Jonny Hepworth was brilliant at it when we signed him. Played like an additional half but tackled above his weight. I don't think any of our current halves could handle the defensive workload of playing 13 as TPH says. 

[Steve Slater]

It might be too complicated, but could Josh be the answer? If we get halves moving out to between the centres and wingers to defend then why couldn't Josn defend in the middle and Turner in the centre? He also does more than his share of carries from centre, so perhaps Turner could just play like an old fashioned 13 in the opposition half? The extra workload might be too titing for Josh, however? 

[Featherstonerovers2000]

I don’t understand why you would want to play turner or Patton at 13 when Danny addy is a natural 13 and is use to the tuff stuff. if turner and Patton both going to play it probably is going to be  that turner might play in centre like he did in Australia a few times 

[The Phantom Horseman]

14 minutes ago, Featherstonerovers2000 said:

I don’t understand why you would want to play turner or Patton at 13 when Danny addy is a natural 13 and is use to the tuff stuff. if turner and Patton both going to play it probably is going to be  that turner might play in centre like he did in Australia a few times 

This is my view too. Turner played centre and played pretty well bar one poor tackle against a very good defensive team in Toulouse when he had Lacans returning from injury as his half back. Put him outside Patton or Reynolds and get him the ball in a bit of space and he could be a big factor at centre. And as you say Addy is an actual 13 whether in the old game or the modern one.