What characteristics make for a good nine?

[Bowside]

Phipp's decision making is horrible. There was one point last night where we took it into a maul, higgers had it safely at the back waiting for phipps, the maul stopped going forward and then faumuina drove through and turned it over. There was about a 3-5 second period where the play was perfectly positioned for phipps to make the pass, yet he spent it staring at his backline.

You could put it down to lack of combination, if not for the fact that he makes the same mistake every second week when playing for the rebels - no matter who is outside him.

His other problem is that he needs to adjust the ball before he passes. This is not something you can fix in a week - it is a muscle memory problem that would take him thousands of passes to rework. It is not acceptable at international level, and I wouldn't even pick him on the bench again for the wallabies until he has fixed it up.

I'd take sheehan, prior and frisby on tour. Get rid of frisby if burgess answers the SOS.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Phipp's decision making is horrible. There was one point last night where we took it into a mall, higgers had it safely at the back waiting for phipps, the mall stopped going forward and then faumuina drove through and turned it over. There was about a 3-5 second period where the play was perfectly positioned for phipps to make the pass, yet he spent it staring at his backline.

You could put it down to lack of combination, if not for the fact that he makes the same mistake every second week when playing for the rebels - no matter who is outside him.

His other problem is that he needs to adjust the ball before he passes. This is not something you can fix in a week - it is a muscle memory problem that would take him thousands of passes to rework. It is not acceptable at international level, and I wouldn't even pick him on the bench again for the wallabies until he has fixed it up.

I'd take sheehan, prior and frisby on tour. Get rid of frisby if burgess answers the SOS.

Which one, Hay St Mall, Rundle Mall?

 

[Bowside]

Which one, Hay St Mall, Rundle Mall?

Queen St....

 

[BPC]

What characteristics make for a good nine?

Slightly less attractive than Bo Derek circa 1979.

 

[Scotty]

Let me emphasise, this ain't/won't be a hate thread

I watched the game last night and thought Phipps did quite well, quick to the breakdown, got the ball moving, good pass, took some good options - when he had them and drove the forwards.

I then get on the board to review opinions and it appears I am near alone in in that opinion.

So, I am just trying to get my head around the areas/characteristics of a nine that I am missing.

I don't think you are missing the characteristics of a good nine, but you might have been missing your glasses during the game, particularly the first 20!

His passing was off in the first half, mostly too high. Threw a couple of really bad hospitals (only had to pass 4m, but managed to miss the chest of the player by 1m at least!). His decision making looks like a kangaroo caught in a road train's headlights. I think this is mainly because he doesn't seem to know what he wants to do with the ball until after he has picked it up. Bull at a gate style.

He was very poor.

 

[Scotty]

Phipp's decision making is horrible. There was one point last night where we took it into a maul, higgers had it safely at the back waiting for phipps, the maul stopped going forward and then faumuina drove through and turned it over. There was about a 3-5 second period where the play was perfectly positioned for phipps to make the pass, yet he spent it staring at his backline.

You could put it down to lack of combination, if not for the fact that he makes the same mistake every second week when playing for the rebels - no matter who is outside him.

His other problem is that he needs to adjust the ball before he passes. This is not something you can fix in a week - it is a muscle memory problem that would take him thousands of passes to rework. It is not acceptable at international level, and I wouldn't even pick him on the bench again for the wallabies until he has fixed it up.

Agree with most of the above, except there is no such thing as 'muscle memory'. Muscles don't remember anything.

 

[It is what it is]

Good 9's must haves;
- MUST be able to pass off the deck BOTH ways at the right speed and accuracy.
- Know when to hold em and know when to fold em, re run/pass/kick options.
- Be durable. He will need to run it and he will be run over at times.
- Be a competitor, your team will feed off your passion, enthusiasm and desire for the contest.
- Communicate confidently and with authority.
- Stay composed under pressure.

 

[Scotty]

Good 9's must haves;
- MUST be able to pass off the deck BOTH ways at the right speed and accuracy.
- Know when to hold em and know when to fold em, re run/pass/kick options.
- Be durable. He will need to run it and he will be run over at times.
- Be a competitor, your team will feed off your passion, enthusiasm and desire for the contest.
- Communicate confidently and with authority.
- Stay composed under pressure.

I reckon Phipps gets a pass mark on 3 and 4, but gee he is struggling with the rest.

 

[mark_s]

I am no expert on half back play, but Aaron Smith looks terrific to me and I reckon bringing him in over Cowan and Weepu is one of the reasons the AB's have been able to find an extra gear this year. Everything he does seems to be fast and accurate.

 

[Bowside]

Agree with most of the above, except there is no such thing as 'muscle memory'. Muscles don't remember anything.

I'm no biologist so I'll take your word for it. But the body does grow accustom to habits. E.g. your bowling action or rowing stroke.

If you have time there is a video on youtube about Tim Teebow reworking his passing technique in the NFL off season. It took him thousands of passes before he was able to throw the new pass as his 'default'.

I dont think phipps is doomed forever, he has other attributives that will make him succeed, but he will never make it as a test player without fixing his need to adjust the ball before he passes.

 

[badabing59]

Good 9's must haves;
- MUST be able to pass off the deck BOTH ways at the right speed and accuracy.
- Know when to hold em and know when to fold em, re run/pass/kick options.
- Be durable. He will need to run it and he will be run over at times.
- Be a competitor, your team will feed off your passion, enthusiasm and desire for the contest.
- Communicate confidently and with authority.
- Stay composed under pressure.

and lets not forget about meerkat impersonations

 

[The Rant]

My ideal - defends like Burgess, snipes and passes like Genia, gets there and gets the ball as quickly as Phipps (Genia a bit ponderous at times), kicks like White!

Would be good for sure. I would just take burgess if he could pass like genia and kick like white.

Hawktrain has a good list too. To be honest the organisational part is the most important for me. Halfbacks need to run the forwards - peeling them off/sending them in, telling them where to be, when to go, when to fan out and doing so in cooperation with the 5/8- they're blind without that. Gregan was a great general - smacking his fwds on the back, pushing and pulling them, yelling at them always. Genia is ok, but takes too much time to organise. Phipps isnt very strong at this side of things.

 

[The Rant]

Sheehan's injection last night suited the game at the time, but i wouldn't want him to start.

What did Sheehan do apart from throw the worlds wobbliest pass which beale duely dropped on our 22.

 

[disco]

Yeah a mix between Burgess & Genia.
Genia's speed & skill.
The toughness of Burgess & I also liked how Burgess would secure ball by throwing his head into a ruck when it was required. Genia is like Gregan & stands back & waits for his forwards.