Wollo-Wollo-Wollo-Wayoo wrote:I don't think anyone questions Grix when going forward although he has dropped off a bit this year. But on Sunday we also saw him brushed off by the diminutive Adam Quinlan and outpaced by prop Robbie Mulhearn.
I would also expect Jowitt to confidently step forward to defuse the bombs rather than dithering and leaving them to TJ or BJB.

Wollo-Wollo-Wollo-Wayoo wrote:I don't think anyone questions Grix when going forward although he has dropped off a bit this year. But on Sunday we also saw him brushed off by the diminutive Adam Quinlan and outpaced by prop Robbie Mulhearn.

bren2k wrote:Conversely, didn't he careen into someone in an earlier game this season (I forget which) and save a definite try with a near-suicidal 1 on 1 tackle?

I feel for FB's in this situation; a 1 on 1 with someone who is almost always running into you with momentum very much on their side, is a really difficult ask - if the first contact is good, it can come off and look spectacular, but if it doesn't, the FB is automatically criticised - without too much attention paid to how he ended up in that situation in the first place, which is usually attributable to poor defending by other people earlier in the play.

Funny old position is FB - a bit like the goalie in football; you're in a team game, but often acting alone - and taking the stick for a collective failure. It requires a certain mindset to even attempt to play there in my view - and one missed tackle or dropped bomb can have an effect on your confidence for the whole game. And that's before you even get into the modern interpretation of FB, which requires of you the usual receipt of kicks, organising the back line and being the last defender against an attacking move - but also now requires you to become a third hb in attacking situations.

Scott Grix is, in my view, one of the best all round FB's in SL - and I have huge respect for young Jowitt; for those saying he hasn't kicked on, I'd suggest that a) he will struggle to do so without adequate game time and b) he is learning one of the most technically and physically demanding roles in the modern game. In that regard, he's doing fine.

snowie wrote:yes a do think its a great loss, any player injured for such a long time is obviously going to effect the team, Max better get his finger now as he's not kick on as what I would of expected

chissitt wrote:Can't understand your thinking here captain, Scott Grix has arguably been the stand out player since returning to the club with the exception of a couple of poor games by the standard he has set himself, I'd be grateful if you could explain briefly as to your reasoning that Jowitt has not come up to your expectations when because of Grix's form he has had very little opportunity to kick on.

PopTart wrote:I'd go as far as to say this is a massive opportunity for Max.
The next set of games are easier and in good weather compared to Grix previous games.
If he's going to show it now is the time.

My fear is that he will show a small flaw in his game that will give the forum vultures and some northstanders an opportunity to pile in and say he is rubbish and is destined for the championship.

I'd love to see him blossom into the best he can be this season but I'm not convinced he's actually ready yet. Ive seen him have some good games but at the moment i like Grix better and feel like Hooley (spell?) will catch him up soon and jump ahead unless he takes the position now.

snowie wrote:I've no problem if he does make mistakes, I do have one when they go missing or allow the ball to bounce, show me some confidence take the mistakes on the chin and get on with it, look to lead
like I said its a big roll made easy by the likes of Barba

Cats13 wrote:Who ironically is a total shambles in defence himself but that gets overlooked as he is blitzing it in attack - at the moment. My guess is come the super 8's when teams are taking it a bit more seriously he doesn't look half as good going forward and gets exposed a lot more at the back.

homme vaste wrote:Sorry but Barba is anything but in defense. An unfit Barba might have been shown up on a few occasions last season when he come into a team 2 stone overweight. From all his years in the NRL he has proben to be one of the best if not the best defensive fullback in the world so to say his defense is a total shambles is way off. I doubt you have seen him miss a one on one this season he is freakishly strong for his size and always wins the collision in tackle.