Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 7:15 am  

I know it’s early days and Field has only had 2 good competitive games but do people see a way of fitting both French and Field in the side without sticking one on the wing?
Do people think Field could maybe play in the halves and his support play wouldn’t be affected? Danny Maguires best attribute was always being on the shoulder for an offload/break, maybe Field could be in that mould? He certainly seems to have better hands than French so could maybe be better suited to playing as a half. I also think French’s kick returning is much better and it’s his strongest part of his game so playing him outside of the full back role takes away his biggest strength.
By the time French is back and ready to play we will probably have injuries and people will be getting shifted about but with Fields current form and what we know French can do I think we need them both in the middle of the park getting as much action as possible.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 8:35 am  

Makes me laugh how some people go on about this likes it’s a bad thing! What a problem to have.

Field see’s himself as a half back so wouldn’t mind seeing him have a go there, although all his attributes seem to fit fullback, not sure how he’d go defending in the line.

French was awesome on the wing in NRL and the few games for us in 2019. He also might be able to do a job in the halves.

Peet has indicated once fit Bevan will come of the bench initially.

I was very critical of Hardaker at fullback, you every need “third half back” style (ratchford/coote) or an electric ball runner (french/evalds). Unfortunately Zak is neither at this stage. Just shows how our attack has improved.


Aslong as he’s playing like he is, Field stays fullback for me and french plays Wing/HB/Bench

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 8:46 am  

Field has said previously he sees himself as a fullback or a 6 in an attacking / expansive team.

The only way it would work with field at 6 is if we always played with a traditional 7 (Cust or Tommy) as first reviewer and Field as second receiver.

Whilst Field does look to have slightly better hands than French, I am not convinced he will be a good 6. He seems to advertise where he is passing and look where he is passing. You have more space at fullback so you get away with it but at 6 you need to factor in less space, dummy runners, opponents getting tight.

I hope I’m proven wrong, I just don’t see it working in big matches against Saints, Warrington, Catalans.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:18 am  

This may sound brutal but if French wants to stay in Australia or he has offers from clubs in the NRL then I’d let him go, but only if we have a plan for the cap and quota space.

I don’t believe we need them both.

The team looks extremely well balanced I’m not sure how we can accommodate both on that pitch without sacrificing that balance.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:31 am  

jonh wrote:

This may sound brutal but if French wants to stay in Australia or he has offers from clubs in the NRL then I’d let him go, but only if we have a plan for the cap and quota space.

I don’t believe we need them both.

The team looks extremely well balanced I’m not sure how we can accommodate both on that pitch without sacrificing that balance.

Not sure I'd go that far but the obvious downside of playing Jai at 6 is our defensive line becomes weaker without Leuluai. I still would be inclined to try French - Field - Cust but we now have even more reason to ensure Bevan has a long build up period to his return.

Remember also Jai is still coming back from a bad injury - he was getting treatment several times during the game and part of me still feels a bit nervous when he's in full flight. Plus what if Jai goes back home at the end of the year as he previously said he intended to do? We may have a better chance of retaining Bevan than we do Jai.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:35 am  

jonh wrote:

This may sound brutal but if French wants to stay in Australia or he has offers from clubs in the NRL then I’d let him go, but only if we have a plan for the cap and quota space.

I don’t believe we need them both.

The team looks extremely well balanced I’m not sure how we can accommodate both on that pitch without sacrificing that balance.

Agreed and when you factor in that, A - one of French or Field will probably start on the bench, that further slows down the development of guys like O'Neil or Smith. B- French will be one of our top earners.

Unluckily for French, but if Field keeps up this form, then Field will become the more attractive option for NRL sides. It's a comp that's awash with quality FB's anyway, so spots are limited.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 10:41 am  

French on the wing outside KPP for me. I don’t buy in to people who worry about him as a winger, it’s the position he’s played most of his career in and he started here on the wing and terrorised a couple of teams early doors (Catalans at home I recall). You could switch them round if you wanted at points in the game and keep the opposition guessing.

One thing we may have to weigh up in all this is which of them is a realistic chance of being here in 2023. Ideally we keep both but that would seem unlikely. You have to play for the here and now and win games this year and not focus too much on next year but say the club knows French will not extend and Field is open to it, then that would come in to my thinking if both want to play at fullback. We can’t keep ripping the side up each off season. In an ideal world next season we lose Hardaker, Leuluai and that’s about it.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 10:49 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

French on the wing outside KPP for me. I don’t buy in to people who worry about him as a winger, it’s the position he’s played most of his career in and he started here on the wing and terrorised a couple of teams early doors (Catalans at home I recall). You could switch them round if you wanted at points in the game and keep the opposition guessing.

One thing we may have to weigh up in all this is which of them is a realistic chance of being here in 2023. Ideally we keep both but that would seem unlikely. You have to play for the here and now and win games this year and not focus too much on next year but say the club knows French will not extend and Field is open to it, then that would come in to my thinking if both want to play at fullback. We can’t keep ripping the side up each off season. In an ideal world next season we lose Hardaker, Leuluai and that’s about it.

The problem with him going to the wing is we use our wingers as battering rams early in the set. They are expected to carry hard and get us in the front foot.

I’m not sure French is robust enough for that.

Beyond this season I don’t think we can accommodate both in a balanced team. Cap and quota space are too valuable. I’m sure we will be having conversations now regarding 2023 with them and who wants to remain.

It seems ridiculous to say it as he is a quality player but for me we lose French either now if we can use the quota and cap space to improve the team elsewhere or at the end of the year.

I’m comfortable with the thought of losing French, Hardaker and Tommy at the end of the year and bringing in 1 or possibly 2 top quality players to replace them.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 10:58 am  

jonh wrote:

I’m comfortable with the thought of losing French, Hardaker and Tommy at the end of the year and bringing in 1 or possibly 2 top quality players to replace them.

That's my thinking too. Small, but meaningful changes to a squad that I still feel is a bit heavy in certain positions and player types

Overall, I'm positive about the players we've got tho. There's great potential there. We just need to maximise cap space better.

Re: Field and French : Sat Feb 19, 2022 11:07 am  

jonh wrote:

The problem with him going to the wing is we use our wingers as battering rams early in the set. They are expected to carry hard and get us in the front foot.

I’m not sure French is robust enough for that.

Beyond this season I don’t think we can accommodate both in a balanced team. Cap and quota space are too valuable. I’m sure we will be having conversations now regarding 2023 with them and who wants to remain.

It seems ridiculous to say it as he is a quality player but for me we lose French either now if we can use the quota and cap space to improve the team elsewhere or at the end of the year.

I’m comfortable with the thought of losing French, Hardaker and Tommy at the end of the year and bringing in 1 or possibly 2 top quality players to replace them.

Maybe it’s just something inside me that says ‘let teams worry about us’ and ‘let’s entertain after these last few seasons’. I’m sitting thinking what an opposition team would rather face, Thornley/Hardaker on the wing, because their carries are more robust from our end or French and the fact he could burn them at any second. Maybe it’s horses for courses and we shuffle it around as and when we need. It’s fantastic to have the options anyway.

As for next season I think realistically we will lose at least one of Field/French on top of Hardaker and Leuluai. If we managed to keep one and lose one and those other 2 go, I’d be looking at another starting prop to come in and depending on how his season goes with injury, I’d hope we’d be in the mix for Tom Johnstone. He’s off contract isn’t he? Maybe it’s too risky that one but he’s a special player.