Wing or Centre

[bondi.boy]

Centre has always been seen as the superior position and historically they have earnt more then their counterparts. However in recent years i believe it’s become obvious that wing is a more important and valuable position.

A lot of people seem pretty keen on Sualli in the centres but do we think in the modern game he is better utilised out wide? We saw last year his aerial capabilities and his kick returns were great which are something this team has excelled at in recent years with Bmoz, Toupos and Fergo. My preference is that he plays on the wing..

this isn’t a knee jerk after one game I’ve been thinking of this since it was first flagged he could be moved

Thoughts?

Suaalii should be playing right wing, where he shined last season. It was *crazy* moving him to left centre.The team was weakened as a result.
Pay him more to play wing if it's about money.
Radley should be moved to left centre until Young (a true centre) arrives next season, or Momirovski is fit.
Hutch to right centre until Manu is fit.
And all the fit big forwards we have should be moved into the pack and the bench.

[bondi.boy]

Like GI... you play him at centre because he can make Darius Boyd look like a world class winger outside him.

I openly don't know my footy like some on here. However that's the simplest analogy I can make and it's similar to how we'll be playing him...

1. He is a MASSIVE TARGET! You play him in the centre because as soon as the opposition commit 2-3 players to tackling a 196cm athlete who farking throbs everybody, there's gonna be a gaping hole for somebody to exploit. Whereas on the wing he's not making overlaps the whole time.

2. His ball skills and footwork do a lot more good as a centre. Somebody who's played enough footy to know the tricks...etc can probably explain it better than me, but being further in-field means he'll be slotting in as a playmaker on a regular basis (we've already seen Teddy intentionally reduce his metres!) I see him floating around with Rads, Cheese Teddy...etc (plus our front rowers) and flooding the middle with absolute chaos as a centre. Whereas on the wing, he's standing outside his centre watching them do all that. He's a specialist for THAT job!

3. Above all, playing him on the wing would be a demotion. He's the incumbent Samoan FB (plays best at FB, like any alpha outside back) and didn't sign with us to play outside the Hutchenator while learning the trade from him. He's a marquee outside back who will play centre whether you like it or not, so get used to it.

Centre...not if we keep losing games.
Winning games demands he be put back on the right wing...today.
The Suaalii centre experiment is for another day.
He wasn't the world's best FB in the World Cup.

[ism22]

Centre...not if we keep losing games.
Winning games demands he be put back on the right wing...today.
The Suaalii centre experiment is for another day.
He wasn't the world's best FB in the World Cup.

No you're right... Manu and Tedesco were. Both of them seem happy with him at centre so I dunno what the alleged 'problem' is with him being there.

Calling it an 'experiment' assumes there's a better option, which Allen and Hutcho simply are not.

[Qld Chook]

Give him time to find his feet at left centre and then judge I think.

He was a gun right winger but got stuff all ball there, apart from yardage runs out of our own end (which he can also do from centre).

[Headless Chook]

Lets train with a guy at left centre all off season and then as soon as we lose a game lets move him to the right wing. Yep makes perfect sense to me!

[Rooster36]

Lets train with a guy at left centre all off season and then as soon as we lose a game lets move him to the right wing. Yep makes perfect sense to me!

Calm down

[JAF]

Lets train with a guy at left centre all off season and then as soon as we lose a game lets move him to the right wing. Yep makes perfect sense to me!

I’m with you HC - this is a marathon, not a sprint.

can anyone remember how Fatrell went in his first few games at centre??

[Mickie Lane]

I’ve been saying for a while now that players feel the wing position is the least prestigious position but it’s not, it’s a harder & more physical position to play than centre. In regards to Suaalii the Roosters have accommodated him in putting him in the centre position so that he wouldn’t leave.
In saying that I believe Suaalii can be as deadly in either position.

[ccfc bondi]

I think in the old style of the backs line-up, when there is an inside and outside centre (which for the life of me, don't understand why coaches don't just set up like that...there's no law against it) it would be perfect to have him at No.4 outside Joey Manu. I was thinking we needed him in the centres for strike power, but now I'm not so sure it's the best place for him....but we'll see how he goes.

[HunchoRooster]

Centres tend to get less ball in hand than wingers nowadays since the first and second tackle option for wingers to carry out of their own half took over. Wingers make more running metres.

Centres have far more defensive responsibility both in a one-on-one situation and when defending on the edge with regular contact with both their backrower and winger to co-oridnate.

I think JS struggled defensively and got caught out horrifically for a couple of their tries but given its his first game there, we can forgive that.

Centres tend to get the ball in the attacking third in better positions, which will let us see JS in full flight and what footwork/power he has close to the line. Wingers don't get that luxury. We know he can be used as an aerial threat but I think we need to see a bit more given his reputation and pay packet. I think we will see him at his best towards the end of the season.

Now that he is confirmed for next year, he'll be playing centre anyway with DY on the right wing.

[eddie]

I've said all along that Suaalii is much better suited to the wing than centre.
The wing position these days is far more important than it used to be. I don't think we'd get away with Steve McFarlane in the modern game.

[Noosa Rooster]

I’ve been saying for a while now that players feel the wing position is the least prestigious position but it’s not, it’s a harder & more physical position to play than centre. In regards to Suaalii the Roosters have accommodated him in putting him in the centre position so that he wouldn’t leave.
In saying that I believe Suaalii can be as deadly in either position.

Do you know this for certain?

That would indicate to me that he thinks he’s bigger than the team - a pretty big call for a 19yo in only his second season, and seems to go against how we have treated others who play that card.

I know there was mention all off season that he wanted to play there but did he threaten to leave if it didn’t happen? Does anybody on here actually know?

I’d be disappointed with any of our team who pulled that card, regardless of their potential.

[Mickie Lane]

Do you know this for certain?

That would indicate to me that he thinks he’s bigger than the team - a pretty big call for a 19yo in only his second season, and seems to go against how we have treated others who play that card.

I know there was mention all off season that he wanted to play there but did he threaten to leave if it didn’t happen? Does anybody on here actually know?

I’d be disappointed with any of our team who pulled that card, regardless of their potential.

No but I believe thats the case & Robbo knew it so to keep him he accommodated him.

[Mickie Lane]

Lets train with a guy at left centre all off season and then as soon as we lose a game lets move him to the right wing. Yep makes perfect sense to me!

Nah but if Roosters36 says otherwise then you shouldnt question it because his opinion means more than anyone else.

[Kelby]

Suaalii has a few things to work on if he plays centre or wing

Defence - the rushing up and in is all well and good when you make the tackle but it is a low percentage play as it also pulls the winger in and leaves open field for the opposing winger.- He was defending the same way when playing wing.

That running style - the knees up / leading with the knees into the defensive line is thwart with danger - already been warned over it plus fined for it vs Souths in the finals and another warning during the world cup - Looking at a lengthy suspension if he continues with it - a jaw breaker/facial fractures if a player cops a knee.

On Cody Walker, I'll be fine with that.