Magic Arrow
Kennel Enthusiast
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2007
- Messages
- 1,374
- Reaction score
- 879
By all account we’ve made a sizeable offer to retain Matt Burton to be our long term five-eighth for the next five years. Like many others, I’m pleased that we’re locking our future into a bright young player. But there’s still a pressing issue with Burton that I don’t think we know the answer to yet, other than his kicking range (vertically and horizontally) what skill does he do so well that we are basically making him our marquee signing for the next five years.
Before everyone get’s their pitchforks out, I’d hate to lose this kid. He’s literally the most exciting player we’ve had since Ben Barba. His signature presents a bigger problem in my opinion; who do you pair him with? From what we’ve seen this season he doesn’t have the organisational ability to play the seven role and be paired with a Dylan Brown or Cody Walker type player. On the flip side, his running game isn’t on the same level as elite 5/8s such as Walker, Brown, Wighton, Luai and Munster. Is this kid’s left boot really the reason we’re about to give him close to a million dollar a season?
The weird thing is I’d still give it to him. We can’t afford to lose this kid. But I still don’t know who I’d want to be his partner in the halves. Everyone is crying out for a new 7 to organise the team but I’m not convinced of Burton’s ability to run at the defence. If he’s our primary attacking player we’re not gonna be a great attacking team.
And that’s the conundrum. How many halfbacks are there that can organise a team and be the primary attacking threat? Literally none. Maybe Hynes and Hughes but they’re locked up long term. Are we better off throwing Burton at 7 and betting that he can learn to organise a team while we pair him with a player who can be our focal point in attack? The three best 6s off contract next year are Walker, Munster and Brown. The three 7s are Hunt, Brooks and Hastings.
Let me know your opinions.
Before everyone get’s their pitchforks out, I’d hate to lose this kid. He’s literally the most exciting player we’ve had since Ben Barba. His signature presents a bigger problem in my opinion; who do you pair him with? From what we’ve seen this season he doesn’t have the organisational ability to play the seven role and be paired with a Dylan Brown or Cody Walker type player. On the flip side, his running game isn’t on the same level as elite 5/8s such as Walker, Brown, Wighton, Luai and Munster. Is this kid’s left boot really the reason we’re about to give him close to a million dollar a season?
The weird thing is I’d still give it to him. We can’t afford to lose this kid. But I still don’t know who I’d want to be his partner in the halves. Everyone is crying out for a new 7 to organise the team but I’m not convinced of Burton’s ability to run at the defence. If he’s our primary attacking player we’re not gonna be a great attacking team.
And that’s the conundrum. How many halfbacks are there that can organise a team and be the primary attacking threat? Literally none. Maybe Hynes and Hughes but they’re locked up long term. Are we better off throwing Burton at 7 and betting that he can learn to organise a team while we pair him with a player who can be our focal point in attack? The three best 6s off contract next year are Walker, Munster and Brown. The three 7s are Hunt, Brooks and Hastings.
Let me know your opinions.