Hasler needs to stop disrespecting The Tank

[Run Again Son]

I accept that 2014 was a write-off for Frank Pritchard but the fact is we are a better side the more the big fella is on the field.

In the 2012 regular season, Frank played:

- 80 minutes 8 times
- 70+ minutes 3 times
- 60+ minutes 6 times
- 50+ minutes 6 times

He consistently wreaked havoc on that left edge, and proved he was fit enough to play big minutes.

Alas, 2013 arrives and with it Tony Williams, and suddenly Frank is subjected to a backrow rotation. I can't find his stats for 2013 but I know his minutes were well down, and I know Williams seemed to get more.

In 2014, with Frank injured, Josh Jackson also reminded us why he should be a starting player every week, just as he was in the latter part of 2012.

Next year, I want us to revert to that 2012 formula, with Pritchard playing big minutes on the left and Jackson big minutes on the right.

That leaves T-Rex the odd man out, and even though Tony improved this season, the most impact he has had in the NRL was in 2011 when Des hid him on the bench and he came out and destroyed teams at the back end of halves.

Pritchard is not only a more damaging runner and defender than Williams, he is also smarter and more skilful. He runs great lines, times his runs, pops clever balls and makes fewer errors. We are more fluent with Frank on the edge because he is always in motion, perfects his role and has football intelligence. He also takes the tough runs when required and invariably makes big metres, which cannot be said of T-Rex.

I am sick of Frank being wasted on the bench, or spending unnecessary chunks there when he starts. Opposition teams must love seeing the big fella shivering with a rug over his legs. We are so much more dangerous and complete when he is on the field, and it's ridiculous that Hasler doesn't seem to recognise this. I would take Frank over Williams every day of the week.

 

[Freakzilla]

Frank Pritchard is 31 and T-Rex is 26. Time to move forward and let Pritchard go. His best days are behind him.

 

[Run Again Son]

Frank Pritchard is 31 and T-Rex is 26. Time to move forward and let Pritchard go. His best days are behind him.

Would you say the same of Corey Parker? Thurston? Cronk? Farah? Any other number of players, past or present, who have excelled into their 30s?

Pritchard re-signed for 3 years last year. He's got 2 to go and we are lucky that is the case. The guy is still a machine, and after Graham our best forward, along with Jackson.

 

[Rodzilla]

there is going to be a man left out of the starting side next year

4 into 3 doesnt fit

 

[Run Again Son]

there is going to be a man left out of the starting side next year

4 into 3 doesnt fit

That man should be Williams, but of course it won't.

For the reasons cited by Fowler, I am also sure Hasler isn't about to increase Frank's minutes.

One alternative might be to make Frank a 'middle' player (effectively replacing Eastwood in the starting side) until we are in the attacking zone, when he can revert to the edge. Jackson could then use his footwork and ball skills in the middle.

But I would still prefer to see Williams come off the bench and play for impact in shorter spurts, which is how he has been most effectively deployed in the past.

 

[Dingo]

Fitness was an obvious factor as to why Tank played limited minutes. If he did not get injured the back row may have been 11 Frank 12 Trex 13 Jackson with Eastwood rotating from the bench. Kasiano would probably get cut away first under Des I'd think. Frank still has a couple of good years barring injury but without his famous shoulder charge he is not as intimidating.

 

[Freakzilla]

Would you say the same of Corey Parker? Thurston? Cronk? Farah? Any other number of players, past or present, who have excelled into their 30s?

Pritchard re-signed for 3 years last year. He's got 2 to go and we are lucky that is the case. The guy is still a machine, and after Graham our best forward, along with Jackson.

Those players aren't past their peaks and don't have someone 5 years younger who does the job just as good.

 

[Run Again Son]

Those players aren't past their peaks and don't have someone 5 years younger who does the job just as good.

I would say they are all past their peaks but the point is they are still excellent players, as is Pritchard. As for Williams, he might be 5 years younger but he certainly does not "do the job just as good". We are not getting the best out of Frank or T-Rex at the moment, because neither are being used appropriately. We seem to have settled for Williams' mediocrity while forgetting how consistently potent and clever Pritchard is. The balance is always out when Pritchard and Williams are on the field together, and Williams has shown in the past how explosive he can be from the bench when his role is pared back and he does not need to think.

 

[Run Again Son]

Fitness was an obvious factor as to why Tank played limited minutes. If he did not get injured the back row may have been 11 Frank 12 Trex 13 Jackson with Eastwood rotating from the bench. Kasiano would probably get cut away first under Des I'd think. Frank still has a couple of good years barring injury but without his famous shoulder charge he is not as intimidating.

Agree fitness was the issue in 2014 but Frank proved in 2012 he can play long minutes (see above). Can't see Jackson playing 13 unless Des is prepared to play him in the middle. As big as his heart is, he's probably too small for this. I love Kas but he is a mess and a liability. The game is too professional for us to be carrying Sam with his limited minutes and sloppy defence every week. I hope we can strip him back to his 2011-12 shape over the summer because I would love to see him reach his potential with us. Nobody is as intimidating without the shoulder charge but big Frank is still as frightening a thing as anyone. Keep him fit and watch him go.

 

[marsh43]

Alas, 2013 arrives and with it Tony Williams, and suddenly Frank is subjected to a backrow rotation. I can't find his stats for 2013 but I know his minutes were well down, and I know Williams seemed to get more.

Wait wasnt TRex with us in 2012?

 

[Run Again Son]

Wait wasnt TRex with us in 2012?

No, 2013.

I like Tony, he is improving and he also appears to have embraced the Canterbury culture this season, which is great. But while we have Pritchard I just think we can benefit by using them differently as has been suggested.

 

[Qld-Dog]

Frank did not as you have said "wreak havoc on the edge" on Sunday evening!! he has 1 year left on his contract as I understand it and that is about as much time he has left playing NRL at the Dogs, I like Frank and he is a good asset for the team but time is running out I am afraid.
Next year we have young Perret, Klemmer, and big Sam so his time in the top grade will be limited in 2015

 

[Slick]

Frank did not as you have said "wreak havoc on the edge" on Sunday evening!! he has 1 year left on his contract as I understand it and that is about as much time he has left playing NRL at the Dogs, I like Frank and he is a good asset for the team but time is running out I am afraid.
Next year we have young Perret, Klemmer, and big Sam so his time in the top grade will be limited in 2015

Well to be honest he did wreak as much havoc as he could, he was one of 3 or 4 of our forwards who weren't dominated.

 

[Nano]

He still returning to his normal level of fitness and was out most of the year this year, Tank was used more us a impact player in his limited time but I reckon him and Williams needed to be rotated on that left edge so we have 2 fresh monsters going in and out.

 

[silva]

He made a big difference when he come on. If we had Kasiano as well causing havoc in the middle couldve been a different story.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Williams is a better player than Frank.

 

[Dognacious]

Would you say the same of Corey Parker? Thurston? Cronk? Farah? Any other number of players, past or present, who have excelled into their 30s?

Those players arent forwards. So whats your point?

I also dont gert the point of this thread. So Frank is 31 and being used off the bench. So what? He cant play 80 minutes and be as effective. Starting the thread now in 2014, a year he was out for 6 months in, seems odd too.

Sorry i dont get your thread. Are you complaining that a forward is being used off the bench? Even Graham has breaks and sees bench time and hes a lot better than Tank.

 

[immortalbulldog]

Yes it's a total disrespect to rush a guy back who was meant to be out for the season and put him straight back into first grade and give him limited time due to lack of match fitness. So so disrespectful. Shame Des

 

[Run Again Son]

Those players arent forwards. So whats your point?

I also dont gert the point of this thread. So Frank is 31 and being used off the bench. So what? He cant play 80 minutes and be as effective. Starting the thread now in 2014, a year he was out for 6 months in, seems odd too.

Sorry i dont get your thread. Are you complaining that a forward is being used off the bench? Even Graham has breaks and sees bench time and hes a lot better than Tank.

Parker's not a forward? Or Farah? Or any other number of forwards in this competition above the age of 30? I've made my point above, and I won't make it again.

The complaint is that since Williams' arrival, Pritchard's minutes have decreased big time. I have already acknowledged this season as a write-off for Frank because of injury. In 2012, we carved every team up and should have won the premiership. In that season, Frank was a wrecking ball on the left edge and guess what, he played 50+ minutes in 17 regular season games. Eight times he played 80 minutes.

Nobody is asking that Frank becomes an 80 minute player again, but the guy should be starting, and he should be getting at least 25-30 minutes a half. One does not need a massive engine to play on the edge. It's a waste for him to spend half a game on the sideline, especially when Williams is so ineffectual playing the longer minutes, and in fact has always been best utilised in short impact spurts from the bench (e.g. at Manly 2011 or when playing for Australia).

Don't even mention the age argument again because it is ridiculous. The guy is still a month from turning 31. It's not 1992 anymore - guys don't retire at 30. They are professional athletes, fully capable of performing at the levels they train for.

 

[Run Again Son]

Yes it's a total disrespect to rush a guy back who was meant to be out for the season and put him straight back into first grade and give him limited time due to lack of match fitness. So so disrespectful. Shame Des

What a wit you are.

The disrespect started upon Williams' arrival, despite Frank's consistent excellence playing big minutes in 2012.

As for this season, I've acknowledged it has been a write-off, but that said, we waited 50 minutes for him to get on the field in the GF. Match-fit or not, we were getting bashed and the guy is an experienced international, oh, and also a former co-captain. He was never going to let us down and of course, as was always going to be the case, as soon as he got on the momentum started to swing.

By the way, I didn't see Frank costing us the GF with a pathetic attempted tackle on George Burgess.