CANTERBURY hooker Michael Lichaa says there is no set game plan for their new playmaking rotation and that his drastic reduction in NRL minutes is out of his control.
Lichaa has been the odd man out in the Bulldogs spine since the emergence of rookie halfback Matt Frawley, with the rake’s time on the field cut to just 56 minutes over the past fortnight.
Frawley’s injection has meant starting No. 7 Moses Mbye moves to hooker, forcing Lichaa off the field.
The 23-year-old Lichaa, who is off-contract at the end of the year, declared he still wants to play out the entire match but concedes coach Des Hasler has opted for a new direction.
“It’s out of my control really. It’s up to Des what he does with the team,” Lichaa told AAP.
“I want to be playing the full game, but I guess someone’s got to come off and I’ve got to change position. If there’s no one injured in the backs, (Frawley’s) got to play somewhere.
“It just happens to be my place.”
Bulldogs hooker Michael Lichaa.Source: News Corp Australia
Lichaa revealed there had been no dialogue with the coaching staff over when Frawley would be injected into the game in place of the hooker.
He said the current rotation also depended on possible injuries or concussion tests during matches.
“We’ve just got to play it by ear. We don’t know if there’s an injury, I’m not too sure going into games what’s going to happen,” Lichaa said.
The Bulldogs had won three on the trot since Frawley’s debut in round five, but fell away late in Sunday’s last-gasp defeat to the Wests Tigers.
While Frawley had been a key factor in their winning streak, Lichaa said the defeat had more to do with the team’s inability to work with the ball in good field position.
The Tigers enjoyed a 59 per cent advantage in territory.
“I thought we started the game pretty good, but they got us at the end there. So it didn’t work (on Sunday), but it’s worked other weeks. That’s rugby league,” Lichaa said.
“They played really well to be honest, the Tigers. We just couldn’t get down there enough.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...e/news-story/20f865c75d527ed23b30c919621e4f11
Lichaa has been the odd man out in the Bulldogs spine since the emergence of rookie halfback Matt Frawley, with the rake’s time on the field cut to just 56 minutes over the past fortnight.
Frawley’s injection has meant starting No. 7 Moses Mbye moves to hooker, forcing Lichaa off the field.
The 23-year-old Lichaa, who is off-contract at the end of the year, declared he still wants to play out the entire match but concedes coach Des Hasler has opted for a new direction.
“It’s out of my control really. It’s up to Des what he does with the team,” Lichaa told AAP.
“I want to be playing the full game, but I guess someone’s got to come off and I’ve got to change position. If there’s no one injured in the backs, (Frawley’s) got to play somewhere.
“It just happens to be my place.”
Bulldogs hooker Michael Lichaa.Source: News Corp Australia
Lichaa revealed there had been no dialogue with the coaching staff over when Frawley would be injected into the game in place of the hooker.
He said the current rotation also depended on possible injuries or concussion tests during matches.
“We’ve just got to play it by ear. We don’t know if there’s an injury, I’m not too sure going into games what’s going to happen,” Lichaa said.
The Bulldogs had won three on the trot since Frawley’s debut in round five, but fell away late in Sunday’s last-gasp defeat to the Wests Tigers.
While Frawley had been a key factor in their winning streak, Lichaa said the defeat had more to do with the team’s inability to work with the ball in good field position.
The Tigers enjoyed a 59 per cent advantage in territory.
“I thought we started the game pretty good, but they got us at the end there. So it didn’t work (on Sunday), but it’s worked other weeks. That’s rugby league,” Lichaa said.
“They played really well to be honest, the Tigers. We just couldn’t get down there enough.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...e/news-story/20f865c75d527ed23b30c919621e4f11
