Playmaker's insight: Rookie halves gifted chance

<ul><li>CHAMP&#8217;S ADVICE: <a href="http://13.210.220.211/2020/05/24/super-trade-week-dez-creek-reveals-his-moves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="2019 winner reveals his five trades (opens in a new tab)">2019 winner reveals his five trades</a></li><li>CHEAPIE RANKINGS:&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://13.210.220.211/2020/05/21/cheapie-rankings-money-makers-for-nrls-return/" target="_blank">Money-makers to target in Round 3</a></li></ul>



The game is back and so is team list Tuesday! Last week we went over some expected changes to Canberra’s line up since the competition’s delay.



This week we will cover off
some more impending changes in key positions across the NRL, which will have
implications for a number of promising halves at Penrith, Parramatta and the
Cowboys.



One of the big stories in the off-season involved Nathan Cleary, which in turn has ended with a two game suspension for the Penrith playmaker.&nbsp; 



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="842" src="http://13.210.220.211/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-1024x842.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-2305" srcset="https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-1024x842.jpeg 1024w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-300x247.jpeg 300w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-768x631.jpeg 768w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-1536x1263.jpeg 1536w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-2048x1683.jpeg 2048w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-640x526.jpeg 640w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-1200x986.jpeg 1200w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Koroisau-1920x1578.jpeg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 770px" /></figure>



Now the question turns to how
this will impact Jarome Luai and the incoming Matt Burton. 



Both players are young, ball
running halves who possess a key ingredient in any rookie player and that is
confidence. 



It is a big opportunity for
each player to play a more hands on approach without the chief playmaker. 



I don’t see either of the two
taking a traditional first receiver approach like Cleary can do.



I think they will play a more left and right side approach, who sees more of the football will depend on game plans and who they target in the opposition defence. 



I think it will put more onus
on hooker Api Koroisau to control the game, and with the new rules on ruck
infringement I can see him having a very dominate roll over the next few weeks.



This will include in defence
with teams trying to wear down the most experienced player in the Penrith
spine.



Dylan Brown is another playmaker on the rise and is growing in confidence each game. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Take a bow Dylan Brown! Watch Bulldogs v Eels live on <a href="https://twitter.com/Channel9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Channel9</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9WWOS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9WWOS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NRL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NRL</a> <a href="https://t.co/6c7tyLKUZZ">pic.twitter.com/6c7tyLKUZZ</a>&mdash; NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRLonNine/status/1109707862593294337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2019</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He has a good athletic build,
so combine this with his natural football brains and working first hand with
the eighth immortal Joey Johns, you can see why he has such a big future ahead.




Johns would no doubt be
teaching the art of manipulating a defence for both him and Moses. 



With this comes the ability
to take an opportunity when it arises, so it won’t matter if it is on Moses’
edge or Brown’s, both will be looking for similar opportunities. I think this
will open opportunities up for Brown, despite being the less experienced member
of the halves.



Another factor is the new ruck rules which could potentially tighten the defensive line giving these edge players more room.



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Skippy skippy Scott Drinkwater 👀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NRL9s?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NRL9s</a> <a href="https://t.co/nF1qeGF5kS">pic.twitter.com/nF1qeGF5kS</a>&mdash; League Live (@RLeagueLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/RLeagueLive/status/1228278305062699010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The Cowboys have lost their captain
and shot caller in Michael Morgan, in comes Jake Clifford. 



In this case I think Clifford
will play a more traditional halves role. 



He has shown in glimpses what
he has to offer and that he can also control a game.



He is only 22-years-old and
is a very solid build. It is important that both Scott Drinkwater and Valentine
Holmes are given space. 



The ability to tie up the middle and get the ball to the space is an asset Clifford possesses. 



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="840" height="560" src="http://13.210.220.211/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Val.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2306" srcset="https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Val.jpg 840w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Val-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Val-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.scplaybook.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Val-640x427.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 98vw, (max-width: 1199px) 64vw, 770px" /></figure>



With those men playing outside
him, he won’t have to worry about the flair in his game and it may be just what
he needs.



I think Holmes will try to
inject himself more in Morgan’s absence and although I don’t know how his body
has reacted to the time off, the extended break will likely benefit him
following his period out of the game. 



All the best on the weekend and
let your teams be successful along with a Green Machine victory.

Playmaker’s insight: Rookie halves gifted chance

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