Round 9 New Zealand vs Easts @ Mt Smart

Fuck if I were Easts I'd be fucking off SKD and Ferguson and locking down Manu/Mitchell.

 

Every team runs it and defensive lines are finally starting to regularly rush the man out the back. They need to evolve the play as other clubs have tried to. Cowboys play short to the edge runner over and over (too often imo) and then they'll throw it out the back later on.

I'd like to see teams using the fullback or second receiver as the actual decoy a bit more. Same structure but throw in front of both the edge forward and the fullback. Opens the door to intercepts but you can always throw a Wally Lewis over the top pass instead.

 

Yeah. I was gonna say a kick in-behind but that is generally a low percentage play and risks turning over the ball early in the count.

The other problem with predictability is simply the fact that Friend never runs the ball. There's no running threat out of acting half even off the back of a quick play-the-ball. He just shovels. If they're gonna carry Carter, Friend should not be making 50+ tackles a game. He should be making 40 and racking up 4 or 5 runs at least.

 

I say it every year but the most underused play is the wrap-around. Instead of just using the edge player as a decoy, get his hands on it. If done at pace it creates doubt as to whether he's hitting a hole or offloading. Also makes it seem like they're going short when it's just an extra player essentially involved in a wide shift.

Almost always creates the extra man.

 

The half has to work harder to make position but it buys them time because technically it's an obstruction but it never gets called.