The Joe Tomane Award

For players whose impressive skill in attack is matched by their bumbling incompetence in defence.

 

<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:595.0pt 842.0pt; margin:2.0cm 2.0cm 2.0cm 2.0cm; mso-header-margin:35.45pt; mso-footer-margin:35.45pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> Gagai is such an incredibly talented player when he has the ball in his hands. He was one of the most impressive NYC players I’ve seen and he has translated that very well into his new role as a FG centre. He is balanced and can step off both feet and is great at running back against the grain and breaking the line.

Unfortunately, his defence is awful. I don’t think his positioning or his reading of the play is terrible but his tackling is hopeless. I just watched the Melbourne-Newcastle final from last year and anyone who gets shredded by Maurice Blair in that manner has some serious issues. He could play Origin if he could just fix up his defence enough to eliminate those shocking performances that he occasionally puts in.

 

Yep. He was horrible again last night. If Jack Reed is making you look second rate you've got serious problems.

 

I'm seriously impressed by Rochow's development since he left Melbourne. He has a great work ethic and he has shown an unexpected array of skills. Like you'd expect, he hits holes and trample halfbacks but I figured he'd be left behind as the game has gradually shifted away from big, hulking second rowers. On the contrary though, his vision and ability to pop out passes when the play looks dead continues to surprise me and while he will never be a ball-playing second rower, the number of linebreak assists and try assists he collects is very respectable.

He also happens to miss a huge number of tackles. His tackling technique is all arms and his inability to get low and drive with the shoulder will hold him back.

 

Ben Barba although his attack is pretty woeful too these days.

 

Matt Gillett. My god he's a poor defender at times. Abysmal.

 

God would you shut up about Hodges for 5 minutes.

 

I think Glenn Stewart's defence has copped it unfairly in some circles. I'd never say he was a great defender, especially because of some of his terrible goal line defence but after 2008/2009 I thought he got a lot better. His hard, high shots above the ball could be incredibly effective and there were periods where he was very valuable to Manly's edge defence.