General Centre/Wing pairings

[waipiro_old]

After this week i thought Paddy looked really good on the wing and Tate seems to be clicking more and more each game
Have to say that the centre/wing pairings look really cohesive on both sides. Bodes well for us for the rest of the year barring injury.

 

[kingdamo_old]

Yeah I think Tate is helping set up Paddy heaps and he is learning off Tate as well.

Ropati and Vatuvei always solid.

 

[Northern_Union]

I think the up muscling of Paddy is helping a little too.

 

[waipiro_old]

Yeah your right. Looks to have bulked up a fair bit and really up his involvement in this match compared to the opener. Good signs

 

[WarriorDog_old]

I am still not convinced on Paddy Ah Van. For me I don't think he gets involved enough. yes he is sound and he does everything right but for me he doesn't seem to get in there and help the forwards out much. i would like to see crockett back there. him and tate would make a deadly combination imo

 

[sebastian_old]

I don't think Patty had a great '07 but he seems to improved his handling skills & bulked up in '08. Still hasn't shown enough to start carrying out the praises just yet. Will be an interesting player to watch in our team, especially with Tate outside him now.

 

[Northern_Union]

And whats more he got rid of that terrible rats tail.

 

[Kav_old]

I am still not convinced on Paddy Ah Van. For me I don't think he gets involved enough. yes he is sound and he does everything right but for me he doesn't seem to get in there and help the forwards out much. i would like to see crockett back there. him and tate would make a deadly combination imo

Crockett is hardly "a get in there and help the forwards" type of winger. His defence lets him down while Ah Van has bulked up and showing more promise in that area.

Kav

 

[David James_old]

Ah Van is going to get better as the year goes on, he's solid on D for mine, and seems to be a smart winger. My only concern at this point is his out and out pace, I can't recall seeing him in full flight though, so that is a bit unfair.

 

[LordGnome_old]

And whats more he got rid of that terrible rats tail.

He apears to have given it to Luaki.

 

[JonB_old]

He is still only young as well.... 20 is it? or still 19....

 

[J_Hallow_old]

Crockett is hardly "a get in there and help the forwards" type of winger. His defence lets him down while Ah Van has bulked up and showing more promise in that area.

Kav

you summed up in one, he gets swatted away like a fly often

 

[jahc_old]

We're going to see a more effective Ah Van for the simple reason that Tate is creating space for him... its the little plays like drawing the defenders then an inside ball back to Ah Van. Sometimes having a good player next to you can make you look even better. I guess the best example of this was Toopi + Lauititi. I know its early days, and theres still a lot of doubters, but I'm sold. Ah Van + Tate are going to go well for us.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

There was definitely some good evidence of against Parra, with the defenders on most occassions folowing Tate and then Paddy if he gets back on the side has a little bit more room to move.

As for Ropo and Vatuvei, they've usually been pretty good anyway, only the odd mis defensive read, but that can be forgiven every now and again

 

[Jesbass_old]

Ah Van's bulking up ha certainly helped him. I remember last year when he did kick returns, he'd stop the instant he hit the defensive line. In the first two matches of 2008, he has started to bend the line and make half breaks. A sign of things to come, methinks.

Ropati and Vatuvei have such a good understanding - it's amazing, seeing as they've only been paired together twice. That, too, should only get better.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

I was just remembering, didn't Ropo also have a stint playing with Meli outside of him in 2005?

 

[Jesbass_old]

I was just remembering, didn't Ropo also have a stint playing with Meli outside of him in 2005?

According to the stats, no they didn't. Ropati played thirteen games at centre, but on the opposite side to Meli.

Byrne would have been his winger for about eleven of those matches.