Player Chad Townsend

[Sup42]

Probably due his own thread since LU have a chad thread ( never participated in LU prefer to read their stuff , different reserved style to me own Hyperbole).

Playing in the NSW cup GF this weekend , Opinions are certainly split.

In the LU thread the vast Majority see him as a depth signing and most see him behind Tuimavave at that.

Had a semi against Manly of course , got quite harsh reviews for an average showing in the fastest NRL game to date with an odd 2nd fiddle halves partner.

Most WarriorS dot com fans with a Joint Union and League background rate the Kicking Game Chad has as a place to start to set our spine right for 2014.

I've got little to no Union Knowledge but I understand full well why that game and League use tactical kickers on the fifth tackle.

People talk about good go forward and it's the one thing we all agree on.

But where the opposition receives the ball can be equally determined by a deft kicker ( more easily off good go forward , but experts like Fittler Smith and Cronk will pop 40/20's from a position of 'being on the back foot ' )

For mine Townsend being a kicking half gives him the one League skill this team misses most.

Plenty of amazing runners.

 

[Hitman82]

Coming in to replace Carney in a sudden death semi was never going to work out well for anybody! Realistically, Cronulla had no options: Lewis perhaps, but he can't kick at all.

Townsend did some good things and some dead woeful things in this game. But fark me, it was a semi final against the best team of the last 5 years, and Chad was replacing a top 3 half... I can forgive him a mediocre showing haha. So i will discount it and instead rate the guy on other games I have seen.

What I like about Townsend is the variety in his kicking game. He strikes me as a guy we can build well-rehearsed set pieces around, for our speed merchants to gain from.

Townsend is 22 years old, with 19 games behind him, and looks comfortable in the NRL at least from a composure standpoint. He is 181 cm tall and 89kg, packs a solid defensive punch. Not Leuluai level defense, but he will be more than adequate in this respect.
I must note: the Sharks have an incredible pack... Townsend won't have this luxury (time) at the Warriors. So he will need to harden his game and take control when his chances come.

Our general play attacking kicking game is TERRIBLE. We all know this. Lack of options, two halves who have
skills but neither of whom have a complete set. It was a tragic commentary near the end of the season when we had Nathan Friend (who is not a kicker) setting up tries with a couple of deft short kicks which we all though were brilliant... the kind of kicks which for an NRL half should be a dime a dozen...

At this point in time, I rate Townsend as the structured equivalent of Godinet. Same career level, same talent level, but younger and the polar opposite in terms of half type. Godinet will never bust our halves permanently because he is simply another Johnson, but a slightly less effective version. His strengths are in his running game and adlib play making. Great depth player with FG potential at another club, but he'd make a terrible fulltime partner for Shaun... this is why we needed to buy Townsend.

Johnson has all the skills in the world. But he lack composure, communication and to me at times seems to bear the pressure of a whole team. With Johnson's current mindset and talents, he's your classic running 6 or playmaking running back. He NEEDS a composed, dominant half beside him to lead the way. I am not saying this will always be the case, but right now I firmly believe it is.

Thomas has the mindset to be a good partner for Johnson, but has not been given the correct (dominant) role in enough games. When Thomas took control, these were the better halves games for us this season... with Johnson playing adlib and looking for breaks and lazy players to step. Problem here: Leuluai has a very average long kicking game, both in terms of placement and distance.

If our forwards stand up, our backs carve metres and glitz their way through the line, then Leuluai and Johnson can be a solid partnership and enough to win games. But when our halves have to take responsibility for creating and dominating... they don't stack up.

Clearly we need to develop an option, whether it be Locke, Tomkins or Townsend. Locke is untested, Tomkins more a runner, Townsend remains as the obvious development prospect. The question is How Long will it take for him to earn a chance?

 

[Gizzyfan]

I see ct, Shaun Johnson and tl as a combination where each can swap positions in a game like my back three of tomkins Locke and fish with Manu as the interchange beast. Cf brings that boot we sorely lack

 

[eudebrito]

Yes, as much as I like Friend, I think time is almost up on his career as first choice hooker, and Townsend has been bought to replace him with TL to hooker.
Even if he dosen't look that flash in the trials, pretty sure this is what ME wants and what'll happen.

A spine of ST + CT + Shaun Johnson + TL has more variety in attack and more solidity in defence than KL + TL + Shaun Johnson + NF, the rest of the forwards will need work a bit harder to make up for friends work rate in defence, but so they should.

If, and it's a massive if, the forwards can get on top more often than not next year, that spine should be able get us home in a majority of games. It's not table topping stuff, CT and Shaun Johnson aren't going to be Foran and DCE.

Related to the forwards, no more centres on the bench please, if TL can't play 80 as a hooker, then Godinet or Havili or Locke or whomever in that Daniel Mortimer role, but ideally 4 forwards, and using all of them, might help us with intensity to make up for lack of dominant size.

 

[Hitman82]

Just on hooker rotation, if Leuluai does need a 10 minute break I would select Havili as he is a fucking unit and we wouldn't lose much physicality with him on for short bursts.

 

[wallacenz]

Yes, as much as I like Friend, I think time is almost up on his career as first choice hooker, and Townsend has been bought to replace him with TL to hooker.
Even if he dosen't look that flash in the trials, pretty sure this is what ME wants and what'll happen.

A spine of ST + CT + Shaun Johnson + TL has more variety in attack and more solidity in defence than KL + TL + Shaun Johnson + NF, the rest of the forwards will need work a bit harder to make up for friends work rate in defence, but so they should.

If, and it's a massive if, the forwards can get on top more often than not next year, that spine should be able get us home in a majority of games. It's not table topping stuff, CT and Shaun Johnson aren't going to be Foran and DCE.

Related to the forwards, no more centres on the bench please, if TL can't play 80 as a hooker, then Godinet or Havili or Locke or whomever in that Daniel Mortimer role, but ideally 4 forwards, and using all of them, might help us with intensity to make up for lack of dominant size.

i agree, mannering can fill in at centre if there is an injury. godinet is a decent option to cover halves, hooker and fb.

i like the idea of
1. ST
6. Shaun Johnson
7. CT
9. TL
I would like to think Shaun Johnson wouldnt mind taking the 6 jersey and not see it as a demotion. Still the jersey probably doesnt matter, Thurston wears 6 and pretty much plays the halfback role. Shaun Johnson can wear 7 and play standoff

 

[Weno]

I would select Havili

Matured since his time in the Vulcans. Shares the ball instead of trying to play the game by himself and running from dummy half every play the ball.

I like the way he has developed,and he is a unit. Could even be that explosive lock we are looking for? but lets see if he can crack first grade before getting that far ahead of myself. LOL

 

[Buck777]

I'm happy, very happy, Townsend is warriors bound. He's a good solid player, the shark fans rate him highly and he's amping to get here. Got that 2010 feeling again

 

[ToiletDuck]

I'm happy, very happy, Townsend is warriors bound. He's a good solid player, the shark fans rate him highly and he's amping to get here. Got that 2010 feeling again

Bundled out in round 1 of the finals away to the Titans?

 

[Hitman82]

Bundled out in round 1 of the finals away to the Titans?

Haha... can't wait

 

[Buck777]

Bundled out in round 1 of the finals away to the Titans?

Yeah...actually most of our round ones don't go too good. Hoping the 9's warm up changes that.

I have good memories of 2010,2011. If it wasn't for 2012 we might be watching the warriors this Sunday

 

[Boats n Hoes]

I'd prefer Leuluai or Townsend to partner Shaun Johnson than them going down the Locke/Tomkins at standoff route. Their solidity complements Johnson's erratic brilliance more.

So long as Townsend doesn't turn out to be a Harry Siejka mark 2 he should get a shot at some stage.

 

[Sup42]

I'd prefer Leuluai or Townsend to partner Shaun Johnson than them going down the Locke/Tomkins at standoff route. Their solidity complements Johnson's erratic brilliance more.

So long as Townsend doesn't turn out to be a Harry Siejka mark 2 he should get a shot at some stage.

Glad someone bought up Harry Sejka.

There is a mini Dennis Betts / Andy Platt = Tomkins Syndrome which has been transferred to Sejka = Townsend on the LU forum I notice.

A few obvious similarities between Sejka and Townsend , both fringe Halves ex Aussie Jnrs , both Kickers.

Sejka was a good filed kicker.


Differences :

Sejka had some Prety average halves in Penrith Fg to get past

Watching the Semi's / last games of Cronulla you can see why Townsend had an uphill battle breaking the Carney Robson combo....it's a shame the game plan was to go to Robson exclusively and use Twonsend when they couldn't get it to Robson but hey....

Sejka;s Defence at NSW cup level was sub par

Townsends Defence at NRL level was outstanding in one game ( Roosters forty point rort of the Sharks ) and Solid in against Manly.

Townsends gone on to win NSW half ( we've had that with Godinet , it's a good indeication the player is there or thereabouts , could make first in a team needing new Halves ).

I too hope Townsend doesn't become the next Sejka however he would have to stop tackling and go missing a fair bit to hit those lows.

 

[Inruin]

I would prefer Townsend to partner Shaun Johnson in the halves and Thomas to Hooker with a replacement hooker like Friend or Godinet or perhaps even Locke off the bench. A couple of points:

• Townsend has a very good kicking game, long and short. With some consistancy in selection and halves pairing we will see the best from him
• Our forward pack has been relatively small for years now. Where we got an advantage from was our utility hooker off the bench sparking some go forward. Previously this had been Hohaia or Heremia. We havent had that last year or this year and that has been the difference IMO.
• just putting Townsend in at half will work, but for maximum benefit we need that utilty hooker off the bench that can provide some energy and point of difference.

He is to good to be playing Vulcans.

 

[ToiletDuck]

I'll go on record saying I don't think he'll make any great difference at the club. From what I've seen of him, I can't see him filling any other role other than a steady-ish half that needs to be paired with someone who is capable of dominating matches. And given Shaun Johnson isn't in that category yet....I think it'll be Vulcans until Shaun Johnson or TL get injured (or dropped). I just can't see where he's going to fit into the side if TL doesn't go to hooker. TL was basically considered to be our best and most consistent player by the end of the season, so moving him to accommodate a fringe half seems a bit drastic.

It also concerns me that Cronulla were happier to hang onto a 31 yr old Jeff Robson ahead of a 22 yr old up-and-coming half. Clubs make bad decisions all the time, but it only firms my initial impressions of him. Hope I'm wrong though..

 

[Freddie Futler]

I'm excited that he is coming to the Warriors, the two areas that we have always been weak is the kicking game and the backing up when someone makes a break.
Chads all round kicking game is superb which should give us good field position and his deft little in goal kicks should bring us repeat sets or tries.
I remember that Maloney was not that good for a fair while before he came right.

 

[Jay M]

Just on hooker rotation, if Leuluai does need a 10 minute break I would select Havili as he is a fucking unit and we wouldn't lose much physicality with him on for short bursts.

I'd like to see Laumape given a shot too... Laumape scooting out of dummy half, using his size and acceleration against tired forwards around the ruck could be just plain nasty. (of course, this depends on whether Nielsen is starting etc).

Side note on Townsend though. We BADLY need a good kicking half, and we need a good defensive one (if Leuluai moves to hooker as expected). Townsend could fill these shoes. With Leuluai at hooker, Tomkins at the back, Shaun Johnson at half or five eighths - we don't need an x-factor player in the halves. We need a Cooper Cronk equivalent - someone who will make their tackles, follow the game plan, and get us over the line. I think Townsend could be that guy. I also think - he's 22. Halves don't really hit their straps until their mid 20s usually (unless they're really freakish) - look at Isaac John - he's only just starting to deliver on the promise he showed years ago (before we released him). Maloney is getting better and better. Leuluai is a better player now than when we released him (thanks Wigan). Joel Moon is apparently playing better now than when we released him as well (centre/five eighth - but just using him as an example because we released him when he was 23 IIRC). Let's give Townsend some time to prove himself, and then we'll see. The warriors have a bad history of releasing players who then come good elsewhere... Give them a chance, give them a shot, show them some belief, and let them deliver.

And well, if Townsend doesn't deliver - we've still got Leuluai (with Friend to cover hooker), Godinet, Locke or Tomkins...

 

[wallacenz]

manu might make a good hooker while we are at it, hes big

 

[edd]

manu might make a good hooker while we are at it, hes big

I don't think the Tongan community would be very happy with that idea.... Ha Ha....

 

[WellingtonOrca]

A half that can reliably get grubbers past the feet of the opposition without kicking them dead would be quite handy to have.