James Maloney may very well turn out to be a great investment for the Sydney Roosters, but statistics say that he is not a second receiver. The Warriors number six has signed to play with the Sydney Roosters in 2013, and it remains to be seen if he actually turns up earlier.
Maloney is only 25 and has that rare acceleration off a standing start – he is as fast as most NRL backs.
He rates number three behind Benji Marshall and Gareth Widdop in line breaks and number two for tackle busts (Marshall first) for 5/8ths.
There is no argument that he is a wonderful individualist that would worry any defence, but is that what a 5/8th’s job is and importantly what the Roosters need?
If Maloney is going to play on the Roosters left side and be the go to man, the stats suggest he will have to do it on his own as from his 24 games for the Warriors in 2011 he only set up four line breaks for his players.
This figure is not what you want from your playmaker. Benji Marshall accounted for 27 assists and Darren Lockyer 16. Jarryd Hayne only played eight games in the pivot position and he surpassed Maloney’s figure with five.
Also concerning is that Maloney only finished seventh for all 5/8ths in try assists with 14 (Lockyer 26). Even the Raiders Josh McCrone beat him with 16.
Creating second phase play is also not strength as Maloney finished 17th with only seven off loads from all the players who carried the number six during the year.
If you are not concerned by now then the worst is yet to come.
Every opposition coach will know that James Maloney misses almost five tackles each games. He is the stand out winner for the most missed tackles for 5/8ths on 110, which is the second worst in the NRL for any player. The Dragon’s Jamie Soward, a noted bad defender, only made 57.
The good news for the Roosters is that they will be in the market for a top class fullback in 2013 and Maloney looks the ideal type to make a break and run the length of the field, something not seen at Moore Park for many years.
Sometimes stats can send you crazy, but Maloney had the opportunity to stand up and be counted in the grand final against the Sea Eagles and he was not sighted in the first half. The big occasion got to him and he looked very uncomfortable trying to run his team, as opposed to Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieron Foran who lapped up the atmosphere.
Roosters coach Brian Smith knows that he has a talent turning up in 11 months, but his challenge will be what to do with him. If Smith was prepared to play the slow Braith Anasta at fullback then you would think Maloney would be a fair chance.
Voice of Reason
Guest
Stumbled upon this article in my daily trawl for information in the NRL offseason. I know i'm late on the point, but aren't you a bookmaker and you reckon you know better than 8 NRL clubs with NRL experience who know what to look for in NRL players that were all chasing Maloney's signature...Please, give me a break.
B.A Sports
Scott Totally entitled to your opinion, I have no beef with that. And your right Gillett probably plays backrow and Parker lock. I don't think Parker plays a true lock role, but we are probably getting off topic and playing semantics to debate that. And Mcrone filled in at 6 for much of last season because Campses was out, but he is a 7 - although there isn't much difference these days, which is probably the crux of the arguement. I didn't see the Grand Final (i was in the U.S for the week). I recorded it but when i knew i was just going to be watching Manly celebrate, i gave it a wide birth. Therefore i didn't see him play in the GF, but i did see the majority of his regular season games (indeed, i saw plenty of Maloney) in junior rep football with the Eels. You mention he is not a natural organiser/talker. I don't believe that to be correct. He was coming through the ranks when i watched him live and in the Warriors side I have to think he was doing most of the organising and talking because there isn't anyone else who could. Every team is different, in some teams the six is the organiser/chief talker - Lockyer, Marshall, Soward and in other teams it is the seven - Prince, Thurston, Cronk, you use what you got. Pearce is an organiser and a yeller and he is still learning the game to. I think they will make a pretty good combination with the right game plan and remember, Brian Smith took one of the best attacking teams in recent times, the 2001 Eels to a grand final they should have won with Michael Buettner at 5/8.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
BA Sports Lets leave stats out of it 100%. Maloney is still not a 6. He is an individualist and not someone who is a natural organiser/talker. Did u watch him in the GF? Not sighted off nobbies! U said things that are incorrect: Gillet plays back row, the Broncos lock plays 80 mins. McCrone played 6 in 2011 and that was the stats I used. I am not disputing Maloneys ability as a footy player only that he is NOT what the Roosters need, unless he plays fullback and he has a chance to use his pace and break tackles. His poor defence will not be shown up so much. In summary, he would not make my team as a go to 6, but he would as a 1. Thats my opinion from watching all of his games and I believe the stats support me.
GC Tiger
Guest
Well said :)
B.A Sports
Here is my problem with your arguement using the stats you have used above (and i am not saying your wrong and i love my stats to, but i know how one can use them to manipulate an argument). You compare Maloney to Marshall and Lockyer in the try assist department. Marshall and Lockyer play more like 7's in their respective sides. Marshall and Lockyer also have running locks (Heinington and Gillett) where as Maloney has Mateo. So that would be why Maloney makes more line breaks than line break assists. Josh McCrone (a half back, not a 5/8th) also beats Maloney for try assists because there is no one else in the Raiders side to set up a try. Finally, when a player puts in a kick and another player scores, they get a try assist, if they regather their own kick, they don't. When a player puts another player into a hole to score a try, they get a try assist, if they dummy and go themself, they don't. Point being stats don't tell the whole story. Maloney's speed makes him a duel threat, a try scorer and a try creater, that's why he is an ideal no.6.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Johnno well said
Johnno
Guest
R.I.P Arthur Beetson.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
i will save my comments for another thread. Most of them was positive, though i did have some warnings.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
I was looking for a story on it on the Roar. There was none. I thought it was a good talking point. As a casual league fan i was interested by it.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
oikee Get it right matey... Yes I think Souths have a shot for 2 big reasons. 1. They will have a better modern day coach 2, Sandow cannot run a team so they may find someone who can. Eels have recruited poorly yes, they will struggle. When did I say Maloney was no good? I said he is NOt a 6, he may be a great 1. NOW we are on the dsame page.
Jesbass
Guest
Interesting article, but just wondering if editing people's replies is common practice?
oikee
Guest
:(
oikee
Guest
No worries, i have written this down and get back to you end of next year. :) Souths good, Eels no good, Maloney made a final, no good, right, we are on the same page. ;(
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
ScottWoodward.me Yes off subject I know. I guess the bidding cities do not think it is a waste of time nor the players representing ,and if they make the money the RLWC08 made ,the RLIF will reaffirm that view.It certainly has had its fair share of internet traffic and media comments already. Never ceases to amaze me ,the code gets its share of knockers(from within) when it does something adventurous.Thank heaves they are not running the game.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Crosscoder Wot does KOG mean?
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
oikee There is no doubt that the Roosters know what they are doing although often they are over ruled by the board (Mini/Braith etc). oikee, Maloney is NOT a world class anything at this stage anyway. He had his chance on the big stage in the GF and when his team needed organisation, a leader and someone to worry the Sea Eagles Maloney was not sighted and that impacted on his rookie 7. His stats are terrible in both assisting breaks, tries and defence. You are entitled to your opinion but the only way I would see him doing well at 6 with Pearce would be if someone like Josh Dugan was the fullback who has the ability to play a 6 role as well, the Maloney could just be a runner. I think you will find that Souths will go better without Sandow and the Eels will struggle.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Relevance to James Maloney KOG ?
oikee
Guest
Let's hold hands, let's pray. Please rugby league world, can we take something from this unfortunate episode and not repeat the mistakes our simple cousins have made across the ditch. Let a world class hard to find Five-eight slip through our fingers. Bugger off Scott. ? Maloney is a 6, and you would have thought after seeing the dogs lose thurston, Souths lose sandow, that this nation would have woken up. ? Just bad luck the Broncos did not offer him a contract he could not refuse. I rate Meloney, and the Roosters obviopusly are a club that know what they are doing.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
King The 2013 Rugby League World Cup will be the fourteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup. The tournament will be held in England, France, Ireland and Wales. Fourteen teams will contest the tournament: Australia, England, New Zealand, Samoa, Wales, Fiji, France, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Cook Islands, Italy and United States of America. Most of it is a waste of time as we will always end with Aus, NZ and England.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
released the other day. havent seen anything on the roar yet about. thought it would be a good talking point.