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The technical game of rugby league has changed significantly since the millennium as the thinking coaches have developed a new breed of player in keeping with the rules designed to project faster play.
Three of our most important positions on the field – hooker, five-eighth and fullback – have morphed into a much faster, more athletic player than yesteryear.
Clearly the hooker does not actually “hook” anymore, but the modern day number nine must be able to play 80 minutes and virtually have similar offensive skills as his halfback.
Sadly, the Cliff Lyons and Wally Lewis type five-eighth has virtually died out with coaches preferring a running number six.
The most recent change is the fullback.
With the amazing speed of the game now, the fullback is required to cover both sides of the ground and also hit the ball up. If the modern day number one is not superbly fit, fast and athletic, he will be found out.
The good news is the smaller, shorter guys are being preferred, where many coaches in the past have recruited a bigger and taller fullback so that he will be solid in defence and be able to take the high ball bombs.
Rugby league went from the tiny Clive Churchill to the tall Graeme Langlands and then the beefy Graeme Eddy.
The three current international fullbacks are all small guys. Australia has Billy Slater, England Sam Tomkins and the Kiwis have Kevin Locke.
The Storm’s Slater is rated the best ever by many judges but the NRL also has several other brilliant “little fellas” like Matt Bowen (Cowboys), Ben Barba (Bulldogs), Nathan Gardner (Sharks), Will Zillman, Lachlan Coote (Panthers) and Tim Moltzen (Tigers).
New Rooster buy, the diminutive Daniel Mortimer, was unable to get a starting position in the half’s for the Eels, but as a fullback he has impressed everyone at Moore Park and will put pressure on the older and slower Minichiello.
As good as Jarryd Hayne is, his 102 kg frame is not ideally suited to the modern game at fullback. His work rate is just not as good as some of his opposition, but he is a “must have” because of his freakish ability.
The Raiders’ Josh Dugan could be anything but he is tall and gangly and not always the team player.
He would need to improve his speed and work rate if he ever hopes to oust Slater as the national number one.
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