The game of rugby league seems to go through phases at the top level. A few years ago the lock forward position was used as just an extra front-rower, the best example of this being Paul Gallen, but in the last two to three years the position seems to be going through another phase.
The likes of Dale Finucane, Cam Murray and Victor Radley are helping to change the position once again but perhaps the two best locks in today’s game are Jake Trbojevic and Jason Taumalolo. I love watching these two players and their wildly different styles.
Taumalolo might be the most damaging, explosive, ball-running forward in the game’s history. When he fails to run over 200 metres, it feels like a quiet night. Taumalolo requires at minimum of two players to put him on the ground. He regularly makes 15 to 20 metres a run. He combines hulk-style size with some of the most impressive foot work and speed in the game. The fact that it comes from a man his size can make him unstoppable.
Trbojevic, on the other hand, is a Swiss army knife of a player. He combines a solid running game with perhaps the best tackling technique in the NRL. He also acts as perhaps the best link man in the game. His selective passing game is outstanding and allows the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans to play wider with more time, which is a critical aspect of the modern attack.
Jason Taumalolo seems to be ignored by the wider NRL community. This may be because the Cowboys are struggling, or it may be because we have just come to expect his excellence, but he was able to continue his fantastic numbers in 2019. For the year Taumalolo scored three tries and set one up, he averaged about 17 runs a game and a massive 196 metres a match.
He made ten line breaks for the year and was able to break nearly 70 tackles. He was also able to produce just over one offload a game. Taumalolo also tackled at a very respectable 92 per cent. Clearly the strength of Taumalolo’s game is his running. He makes ground at will and forward packs still haven’t figured out how to limit his impact.
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
I have two issues with Taumalolo’s game. The first one may not be his fault but in fact may be the fault of the coaches. I cannot understand why Taumalolo is only used as a battering ram. The Cowboys have perhaps the most gifted forward since Sonny Bill Williams and he is used the same way that Martin Lang was.
This makes no sense to me. Paul Green has to run some plays for Taumalolo. He has to get him one on one with halves or have him charging against the grain. Taumalolo can go to another level if the Cowboys realise what they actually have. Green’s use of Taumalolo should be criticised.
My other issue with Taumalolo’s game is that he can fight for too much ground, which can result in a very slow play the ball, meaning the next play results in either the runner being smashed or the set play being put under a lot of pressure with a rushing defence.
It sounds counter-intuitive to suggest that earning extra yardage affects the set in a negative way, but this aspect of Taumalolo’s game is holding back the Cowboys.
In 2019, Jake Trbojevic scored two tries and assisted on another three. He averaged close to 12 carries a game and 122 metres. He was able to create nine offloads for the year and tackled at a very impressive 94 per cent. These stats are uninspiring. I thought they would paint a much better picture for Trbojevic.
These numbers still point to a great player but don’t go close to painting the whole picture. The greatest strength in Trbojevic’s game is his ability to ball-play, which allows him to make more damaging runs, but also allows him to play a brilliant link man for the likes of DCE or Nathan Cleary at Origin level.
His ability to ball-play like a half allows his halves to play with much more width and attack the edge at speed. This ability creates new areas of attack and gets his playmakers onto the front foot.
The other strong point of Trbojevic’s game is his defence. He leads the defensive line and is part of arguably the best middle in the game with Marty Taupau and Addin Fonua-Blake. His ability to lead the line and create line speed and then cut ball-runners in half is incredible and just makes ball-runners check where he is in the line.
So who do you pick? These two players – although playing the same position – have very different styles, and I am going for Jake Trbojevic because a team can use him in a number of different ways.
While Taumalolo may be the greatest ball-runner of all time, outside of his running, he has a very limited ability to impact a game whereas Trbojevic can take control in a number of different ways.
Charley Handy
Guest
Eh, Taumalolo has soft hands, can step, a clever footballer
mushi
Roar Guru
Whilst conceptually Manly JT can do more, what NQJT gives you is a guaranteed level of go forward that is better than any other player in the game. I think what NQJT provides is such an outlier versus other elite players you can build an entire team around it taking players marginally better in the other areas and the sum of the parts just becomes far greater when you can paper over role player's weaknesses. The other thing about defence is that metres gained is actually a pivotal part. By consistently gaining more than other players he’s effectively taking half a tackle off the other team. I’d want to see the number on the play of the ball speed before commenting on that gap but even in Barry’s version of 4 players committed with lower PBS then that’s still two players out of the line or having to really work in defence. Agree that Green’s tactics seem to be sub optimal but that for me further reinforces the gap. We can all see a world where NQJT could be used in a fashion where he’s able to create more as part of the offensive structure and emulate a lot of what MJT brings, but there’s no path way for MJT to emulate what NQJT does as a metre eater. I think this is an unfair one for MJT as you’re comparing him to probably the most valuable non spine player.
Rob
Guest
Jurbo can't do what Taumalolo can do with the ball. JT13 is bigger, strong and more elusive. The more carries he has the more damage he does which is what happened in 2017 after Taumo went to Penrith, Ben Hannant had retired and M. Scott was out for the Season. The effect he had on opposition forwards through the middle 3rd was incredible. For mine his ability to change direction at speed along with upper body strength, low body height and powerful legs would be nightmare for opposition forwards to deal with late in the game. What a weapon carrying the football. Whilst I totally get many people wanting him to play wider and target edges, I think with the flat Cowboys attacking structures it would allows defenders the ability to rush up and cut off the ball or get up on him before he gets mobile. Good edge defenders would also find it easier to cut him down from the side or behind him than opposing forwards would especial when fatigued IMO. The only criticism I have of Jason is he doesn't play smart. He needs to pass more before or in the line. Fighting and standing in tackles which the Storm let him do effectively holding him up and slowing down can be counter productive. I don't think JT13 has ever had to play smart? Jurbo is smart, creative, a great ball player with beautiful hands and a rock solid defender. I still can't believe NSW kept sticking with the Gallen truck it up selection over this absolutely outstanding ball player. Both Jurbo and Taumalolo are worth $1 million a season IMO. I don't like dumb footballers so if I had to chose 1 I would probably go Jurbo, because of his defence, ball playing and mostly his smart football brain. Having both of them in a team would be fantastic.
bazza2
Guest
Good ball playing skills is not easily coached as you make out. Do not underestimate that skill.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
They're both great players and try to win without mauling the opposing players with illegal tactics. Jake is a bit of a rarity in the game today as he's not as athletic as many other forwards but is hugely competitive and effective. I never figured out why it was determined that the only way to tackle in the modern game is around the chest area, when I was watching Menzies smashing blokes around the waist. Just like Jurbo's tackles , the player doesn't get the chance to offload because before he knows what happened his nose is in the dirt. There are times when going high is good but it's always great to see Jake take someone down. Green could do a lot more to develop JT2's game and improving his ability to put someone thru a gap would be handy. The Roosters showed with Tedesco that any player becomes a lot better when they take the blinkers off and learn how to promote a team mate. I don't know who is the better player but there's a couple of players at the Broncos who are potentially better forwards than the rest.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Both. Jurbo as a ball-playing 13 and Tauma as an impact prop (that's essentially the role he plays at the Cowboys anyway)
Harry
Guest
Jake plays 80 mins Jason plays 50 mins per game 30 mins makes a big difference plus Jason gets over a million bucks to play 50 mins I’m no maths expert but that’s a lot of money per minute
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
' Footy tinder'. Oh ,very good RN.
R N
Roar Rookie
I love both these guys. If it was footy tinder I would swipe right for both. But.... If I had to choose it would be Jake T (and I am a cows supporter) ! Watching him cut dudes in half and then off load or pass before the line... well he is the complete package isn't he?
Jacks
Roar Guru
All very good points and I totally agree. Paul Green is really failing with his coaching of Taumalolo
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Jacks, in order to answer the question about who would I want, it's simple; imagine JT13 playing for Manly and Jake T playing for the Cowboys, both trying to perform the exact same role as the other is currently doing. IMO, JT13 could easily move into Jake T's role, because he'd only have to adapt his current skills to ball-play. This is something that can be coached. Jake T on the other hand would struggle, simply because he doesn't have to size or speed to perform JT13s role and you can't coach natural attributes. What your piece really highlights is the deficiencies in Paul Green as a coach. A guy like Tauamlolo should not be constantly used to hammer up the middle. It would be great to see him have a more roving role in attack. He's a handful now, he'd be nigh on impossible to defend if he could use all his skills.
Josh
Roar Rookie
i think jakes stats are a bit overstated, due to his stats being made on the back of the runs from fonua-blake and tapau. on the weekend his front rowers were dominated, would be interesting to see the stats. great player but he is playing on the back of two taumalolo clones taking the first two rucks. bottom line would love to have both, manly do not need tamalolo because of their front rowers, cowboys would love to have jake to take the ruck after taumalolo.
Jacks
Roar Guru
I agree I think Manly are perhaps overpaying Jake T because of his brother. But not a bad problem to have I guess
The Barry
Roar Guru
Is Jake better value now he’s being upgraded to somewhere north of 800k? Looking at the numbers Jacks has provided, Jurbo had one extra try involvement for the season, far fewer offloads and far fewer line break involvements Agree about Jurbo’s ball playing but not sure that offsets all of JT13s extra metres When you take these two into account plus Thurston plus Tedesco JT must be one of the all time great initials...let’s not mention Jason Taylor
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
I disagree. Jake is better value and I left out his ability to ball play and play in a second receiver role from my original post.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Jake Trbojevic. But only if his heart is in it. And yes, I'm thinking about Glenn Stewart's time at Souths for a pay day with little in return for the Bunnies investment. Jake gives 100% EVERY game and does not quit, no matter what the score is. IMO the same can't be said for JT13. Jake also doesn't have the injury concerns of JT13 and can play far more mins each week which is another big plus.
Peter Quinn
Jake. For his all-round football ability and not just bash n barge runs.
Jacks
Roar Guru
You make a good point the cowboy forwards are all pretty similar and one dimensional besides Asiata which was ok when they had Thurston but now they need some variety.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
God, can you imagine a side that had both players. Scary.
Insider
Roar Rookie
Jakes slight of hand is superb Jason’s destructive running likewise, imagine JT running off Jurbo, oh what a mess