Back to Rugby, back to Rocky : Mon Dec 09, 2019 2:14 pm
Anyway too much in-depth stuff, this is, after all, an RL forum.So, Rocky, I think it's safe to talk about him again.
Been looking at his best bits from last year and boy that lad can play, easily got the best feet at the club.
It's a big year for him and I'd love to see him move into the half-backs for good. So what's needed?
IMHO and I can only really express my own opinion and it is as follows, take it as you wish. He only has two weaknesses in his game and one almost certainly causes the other. First his strength.
1: Totally committed player.
2: Great defence for his size.
3: Lightening quick especially off the mark.
4: Try scorer and goal kicker.
5: Complete set of skills, except that....
Now for what I see as his weakness and all players have them, just that the better ones learn and improve.
1: I think he trie to much sometimes when he should be thinking more. Not every move he makes has to be a matchwinner, sometimes he looks to me as though he's imagining he's over the try line or putting him in the killer pass before he takes the ball. I may be wrong I just see it that way. It is a bad habit that comes from a good place. He needs to actually slow himself down a bit, go through the motions more of the time and by doing so build a rapport with the players he wants to lead. Then it will come and players will support him when he's carrying the ball, they will anticipate what he's going to do and they will respond. This fault is actually the same one that has dogged Broughy through the years and stopped his progression from great SL player to top international, though tbf he has an exceptional kicking game that Hampshire doesn't which has been his saving grace at times.
2: The above manifested itself last year most obviously in his passing near the line. Yes, there were some beauties but there were too many bad passes aswell. All of which IMHO came from over-enthusiasm, Miller had a similar issue a few years back.
So very little wrong with the lad really and now he's more settled than he's ever been before, this being his third year at the club. Nows the time, if he's ever going to make his potential this is it. If he does I reckon we will have a genuine star on our hands rather than the potential kind that always splits opinion.
So Ryan Hampshire is my first tip for player of the season. No pressure and obviously fitness and the form of others and that of the team, in general, will play its part but he looks a good bet.
