Matthew Johns: The ball-playing running lock is changing the game for the better
For too long teams have all played the one way to the detriment of the game, but now a handful of lock forwards are bringing individual style back to the game, writes Matthew Johns.
The game of rugby league continues to change and evolve, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. There was a time when no team played the same, each had their own identity.
Some, like the great Parramatta sides of the 1980s and the Raiders of the ‘90s liked to move the football and beat you with skill.
Others like Warren Ryan’s Canterbury Dogs of War liked to dismantle you with defensive ferocity and discipline.
In the last 15 years, to the detriment of the game, almost all teams have fallen into the trap of one uniformed style of football.
Like one of those old science fiction films set in the future, everybody is wearing a silver suit with a red V on the front, rugby league teams all seem to be adopting the exact same style, the only difference being, like the futuristic silver suits, the style looks better on some than it does others.
There’s no position in rugby league which had been more greatly affected by this lack of imagination than lock forward.
Calling the 13, “lock”, feels rather old fashioned, in the last decade the man in 13 has been just another metre grabbing front-rower who rarely leaves the centre of the football field.
But the lock was once so much more.
The lock forward was like another five-eighth; he used vision, he operated the short sides of the field, he caused headaches to the defence with his ability to short ball play, you could build a team around a great lock.
But the obsession for metreage and the overuse of structure has taken the skill and imagination away from that position and replaced it with “go-forward and play the ball fast.”
But that’s about to change. In fact, the best sides already have.
Melbourne, the Roosters, the Raiders and Souths have all gone for speed and creativity over size when locking the scrum.
Souths’ Cameron Murray is a gem of a player, go back and take a look at his first half performance last Friday, he tore the Dogs to pieces.
While Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds controlled the left and right edges, Murray ran the centre field, tormenting the defence with his speed, footwork and ball playing.
As a kid Murray was a beach sprint champion and later captained Newington College first XV in Rugby Union, where he was a top student.
You can see the speed and the smarts in his football every weekend.
Just up the road, Cameron Murray’s good mate Victor Radley is doing a similar job for the Roosters.
With the injury to Jake Friend, Radley is showing his versatility by playing dummy-half, but Victor is a natural lock forward.
Early last season the Roosters were having some teething problems bedding down new combinations and finding the balance between playing fast and playing structured.
Victor Radley establishing himself as a first grader, helped enormously with that.
With Cronk and Keary operating either edge, Radley’s football intellect and skill provided, not just a link but another option to the 7 and 6.
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Victor’s fire and aggression gave the Roosters that hard edge all title winning teams require.
Speaking of fire and aggression, let’s look at the Melbourne Storm and talk Brandon Smith.
Brandon would be the starting dummy-half in almost every other team, but he bides his time behind another Smith.
Craig Bellamy uses Brandon’s abilities to great effect off the bench as the opposition starts to loosen.
The middle of the field, with the modern forwards all over 6’1 and 105kg can look like Mack trucks vs Mack trucks, Brandon Smith’s foot speed and fire provides a huge lift at the 20 minute mark for Melbourne.
Brandon is one of those naturally tough individuals, he has no self-preservation.
At Storm fitness training he absolutely smashes himself on the early efforts with no thought that there’s still another 10 to go.
Brandon is one of those rare creatures who has a liking for pain.
Like Victor Radley and Cam Murray he brings an alternative to size and metreage.
Englishman John Bateman is following a long tradition of Yorkshireman who have turned heads in the NRL.
At the Raiders, Bateman has brought with him a difference. Not big, not lightning quick or gloriously skilful, the Bradford native is an old fashioned English footballer.
Whatever the job requires, he’ll do. Bateman can be selected on an edge or in the middle, to be truthful it doesn’t matter because he roams.
Like the old fashioned locks, he has great instincts and as a result tends to turn up where he needs to be.
Ricky Stuart is being rewarded for resisting the temptation to “structure” Bateman, and allowing him to play to his natural instincts.
There should be more of it.
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