Aaron Smith
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Surely up there as one of, if not the best 9s ever to pull on the black jersey.
And whats better, is he seems to have upped his game the past 12 months or so, and could argue he is in the form of his life, at least super level.
But the problem, there is Aaron Smith a whole week and then we start looking at the next cabs off the rank.
Obviously Fakatava looms large as a great back up, but as has happened before, players look the goods at lower levels, but dont always make the step up, so still sits as a player with massive potential.
TJP, been a great servant to NZR, but as Smith has gotten better, I think he has dropped back to the chasing bunch.
Webber obviously sits atop that group, TTT is the next with 'experience' in Black, after that, names like Christie, Hall, Nock, Drummond, Roe, Roigard are mentioned.
Guess the point of the post, look after Smith, but we need to start pushing someone forward as his deputy.
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@taniwharugby this thread was inspired by Roy in the disabled toilet wasn't it!?
I actually really like Aaron Smith. -
I mentioned it yesterday, its becoming more obvious to me the biggest downside with NZR's drive to only have the highest level of games, both in SR and Internationals
The steps between are too big and we dont have enough games a season at one level to risk losing the odd one so as to blood someone new
We need games against easier opposition to bridge the gap between levels, so young guys dont have to jump from playing 10 minutes off the bench at NPC level to playing the crusaders at home in a game you cant loose if you want to make the final
@Crucial yeah, if i was an NZ U20 halfback i would be asking for a sebatical to go and look over Smiths shoulder for a few weeks, learn the extent of training he does etc, he loves teaching but all accounts
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@kiwiwomble there is plenty of stuff on Social media that shows some of what he does off the field to hone his skills, I expect with a good coach at your side and a desire to improve utilising some of his training techniques would help no end...I expect the fact he is super fit helps too.
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@taniwharugby said in Aaron Smith:
@kiwiwomble there is plenty of stuff on Social media that shows alot of what he does off the field, I expect with a good coach at your side and a desire to improve utilising some of his training techniques would help no end...I expect the fact he is super fit helps too.
At his level you need a good personal coach (not just trainer). Drills, fitness, strength, movement, rest, rehab.
I know he pays a bit to get one of the country's top massage therapists post game for example.I am suggesting just a pure focus on making pass speed and accuracy second nature then build the rest back in.
A bit like some hookers that could take some time out working solely on their throwing. -
@stargazer said in Aaron Smith:
Maybe we should move the entire discussion in the All Blacks 2021 thread to this thread? Surely not going to repeat ourselves again?
Not everything needs to be in massive centralised threads
More specific threads are good for conversations staying alive. If we put all the AB topics in one place conversations get cut off when someone starts talking about a different position/news story
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Smith is so good he's going to leave a very large shadow when he departs and other players are unfairly compared to him after he's gone.
Think of how much better Smith is compared to the 9s that came before him (Marshall, Kelleher, Leonard, Ellis, Cowan, Weepu). Peak Marshall and Weepu are better than those other guys but even they don't compare to Smith.
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Aaron Smith is the best halfback i have ever seen, yes even above Joost who was my go to for, jesus i'm getting old, far too long now.
His workrate to get to every ruck on time is incredible. His support lines are near perfect. But that pass is something else. The All Blacks won lots and lots of lineout ball at 2 because not only was it safe, the width Smith gets on his pass means we can still attack off it. He's a really good yappy organiser too.
I don't care about bing a big defender, and i hate box kicks. I want my halfback to move the ball away from contact real fast, and hit his man where he wants it. Aaron Smith does that better than anyone.
The step down to TJP over the years has been vast, and when he goes we will really really miss him.
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we probably need to stop comparing all the other halfbacks to smith, they should try and get to his level but probably shouldn't be punished for not getting there
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@mariner4life I love those passes he does through traffic that hit the man.
Then was this passage, he touches the ball 11 times, ironically, his worst pass of the lot was the one that probably gave Nonu the extra space and time for us to then score.
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95 Bachop is the only other one who comes close to him. Weepu could have been up there but chose the pies and KFC.
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@taniwharugby that passage is perfect rugby by a team who should be out on their feet
Owen Franks' cleanout on Nonu at the last ruck is amazing, they had two guys there and he hits them both.
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Fuck I love watching that.
There's so much to enjoy... the rugby itself; then the TMO taking an age - with the crowd going absolutely feral in panic; and then the missed kick, followed by the 2nd chance to really REALLY rub their own salty tears into the wound.
Perfection. -
@kiwiwomble said in Aaron Smith:
we probably need to stop comparing all the other halfbacks to smith, they should try and get to his level but probably shouldn't be punished for not getting there
Disagree. Aaron Smith shows what happens when true professionals work on their game. Every other fluffybunny in New Zealand wearing 9 on their back can't fucking pass and they're clearly not working on it. For some reason their coaches aren't ripping them a new arsehole about it either, but I guess these days you have to create an environment where players want to improve...
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@antipodean said in Aaron Smith:
@kiwiwomble said in Aaron Smith:
we probably need to stop comparing all the other halfbacks to smith, they should try and get to his level but probably shouldn't be punished for not getting there
Disagree. Aaron Smith shows what happens when true professionals work on their game. Every other fluffybunny in New Zealand wearing 9 on their back can't fucking pass and they're clearly not working on it. For some reason their coaches aren't ripping them a new arsehole about it either, but I guess these days you have to create an environment where players want to improve...
Look at someone like Roe. Gets promoted up because he is a good sniper and has an eye for a gap. I wouldn't say that his passing is laboured but it is merely adequate. Saw little between pre-season and end of season that he has improved that area despite being in professional training for months without much game prep.
Not knocking the kid and he is probably doing what he is asked to. Just an example where coaches don't seem to be pushing this aspect despite it being the major skill that is required for a fast international game.
