Tigers v Bath (A) - Premiership - Saturday 28th October 2023 - KO:15-05

[Jimmy Skitz]

Steward isn't Jordy Barrett no but he has the size and power to be a Jamie Roberts or Brad Barrett type of 12, his strength in carrying is really underrated, rarely loses the collision. Its not about whether Kelly or Porter have become bad players its about having options and having players that offer different qualities in the position.

[Rugbygramps]

Steward isn't Jordy Barrett no but he has the size and power to be a Jamie Roberts or Brad Barrett type of 12, his strength in carrying is really underrated, rarely loses the collision. Its not about whether Kelly or Porter have become bad players its about having options and having players that offer different qualities in the position.

Still doesn’t answer the question as to why you would switch one of the best in the world at 15 to a different position.
Also imo while Barrett and Roberts are big men neither was near 6ft 7

[Jimmy Skitz]

Steward isn't Jordy Barrett no but he has the size and power to be a Jamie Roberts or Brad Barrett type of 12, his strength in carrying is really underrated, rarely loses the collision. Its not about whether Kelly or Porter have become bad players its about having options and having players that offer different qualities in the position.

Still doesn’t answer the question as to why you would switch one of the best in the world at 15 to a different position.
Also imo while Barrett and Roberts are big men neither was near 6ft 7

to allow Shillcock to play as a second playmaker with Pollard, its all about trade offs really losing some strengths in one area to gain them in another. None of our centres look like playmakers, Kelly can do it a bit but its hardly a strength of his having a Steward at 12 for example would put a big strong carry threat at 12 (something we have lacked in the centres since Manu went from memory) whilst having a second play maker coming into the line as well. Steward's passing is more than decent too. I wouldn't want Kata next to him that was someone else and Kata himself may well be the one to fill the role I am suggesting, I'd rather a Scott or even Kelly at 13 if Freddie was at 12.

Freddie is elite under the highball but in the 6N and last season in the prem people simply didn't kick to him and for whatever reason we don't bring him into the attacking line often enough at 15

[Rugbygramps]

We will have to agree to disagree. Seems strange that people are suggesting that Steward isn’t a playmaker at 15 but will be if he moves to 12.
Whatever I’ll bet a large sum of money tigers won’t do it and England won’t consider it until after the next World Cup

[Jimmy Skitz]

We will have to agree to disagree. Seems strange that people are suggesting that Steward isn’t a playmaker at 15 but will be if he moves to 12.
Whatever I’ll bet a large sum of money tigers won’t do it and England won’t consider it until after the next World Cup

never said he would be I said he's be a gain line threat in carrying, rugby has seemed to move away from 12 being a playmaker to it being the 15, it'll probably come back around at some point though, I'm not talking a permanent move either, horses for courses approach, a game like this Freddie at 15, a dry hot day with lots of running rugby possible then 12 becomes an idea worth looking at

[Tigers86asw]

Steward isn't Jordy Barrett no but he has the size and power to be a Jamie Roberts or Brad Barrett type of 12, his strength in carrying is really underrated, rarely loses the collision. Its not about whether Kelly or Porter have become bad players its about having options and having players that offer different qualities in the position.

Still doesn’t answer the question as to why you would switch one of the best in the world at 15 to a different position.
Also imo while Barrett and Roberts are big men neither was near 6ft 7

They are both the 6 ft 4 or 6 ft 5- same as Steward. I wouldn’t move him at all.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Steward needs to develop some of the more subtle parts of his game, especially his kicking, & some aspects of his positioning.

He is way off Jordie Barrett, some of that is down to the fact that you get the impression with NZ rugby that the ball is more important than the gym in player development.

[Scott1]

Steward isn’t a Jamie Roberts,crazy comparison for me!

[mol2]

Doesn't dinner taste better when you've beaten Bath away with half your side out!

[Jimmy Skitz]

Steward needs to develop some of the more subtle parts of his game, especially his kicking, & some aspects of his positioning.

He is way off Jordie Barrett, some of that is down to the fact that you get the impression with NZ rugby that the ball is more important than the gym in player development.

seems like Freddie was always one of the bigger lads, that can halt the growth of the more subtle skills, that a small player who has a growth spurt later, you see it in football too.

One of the reasons Erling Haaland is so good is he was a smaller lad then had a huge growth spirt and had the chance to develop his technical skills, so often the lads who are always big aren't coached to do so as they can rely on strength alone.

Freddie's skills are good but he can still make a lot of ground

[thebearisstilldeano]

Doesn't dinner taste better when you've beaten Bath away with half your side out!

Yep. Wine too!

[sam16111986]

I think I'd rather trial Shillcock at 13 before I tried to shoehorn an international fullback who's arguably the best in the world under the high ball out of the backfield and into the centres.

Shillcock is quick and elusive enough to cause issues ball in hand. Solid enough in the tackle and has the distribution skills to bring the back three into the game. Positioning would require some work mind.

I'm also interested to see if we can get a Kata/Kelly combination in the midfield. That could be brutally efficient.

[Postiger2]

Why are people so keen to see one of the world's top 3 fullbacks turned into a centre? Freddie is just fine at 15, thank you

[Jimmy Skitz]

I don't think Freddie starts for Ireland, France, New Zealand or South Africa so would say he's not in the top 3 in the world just based on that. We're just looking at ways to improve our attacking options

[aslongaswebeatsaints]

Can’t understand about all these efforts to turn Freddie into something other than the World class Full Back he is. Talking about breaking something that doesn’t need fixing….