One of Balmain’s best fullbacks, Tim Brasher, says he hopes the Wests Tigers’ Adam Doueihi fullback experiment has been torpedoed for good.
The Tigers shifted Doueihi back to the halves but elevated Charlie Staines to the custodian role ahead of Brasher’s preferred No.1, Daine Laurie, as they try to avoid a sixth straight loss on Easter Monday.
Brasher has watched his old club from afar, and while not convinced the players were “gelling as a team” – and potentially receiving too many mixed messages from “three coaches” – told the Herald there were players playing out of position – most notably Doueihi, who has repeatedly said his best position is five-eighth.
Laurie, who made headlines over the weekend for liking an NRL social media post of a Selwyn Cobbo try being scored against the Tigers, was on Tuesday afternoon listed to play in reserve grade again.
Speculation is already mounting Laurie, who is off contract at the end of the season, will push for an early release.
Brasher, who played 185 games for the Tigers and succeeded Garry Jack in the No. 1 jersey, said he was a fan of the fleet-footed 23-year-old.
Daine Laurie has been listed in reserve grade againCredit:Getty
“When I think of Daine Laurie, I think of Lachie Miller at Newcastle, someone who is always moving and in everything – that’s the fullback I like,” said Brasher, as he helped launch the NRL’s Magic Round in Brisbane on Tuesday.
“Daine is that kind of player. He has that ability to turn up everywhere, and for me, that’s a fullback.
“I watched last week and I don’t think Adam understands the fullback role as well as he does at five-eighth – for him to play the best he can, five-eighth is his spot, and he’s a great five-eighth.”
Brasher watched Doueihi against the Broncos and said he needed to push up in support, get his hands on the ball at least once in the first three tackles of every set, and do more to organise the defensive line.
Adam Doueihi is not a fullback, according to Tim Brasher, who is glad to see him back in the No. 6.Credit:Getty Images
“All he was doing was waiting for a backline movement and then jumping in; I never saw him running off a forward [in attack]“, Brasher said.
“He’s got big guys who can offload. For me, I had Steve Roach and Paul Sironen. We’d talk to each other, and they knew I’d turn up.
“Adam needs that relationship with the big guys because when they go to the line and they’re held up, where is he running off them? He has the ability to be anywhere he wants to be.
“In defence, it’s about reading the play and moving those big guys around so they’re in the right spot, not sitting on the short side and marking nobody.”
Tim Brasher speaks at Tuesday’s Magic Round launch.Credit:NRL Photos
Brasher played under Tim Sheens at North Queensland and remains a huge fan of the veteran coach. But with Benji Marshall to succeed Sheens, and Robbie Farah supporting Marshall, Brasher hoped only the one message was being relayed to the players.
“You’ve got three guys with three opinions, obviously they have one game plan, so hopefully they’re sticking to that,” Brasher said.
“I’m sure it’s hard if you’re a player and you have three coaches to answer to. I was flat out listening to one coach, let alone three.”
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