Doesn't look like he is going to get a chance at full back unless Grix is injured. Why not play him in the centre instead of Tupou. In my opinion Tupou would be better playing as a wide running second row off the bench. Johnston and Jowitt know each others game inside out. Johnston will get loads more chances with Jowitt inside centre.

He will get a game Easter no doubt. Unless Grix loses form or injury. I'm sure max is working on his game ready for action

This.
As for playing him as Johnstone's centre instead of Tupou, everyone knows he only has to put Arundel there.

Because he's not a centre and what's the rush.

Jowitt would get pummelled at centre where the weakest part of his game would be exposed. So for me no way.

Sorry I don't like any of those options.

Tupou is a strong runner in the centre and I wouldn't drop Ashurst or Hadley for him. ....or Bachelor either
Max has no real experience in the centre, certainly not at this level so you are exposing a young lad to criticism when it's just not needed.

Fair point. And I don't know why Jowitt was ever in doubt. Did I miss something last season? I barely saw him put a foot wrong. Don't get me wrong, I will concede Grix has been class but another full back would not have been a spending priority for me. We have other areas such as the very centre position discussed here that could have done with the cash for me.

I think he'd taken a knock and was possibly going to miss the start of the season, he was also burnt out by the end of the year. He'll do well and will get back into the​ team soon enough. Competition for places is good and when he's given the chance, if he grabs it, then he can make it hard for Grix to get back in

Heard him and Crowther are playing for Oxford this week.

Heard right.

Jowitt and Crowther are very decent young players who we need to develop my fear is they will go the same way as many more in the past over looked for average overseas signings who add very little and are very short term
Trinity need a centre to play with Johnstone who has more than a strong running game with one eye in the centre of his head not many around these days

Well Max is being kept out by Grix and Crowther by Ashurst Kirmond and Hadley.
No overseas player in his way. Maybe Arona at 13 for Crowther but he plays to his worth every time.

The issue is that we have no A team competition, thus young players are either paid to go out on loan until they mature, released to play Champ 1 or Championship where their development ends and they never reach full potential or worst of all the stop playing.

I do think we need to have a reserve grade squad which can pull players from the academy if needed. It'd give the young lads a chance to show they can cut it at a higher standard

To be honest I think Chester should be looking to rotate Max into the side for Grix. Grix has been outstanding for us, but he has taken some hammer, I'd rather see him given a break while he's playing well than waiting for him to tire and being dropped after a bad game.

I can understand Players like Gibson going to Oxford to get some sort of game time but the others I'd say they get more competition in training sessions. I'm no coach but they'd have more chance of picking up extra injuries playing in that grade.

I think he will be rotated in during the Easter period. After this week, i think we have 4 games in 16 days so I'm guessing he'll be sent to Oxford to get him match fit for that period. It might be that they each do 2 games and alternate so they have a reasonable rest between each game. Then it's in his hands to play well enough that Grix can't get back in

Max is a smart player with pace and good hands

Fancy he might have a decent future at stand off .. he might relish the extra responsibility

I think that has more legs than making him a centre, it's possible but with no A team to try it out we may never know - scrapping A team is possibly the most short sited move ever in SL and that's saying something!

6 for him could work.

However Grix wont be playing forever, would rather him work closely with Scott and develop further.

What would be good for 6 or 7, or both, would be for us to unearth gems from the junior set up

As far as I'm aware he's played full back since he was very young and has shown he's good enough to play there in SL. At the minute he's been kept out of the team by Scott Grix because he's playing well. Big deal, Max is either 19 or 20 and Grix isn't getting any younger. His time will come. Why the obsession with playing people out of position?

At some stage of the season Max will get his opportunity for whatever reason, till then Wakey fans must realise that atm Grix is too good for him to get in and sentiment should not play any part in it.

Agree with this but if you'd asked me prior to the season starting MJ every time at fullback! BUT Grix has made me eat my words and I'm very pleased about it.

He's been a caterpillar since he was young; why the obsession in wanting to see what kind of butterfly he will be???

Shaun Edwards began at full back
Darren Lockyer began at full back
Anthony Milford began at full back

Other players begin on the wing and travel too full back

Joe Lydon
Roger Tuavasa-Sheck
Greg Inglis
Valentine Holmes...

Who's to say a talent like Tom Johnstone won't make the same move eventually???

Obsession... no! Interest in discussing skill sets and application yes!


Isn't that what these forums are for?

Wing to fullback is a small step but no big deal for most but only as a runner.

Sean Edwards was always a half back. They played him at full back to bring him in when he was younger.
Lockyer is just a world class rugby player who could do either position well.

So of course Max could but I haven't seen anything that makes me think he will.

valid points all!

except I think I have seen something in him which would work well with more ball in hand... often full backs in attack are used as a second stand off... and Max does that well! oh, and Lockyer was a class player who worked harder at his game than the other class players around... a bit like Cameron Smith.

I loved the quote from Smith about his early days in Melbourne...I think it was also Craig Bellamy's first pre season... apparently after one training session Bellamy called him to one side.. Smith was happy that he had easily completed another set of tough conditioning and ball sessions... Bellamy said to him; 'you look like you are out there just trying to survive to the end of the training session... in future I want you to use each training session as a focus to improve yourself as a player!'