Would you rather have Luke Douglas or Ben Hannant?
This is an interesting, albeit a straight up question. Both players play the same position, are durable and unlikely to miss any time during Origin. Each is playing their first full season under a new coach. I have a longstanding man crush on the Polar Bear: but which one would you prefer to have on your NRLCEO team?
Luke Douglas
Positives
Luke Douglas is the most durable player in NRL history. That means something to NRLCEO coaches, especially with the front row position being so thin and many coaches not carrying any reliable replacements.
Another positive for Douglas is that he hasn’t been just scraping into workhorse calculations; his first two rounds have yielded 50 and 49 involvements respectively. He is capable of a double workhorse, particularly around Origin when Myles and Bird leave town.
Negatives
Douglas is going to face some uncertainty over the next couple of weeks as players return from their drug-scandal suspensions. Greg Bird and Dave Taylor may play back row, but could push Myles and James into more front row minutes. I don’t expect to see a great reduction in Douglas’s impact, but the risk still remains.
Ben Hannant
Positives
The number one benefit of having the Polar Bear in your side will always be his easy identification on the field. That aside, playing for a real NRL coach Hannant is finally getting consistent minutes again (57 min in each game so far according to nrl.com). With his high work-rate, Hannant has previously shown himself capable of being a weekly threat for a double workhorse. I’m not sure he will get the necessary minutes and runs in a strong Cowboys pack, but the potential is there and I’d bank on a DWH or two when Matt Scott leaves town for Origin.
Negatives
Hannant has scored workhorses in each of the opening two rounds, but 41 and 46 aren’t inspiring numbers. There remains some risk he could miss workhorses in any given week. Hannant is also only on a one year deal and contract uncertainty could conceivably be a problem.
Trade Doctors Verdict
This trade is much of a muchness; unless you have a particular fetish for Blondes, there isn’t much difference between the two players. Both have their advantages and disadvantages; Hannant has a more certain role and squad certainty but despite his uncertain role Douglas has been cruising well past 40 each week.
I’d probably sit tight on whichever I had and ride out the season.
Ouch! These splinters hurt…
Ryan
Latest posts by Ryan (see all)
- Who to “handcuff” with your NRLCEO kicker? - February 14, 2016
- Forwards to acquire - July 22, 2015
- Backs to Back at the Deadline - July 15, 2015
