Why it’s so hard to get a good fullback in the NRL

“You need a fullback that is going to make an immediate impact to challenge for the top 8,” said Balmain legend Garry Jack last year.

It’s hard to argue with the Tigers’ long-retired, but still iconic, number one.

Almost all top NRL teams today have standout fullbacks, from James Tedesco at the Roosters, Ryan Papenhuyzen at Melbourne, Latrell Mitchell at Souths, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at Canberra and Clint Gutherson at Parramatta.

The raw numbers make a compelling case for why. Of last season’s top five players for metres gained per match, four were fullbacks.

History, too, offers support. In the past decade and a half, City Origin rep Lachlan Coote for the Cowboys in 2015 is the least distinguished fullback with a ring.

Go back and check them. Since Luke Patten (Bulldogs, 2004) and Brett Hodgson (Tigers, 2005), winners have been Billy Slater (x4), James Tedesco (x2), Brett Stewart (x2), Darius Boyd (x2), Anthony Minichiello, Greg Inglis, Ben Barba, Justin Hodges and Ryan Papenhuyzen.

Fans know it’s the places where fullbacks are deployed that makes them so valuable.

Though they don’t touch the ball as much as hookers or halves, fullbacks’ interventions will often be the difference between a line break and not.

When defensive lines are stretched the fullback is the pair of scissors invited to cut the bow.

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The defensive side of the fullback’s game may be difficult to appreciate from the couch given the broadcasts’ blinkered vantage point. The organising, sliding and positioning are all out of shot.

But for some coaches those harder-to-quantify defensive qualities are most important.

Todd Payten started his first off-season at the Cowboys by anointing highly-paid winger Val Holmes as fullback … then promptly dropped him prior to round one for Scott Drinkwater, accomplished at five-eighth last year.

During the pre-season, Payten outlined his thinking.

“We were the second worst defensive team [last year] so first and foremost we have to fix up our defensive system, the way that we tackle and hold our team,” he said.

“Whoever gets that right over the next month will start in round one.”

Defence is also paramount for Eels coach Brad Arthur.

Gutherson may be his team’s number one, “but any sort of discussion around recruitment and fullbacks for the back-ups in our squad, that’s the first thing I want,” he told NRL.com’s Dan Walsh.

“It’s the one thing I talk to our [recruitment staff] about, their defence.”

On the northern beaches of Sydney, the difference is clear.

Tom Trbojevic hasn’t played 80 minutes for Manly since round 5 last year. In those five games — including fixtures against the Storm, Roosters and Eels — the Sea Eagles conceded 14 points a game. Since then, they’ve conceded more than 30 on average.

Where elite fullbacks come from

Back to Garry Jack’s comment. Yes, it’s uncontroversial, but when he said it — as Adam Douehi arrived at Concord at the start of last season — amplifies the club’s fullback pain.

“He comes to us as a utility player, but fullback is his best position,” Jack added.

The Tigers are not only the NRL’s benchmark for mediocrity with their 10-year run missing the finals, their recent record with fullbacks brings tears to the eyes of even Balmain boys.

Tedesco left to join the Roosters. Papenhuyzen moved to the Storm as a junior. And barely a year after Jack tweeted his thoughts, Adam Doueihi has been shifted to five-eighth via a stint at centre. (“Leave Adam Doueihi at centre”, Jack tweeted in September.)

But what the Tigers have done with their latest fullback signing is about the only thing a club could do if they wanted to close ground on their rivals.

While salary cap analysts debate a squad’s balance of spending, the effect of player power in rugby league means the way good players get to clubs may be more important.

And looking at top fullbacks, it’s clear clubs without one don’t have many options.

Some teams — like the Roosters and Rabbitohs — can buy an established fullback, promising the player a future at a contender and big money. The Warriors gave Tuivasa-Sheck a link home.

Others are fortunate to have local juniors develop through their systems … and are able to hang onto them.

Then there’s the rest of the comp.

The latest gamble

Paying market rate for players in heavily structured roles like middle forwards, backrowers or centres might support a club’s finals push.

But such is the importance of the fullback and its unique role in both attack and defence, it’s very hard to be great without an elite number one.

Among competition favourites, only Penrith is without a high profile fullback.

Despite showing solid improvement, Dylan Edwards is not yet among the game’s top echelon. And he now appears out for weeks after injuring his hand on Thursday night. Coach Ivan Cleary mourned on Thursday, “I thought Dylan was going really well too”.

“There are a few options there, we’ll try and put our heads together and come up with the right one.”

One option they don’t have is now at the Tigers.

Daine Laurie’ move to Wests after just four games for the Panthers represents the latest attempt by an NRL club to gamble on an emerging fullback.

The likes of Gutherson, who in 2015 was allowed to leave Manly due to salary pressures, Ponga — signed by the Knights on a big money deal after 9 games for the Cowboys, and Nicoll-Klokstad — a less-hyped 7 games for the Warriors before signing with Canberra — are symbols of hope for frustrated front offices.

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After Laurie chalked up 180 metres last week against the Roosters, the Tigers will hope they have won the latest fullback jackpot.

Daine Laurie’s winless Tigers play the lossless Knights at 4pm on Sunday afternoon.