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Enforce or pure skill? Discuss...
Just to be different, I thought this week’s blog would take the form of a debate so read on…
The game of hockey is like a few sports, do we like a hard man who protects his team-mates or do we prefer the skilled ones who entertain every night? It’s a hard choice and you will find many are split down the middle when it comes to choosing. I’m personally a fan of the skilled player, but don’t get me wrong I do like have a player or two who can handle him to add some grit to the team. Yet sometimes we have someone who is a bit of a hybrid, i.e. he is skilled but is not afroad to drop the gloves if needs be.
Looking at the Steelers roster, we have hybrids in the team. Take for example, there’s players like Rob Dowd, Jason Hewitt, Neil Clark there – all gifted players in their own right but willing to provide some grit and aggression when needed. I mean recently in the Challenge Cup game at the Arena, we had the possible rare sighting of none other than Joey Talbot, a player known for his scoring exploits, willing to drop the gloves in the hope it would provide a bit of momentum switch for us. Poor Billy Ryan didn’t know what had hit him literally speaking.
That’s what the enforcer’s job is secondarily there for, a player who will stick up for his team-mates but use his aggression nature to upset the oppoiustion and give his side some momentum in the hope it changes the game for the better. Players such Brad Voth, Sean McMorrow, Andrè Payette are most recent examples of these kind of players but then again Voth for a big man – can be pretty skilled at times.
This therefore brings me onto something which has been brewing locally here in Sheffield recently. Both the afore mentioned McMorrow (following his release by Dundee) and Payette (icing most recently at Manchester last season in the EPL) have been interesting EPL strugglers Sheffield Steeldogs. The local media even reported this, even though most of the hockey fraternity here in the Steel City had whispers of this before the news hit the fourth estate. Steeldogs Head Coach Matt Darlow has even confirmed that both players have been offered contracts but at the time I pen this, neither of them has said they will accept the deal placed in front of them but it’s still open that either could sign.
Quite what “The Sheriff” would make of EPL hockey is open to conjecture. You can be guaranteed one thing though, it would certainly add some excitement to the Steeldogs ranks and hey, crowds could increase dramatically. On the flip side though, it could backfire big time. It’s all a risk but one that Darlow is seemingly willing to take to improve his side’s fortunes on ice. All I can say is good luck to him, something needs to change for his side sooner rather than later before the signing deadline is firmly shut in their faces.
Now it’s over to you! Which side of this very awkward fence are you on? It’s an interesting topic and one that divides everyone who watches this great game. I’ll be interested to find out your views.
Yours as usual in hockey,
Mark
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-3 |
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
4-5 |
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
1-4 |
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| 12th March 2006 19:00 | ||
4-4 |
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| 11th March 2006 19:00 | ||
2-4 |
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| 11th March 2006 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
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5-8 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
4-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
5-2 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
3-7 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
1-1 |
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| 19th March 2006 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|
- Adam Walker
- Alex Birch
- Andy Pierce
- Chris Gent
- Christopher Beal
- Craig Simpson
- Dave Simms
- Elliott Stanley
- Gareth Chalmers
- James Broughton
- James Gordon
- Katy Madgwick
- Luke Catterson
- Mark Briggs
- Mark Duell
- Mat Young
- Patrick Smyth
- Promotion
- Russ Morrell
- Seanna Murdock
- Stephen Dowson
- Stewart Roberts
- Tom Forster
- Vicki Smart
- William Lyon
