![MASTER AND APPRENTICE: PJ Ellis and Jarrod Smith celebrate a try against Lakes United last week. Picture: MARINA NEIL MASTER AND APPRENTICE: PJ Ellis and Jarrod Smith celebrate a try against Lakes United last week. Picture: MARINA NEIL](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33FVAk7YxZ786YcQSXi4WkS/cca7ee8e-bfd1-4787-9562-518b8bd80e34.jpg/r0_301_2739_2075_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Maitland Pickers coach Trevor Ott believes the dummy-half battle between Jarrod Smith and Terence Seu Seu will be crucial in deciding Saturday's Mercrury Shield clash between the Pickers and Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.
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Ott likened Smith to a young PJ Ellis and has given him first crack at hooker, despite the return of NSW Cup player Kurt Aldridge to the team.
“Jarrod Smith had 38 tackles for the game, 31 dominant and no misses, which was outstanding. He led by a country mile in that regards and had eight runs as well,” he said.
Ott highlighted the dangerous Seu Seu and Ryan Walker’s kicking game as the major threats the Pickers will need to overcome.
“I think Terence is a big key for them, so we’ve got to be pretty vigilant. It’s no different to what Lakes were last week as far as smart hookers,” he said.
“Obviously Walker’s got a good kicking game and we need to put a bit of pressure on there.
“We need to be win the ruck, that’s a big one for me that I have emphasised.”
Ott said Billy Towers, Tylar Carter and PJ Ellis also got big numbers in terms of tackle and hit ups, along with centre George O’Brien who had 16 carries and 18 tackles.
“Our number one killer last week was dropped ball and not completing sets, particularly in the second half.
”It was the picture of the game for mine. We completed at 76 per cent in the first half and went in at 12-all.
“In the second half our completion rate fell to 47 per cent and you are not going to win let alone compete against any team with that,
“Out of first seven sets, we only completed two and one of those was the result of a penalty.
“The one set we did complete we scored a try.
1 Steve Waetford, 2 Dan Randall, 3 Geordie Connolly, 4 George O'Brien, 5 Josh Morrison, 6 Toby Evans, 7 Shay Padberg, 8 Cameron King, 9 Jarrod Smith, 10 Rob Mason, 11 Tylar Carter, 12 Billy Towers, 13 PJ Ellis ©, 14 Kurt Aldridge, 15 Pat Robards, 16, Zebastian Luisi, 17 Jacob Sinclair, 18 Liam Faughlin