Five-eighth

Stand-off half or Five-eighth is one of the positions in a rugby league football team. Wearing jersey number 6, this player is one of the two "half backs", in a team's back line, partnering the scrum half (Number 7). Also known as the pivot or second receiver, in a traditional attacking back-line play the five-eighth would receive the ball from his half back partner, who is the "first-receiver" of the ball from the "dummy-half" or hooker following a tackle. The role of the five-eighth from second-receiver was then to employ their creative passing skills to move the ball away from the congested mid-field further out along the backline to the "outside backs", the centres and wingers, who have more space to run with it. Furthermore, players in this position typically assume responsibility for kicking the ball for field-position in general play. The five-eighth is therefore considered one of the most important positions, often referred to as a "play maker", assuming a decision-making role on the field. Over time, however, as the game has evolved, the roles of the two halves have grown more aligned and difficult to distinguish. Along with other key positions, fullback, hooker and scrum half back, the five-eighth makes up what is known as a team's "spine".