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Rate Gareth Widdop

V

Vasilevsky

Guest
Myself, BrissyRedV and BennyV clashed repeatedly over the offseason about the merits of moving Dugan from fullback to accommodate Kurt Mann. Now that has been settled and Kurt Mann is in fact as I said he was, a NSW Cup standard player, it’s time to move on.

Of course someone also has to answer for the recruitment of such a player. I have been a solid supporter of Mary but really, he is starting to come across as an idiot. Signing Mann, leaving Aitken out, choosing Widdop as captain even though Dugan wanted it….. patently ridiculous!

Of course Lafai wasn’t “bad” against Souffs (which doesn’t mean “good”) but if that was close to his best, he is a NSW Cup standard center, as myself and Objective View have said consistently.

Rein was outstanding against Souffs. If he can play 80min and doesn’t throw bad passes out of DH or try to kick, there is no reason he can’t play like that every week. I still hope Robbie Farah comes back and the Tigers play terribly and they come to the conclusion he must go even if they have to pay a large % of his salary for the next 2 years.

Now we come to my pet-peeve. Gareth Widdop! I posted a long message on the “most overrated” thread but the entire thread was deleted in response. Just more evidence that there is something really weird going on with Gareth Widdop and this forum. Is he using his massively inflated supercoach Price era salary to pay people off to stifle criticism?

Anyway, on this thread, just so homies can’t whine about “saying the same thing on every thread”, I want to rate Gareth Widdop.
 
V

Vasilevsky

Guest
Using a scale of 1 being pretty much useless and 10 being pretty much perfect.

# Ball playing ability – 1 (If the enemy defensive line is 10 meters away, he takes 2 steps and passes and if it’s 5 meters away he catches and passes immediately. And that is all he does. Game after game.)

# Running game – 0.5 (He never does it. Occasionally he runs around in a circle and then dives at the feet of the oncoming enemy defense. A few times last season he ran “a little” (and I mean, a little) when someone made a break and Widdop was in support. The game against Souffs was so typical. The forwards dominated, JDB was outstanding and Widdop ran for a grand total of 2 meters!)

# Evasive ability – 1 (I’m assuming if forced he can kind of step or swerve but I can’t remember seeing it.)

# Speed – 3 (I know he is quite fast for a half but as he never runs the ball, he can’t score higher than 3. The only way I know he is quite fast was from when he took an intercept.)

# Long kicking – 1 (I notice McCrone did almost all of that in the last game. I presume Mary lost patience and told Widdop to only kick down the middle of the field.)

# Attacking kicking – 8 (as far as I can see it’s the only thing he does well but that is not even close to enough. I mean, it doesn’t come close to making up for his deficiencies.)

# Tackling – 4 (He is a legs tackler which of course is no longer effective but is better than missing tackles.)

# Goal kicking – 5 (This frustrates me. He appears to strike the ball quite well but I can’t remember the last time he got one from close to the sideline. He probably has but they are few and far between. Last week the penalty kick went in off the post even though the kick was taken from closer to the posts than the sideline.)

And some more subjective qualities:

*Composure – 10 (I’m not exactly sure what his means but every time I don’t see a game but hear Gareth Widdop was “composed”, I know it’s a code word for “did nothing good worth noting”.)

*Toughness – 3 (He doesn’t just hang an arm out in defense but given his refusal to run the ball or shoulder tackle, he can’t score more than a 3.)

*Communication – 9 (I’m assuming that is the case. I know highlighted his communication in a pre-season interview. I took it to mean he can’t run the ball or ball-play so he is resting on something as subjective as this.)

*Leadership – 2 (Too early to make a determination one way or another but it’s an insult to guys like Dugan that his captain refuses to go to the enemy defensive line with ball in hand.)

What have I missed?
 
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G

Get2dachopper!

Juniors
Messages
1,692
Coffs dragon said:
Vas are you Martin Tauber with an alias forum name? FYI Tauber is Benji's Manager.
Click to expand...

The surname Tauber does originate in Germany. That could possibly explain Vas' in depth knowledge of eastern Europe.

Either way, it's not looking like Marshall will be there next season, but neither will club legends like Creagh and even Flo, so Marshall just needs to accep this and get on with this season.
 
V

Vasilevsky

Guest
get2dachopper! said:
the surname tauber does originate in germany. That could possibly explain vas' in depth knowledge of eastern europe.

Either way, it's not looking like marshall will be there next season, but neither will club legends like creagh and even flo, so marshall just needs to accep this and get on with this season.
Click to expand...

This thread is about Widdop, not Marshall. You are welcome to start your own thread about Marshall.
 
B

BennyV

Referee
Messages
24,143
Please find anywhere that i have stated that Mann was a better option at fullback than Dugan. I merely accepted it as an inevitability.

Also, interesting 2016 stat...
With Benji - 0% wins
Without Benji - 100% wins

Discuss.
 
V

Vasilevsky

Guest
BennyV said:
Please find anywhere that i have stated that Mann was a better option at fullback than Dugan. I merely accepted it as an inevitability.

Also, interesting 2016 stat...
With Benji - 0% wins
Without Benji - 100% wins

Discuss.
Click to expand...

I started a thread about Widdop, provided an in-depth analysis and all you homies do is rave about Benji. Of course I know why it is. You hate to face the truth about how utterly useless Widdop is so you want to change the subject.
 
Jubileeboy

Jubileeboy

First Grade
Messages
9,259
Maximus said:
If Widdop is a 4, what does that make Benji?
Click to expand...

I'm keen to know what Tauber would score here?
And keen to know which way the OP licks windows. Horizontal or vertical?
What is the money day for washing car windows at lights?
Has Benji had his windows washed and was Tauber or Moltzen with him?
What did everyone rate the rain last weekend?

I've heard Widdop makes a great beef stew and is rated 8.5/10.

Anyway re OP.....eleventy six out of 3.14
 
V

Vasilevsky

Guest
But having said all that, I know what the score is. If Widdop catches and passes to Aitken 5 meters before the enemy defensive line, Aitken steps one enemy defender, goes between 2 more and over the top of a fourth to score a try, it was because of Widdop’s pass. If Dugan does the same thing but a fifth and sixth enemy defender holds him up over the line, the try wasn’t scored because Dugan can’t pass.

Have I accurately summed up the mood of this forum:cool::cool:?
 
V

Vasilevsky

Guest
Coffs dragon said:
Yeah I rate Gareth & would be even better with a real half back and proper coach.
Click to expand...

Ok. So don't be shy. Provide your specific ratings. Though blaming Mary for Widdop's shortcomings is new. I am frustrated with Mary for the opposite reason. Making Widdop captain and not (as far as we know) threatening to drop him. Last season given the terrible lack of depth, I could accept it but so far this season it's just been the same old same old and now we have some options.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
JohnnoMcJohnno

JohnnoMcJohnno

Bench
Messages
2,505
Allright, I'll have a crack.

Talented 5/8 who doesn't shine as much as he should at club level.
Rarely panics, but too often seems to be pacing himself and happy to let others do the work.
Saves his best games for when Benji isn't playing (eg 2015 v warriors, 2015 v bulldogs, 2016 v Souths, any time he plays for England).
Good short kicking game, long kicking needs work. Good accurate passing game and reliable defender.

Needs to engage in attack more. Could do better. 6/10.
 
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