Worst halfback in NRL 2011

[The Joker]

Tim Smith is the duck pond scum of the halfback world. His own mother is so embarrassed of him she tells everyone he's a drug dealer.

 

[Hutty1986]

What's one on one got to do with anything? We're talking about a team game here.

Does winning a premiership make a player the best at his position? Does it even stop him being below average at his position?

There's a salary cap mate. All teams have to carry ordinary players to save money.


Only if you can't read and think at the same time.

LOL, an "ordinary player"? Granted, he's not a natural half but he has been outstanding in the position for two seasons now.

There was never any argument he was the game's best halfback, but to call him "ordinary" is bitter opposition fan dribble.

Just like mentioning "what if" Melbourne were in the finals last year: a ridiculous, pointless concept.

 

[adamkungl]

imo Hornby and Fein do a hell of a lot more than Soward for the Dragons

 

[Poupou Escobar]

LOL, an "ordinary player"? Granted, he's not a natural half but he has been outstanding in the position for two seasons now.

No, he's been average. In a well-coached Dragons team playing low-risk footy that's been good enough.

Here's the stats for an 'outstanding' playmaker:

App LB LBA TA Name
17.....9...23...16...Thurston
27....10..23...23...Marshall
22.....8...19...18...Pearce
28....21..19...18...Carney

Here's the stats for an average playmaker:

App LB LBA TA Name
25.....5...14....7...Hornby
26....11....6...13...Soward
24.....6...11...15...Sandow

Here's the stats for a poor one:

App LB LBA TA Name
21.....3....3.....7...Mortimer
23.....3....1.....3...Robson
18.....3....7.....5...Tim Smith

There was never any argument he was the game's best halfback, but to call him "ordinary" is bitter opposition fan dribble.

No it's a fact, supported by stats (and observation if you like, since Hornby's been mentioned in this thread). Of course nobody's saying he's the best, and I don't think he's the worst either, but he is smack bang in between the two extremes.

I think the reason he was brought him up is that people are amazed the Dragons were able to win a premiership with such average halves.

It certainly gives me hope, as a Parra fan, that we can have some success this year playing the same grindy style, and just relying on the halves to catch and pass.

Darius Boyd topped LBAs at the Dragons, and Parramatta's fullback is twice the playmaker he is.

Just like mentioning "what if" Melbourne were in the finals last year: a ridiculous, pointless concept.

Not at all.

With the Melbourne Storm 'team of champions' dominating all these years, it was good to see the 'champion team' finally get a chance to win something with Melbourne disqualified from the finals.

With a lot of game-breakers gone this year, Parramatta's a lot more like the Dragons than the Storm. Hopefully our new coach turns out to be as good at club level as he has been for the Kiwis and we could be the mediocre team that lifts the premiership trophy. Our halves would only have to play as well as Hornby and Soward, which will be easier than them having to play as well as Pearce and Carney.

 

[saint_marto88]

imo Hornby and Fein do a hell of a lot more than Soward for the Dragons

Soward's kicking game is one of our most important factors. Fien has played 11 games in the last two seasons

By the way, I'd have the Hornby/Soward halves combination over any other in the League, apart from Pearce/Carney. Their attacking stats aren't that bad as a combination, on top of having Boyd as a go-to player as well.

 

[Dragon]

i lol'd

He was famous for scoring 300 points in a season for the Chooks' under 21s team. It was from like a try and 148 goals.

 

[Hutty1986]

No, he's been average. In a well-coached Dragons team playing low-risk footy that's been good enough.

Here's the stats for an 'outstanding' playmaker:

App LB LBA TA Name
17.....9...23...16...Thurston
27....10..23...23...Marshall
22.....8...19...18...Pearce
28....21..19...18...Carney

Here's the stats for an average playmaker:

App LB LBA TA Name
25.....5...14....7...Hornby
26....11....6...13...Soward
24.....6...11...15...Sandow

Here's the stats for a poor one:

App LB LBA TA Name
21.....3....3.....7...Mortimer
23.....3....1.....3...Robson
18.....3....7.....5...Tim Smith



No it's a fact, supported by stats (and observation if you like, since Hornby's been mentioned in this thread). Of course nobody's saying he's the best, and I don't think he's the worst either, but he is smack bang in between the two extremes.

I think the reason he was brought him up is that people are amazed the Dragons were able to win a premiership with such average halves.

It certainly gives me hope, as a Parra fan, that we can have some success this year playing the same grindy style, and just relying on the halves to catch and pass.

Darius Boyd topped LBAs at the Dragons, and Parramatta's fullback is twice the playmaker he is.



Not at all.

With the Melbourne Storm 'team of champions' dominating all these years, it was good to see the 'champion team' finally get a chance to win something with Melbourne disqualified from the finals.

With a lot of game-breakers gone this year, Parramatta's a lot more like the Dragons than the Storm. Hopefully our new coach turns out to be as good at club level as he has been for the Kiwis and we could be the mediocre team that lifts the premiership trophy. Our halves would only have to play as well as Hornby and Soward, which will be easier than them having to play as well as Pearce and Carney.

Comparing Parra's halves to ours? You are having a laugh. Hornby's been the dragons best player for a DECADE. Soward had a seemingly quiet finals series, but he stepped it up in the GF with a typically excellent tactical kicking game and near-faultless goal-kicking. And calling the Dragons a "mediocre team" :lol: They've been the most dominant side for 2 years, (despite the poor finish in 09). Utter dribble.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Comparing Parra's halves to ours? You are having a laugh.

Our halves outplayed yours the last time they met in the finals. Just saying.

Hornby's been the dragons best player for a DECADE.

Isn't he the only guy that's been there for a whole decade?

Soward had a seemingly quiet finals series, but he stepped it up in the GF with a typically excellent tactical kicking game and near-faultless goal-kicking.

Nobody denies the quality of his kicking.

And calling the Dragons a "mediocre team" :lol: They've been the most dominant side for 2 years, (despite the poor finish in 09). Utter dribble.

Sorry I meant mediocre premiers.

They did amazingly to be minor premiers two years running which goes to show there's no substitute for depth and good coaching.

 

[Ulysseus]

Our halves outplayed yours the last time they met in the finals. Just saying.

And they have met two times since then, in the second encounter they were unable to manufacture anything resembling field position, let alone a point.

 

[Ulysseus]

I think he's upset that Soward was cut by the Chooks because Pearce had more talent.

Pearce and Carney took a very ordinary side to the grand final last year; Hornby and Soward were carried to one by theirs.

Big statement, but its all opinion.

As for Pearce's "talent", you might like to look at how that "talent" performed in the one game that mattered, I think it was about 1 run for less than 10m and a missed / effective tackle ratio on about 50%.

 

[mongoose]

Pearce is very solid and would be in the top 5 halfbacks in the NRL but I dont think he will ever be anything great. He just doesn't have the brilliance or creativity of a Thurston or Prince. He may get to the same level as Cooper Cronk but at the moment he's not as good an organiser as Cronk.

 

[R2Coupe]

The great halves have "vision" which can't be coached. You either have it or you don't. Johns, Sterling and Thurston all have or had it.

That Pearce is rated in the top 5 is an indication of the lack of depth in the position. The same with all the hype surrounding Orford.

The great halves also perform in the big games and the three big games by young Lui in the finals provided a glimpse of his talent and potential. One of the best ball playing halves since Lyons and Thurston.

 

[webbland]

matt orford

 

[Goldfields_Titans]

I agree

 

[Vic Mackey]

The games the dragons played without Boyd showed what spastics soward and hornby really are.

Without him they wouldnt be a top 8 team.

 

[boxhead]

The games the dragons played without Boyd showed what spastics soward and hornby really are.

Without him they wouldnt be a top 8 team.

Whilst I disagree with you regarding Soward and Hornby, it is a proven point that Boyd was involved in most of the Dragons' tries. He was basically the pivot for the whole structure of their attacking plays.

 

[muzby]

He was famous for scoring 300 points in a season for the Chooks' under 21s team. It was from like a try and 148 goals.

just out of curiosity, what is "like" a try?

was it a penalty try?

was it a knock on that they thought was a try?

did he put it down over the 10m line instead but they still awarded it?

or was it one of those fabled ghost tries that haunt the old grounds around moore park?

 

[pennywisealfie]

No Peter Wallace? He was awful

 

[Poupou Escobar]

just out of curiosity, what is "like" a try?

was it a penalty try?

was it a knock on that they thought was a try?

did he put it down over the 10m line instead but they still awarded it?

or was it one of those fabled ghost tries that haunt the old grounds around moore park?

It was just like, y'know, a try.

 

[Mr Angry]

The forum has spoken.

Sandow has been voted the worse.