Out of form for two years? :? Some are taking the poor start to the season hard and it may be clouding reasoning. Go lie down Coaster. Scott Prince was arguably the best halfback running around in 2010, he made the RLW Team of the Year for the second time in 2010 since joining the Gold Coast (first time in 2008). Your assessment is more than a little off.
As for;
1. Average gameplan - see JC for the problems there. Prince is being asked to execute as per your coach. Cartwright is Mr Teflon in some eyes.
2. Weak defensively - he is in 2011, though he ain't employed by the Gold Coast for his defensive skills. See Allan Langer for example. With that said, I believe the AC joint injury he carried in to the 2010 finals is the problem as he looks timid going in to make a tackle. In previous years, whilst not your strongest defender, Prince and his defensive side of his game hasn't come under the spotlight.
I'd hope for your club that not all of you Titans fans aren't as quick to lay the boot in to their captain.
Mate i respect your opinion, but IMO Prince was a long way off the best Halfback in 2010, a long long way off.
I agree Carty seems to be Mr Teflon sometimes, but i assure you Prince is King Teflon, and never seems to be under the spotlight here.
1. Cartwright has not encouraged Prince to play like this, he has infact tried to make him step back abit last year, the problem with Carty is allthough this is good in theory, (he has never had a classic 5/8)*
2. Prince is non existent in defense- he removes himself from the line, creating holes the size of trucks then allows himself to be targeted by being behind the line, players such as Harrison and Bird could protect him a bit if he stayed in the line, but by dropping back he is exposed. This is not the first game he has done this, and wont be the last. Teams with brains kill us with this stupid weakness of his manhood.
*Carty for some reason will not play Preston at 5/8, as he, i assume, is in his mind too small to be in the front line. Yet he is currently playing the guy at Hooker!!
I would rather have Preston defending in the line then Prince, the amount of courage shown from Presto, is nothing short of astounding. And if Prince had 1/10 of the courage of him he would be the Australian halfback.
Also on attack, the guy needs to straighten and take on the line, his crabbing across field cuts the options for outside guys, we have 2 of the fastest wingers in the NRL, yet i can not remember the last time they got clean ball.
Do i want Prince in the team? YES i do, but he is playing in a f*cking dinner suit, he has gone through his fair share of tragedy in his life, after his fathers death. I watched him change from a young half, to a experienced half (one of the best in the world). He played tough, and he always held his ground, he played as if his father was watching from the stands, and before every game we would go to the bottom right corner and lift some dirt to remind himself.
Now i look at a man wearing 2 diamond earrings, and large sunny's, a 5 year contract locked away, and the chance of playing rep footy almost over. He is playing because this is his job, not because this is his love.
It is time he remembers the face of his father, and plays the game in a way that matters.
