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Revisiting The Stupid Six

sup42

Juniors
Messages
1,983
I don't agree with that. Player of the Year in 2012 and 2015, two shit years. His numbers were beastly. Yeah OK, he never really showed any desire to be a leader but sometimes people's personalities don't lend themselves to being so. He became totally disinterested and disassociated because Cappy completely f**ked him up. Coming off 150m+ a game in 2015 he was benched, given low minutes, then given shitloads of minutes, then (yes, unprofessionally) acted up. If Cleary had've come, Ben would still be with us and still be a force. But not only did we not pick up Cleary, we kept the same inept coach that buggered up our best forward on staff. And Ben couldn't wait to leave.

I'm not saying he's a saint etc but chronic lack of desire doesn't sum it up for me.
Two Shit years is not a short term problem.

I did start my post with "when I think I miss Mutts" so whatever the excuse, when a problem last two years it is chronic in nature.

Factor in that Stephen Kearney is proving to be the type of Coach Matulino could have thrived under. Isaac Luke says hello.

I just think he needed to get out for himself because he had gotten stuck in a rut.

We have an entire forward pack competing for player of the year just now as opposed to the poor souls that played lone hands here in the past.

Also factor in that he was our most expensive Prop.
 
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Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,602
Two Shit years is not a short term problem.

I did start my post with "when I think I miss Mutts" so whatever the excuse, when a problem last two years it is chronic in nature.

Factor in that Stephen Kearney is proving to be the type of Coach Matulino could have thrived under. Isaac Luke says hello.

I just think he needed to get out for himself because he had gotten stuck in a rut.

We have an entire forward pack competing for player of the year just now as opposed to the poor souls that played lone hands here in the past.

Also factor in that he was our most expensive Prop.

Maybe he would've thrived if McFudd wasn't there. I don't blame him that much. He was bummed around by a coach who was sacked and stayed on. Only my opinion, however.
 

sup42

Juniors
Messages
1,983
Maybe he would've thrived if McFudd wasn't there. I don't blame him that much. He was bummed around by a coach who was sacked and stayed on. Only my opinion, however.
Yeah and to be fair I shouldnt really have singled out the guy he was one of our finest forwards and in no way a serial offender in regards to the thread title.

I really hope he kicks on again under Ivan.
 

Penrose Warrior

First Grade
Messages
8,602
Yeah and to be fair I shouldnt really have singled out the guy he was one of our finest forwards and in no way a serial offender in regards to the thread title.

I really hope he kicks on again under Ivan.

Yeah, so do I mate. Dunno how he's gone the first 3 weeks but I'd only imagine he'll thrive under Ivan - who can claim to have had plenty of props play their best footy under him - Rapira, Matulino, Lillyman got moved positions and played Origin, arguably Price, even Wiki.
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,083
The Australian cricket team are the opposite of the Warriors. They won, a lot, but still needed a change of culture.
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,083
I always used to harp on about the pride and commitment showed during the one Dragons match when the six above were left out, and more importantly how it disappeared as soon as these guys returned. The way we're playing now is a call back to that one match...

I recall Johnson and Hoffman clapping the team off the field. Robson had a blinder (hope he's got that in his Warriors highlights reel).

In hindsight, Vatuvei, Thompson, Hurrell and Matulino should've been immediately'released' (and young Lisone and Vete warned) for the betterment of the club. Back then it would've felt too harsh to do so.

They eventually went, but we wasted a year and a half, or so.
 

Blair

Coach
Messages
10,083
...And Ben couldn't wait to leave...

My first reaction is 'well go then, I wouldn't care if you were Craig Young, circa 1982 (i.e. a rugged, indispensable prop on top of his game), if that's what you want...'

But then, as you point out, he was stuffed around by a novice coach. The coach should've gone (just like the one before him, and the one bef...) not him.
 

Matua

Bench
Messages
4,528
Mutts days at the Warriors were numbered from the day we played his current team in the opening round two years ago and he was left sitting on the bench way too long (hmmm, what other players have defected from a team after being left sitting on the bench?). Then he got injured and Kearney seemed to treat him with as much distain as Cappy did. As Penrose Warrior notes, Cappy hanging around probably always put him in the firing line.

You can say what you like, he's a better prop than any we've got running around - he should have been a priority for Kearney, he wasn't going to be injured forever.
 
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sup42

Juniors
Messages
1,983
Interesting Interviews on Facebook live with Te Arahi Maipi (first time I've tuned in).

On the subject of recruitment and our current success - both Kearney and Cameron George in separate Interviews said " it is more important who we let go, for the culture of the club, people moving on has had the biggest impact"
 

vvvrulz

Coach
Messages
13,298
On the preview show on Friday I noted how Kearney made particular mention about personnel again, when queried about the sudden success.

He said something like how he was impressed by the existing crop "getting on board the bus" with the new way, implying again there was a genuine shake up in the off-season and those who weren't getting with the program were moved on.

It's now one of many times in the press they've specifically emphasised players more than fitness.
 

JJ

Immortal
Messages
31,738
It's been win-win - Matulino and Hurrell seem in better places now - I doubt the toxic environment was their fault, those further up the food chain have to be responsible.

Bull Lillyman is looking strong too - not that he was part of the stupid 6, and of course he was consistently strong for us - he does what he does
 

Benek

Juniors
Messages
1,974
Bull Lillyman is looking strong too - not that he was part of the stupid 6, and of course he was consistently strong for us - he does what he does
He may be going well, but I think we're better off without him. He's the kind of guy who runs hard and consistently but stops cold at the line. Whereas the guys we've got now are all delivering excellent post-contact metres with their leg drive and bending the line more. I was worried when we didn't resign Bull for another year as our props looked weak, but boy have they proven us wrong.
 

jaseg

Juniors
Messages
2,274
I'd disagree Lillyman is looking strong tbh - looks to me to have a marginal boost from last year - but still well under what he used to be capable of. The guy is 34, so no surprise there, was a very good player for a long time.

Too true Benek... Bunty in particular has had a stunning turnaround.
 

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