2019 Discussion

[Luke Bowden]

I’m dubious about the claim of Cronk being recruited as a winger, where’d you hear that? I know he played inside centre in RU, but inside centre is like a second 5/8 in rugby.

Johns has told the story many times, Belly Ache said it last year when Cooper left and he was discussing his development over the years at the storm.

I also remember when he was recruited.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Well wingers aren’t really carried on the bench very often.

FWIW it says on his wiki that he started as an interchange utility. That seems more likely to me.

That’s where he started, not why he was recruited.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Yet you've said Nathan is the type of player to follow the coach's instructions. I think it's more likely Maloney has his own way of playing after being at 5 clubs and as experienced as he is.

He is the type of player to follow instructions, but that doesn’t mean Hook was giving him specific instructions on all of his kicks. Although I do think it likely hook didn’t want to give away 7 tackle sets, but that’s mostly limited to certain kicks. Doesn’t explain the constant bombs & lack of 40/20’s.

 

[herbert henry1908]

That’s where he started, not why he was recruited.

He started as an inside centre in Rugby Union.

 

[OldPanther]

He is the type of player to follow instructions, but that doesn’t mean Hook was giving him specific instructions on all of his kicks. Although I do think it likely hook didn’t want to give away 7 tackle sets, but that’s mostly limited to certain kicks. Doesn’t explain the constant bombs & lack of 40/20’s.

The fact he stopped when Geiffin left is pretty telling.

 

[Luke Bowden]

He started as an inside centre in Rugby Union.

With storm Mate, where he started with the storm.

He was recruited as an outside back.

 

[herbert henry1908]

With storm Mate, where he started with the storm.

He was recruited as an outside back.

My point is he always had ball handling skills, you need that to play inside centre.

They didn’t transform a typical winger into a half.

 

[herbert henry1908]

The fact he stopped when Geiffin left is pretty telling.

There were still heaps of pointless bombs after Griffin left. And they never produce anything.

 

[Luke Bowden]

My point is he always had ball handling skills, you need that to play inside centre.

They didn’t transform a typical winger into a half.

My point is, he may have had good ball handling skills, but that’s not why he was recruited, he had to work on them.


This is stupid, Nathan is going to be Nathan, hopefully he turns into a no.7 that is better than Cronk, will he? Who bloody knows, but he certainly appears to have all the right ingredients and is worth the punt.

You and Uni can be sad about it if you like, but I’m certainly glade his on our side and not someone else’s.

Imagine if the bloody Roosters had of signed him!!!

 

[herbert henry1908]

My point is, he may have had good ball handling skills, but that’s not why he was recruited, he had to work on them.


This is stupid, Nathan is going to be Nathan, hopefully he turns into a no.7 that is better than Cronk, will he? Who bloody knows, but he certainly appears to have all the right ingredients and is worth the punt.

You and Uni can be sad about it if you like, but I’m certainly glade his on our side and not someone else’s.

Imagine if the bloody Roosters had of signed him!!!

Dude Umina is stoked Nathan re-signed, not sure what posts you’ve been reading that suggest otherwise. He only questioned Matt Johns judgement.



I’m happy we have Nathan too, I just think we’re likely paying too much for him. I think he’ll be a good long term no.7, much like Pearce was for the roosters. To me that’s his ceiling playing 7.

Now if he moved wider to play a second receiver role, he could be something really special.

 

[Luke Bowden]

Dude Umina is stoked Nathan re-signed, not sure what posts you’ve been reading that suggest otherwise. He only questioned Matt Johns judgement.



I’m happy we have Nathan too, I just think we’re likely paying too much for him. I think he’ll be a good long term no.7, much like Pearce was for the roosters. To me that’s his ceiling playing 7.

Now if he moved wider to play a second receiver role, he could be something really special.

My apologies Uni, I just assumed you would have taken an opposing view to mine!

My Bad!

 

[franklin2323]

When Nathan was injured our kicking game improved dramatically. Either Maloney wasn’t following Hooks game plan or Hook never instructed Cleary to kick a certain way.

I remember the Cownboys game in Townsville, Maloney put on a masterclass.

Which is why I think it is more then the coaching with him

 

[franklin2323]

Same could be said for Luai if most are pinning their hopes on 1 outstanding game he had

Yep he will take time too

 

[herbert henry1908]

I’m still stunned by the idea he’ll be better than Cronk.

Cronk won the Dally M halfback of the year in his first season as a starter.

In Cronks first 3 seasons as a starter he had 79 try assists!

People drink way too much of the panther junior kool aid.

 

[OldPanther]

I’m still stunned by the idea he’ll be better than Cronk.

Cronk won the Dally M halfback of the year in his first season as a starter.

In Cronks first 3 seasons as a starter he had 79 try assists!

People drink way too much of the panther junior kool aid.

Like I said. Look at the team he was in. I would've got bulk try assists in that team. They had to cheat to keep them together.

I will concede the part about halfback of the year though.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Like I said. Look at the team he was in. I would've got bulk try assists in that team. They had to cheat to keep them together.

I will concede the part about halfback of the year though.

As I said on here previously and to you on Twitter, I understand that the players around him made him better. But that’s part of my reasoning as to why Cleary won’t reach those heights. Not only the players but Cleary will never have a coach as good as Bellamy.

In some hypothetical, perhaps Cleary will be as good as Cronk would’ve been if he’d played for another club. But that’s so speculative as to be absurd.

On what we have to go on the comparison is fanciful.

 

[mxlegend99]

I’m still stunned by the idea he’ll be better than Cronk.

Cronk won the Dally M halfback of the year in his first season as a starter.

In Cronks first 3 seasons as a starter he had 79 try assists!

People drink way too much of the panther junior kool aid.

In those teams you couldn't pass the ball without hitting a superstar. They cheated the salary cap and all those stars make everyone else look better .


This year he only has 7 try assists and 3 linebreak assists. But still managed to take his team to a grand final against his former team.

Last year he only had 16 try assists. Cronk is exactly the type of halfback Cleary is. His first 3 seasons he had a total of 27 try assists. Before 24 in his 4th season and an unbelievable 37 in his 5th season.

He follows a game plan perfectly. He just happens to have played in superstar teams under the best coach in the competition. He's obviously better than Cleary today. But he is the sort of half Cleary will be if he reaches his potential. We havr a system in placr to fo what Stotm havrdone. Just need a coach to get them performing to their potential

 

[herbert henry1908]

In those teams you couldn't pass the ball without hitting a superstar. They cheated the salary cap and all those stars make everyone else look better .

Of course, I’ve made a similar point a couple of times. Better players around you help, bu conversely that’s why it’s likely Nathan will never reach those heights.

Last year he only had 16 try assists. Cronk is exactly the type of halfback Cleary is. His first 3 seasons he had a total of 27 try assists. Before 24 in his 4th season and an unbelievable 37 in his 5th season.

Cronk played off the bench in his first 2 seasons. In his first as a starter he won dally M halfback of the year.

He follows a game plan perfectly. He just happens to have played in superstar teams under the best coach in the competition. He's obviously better than Cleary today. But he is the sort of half Cleary will be if he reaches his potential. We havr a system in placr to fo what Stotm havrdone. Just need a coach to get them performing to their potential

The style might be similar bu we need to be realistic about his potential. It’s unlikely he reaches Cronks level, more likely he’s somewhere near Mitch Pearce.

 

[TheFrog]

more likely he’s somewhere near Mitch Pearce.

Much better under pressure, even at 20. But that's the style of player he is.

 

[herbert henry1908]

Much better under pressure, even at 20. But that's the style of player he is.

I reckon he’s Pearce with a better running game.

Which as far as halfbacks go wouldn’t be the worst result. As maligned as Pearce is he’s still a good club 7.