Abraham - contract update

[Johns Magic]

Perhaps in ability and experience... yes. But not in workrate. Hilder, Reyno, and Taia's workrates s**t all over Abes' weekly effort. When was the last time Abes made 45 tackles or 150 meters? The best Abes can hope for (IMO) would to be if Smith was to use his experince off the bench. He may get less than that, even being a call-up for injury.

When was the last time Paterson made 150 metres or 45 tackles?

Doesn't mean I wouldn't take him over Reynoldson every day of the week

 

[CJKnight]

When was the last time Paterson made 150 metres or 45 tackles?

Doesn't mean I wouldn't take him over Reynoldson every day of the week

No, but Paterson scores a try a game... or sets one up. He is in the team based on ability, not on workrate.

Abes used to have a smilar ability, but is only just now starting to recover the form that made him a regular part of the team. I agree, that given time he will once again recover that same form.

My point (and MO) is that he needs to develope a stronger week-in, week-out workrate to stay in the picture with the amount of backrowers that will be pushing for selection next season. All of which are at the present time performing far better.

Abes has the ability in him, whether it is lack of fitness or simply the fact that he is running around on legs held together with super glue, I don't know. But as I said, his experince alone will (hopefully) keep him in the top 17 at least, because he really is a quality player who had it rough with injury.

 

[keeney]

Then why compare him to a workhorse?

Abes is at the peak of his powers one of the more complete players we have. Solid in defense, good runner, great offloader, good ballplayer, and last week had a better kicking game than Mullen has shown all year.

 

[antonius]

Perhaps in ability and experience... yes. But not in workrate. Hilder, Reyno, and Taia's workrates s**t all over Abes' weekly effort. When was the last time Abes made 45 tackles or 150 meters? The best Abes can hope for (IMO) would to be if Smith was to use his experince off the bench. He may get less than that, even being a call-up for injury.

LOL at this comment.

 

[K-Man]

No, but Paterson scores a try a game... or sets one up. He is in the team based on ability, not on workrate.

Abes used to have a smilar ability, but is only just now starting to recover the form that made him a regular part of the team. I agree, that given time he will once again recover that same form.

My point (and MO) is that he needs to develope a stronger week-in, week-out workrate to stay in the picture with the amount of backrowers that will be pushing for selection next season. All of which are at the present time performing far better.

Abes has the ability in him, whether it is lack of fitness or simply the fact that he is running around on legs held together with super glue, I don't know. But as I said, his experince alone will (hopefully) keep him in the top 17 at least, because he really is a quality player who had it rough with injury.

I haven't posted in 2 months due to backpacking around Asia (can't afford internet cafe rates but have been reading the forum as much as possibble).

On this occassion though I feel forced to spend some time and money defending Abes.

CJ, once again you have just plucked some "statistics" out of thin air. Reynoldson made over 40 tackles in one match and you have been blabbering on about it ever since as if he's Nathan Hindmarsh. Reyno is not a consistently hard worker in either attack or defence. I would say on statistics alone that they are pretty similar, but that Abes completely overshadows him in every other aspect of the game. Abraham has a perfectly reasonable workrate considering he is a ball playing forward. He's not supposed to be a workhorse, but this season has still contributed quite significantly.

In some matches I can recall him being in our top 3 metre-gainers and tacklers.

He has also spent a lot of time either playing 5/8th, playing off the bench, playing first game back from an injury or not playing at all.

The concern is that he may just never get over his injury problems and make it onto the field often enough, not that he would ever struggle to make the starting 13 based on ability or workrate. He's the best lock forward at the club right now, and he will still be the best lock forward next year too.

 

[keeney]

I suspect CJ didn't support league prior to Abes' initial injuries.

 

[K-Man]

I suspect CJ didn't support league prior to Abes' initial injuries.

Undoubtedly the case I would say.

But even so, just a quick look through the stats of THIS season shows that Abes often makes similar metres and/or tackles to Reynoldson, Paterson, Simpson, Tanner etc.

In fact, in some matches Abes had a higher workrate than Reynoldson even playing at 5/8th! That is just ridiculous.

I'm not going to list season stats because it will take too long, but one only has to have a look to realise that his workrate is not an issue at all. CJ is not fond of the truth though - it inconveniences his ideas.

 

[Serc]

Perhaps in ability and experience... yes. But not in workrate. Hilder, Reyno, and Taia's workrates s**t all over Abes' weekly effort. When was the last time Abes made 45 tackles or 150 meters?

When was the last time Reyno managed those stats in a game? (outside of his one good game last season where he racked up ~40 tackles)

Edit: Bah, K-Man beat me to it.

 

[Nuffy]

08 is Reynoldson last year in the red and blue, he doesn't have a place in the Knights future, I suggest he starts looking for a ESL club now.

The bloke is a worst signing the clubs ever had, not the worst player but signing because he signed for rep money and hasn't delivered.

 

[Johns Magic]

Edit: Bah, K-Man beat me to it.

Photo finish mind you

 

[Serc]

:lol:

Very delayed I know (describes me well actually lol), but I just had to post my thoughts right there and then!

 

[Whats Doing]

After tonights effort, I wouldn't bother.

 

[antonius]

In todays paper it says Abes, Tanner, and Brown are all on the outer. Abes after filling in at 5/8th for most of his appearances was dropped from there against the Roosters in favour of Tighe. He wasn't considered when Simpson and Woolnough were late withdrawals, so he offered to play premier league and was told he wasn't needed there either. The paper says he has been offered an incentive contract for next year but is now looking for another club.

 

[Serc]

If that is the case I hope he lands a contract somewhere else (even if its a crappy one) and kills it. The fact that Tanner has been picked week after week at lock of late...is just amazing, especially if he is supposed to be on the outer. Good luck Abes

Edit: I honestly think Abes could do a Scott Prince on us...hope he does anyway!

 

[KniGhTs BaTTLeR]

Tanner and Brown, although it will be sad to see them go, it had to be done. Abes, I understand why they want him gone, but I still think it will be a huge mistake, his worth the risk.

 

[Nuffy]

WTF with Abraham, at a time when we need all hands on deck, hes not allowed to play?

There must be more to it than that.

As for Tanner, hes a deadset embarassment as a footballer, how hes played as many FG games as he has, I'll never know.

Can I suggest that perhaps Abraham and the club had a run in this week?

 

[jamesgould]

Yes, it was strange. I don't remember Tighe even playing for all he did at 5/8.

 

[Doctor]

Yes, it was strange. I don't remember Tighe even playing for all he did at 5/8.

Typically a 5/8th does some cut-out passing, runs at the line and puts someone into a gap or at least gets involved in last tackle kicking. I can't recall Tighe doing any of these things last night. The only time he was visibly playing at 5/8th was during the scrums. All he did was take the ball and get tackled. It was a pretty shoddy sort of performance from him, which would be OK if he was our last option. But to have Abraham available, in form and fit AND still not pick him -- what can you say about that?

If that is the case I hope he lands a contract somewhere else (even if its a crappy one) and kills it. The fact that Tanner has been picked week after week at lock of late...is just amazing, especially if he is supposed to be on the outer. Good luck Abes

Edit: I honestly think Abes could do a Scott Prince on us...hope he does anyway!

The test will be if Abraham does go, whether his susceptibility to injury increases, plateaus or improves. Here is a bloke who hasn't played a full season since his debut. If he goes elsewhere and shakes free of his injuries, it says something about our conditioning at Newcastle.

 

[~knights~]

ben kennedy was always injured then went to Manly and hardy missed a match

 

[antonius]

Typically a 5/8th does some cut-out passing, runs at the line and puts someone into a gap or at least gets involved in last tackle kicking. I can't recall Tighe doing any of these things last night. The only time he was visibly playing at 5/8th was during the scrums. All he did was take the ball and get tackled. It was a pretty shoddy sort of performance from him, which would be OK if he was our last option. But to have Abraham available, in form and fit AND still not pick him -- what can you say about that?




The test will be if Abraham does go, whether his susceptibility to injury increases, plateaus or improves. Here is a bloke who hasn't played a full season since his debut. If he goes elsewhere and shakes free of his injuries, it says something about our conditioning at Newcastle.

You're a bit mistaken there I'm affraid, he's had plenty of years injury free since his debut.
Up until he broke his leg in that city v country game in around 2004 I think, Abes was probably our most injury free first grader. His debut was in 2000. He played in the 2001 grand final, was the players player of the year in 2003, so he'd been in first grade for some considerable time prior to that night when it all came tumbling down. Even when he came back from it, all the class was there to see, since re-breaking it though he's struggled. I think he's not far off being back to his best, and I'm sure if he can do a Scott Prince then the Knights will regret letting him go.