Alan Tongue

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Mentioning him in the same breadth as Hindy and Fitzy is bordering on lunacy. I admire him for trying but thats all he is a tryer every team has 2-3 such players.

He would be so be so far behind SOO standard it would totally embarrass him.

 

[Pete Cash]

I watch Alan Tongue every week and if you think he is only a toiler at Canberra you are either ignorant or blind.

He is one of the most important attacking players at a club that is one of the best attacking teams in the comp. Most of the play goes through Campese, but Tongue is always there as well.

 

[Stranger]

Interestingly he created as many tries as Dureua (9 each) and created more than John Morris. (7)

He also broke the line on 5 occasions which is one more than Morris and four more than Dureua and he created 7 linebreaks which is more than Dureua by one and Morris by three. He played 5 more games than Dureua and 2 less games than Morris.

I'm not saying I would want him playing halfback for Canberra. You missed the part where I said he was below average, but he is certainly very skilled for a lock forward. The only lock forward I could see who has more try assists is John Sutton.

But you also missed the point where Dureau and Morris are also currently below average half-backs. And stats only tell half the picture; for example Dureau spent alot of time on the bench in the games he did play fir Newcastle. And lets face it, if there wasn't so many injuries in Canberra, Tongue would be nowhere neer half. IIRC didn't canberra get beaten by Cowboys with Tongue at half?

Raider ;
The middle of the park defence is not usually the problem for NSW. Considering we have had 'workhorse' type players in NSW forever. The support play could have been better thats a given, and leadership is extremely down next year without Bedsey.

Tongue is nothing exceptional. He does the little things right and works hard at them. He is a work-horse, most teams have them.

 

[Pete Cash]

That is why I compared him to below average halves, it would have undermined my point that Tongue has the talent of a below average half if I had compared him to Thurston, Orford and Cronk.

 

[Raider_69]

He is a work-horse, most teams have them.

And not a single one of them has the skill set that alan tongue possesses, let alone taking into account the leadership qualities, heart, determination, toughness and defensive abilities of the man

Put bluntly, whilst there are many players are workhorses in the comp, none of them are able to combine that work rate with the attacking abilities of alan tongue. None of them in fact even get close. He is the best lock forward in the game and if NSW want to start winning SOO footy again, they need to abandon the name players and pick blokes like Alan Tongue who you know will do the job needed to be done.

Pat Cash is right, he is the #1 lock forward in the game, who just so happens to possess the skill set of a slightly below average NRL half.

 

[Snoz]

tongue would be better than most of the plodders that the blues have pick over the years

mason, hindmarsh, simpson, white, cross just to name a few

 

[Shorty]

I get it now,Snoz is a Raider.

Mmm.
I haven't seen enough of Tongue to put a full assessment on but from what I've seen he's a work-horse and just a great clubman...I'm not sure he's Origin standard.
And Dallas Johnstone is NOT a poor man's version of Tongue - That's a joke in itself.

 

[JT_]

Fitzy at lock is just as good as Tongue + a decent goalkicker.

I thought it was wrong for Fitzy to play prop this year for the Blues.

But no doubt Tongue deserves some sort of recognition.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

And Dallas Johnstone is NOT a poor man's version of Tongue - That's a joke in itself.

Yes he is

Johnson is like a no-frills Tongue. He's like Tongue if this was the NFL and he only had to play defense.

From a Kiwi perspective, Johnson is also by far the worst player I have ever seen play for Australia, and that includes the likes of Villasanti and Hegarty.

 

[Shorty]

^Yeah but I've noticed you're not a fan of Dallas...so I'm not surprised with your response.

 

[Raider_69]

fan or not, his assessment is spot on

 

[Bobby DIGital]

^Yeah but I've noticed you're not a fan of Dallas...so I'm not surprised with your response.

He's not a fan of Dallas for a very good reason. It's because Thierry knows league, and he can see when an average player is getting by due to his team mates. Do you seriously think he would be playing rep footy if he wasn't in the Storm?

And you haven't seen much of Tongue in the last 9 seasons? You don't have pay tv?

Tongue > Johnson by a long way.

Raider 69 has allready pointed out many of Tongue's great attributes, but I'd like to point out his awesome support play. He scored more tries than any other forward in the league last season. He's also got very good footwork.

He's actually the complete player. He really is. It's just in 2008 most selectors are obsessed with size and speed.

Give the guy a f**kin shot. He adds new strings to his bow every season. Now he's captain of the year.

If NSW have any hope in getting back the shield, it lies with the players coming up outta Canberra. Tongue, Campese, Thurling, Monaghan even Todd Carney when he gets back and finds himself a new club. They have to pick Raider juniors. It's their only hope. Mark my words.

 

[Mick_63]

The soo selectors are gutless.
Its the same bozos year in year out.
That AlanTongue should have played 10 soo games now is a no brainer.

 

[SaveTheChildren]

I used to be straight until I saw the Tongue!

 

[Shorty]

And you haven't seen much of Tongue in the last 9 seasons? You don't have pay tv?

Actually I don't:lol:

Again your a Raiders fan,so obviously you're going to think highly of Tongue.

Must say it does puzzle me that he hasn't even made a City/Country side...I thought he would have made it to that point.

 

[Hutty1986]

Get some tongue up ya!

 

[dubby]

I doubt Tongue will ever play SOO. His size is an issue, plus the Raiders have a poor record at getting forwards selected for SOO.....the last one was Ryan O'Hara!

Our forwards have always struggled for recognition. Only Brad Clyde and Glen Lazarus really earned the respect and they were standout players. Luke Davico was unlucky not to play SOO but injury struck him down every season at SOO time.

Tongue is worthy of country selection at least.

And what really irks me is nuffies like Brett WHite and Ben Cross gain selection becuase they are gay with Bellamy yet Tonguey cant crack the Country team??

And Dallas Johnson is another who plays rep because he is a "storm trooper"....the guy is one dimensial....at least Tonguey can pass/kick/support/lead.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Dallas Johnson does make rep sides on the back of who he plays for. I rate Micheal Luck just as good as Johnson yet Lucky hasn't made a rep side yet.

 

[Big Pete]

Dallas has only played State of Origin due to Queensland's horrible depth in the backrow. He's also proven himself to be a valuable member of the side.

 

[God-King Dean]

And what really irks me is nuffies like Brett WHite and Ben Cross gain selection becuase they are gay with Bellamy yet Tonguey cant crack the Country team??

There's just something disturbing about that sentence.