And now are you glad we have signed Ben Hunt ?

[Brutalitops]

Hunt to hooker
Cronk to half
Yep I am posting in my sleep again

Cronk captain coach

 

[Carlton]

This is my issue with him. He crabs and shuffles sideways far too often, particularly in the 2nd half of this season. He's a bloody good ball runner and needs to straighten the attack and play more direct. Don't get me wrong, he's a complete footballer, I just think he has too much on his plate and it's not ideal for him.

I agree with most of what you say Jonesy but I don't think he is a complete footballer. This is where things go out of whack, he has major deficiencies as a captain, game manager and playmaker. This is not because he has a lot on his plate, its because these are not part of his natural game. His natural game was the one he played at Melbourne and we should be trying to organise the team so that he plays that role again.

From bits I've read, it seems, Widdop has had too much say about who is in the team and how it plays. We need a coach who can identify his strengths and then make it clear that's whats required of him.

 

[sammythesaint]

This is my issue with him. He crabs and shuffles sideways far too often, particularly in the 2nd half of this season. He's a bloody good ball runner and needs to straighten the attack and play more direct. Don't get me wrong, he's a complete footballer, I just think he has too much on his plate and it's not ideal for him.

Without having to pander to Widdops whims, even Benji has improved 50 %.
From my view point, Widdop is one our our key problems.
The problems I see are he is inconsistent, he offers no direction to the team as the play maker, crabs across field, does not take on the line, poor long kicking game, has little impact on the games result, cannot close out the game and too much input who should be playing number 7. Which also obviously has been unsuccessful for years now.
Hopefully Hunt is strong be enough together with Graham to fix all the above

 

[Overseas dragon]

From what I've been told GARETH WIDDOP,has a bit of the MUNDINE clone in him and believes all that's written about him .he comes across as a quiet shy guy ,the truth unfortunately is more than that . COMPLETE definitely not a long way from it .that's why bellyache got the best out of it .so you obviously need somebody 10x stronger than PAUL MCGREGOR

 

[watatank]

This is my issue with him. He crabs and shuffles sideways far too often, particularly in the 2nd half of this season. He's a bloody good ball runner and needs to straighten the attack and play more direct. Don't get me wrong, he's a complete footballer, I just think he has too much on his plate and it's not ideal for him.

Widdop can make plays and has his moments but if those are the criticisms, then he's not a complete footballer. He's certainly not a complete half, that's why we got Ben Hunt. As for having too much on his plate, I for one would be more understanding had he actually tried to play halfback in an official capacity but he has talked far too much about wanting to take on more responsibility and leadership to accept that.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Without having to pander to Widdops whims, even Benji has improved 50 %.
From my view point, Widdop is one our our key problems.
The problems I see are he is inconsistent, he offers no direction to the team as the play maker, crabs across field, does not take on the line, poor long kicking game, has little impact on the games result, cannot close out the game and too much input who should be playing number 7. Which also obviously has been unsuccessful for years now.
Hopefully Hunt is strong be enough together with Graham to fix all the above

If things don't dramatically improve and gel with Hunt's arrival then it will totally highlight that Widdop, supported by wimpy Mary, has been the real problem in the halves all along.
Didn't like playing second string to Cronk at Melbourne and that's why he left.
Hunt is a similar player and will, by nature, dominate.
It will be very interesting to see it play out.

 

[SBD82]

Without having to pander to Widdops whims, even Benji has improved 50 %.
From my view point, Widdop is one our our key problems.
The problems I see are he is inconsistent, he offers no direction to the team as the play maker, crabs across field, does not take on the line, poor long kicking game, has little impact on the games result, cannot close out the game and too much input who should be playing number 7. Which also obviously has been unsuccessful for years now.
Hopefully Hunt is strong be enough together with Graham to fix all the above

New member who racks up a bunch of posts in his first week, most of which are bagging Widdop.

You sound familiar mate. Have we met before?

 

[sammythesaint]

New member who racks up a bunch of posts in his first week, most of which are bagging Widdop.

You sound familiar mate. Have we met before?

Just because i do not admire widdop as a captain or player....means f..k all.

I dont admire mary, or nene, nor lafai......and others.

The reason i talk about widdop.... is i damn well have the right as a supporter to expect more from a $700,000 a year player, captain and organizer on field.

If you are pleased with him, good on fu..ing you!

 

[sammythesaint]

If things don't dramatically improve and gel with Hunt's arrival then it will totally highlight that Widdop, supported by wimpy Mary, has been the real problem in the halves all along.
Didn't like playing second string to Cronk at Melbourne and that's why he left.
Hunt is a similar player and will, by nature, dominate.
It will be very interesting to see it play out.

Especially when even the old guy Benji had a much better year without widdop....and benji can still win the flag....fmd!
Poor bastard was blamed for everything with us.

 

[BrissyRedV]

New member who racks up a bunch of posts in his first week, most of which are bagging Widdop.

You sound familiar mate. Have we met before?

Another reincarnation of Vas it seems...

 

[Country Dragon]

Especially when even the old guy Benji had a much better year without widdop....and benji can still win the flag....fmd!
Poor bastard was blamed for everything with us.

Welcome back Vas!

 

[Brutalitops]

Unbelievable we are still getting hot takes when the season is long over. Widdop can't carry all of our backs on his shoulders and nor should he have to. Cooper Cronk would probably struggle with our backline.

 

[SBD82]

Just because i do not admire widdop as a captain or player....means f..k all.

I dont admire mary, or nene, nor lafai......and others.

The reason i talk about widdop.... is i damn well have the right as a supporter to expect more from a $700,000 a year player, captain and organizer on field.

If you are pleased with him, good on fu..ing you!

No need to be unpleasant. It was a simple question.

I guess I have my answer.

 

[sammythesaint]

Unbelievable we are still getting hot takes when the season is long over. Widdop can't carry all of our backs on his shoulders and nor should he have to. Cooper Cronk would probably struggle with our backline.

But he doesnt organise his forward ball runners either.

I am pretty sure fritz, de belin and Vaughan would run the right lines IF widdop played the right moves. I hardly remember any great balls from widdop to them.

All he does is squeezes them for space by running across the field.

Lets hope 2018 will see hunt and Graham do the organising.

Widdop can just damn well run the ball, if he is game enough.

 

[sammythesaint]

Welcome back Vas!

Benji embarrassed us all this year.
I hope he gets the flag.

 

[Country Dragon]

Benji embarrassed us all this year.
I hope he gets the flag.

White flag???

 

[Belta]

Look I don't crucify any player in FG, but tbh Benji hasn't been a regular in FG this year, was used as a back up, don't get me wrong he can do some great things but even the other night in their semi-final win I thought he was OK probably average at best. However Hunt was very good, he is a very strong defender and good vision, eg the long ball out to the winger which a turning point in the match. Neither Hunt or Benji had a great kicking game, Hunt slightly better.

It must be said it helps your halves to have quality backs, it's also no surprise all the top teams have very good wingers.

 

[BrissyRedV]

Look I don't crucify any player in FG, but tbh Benji hasn't been a regular in FG this year, was used as a back up, don't get me wrong he can do some great things but even the other night in their semi-final win I thought he was OK probably average at best. However Hunt was very good, he is a very strong defender and good vision, eg the long ball out to the winger which a turning point in the match. Neither Hunt or Benji had a great kicking game, Hunt slightly better.

It must be said it helps your halves to have quality backs, it's also no surprise all the top teams have very good wingers.

Also helps your players if you have a good coach.

 

[SBD82]

But he doesnt organise his forward ball runners either.

I am pretty sure fritz, de belin and Vaughan would run the right lines IF widdop played the right moves. I hardly remember any great balls from widdop to them.

All he does is squeezes them for space by running across the field.

Lets hope 2018 will see hunt and Graham do the organising.

Widdop can just damn well run the ball, if he is game enough.

So your criticism is that Friz (right edge/middle), JDB (middle) and Vaughan (middle) aren't getting good ball from Widdop (left edge)?!?

Fmd.

 

[st.phil]

I see the widdop bashing has begun again - predictable. Our left side attack, in spite of having the slowest wing / centre combo in the comp, killed it this year. Contributed infinitely more to the team than Duges who was on higher $s. He is better than Corey Norman can we at least agree on that?