ben hornby = useless

[Minh]

Retirement is a fact of life. That's stating the bloody obvious.
But moving a player on who happens to be the club captain isn't that simple.
Unless you've been hiding under a rock somewhere, you'd know that we've just finished celebrating his record breaking number of games for the club only a matter of weeks ago, after an amazing come from behind win on Anzac Day.
So now let's dump him? Anyone calling for that type of treatment to someone of Ben Hornby's stature within the club, should be ashamed of themselves.
Sometime sport's not just about the business, the money, the winning every week, the buying and selling of players, the brand or the merchandising.
This one's about the fabric and the culture of our club. We don't discard our legends lightly or dump them when we've finished with them.
Ben will do what's right for the club. And the club knows that, and is why they and most of we supporters respect him as much as we do.

Well said, couldn't have said it better.

 

[Minh]

The title of the thread poses no questions. It is an offensive remark about our club captain. It's inaccurate and it's an arrogant self-oppinionated post
Hornby is out of form and it's logical that he's unlikely to return to his best. He may not be our best option but he's still a damned good player, our club captain and among the most loyal ever to have worn the red V. Unlike many, Ben Hornby has earned the respect of true Dragons supporters and should be granted the deference he deserves

Totally agree, opinions are fine but offensive remarks about Ben Hornby no way!!!

 

[R&WTILLIDIE]

Someone please delete this thread...Ben Hornby and Useless should not be in the same sentence

 

[Happy Old Dragon]

.....
Sometime sport's not just about the business, the money, the winning every week, the buying and selling of players, the brand or the merchandising.
This one's about the fabric and the culture of our club. We don't discard our legends lightly or dump them when we've finished with them.
Ben will do what's right for the club. And the club knows that, and is why they and most of we supporters respect him as much as we do.

Nice sentiment DTD.
As you say, it IS a business, but.......


I dislike a loss (almost) as much as anybody.
But if management err on the side of loyalty and we lose a few games...

I can live with that.


(gets to feet, shakes off the dust and moves on)
hod.

 

[blacklock]

Can I suggest a vote to have the title of this thread either changed or deleted
As a Dragons supporter I find it offensive, disloyal, gutless and tasteless
I should have suggested it earlier but it's really starting to get to me
Thanks
Cagey

theres nothing wrong with differing opinions. you should be adult enough to realise in a population of dragons fans not everyone is going to have a uniform view on every issue concerning our club.

if you feel its offensive to critique one of our players, you have every right not to read or post in the thread...just as others have every right to critique or stick up for hornby.

simply censoring opposing views doesnt exactly strengthen your own

 

[stg666]

personally, i think this thread should be .ucked right off. it is a disgrace. IMO

 

[blacklock]

The title of the thread poses no questions. It is an offensive remark about our club captain. It's inaccurate and it's an arrogant self-oppinionated post
Hornby is out of form and it's logical that he's unlikely to return to his best. He may not be our best option but he's still a damned good player, our club captain and among the most loyal ever to have worn the red V. Unlike many, Ben Hornby has earned the respect of true Dragons supporters and should be granted the deference he deserves

heres an idea... start an opposing thread as an appreciation for ben hornby. isnt that a good idea? might make you feel a little better title it "ben hornby is a class act and heres why". that way you can list all his good attributes and have others agree with you rather than having a whinge because a fellow fan happened to disagree with you.

 

[blacklock]

personally, i think this thread should be .ucked right off. it is a disgrace. IMO

when you post in a forum...its implied that its your own opinion. you dont need to qualify it twice. in my opinion that is

 

[Godz Illa]

theres nothing wrong with differing opinions. you should be adult enough to realise in a population of dragons fans not everyone is going to have a uniform view on every issue concerning our club.

if you feel its offensive to critique one of our players, you have every right not to read or post in the thread...just as others have every right to critique or stick up for hornby.

simply censoring opposing views doesnt exactly strengthen your own

This is absolutely true - everyone is free to make themselves look like a dickhead.

Thanks for the demonstration.

 

[blacklock]

This is absolutely true - everyone is free to make themselves look like a dickhead.

Thanks for the demonstration.

Awe.... thats so sad An opposing view hurt your feelings? Im sorry.... What kind of world are we living in where everyone doesnt agree with our own views! boo hoo

Seriously people need to lighten up lol We're discussing football not curing cancer in here. So what if some people think ben hornby has become our new trent barrett. Just smile...nod...and move on. The world would be a boring place if we all saw things the same way.

 

[Fire]

Retirement is a fact of life. That's stating the bloody obvious.
But moving a player on who happens to be the club captain isn't that simple.
Unless you've been hiding under a rock somewhere, you'd know that we've just finished celebrating his record breaking number of games for the club only a matter of weeks ago, after an amazing come from behind win on Anzac Day.
So now let's dump him? Anyone calling for that type of treatment to someone of Ben Hornby's stature within the club, should be ashamed of themselves.
Sometime sport's not just about the business, the money, the winning every week, the buying and selling of players, the brand or the merchandising.
This one's about the fabric and the culture of our club. We don't discard our legends lightly or dump them when we've finished with them.
Ben will do what's right for the club. And the club knows that, and is why they and most of we supporters respect him as much as we do.

Great post DTD.

 

[Tim Smith]

What do Tony Quirk and Mark Shulman have in common.
They took over from club legends in 1976. Graham Langlands evaluated his own performance and pulled the pin in April of that season; Billy Smith ( our last great halfback in my opinion) finished the year in reserve grade. One determined his own fete and one demoted. Both favourite sons and Red V legends. What a sad time that was for me as a 16 year old Dragons tragic.
Now as a 52 year Dragon tragic I am wishing Hornby either gets a second wind a determines his own exit or if he shows continued signs of a form slump someone taps him on the shoulder for the good of the team. What a brave coach or admin that introduced Billy Smith to the reserve grade coach.
One way or another we need a half back to drive us and create some attack; I doubt Hornby can conjure that and I'd love him to make his own call.

Quoted from Jubilee Avenue; Our Proud History.
April 1976:* Graeme 'Changa' Langlands has announced his retirement from Rugby League. Determined to make amends for the 1975 grand final, Langlands returned to the football field for one more season in 1976. But he struggled to make an impression and in the fourth round, the writing was on the wall when he missed a simple tackle on Wests' hooker John Purcell. For the next two days, Langlands considered his future and then decided to call it a day.

 

[Bring back choc]

Great post DTD.

Yeh it's all well n good. It's all soft and cuddly.
Everyone loves hornby. But If he loves the club he'll do whats right and retire.

The captain of Australian cricket team, possibly the most coveted Job in Aussie sport, is a position that's had constant speculation over the years. Captains have been tapped on the shoulder, they have been dumped, they have stepped down. Don't tell me we are not allowed to help ben make the right decision.

Now as I said ben hornby has been great. A legend.
But his legs are old as his time had come. He needs to retire at years end for the good of the team.

Surely you can see that.

If you can't, then you are blind.

 

[Fire]

How did you know I wear an eye-patch?

 

[64 Dragon]

Yeh it's all well n good. It's all soft and cuddly.
Everyone loves hornby. But If he loves the club he'll do whats right and retire.

The captain of Australian cricket team, possibly the most coveted Job in Aussie sport, is a position that's had constant speculation over the years. Captains have been tapped on the shoulder, they have been dumped, they have stepped down. Don't tell me we are not allowed to help ben make the right decision.

Now as I said ben hornby has been great. A legend.
But his legs are old as his time had come. He needs to retire at years end for the good of the team.

Surely you can see that.

If you can't, then you are blind.

Hey man, his name is Ben Hornby. At least spell his name right.

 

[Happy Old Dragon]

Yeh it's all well n good. It's all soft and cuddly.
Everyone loves hornby. But If he loves the club he'll do whats right and retire.
........

Now as I said ben hornby has been great. A legend.
But his legs are old as his time had come. He needs to retire at years end for the good of the team.

Surely you can see that.

If you can't, then you are blind.

Careful BBC, you are almost getting soft and cuddly yourself!!
LOL.

To be serious, I kind of agree with what you are saying.
Timing of a retirement is difficult.
Especially these days when players are on such high annual salaries.
It's a lot of cash to kiss goodbye.

But over time, we all "lose our edge".
Let's hope it works out satisfactorily - for player, team and supporters.

C'mon Ben.
You still have it!
Another GF beckons.
hod.

 

[Willow]

What do Tony Quirk and Mark Shulman have in common.
They took over from club legends in 1976. Graham Langlands evaluated his own performance and pulled the pin in April of that season; Billy Smith ( our last great halfback in my opinion) finished the year in reserve grade. One determined his own fete and one demoted. Both favourite sons and Red V legends. What a sad time that was for me as a 16 year old Dragons tragic.
Now as a 52 year Dragon tragic I am wishing Hornby either gets a second wind a determines his own exit or if he shows continued signs of a form slump someone taps him on the shoulder for the good of the team. What a brave coach or admin that introduced Billy Smith to the reserve grade coach.
One way or another we need a half back to drive us and create some attack; I doubt Hornby can conjure that and I'd love him to make his own call.

Quoted from Jubilee Avenue; Our Proud History.
April 1976:* Graeme 'Changa' Langlands has announced his retirement from Rugby League. Determined to make amends for the 1975 grand final, Langlands returned to the football field for one more season in 1976. But he struggled to make an impression and in the fourth round, the writing was on the wall when he missed a simple tackle on Wests' hooker John Purcell. For the next two days, Langlands considered his future and then decided to call it a day.

TS, we are all entitled to our opinions. Most people here would agree on that (except Bring back choc).

Given what you said re your 52 years of support, we both saw Langlands play. I trust we can agree that, by 1976, he was in a far worst state than Hornby is in 2012. Of course Chang had a lot more riding on him, he pretty much carried the team for so many years that he found himself playing beyond the busted legs.

IMO, Langlands should have retired at the end of 1974, but he kept on due to the insistence of the club.

1975 was to be his last year, but the grand final changed that.

The reason why Langlands played on in 1976 was because Frank Facer insisted. Chang's reputation came to grief in the 1975 grand final and Facer wanted him to play one more season and get one more 'Man of the Match' award so he could could retire on a high note. It didn't work out that way.

Changa's greatest moment in his twilight years was in 1974 when he was captain-coach of Australia and we won the Ashes. He was held aloft by team mates as the crowd chanted his name. Perhaps he should have retired then, but he was needed and kept on playing. Being the champion he was, Langlands was the top point scorer (again) and got us to the '75 grand final. But he was on pain killers, as we know.

Billy Smith was a little different. He found himself on the outer for disciplinary reasons. Hornby hasn't given the club any reason like that to drop him.

But like Changa, I can't help but feel that the club needs Hornby. While we don't have a good alternative halfback, Hornby has to keep on playing. Yes, when I watch him, he looks to have lost the edge. But he tries his heart out. And it's hard to dump a player who has done nothing wrong off the field, and on the field he is working overtime to inspire his team mates.

 

[Puff]

Couldn't have said it better myself willow. Spot on

 

[Tim Smith]

Thanks Willow for the background on '76 with Langlands and Smith. What I said about Ben Hornby I wish was in another thread because I don't like or agree with Hornby being useless; but I also know people loath a new thread along a similar theme. I'd much prefer Hornby leave on his own terms but I'd also prefer us to not be known as the attacking dullards of the comp too and much of that rests on a teams halfback. So I am hoping he can produce and the coach can inspire around him. I like what he is doing with Marketo and DeBelin in giving them a taste ready to replace Young and Scott next year. A bit harder with half and captain to give a young playmaker a taste; an apprenticeship while Ben is in the team. Is it possible in this day and age to carry a half on the bench and give him 10-15 minutes in games and Ben have a breather. Going by carrying Cherry-Evans in the test I'd say no. It's certainly is a conundrum but I am in the camp that hopes Hornby can kick again and lead us back through the pack to the semis. All interesting banter from passionate supporters...

 

[Minh]

Man I wish it all clicks and we make a big surge towards the GF and Ben Hornby wins the Clive Churchill medal and all and then I would love to bump this thread.