Billy Burns

[wazza33]

Hi All,
Read alot of the threads on this page so thought i would write one, whats everyones thoughts on Billy Burns, i personally dont know how or why Hook keeps him in first grade, he doesnt offer anything, i know he unfortunately keeps getting put in the centres and hes a back rower, but what ive watched him play and cant see anything that makes me understand why hes in first grade.
Opinions are welcomed

 

[Rob Dragon 1]

He's playing 1st grade because we have only a few eligible back-rowers. Sims, Fuiamano and Ford were the only recognized back-rowers at the start of the season. DeBelin was embroiled in his legal woes, Kerr has been tried unsuccessfully in the 2nd row (no lateral movement and feet for hands), Bird was tried but he had not played for a few years. So he is/has been playing out of desperate necessity.

Personally I think Burns, like Ford has something to offer. I don't think either are the next Bradley Clyde but I am not writing either of them completely off just yet.

 

[Dragon set in stone.]

Old butter fingers Billy , Keep him to the Backrow never to venture to the Centers again.

 

[Ben_Kusto_magic]

He's a back rower that continually gets shifted to the centres when someone goes down. I'd prefer to judge him after an extended period of playing in the back row. I also think he has something to offer

 

[thebigredv]

Personally I think Burns, like Ford has something to offer. I don't think either are the next Bradley Clyde but I am not writing either of them completely off just yet.

Rob, I've lost all belief in Ford. Thought he was exciting when he entered first grade not that long ago. It really becomes evident how bad his progress is when he comes up against players he would have battled against in lower grades for years, like the Manly number 11 who left him clutching for air time after time.

He is not troubling the defense, he doesn't impact a game and I realise it doesn't help playing in a diminished forward pack. At some point you have to rise to the occasion on your own. He is now being monstered by more mobile, bigger, better players.

So many of our players just don't go on in first grade at our club. I have no idea why. I was ready to give up on De Belin back in the day, and then one day it just seemed to click and he went from toiler to a damaging elite player. Let's hope the same for Jackson but I don't think Hook has him in mind.

Happy for Burns to be given more go. Kerr does have feet for hands but that seems to be ok at our club.

 

[Blood Shot Eyes]

Jury still out on that one...atm he doesnt do much for me, but he does get moved around a bit....what I dont like is his lack of intensity...at times he just seems to go through the motions

 

[matPORTS]

Jury is still out for me as well. Second row is definitely his position. He's been a victim of our bad run of injuries, suspensions and general ill discipline of others.

Needs a big pre-season going into 2022. This will be a determining factor as to whether he's going to make it or not.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Burns is only 22, still young, but has been used as the stop gap filler basically since arriving from the Panthers.

He is not a centre.

I think he has the makings of a very good edge forward, but needs to be picked there and perservered with. IMO, a far better option than Kerr.

Billy is tall ane lanky, he needs room to move, something we havent provided to our edge forwards for a long time.

Well worth perserving with.

 

[Saints Forever]

Billy needs a full off season and consistent game time before we can judge him.

As for Ford, he too has had limited game time and needs it to develop further:

Neither player on current projections should be in the top 17.

 

[Mjab]

While Burns has yet to set the world on fire I am happy to give him a go as a second rower
Ford has been terrible all year IMO with limited opportunities but I can see why
I would get rid of Ford
at times I think Kerr might be good and other times he just looks terrible

everyone a bit negative though after a pathetic effort last night

 

[Slippery Morris]

Would want to see more of him in the backrow before casting judgement but for Hook to have to use him in the centres a lot shows that he definitely needs to select an outside back on the bench. It is getting ridiculous. Williame fitted that role perfectly but he is now injured. That is probably a spot Beale can fill in next season if he is still at Saints as back up to Feagai and Lomax as they are the future centres. Going forward though an outside back is a must for the bench so Hook must stop this selection of Burns for cover in the centres because it clearly does not work and he is not comfortable there.

One thing about Hook which I hated about Mary is, if a guy clearly is not performing, he tends to really give them way too many chances before he wields the axe when it comes to his people that he brings to the club. Billy is definitely one of them.

 

[getsmarty]

Seriously....do people need to start a new thread to bash their latest disliked players ?

Discuss it in the game thread....another stupid thread...the guy was playing out of position...yes he needs to work on his ball security...It's his 1st full year in the Top grade....

How is blacker going in comparison to Billy? We got the better option...plain and simple...move on.

 

[Dragonslayer]

Billy was selected in the 17 yesterday as cover for Tariq. It was (probably) envisaged that Tariq wouldn't see out the game, backing up from Origin ie Billy would have played on the edge, his preferred position. However, due to the injury to Williame, he had to play out of position (again) at centre and Tariq having to play out the 80 mins (and he was well and truly gassed).

 

[Spazer]

He has only played 20-odd nrl games, not even a full seasons worth, but I can see some potential in his game and I think he will get better in his later years. He reminds me of matt prior, wasn't that good until later in his career.

 

[BLM01]

Would want to see more of him in the backrow before casting judgement but for Hook to have to use him in the centres a lot shows that he definitely needs to select an outside back on the bench. It is getting ridiculous. Williame fitted that role perfectly but he is now injured. That is probably a spot Beale can fill in next season if he is still at Saints as back up to Feagai and Lomax as they are the future centres. Going forward though an outside back is a must for the bench so Hook must stop this selection of Burns for cover in the centres because it clearly does not work and he is not comfortable there.

One thing about Hook which I hated about Mary is, if a guy clearly is not performing, he tends to really give them way too many chances before he wields the axe when it comes to his people that he brings to the club. Billy is definitely one of them.

Ok drop Billy
Tell me which forward should replace him in the bench?

 

[Gareth67]

Yep 2nd rowers are 2nd rowers , not outside backs . At his age he can still come into his own if constantly playing in the pig pack . But purely a stop-gap measure last night which unfortunately did not help our chances , but Griffin should had thought about that .

 

[Dragon David]

These are desperate times with all of the suspensions and some injuries together with limited lower grade competition because of the pandemic. These guys like Ford and Burns would be playing reserve grade if everything was normal and there was no pandemic - the Dirty Dozen would not have been the Stupid Dozen if there was no pandemic and we would have seen them for sure at the house of Vaughan with stacks of photos after their win over the Warriors.

But unfortunately the reality is that we are in lockdown again and the players we have available are basically all we can call upon to do their best. I'm sure Burns would have preferred to come on to relieve Sims rather than to replace Williame, who by the way had a shocker and Hook would have hooked him anyway.

So in these desperate times and for at least the next 3 weeks we are going to have to play the best, injury free players we have available. The players can only try their best even though they aren't the best.

 

[Kylez3]

Don't understand why Burns has had a few chances to play in his preferred 2nd-row position but Ford keeps getting thrown into the middle. Almost like they are setting him up to fail.

 

[OneEyedDragon]

These are desperate times with all of the suspensions and some injuries together with limited lower grade competition because of the pandemic. These guys like Ford and Burns would be playing reserve grade if everything was normal and there was no pandemic - the Dirty Dozen would not have been the Stupid Dozen if there was no pandemic and we would have seen them for sure at the house of Vaughan with stacks of photos after their win over the Warriors.

But unfortunately the reality is that we are in lockdown again and the players we have available are basically all we can call upon to do their best. I'm sure Burns would have preferred to come on to relieve Sims rather than to replace Williame, who by the way had a shocker and Hook would have hooked him anyway.

So in these desperate times and for at least the next 3 weeks we are going to have to play the best, injury free players we have available. The players can only try their best even though they aren't the best.

Agree that Williame was having a shocker. With him and Norman defending on the same side, they weren't a "turnstile", they were an "open gate".

 

[blacksafake]

Burns is only 22, still young, but has been used as the stop gap filler basically since arriving from the Panthers.

He is not a centre.

I think he has the makings of a very good edge forward, but needs to be picked there and perservered with. IMO, a far better option than Kerr.

Billy is tall ane lanky, he needs room to move, something we havent provided to our edge forwards for a long time.

Well worth perserving with.

Well said