Cam Smith

[simon says]

Just felt that he hasnt been up to international level.....there were a few times that we had a big overlap one way and he went the other......and he just doesnt seem to have the mastery he has at club level where i admit he is a weapon.

Maybe its my Tiger bias,but I know one thing and thats Robbie Farah can sniff out a try big time and if he isnt a better 9 than at least Berrigan then I will give it away.

Maybe its cos Cam isnt starting abd they are playing him all over the place,but at this level you have to perform and fast or its asta la vista.

 

[mattyg]

I agree in a way, but you can't really give Farah as much as i like him as a player, the nod over Smith who has had a wonderful season. Maybe he is still feeling the grand final loss?? I don't think Berrigan has been really good this series either. Perhaps they are all just binding together, but i hope its all spot on by the Final

 

[simon says]

I agree in a way, but you can't really give Farah as much as i like him as a player, the nod over Smith who has had a wonderful season. Maybe he is still feeling the grand final loss?? I don't think Berrigan has been really good this series either. Perhaps they are all just binding together, but i hope its all spot on by the Final

I agree mate,that you cant pick Farah over Cam.....but gee,I dont know how many times I was thinking to myself that Robbie would have done it differently to Cam and IMO would have paid off.

 

[Surandy]

Umm, considering the crap Cameron has had to endure from Stuart is it any surprise that he has not been playing 100% to his potential?

Remember that Cameron Smith is an 80 minutes player and has performed exceptionally well at both club and state level.

 

[lucablight]

Farah played quite poorly at city country level.

 

[The Money Box Man]

I was thinking the same thing whilst watching tonight - he hasn't been bad, but hasn't really done much either

 

[Jordan]

It's been the same at Origin level for him as well really. I rate him, but he is definitely yet to make his mark on the representative scene.

 

[Stranger]

Umm, considering the crap Cameron has had to endure from Stuart is it any surprise that he has not been playing 100% to his potential?

Remember that Cameron Smith is an 80 minutes player and has performed exceptionally well at both club and state level.

Not trying to start a Bedsey/smith competition here, but its very much what they do with Buderus. 80min player only getting 45-55minutes. Smith is much better than berrigan, he is an 80min player, why the hell would you swap the two?

I have to agree with the general idea of what is being said. Smith really hasn't stood up much as a dominant hooker. Id be willing to give Pridis a shot now.

 

[fourxman]

I think starting Berrigan is a mistake... Berrigan is a better impact player off the bench. Also Berrigan is a more a utility player then Cam.... he can play Hooker, Half, 5/8, Centre while Cam is a really just a specialist hooker.... sure he can play one off the ruck but i know he is a much better in 9.

Also if we had Cam at hooker at the start, we could be getting some 4th tackle kicks out of our own end, turning the opposition around.

 

[philstorm]

Once Ricky Stuart actually starts usually Cammy Smith in his proper role (not off the bench or playing at Half-Back), then we should judge him.

 

[Jono078]

He has been a bit dissapointing imo, but he's been stuffed around a fair bit aswell.

Will be interesting to see who is in the #9 come ANZAC test 2007.

 

[Mr Saab]

Berrigan is not a hooker...not a true hooker anyway.
Yes he won CC for best on ground for the GF, but that was a Bronco plan...he suited the Broncos and carved up the last 6 weeks.
Bennett said it himself that he got all he could out of him as the opposition would soon work him out.
I wont put crap on Smith though...how he is supposed to impress when he hardly plays? Game 2 he was on the bench for what...60 mins??????
Cant do much on the bench.
Last night the team was just out of sync completely with some of the stuff Stuart imposed on the team.

 

[macavity]

OZ is missing Buderus bigtime - 2 grand final hookers aren't coming close to replacing the best Hooker of this era....

 

[Mr Saab]

Buderus copped crap last yr also for his "avg" performances.

 

[Nightward]

The early mail from Sydney was that Robbie Farah was a walk-on start as Hooker and that Stuart wanted nothing to do with Cameron Smith.

Smith has been benched, rotated out of position, and left unable to do what he does at State and Club level- organize the attack. When you watch Queensland and Storm games, he is almost always dummy-half. Contrast this to Ricky Stuart's "plan."

Cameron Smith is not the problem. It's Stuart, pure and simple.

And, for the record, it's not just Smith who's been made to look bad. The entire team, which is composed of incredible players, has looked decidedly ordinary. Stuart's been found out; the success he had with the Roosters was much more to do with what ancillary staff he had (and the work of Murray) than his own abilities.

The Sharks are about to discover this for themselves.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

The early mail from Sydney was that Robbie Farah was a walk-on start as Hooker and that Stuart wanted nothing to do with Cameron Smith.

Source?

 

[Raider_69]

cam smith >>>>> robbie farah

give him abit of time and use him properly, then watch Smith come into his own at rep level

 

[colonel_123]

Rotating the hookers worked well when Craig Wing was at his best and he brought a genuine change of pace to the game by offering a different style to that of Danny Buderus.

Now it seems they're using a hooker rotation at rep level just for the sake of it.

Smith is an 80 minute hooker and Berrigan doesn't really offer an improvement when he comes on mid-way through the half.

Berrigan was tremendous in the SOO series coming on as a utility and playing some time at lock and working around the rucks using his solid defence, while Smith stayed on the field as a hooker.

As to the original question I think Smith, with the exception of his long kicking game which has been effective at times, hasn't replicated his NRL form during this series. But I think the hooker rotation hasn't really let him gel and get comfortable.

And I agree that Farah would not have looked out of place in the squad...

 

[Sanchez]

smith gets dicked round to much by stuart.
playing him in the halves was just stupid

 

[simon says]

cam smith >>>>> robbie farah

give him abit of time and use him properly, then watch Smith come into his own at rep level

I agree he needs more time.....but gee he took some terrible options when we were on the attack and he was in his position at hooker.....

Killing overlaps and going himself when tries were there,on more than one occasion.

You may think that Smith is better than Farah.....thats ffaur enough,IMO Smith was the best player of 2006 and deserves his spot in the team.

But he has to perform IMO,and if not Farah,who is the best hooker for sniffing out tries close to the line should get a go.

Oh........and just for the record.

Every other lock in the comp>>>>>>>>>>Tongue you goose.