Chad Townsend

[Wheeled Warrior]

Is he off contract? He's playing really good footy.

Did anyone take note of his try celebration? Looked like he was making a "$$$" with the his fingers. Message to management to show him the money maybe??

Yeah as one mentioned this is what he normally does. He did it with another try dont know if he always does it every try like Manu 99% Fai Tribute or Hurrell's "Kiss to his Mama"

 

[Blair]

...Hurrell's "Kiss to his Mama"

His mama must be missing the kisses lately.

 

[Matua]

Wow, is there another Chad Townsend that plays for the Warriors that I've overlooked? I can't believe how positive towards him this thread is. There seems to be a hope he's the new James Maloney but it's not going to be.

Townsend is average, he's played better the last couple of weeks but he's clearly got a ceiling that his low skill level is going to keep him under. His kicking is average, his passing is often poor and his decision making is lacking. I think most of the Warriors forwards have better ball skills than him.

Townsend is lucky that Johnson is so out of form as it appears he's been given a break by the collective masses because of it.

I'm also unsure how anyone can claim he's a good organising half with how disorganised the Warriors have been in their matches this year (including the ones they've won).

 

[JJ]

Wow, is there another Chad Townsend that plays for the Warriors that I've overlooked? I can't believe how positive towards him this thread is. There seems to be a hope he's the new James Maloney but it's not going to be.

Townsend is average, he's played better the last couple of weeks but he's clearly got a ceiling that his low skill level is going to keep him under. His kicking is average, his passing is often poor and his decision making is lacking. I think most of the Warriors forwards have better ball skills than him.

Townsend is lucky that Johnson is so out of form as it appears he's been given a break by the collective masses because of it.

I'm also unsure how anyone can claim he's a good organising half with how disorganised the Warriors have been in their matches this year (including the ones they've won).

He's solid, and tbh Maloney isn't that much better... that said, I hope we extend Townsend's contract

But yeah, he's been decent, in terms of playmaking the talk should really be about how mud the blokes wearing 7 and 9 have been...

 

[vvvrulz]

Wow, is there another Chad Townsend that plays for the Warriors that I've overlooked? I can't believe how positive towards him this thread is. There seems to be a hope he's the new James Maloney but it's not going to be.

Townsend is average, he's played better the last couple of weeks but he's clearly got a ceiling that his low skill level is going to keep him under. His kicking is average, his passing is often poor and his decision making is lacking. I think most of the Warriors forwards have better ball skills than him.

Townsend is lucky that Johnson is so out of form as it appears he's been given a break by the collective masses because of it.

I'm also unsure how anyone can claim he's a good organising half with how disorganised the Warriors have been in their matches this year (including the ones they've won).

Townsend isn't an experienced half, he's doing just fine given that he is more or less a rookie we picked up for an important role. The key thing is that he's always getting better unlike so many others who come along all crash hot and then just fade away.

He's not setting the world on fire but I don't think anyone is claiming him to be Brad Fittler.
And the fact that TL doesn't offer much, our fullback is fresh and Princess is still 'warming up' actually handicaps Townsend a lot. At the moment he IS the spine.

Can hardly blame him for the woes of these opening rounds, which is ridiculously bad ball handling and shoddy defense especially on our line.

 

[JJ]

Have to ask, what is Princess warming up for, exactly? If he's not careful, Benji will have a legit case for the test jersey

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Wow, is there another Chad Townsend that plays for the Warriors that I've overlooked? I can't believe how positive towards him this thread is. There seems to be a hope he's the new James Maloney but it's not going to be.

Townsend is average, he's played better the last couple of weeks but he's clearly got a ceiling that his low skill level is going to keep him under. His kicking is average, his passing is often poor and his decision making is lacking. I think most of the Warriors forwards have better ball skills than him.

Townsend is lucky that Johnson is so out of form as it appears he's been given a break by the collective masses because of it.

I'm also unsure how anyone can claim he's a good organising half with how disorganised the Warriors have been in their matches this year (including the ones they've won).

No one wants a Maloney, if SJ plays to near his potential we don't need another Maloney. Maloney was around when SJ was still a rookie, and he needed to be the dominant half and nurse Shaun through to being able to control a game himself. Now SJ should be that, and we need a guy to play a secondary yet solid role.

And that's exactly what Chad has been doing. He's made his tackles, taken pressure off SJ when he's had to, and done good things like his try on the weekend. So henceforth, he's been praised. He's actually hardly had a bad game this year unless I've missed one.

Not every half has to be Wally Lewis or Andrew Johns.

 

[ozbash]

Wow, is there another Chad Townsend that plays for the Warriors that I've overlooked? I can't believe how positive towards him this thread is. There seems to be a hope he's the new James Maloney but it's not going to be.

Townsend is average, he's played better the last couple of weeks but he's clearly got a ceiling that his low skill level is going to keep him under. His kicking is average, his passing is often poor and his decision making is lacking. I think most of the Warriors forwards have better ball skills than him.

Townsend is lucky that Johnson is so out of form as it appears he's been given a break by the collective masses because of it.

I'm also unsure how anyone can claim he's a good organising half with how disorganised the Warriors have been in their matches this year (including the ones they've won).

Totally agree.

 

[JJ]

Not every half has to be Wally Lewis or Andrew Johns.

Peter Sterling is the other one I've seen in that league

 

[Matua]

No one wants a Maloney, if SJ plays to near his potential we don't need another Maloney. Maloney was around when SJ was still a rookie, and he needed to be the dominant half and nurse Shaun through to being able to control a game himself. Now SJ should be that, and we need a guy to play a secondary yet solid role.

And that's exactly what Chad has been doing. He's made his tackles, taken pressure off SJ when he's had to, and done good things like his try on the weekend. So henceforth, he's been praised. He's actually hardly had a bad game this year unless I've missed one.

Not every half has to be Wally Lewis or Andrew Johns.

No one says he has to be an Andrew Johns, but he's not even a Maloney (he's about equivalent to Maloney in his final year at the Warriors when he didn't care and was useless).

As for Townsend, he makes some of his tackles.

If taking pressure of Johnson means he often makes poor final tackles decisions and then executes them badly then yes he does that too.

Johnson hasn't shown he has the ability, inclination, or backing from the coaches to run the show so there's little point in us discussing whether he should be doing that. He's not living up to that potential. And Townsend just doesn't look up to the job. At times his skills look schoolboy level.

 

[Rich102]

Wait till Ata Hingano arrives on the scene!

 

[jaseg]

No one says he has to be an Andrew Johns, but he's not even a Maloney (he's about equivalent to Maloney in his final year at the Warriors when he didn't care and was useless).

As for Townsend, he makes some of his tackles.

If taking pressure of Johnson means he often makes poor final tackles decisions and then executes them badly then yes he does that too.

Johnson hasn't shown he has the ability, inclination, or backing from the coaches to run the show so there's little point in us discussing whether he should be doing that. He's not living up to that potential. And Townsend just doesn't look up to the job. At times his skills look schoolboy level.

Huh? Townsend has created/converted the 3rd most chances in the NRL (out of halves). If he keeps this up, only 1 half will have posted better individual season figures in the last 2 years (Jonathan Thurston). He's not mistake free, of course.. but more than makes up for it. The Chad has been very, very good this year. Lock him in, and Tui can wait in the wings (literally) while he attempts to force his way into the halves.

 

[vvvrulz]

And Townsend just doesn't look up to the job. At times his skills look schoolboy level.

It's all good not being a Townsend fan, but you don't seriously believe he's that bad?
Look what happened when we shoved TL in his place last year, now that was crap.

 

[Matua]

It's all good not being a Townsend fan, but you don't seriously believe he's that bad?
Look what happened when we shoved TL in his place last year, now that was crap.

I think he's seriously lacking in skill for a half, and it wasn't until I saw him play live in the opener this year that I realised this. So I've watched him intensely since then, and as I said he's shown some improvement in the past two matches but up until then he was awful. I'd cringe when he got the ball, gringe when he'd put up a dud kick, and cringe when he missed a tackle.

I hope he can continue the upward trajectory he's showing but I think the praise lavished on him is silly.

 

[Fufu Andronez]

What praise are you referring to? I can't remember seeing anything too OTT. He's a mid to lower range half but is doing a job for us so good on him.

Needs a hair cut though

 

[TheDMC]

What praise are you referring to? I can't remember seeing anything too OTT. He's a mid to lower range half but is doing a job for us so good on him.

Needs a hair cut though

And a better first name.

 

[Rich102]

I think he's seriously lacking in skill for a half, and it wasn't until I saw him play live in the opener this year that I realised this. So I've watched him intensely since then, and as I said he's shown some improvement in the past two matches but up until then he was awful. I'd cringe when he got the ball, gringe when he'd put up a dud kick, and cringe when he missed a tackle.

I hope he can continue the upward trajectory he's showing but I think the praise lavished on him is silly.

You gringe easy Matua. You must be having kittens each time SJ gets the ball.
The Chad gets his hands on the ball and players run off him. He is trying hard and improving each game.
He's going OK.

 

[playdaball]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11432037

You have to feel for Chad and his partner. A return to Sydney is on the cards.



Warriors five-eighth Chad Townsend's future in New Zealand is under a cloud as the Sydney-based mother of his partner battles a terminal illness.

Townsend yesterday revealed the mother of his partner, Marissa Sorenson, niece of former Kiwis and Cronulla Sharks greats Kurt and Dane, has been suffering from bowel cancer over the past three years and recent downturns have seen her in and out of intensive care.

The 24-year-old playmaker is off contract at the end of this season with the Warriors having until the round 13 deadline in eight weeks' time to pick up the option of keeping him for at least one further season.

Rival clubs Cronulla, Manly, Parramatta and Canterbury are in the running to secure his services.

Townsend has been one of the Warriors' leading performers this season and although he is loving life in Auckland and appreciative of the club's support, the difficult situation will play a major role in any decision.

"I haven't [made a decision] and it's all up in the air at the moment," Townsend said.



"I can't thank the Warriors enough for everything they've done. The support they've shown me and Marissa as well has been outstanding.

"It's definitely a tough position to be in but I want to do what is right for Marissa and I outside of football as well as my career.

"I know there is more to life than footy but I just want to make it clear that the Warriors have definitely helped."

Townsend and Sorenson have been in a relationship for just over two years after meeting through Marissa's brother, a former teammate of the Sharks junior.

He provided an insight into the stress the couple is dealing with on this side of the Tasman as her mother's condition worsens.

"She's in and out of intensive care with all sorts of infections," he explained.

"She has good days and she has bad days. At the moment she's having a few more bad days than good but we're still fingers crossed that she can come through."

Townsend arrived at the Warriors last year looking to cement a regular first grade spot after he found his progress at Cronulla impeded by Todd Carney.

After debuting for the Sharks midway through 2011 he was restricted to 19 NRL appearances before finding his feet and racking up 19 games in his first season with the Warriors.

He lost his position in the latter stages of 2014 when coach Andrew McFadden preferred to use Thomas Leuluai at No 6 but has lifted his game to another level to make the jersey his own this year.

The Warriors have held initial talks with Townsend regarding his future but the two parties are yet to reach an agreement.

"Cappy [McFadden] has had a couple of chats with him. It depends what he [Townsend] wants to do too," said Warriors general manager of football Dean Bell.

"Chad's going really well at the moment so we're really pleased with his form and when the time is right we'll sit down and have that discussion."

- NZ Herald

Read more by David Skipwith

 

[Blair]

And a better first name.

He sounds like a gun NFL quarter-back!

 

[Penrose Warrior]

No one says he has to be an Andrew Johns, but he's not even a Maloney (he's about equivalent to Maloney in his final year at the Warriors when he didn't care and was useless).

As for Townsend, he makes some of his tackles.

If taking pressure of Johnson means he often makes poor final tackles decisions and then executes them badly then yes he does that too.

Johnson hasn't shown he has the ability, inclination, or backing from the coaches to run the show so there's little point in us discussing whether he should be doing that. He's not living up to that potential. And Townsend just doesn't look up to the job. At times his skills look schoolboy level.

He's way better than Maloney was in his last year. Maloney's attitude stunk and brought the team down - actually both halves' attitude stunk in 2012. Chad is at the other end of the spectrum.

But Johnson did run the show for the Kiwis, and I could name you NRL games where he has. So it's time he matured and did so. Signing another dominant half (which isn't happening any time soon) would only inhibit him from continuing to do so more consistently.

I guess all of us who rate Townsend and the job he's doing will have to agree to disagree with you.

For me, he's doing a similar job to what Thomas was doing in 2013 when he was one of our most consistent. Nothing too flashy, doesn't overplay his hand, makes his tackles and pops up when he has to. Not his fault the guy in the No.7 isn't performing.

I reckon if SJ was performing, you'd not have a care in the world about how Townsend was going. But because he isn't, you want Chad to be Maloney circa 2011 to make up for it.