Eddie's Gone

[Johns Magic]

Roberts is signed till the end of 2014, so he's not going anywhere.

Firstly, pretty much what Perverse said...I can't see Roberts being happy in NSW Cup if other clubs are throwing money at him, and I don't think the club would or should hold an unhappy camper here against his will.

Secondly, we may have found one of those precious commodities: a long-term 7. Even if he was happy to stay here in NSW Cup, I wouldn't be wanting to hamper his development by putting him there. I'm not convinced on him by any means yet, but I think it's got to the point now where we have to back him to be the man. He is starting to swim, this isn't the time to pull him back out of the pool for a couple more years in my eyes. Maybe that's just me though.

 

[Silent Knight]

I wasn't been sarcastic. I meant what i said. Pick Gidley on the bench and forget he is on 400k. Besides, 200 or so of that won't be included in the cap anyway.

It's ironic for so long that the pro Gidley crowd often used what a great clubman he is in their arguments for him - maybe, just maybe he'll have to prove it by giving up the captaincy and playing off the bench.

Oh okay my bad :lol:

I misinterpreted your meaning, sorry about that.

 

[perverse]

Agreed JM, it's more about taking a chance that he is actually our long term 7. He's showing good signs. I wouldn't say I'm drop dead sold on him, there's a lot of indifferent form on the board too, but I think turning our back on him in favour of Gids at this stage is a dud move until he either properly establishes himself, or doesn't.

Gidley on the bench at his pricetag would be unusual, but it could be the best option. Definitely willing to accept that as a strong possibility.

 

[Burwood]

So if he goes to Penrith next year, Cleary will have a back row of Ciraldo, Newton and Edwards to work with?

As for Gidley, he'll play somewhere and be off to St Helens in 2014. Put him on the bench and have him relieve Buderus part of the time and slotting into the back row for the other time. If you are worried about his defence, put him into the centres with Tahu defending in one spot.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

If we are going to play gids on the bench to replace bedsy at hooker we can only make the change once during a game. I have a feeling that there will only be 8 interchanges next year, maybe 6 and if that is to be the case then you need to have an 80 minute hooker. I am willing to put up with it for gids to learn the trade, however, forward rotation will be that much more important with 8 or 6 interchanges.

 

[Burwood]

If they are going to mess around with the interchanges they really need to give more notice. Teams have done the bulk of their recruitment for 2013 and it really messes around with the direction clubs are trying to go. Should be at least 12 months notice given to coaches.

I remember when they last dropped the interchange from 12 to 10 in 2008 and we had already signed Wicks, Fa'aoso and Cross- players that weren't known for playing big minutes. Must have had a big impact on what Smith was hoping to do in 2008.

 

[Silent Knight]

If we are going to play gids on the bench to replace bedsy at hooker we can only make the change once during a game. I have a feeling that there will only be 8 interchanges next year, maybe 6 and if that is to be the case then you need to have an 80 minute hooker. I am willing to put up with it for gids to learn the trade, however, forward rotation will be that much more important with 8 or 6 interchanges.

I tend to look at that in a positive light. Gids could prove destructive if the ARLC decide to limit the interchange any further. Make that 1 interchange count and put him on at hooker within the last 20-30 minutes of the game. Against tiring forwards Gidley would carve them up around the ruck. Look at what he did in Origin against tiring forwards. Gidley would be a weapon under an 8 interchange system.

Besides most of our backrowers next year are capable of playing for 80 minutes. And with us having one of the best performance directors in the country (Jeremy Hickmans) getting more endurance out of the forwards shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Gids off the bench would mean any major injuries would have no effect on our fluency. He just chips in anywhere in that team. What an intimidating presence off the bench if u r an opposing player. u have no idea where he will pop up. Talk about a tactical weapon!

 

[Silent Knight]

Based on what I've heard from other players about him (through the media), Gidley is a great leader amongst men. Players have often talked about how much they lift when he's out there. He is a motivator and leads by example.

The moment he runs out there, I wager the whole team would lift. Our forwards would forget about how tired they felt and would follow him down any road.

It really would be quite perfect. Bedsy for the early grind, Gids for the final killer blow.

 

[Burwood]

Based on what I've heard from other players about him (through the media), Gidley is a great leader amongst men. Players have often talked about how much they lift when he's out there. He is a motivator and leads by example.

The moment he runs out there, I wager the whole team would lift. Our forwards would forget about how tired they felt and would follow him down any road.

It really would be quite perfect. Bedsy for the early grind, Gids for the final killer blow.

Shame we haven't had the chance to see Mason and Gids out on the field together this season- you'd think that they would really feed off each other (is that the term??).

 

[Silent Knight]

Shame we haven't had the chance to see Mason and Gids out on the field together this season- you'd think that they would really feed off each other (is that the term??).

We'll see it in 2013. It's one of Wayne Bennett's key ingredients for success imo. Throw a few experienced old heads in the team that are capable of giving the rest of the boys a bit of a rev up at crucial moments in the game.

If you time the interchanges correctly you should have a system whereby one (if not more) of Bedsy, Gidley and Mason are out on the field at any given time. With Scott and (hopefully) Smith arriving next year we should have the leadership quota well and truly filled. The young players like Gagai, Naqaima and McKinnon would follow their example and understand what it takes to be a ball-busting a**-kicking first grader.

 

[Yosh]

Roberts is playing superbly in the 7 so why would we consider him at hooker? Putting Gidley at seven will kill our width. Kurt plays too direct to be A halfback. He is a ball runner first and a ball player second. Tyrone has a hybrid of both in his game. Tyrone is quick on his feet which makes gap running a real option for him off a good dummy or step as we saw Sunday. Tyrone has as much ability as any half we have had since Joey. He is 20. He will get better. Kurt may have peaked form wise. It is a risk to mess with a good formula.

Firstly, pretty much what Perverse said...I can't see Roberts being happy in NSW Cup if other clubs are throwing money at him, and I don't think the club would or should hold an unhappy camper here against his will.

Secondly, we may have found one of those precious commodities: a long-term 7. Even if he was happy to stay here in NSW Cup, I wouldn't be wanting to hamper his development by putting him there. I'm not convinced on him by any means yet, but I think it's got to the point now where we have to back him to be the man. He is starting to swim, this isn't the time to pull him back out of the pool for a couple more years in my eyes. Maybe that's just me though.

I 100% agree with these guys. Roberts can potentially play in the 7 jersey for us for the next 12~15 years. We can't expect our next long term halfback to be someone like Joey. Roberts looks a good solid NRL level halfback. Kids is a short term (2 maybe 3 years) option and personally doesn't offer that much more (if anything) than Roberts in the 7 jersey.

 

[Johns Magic]

Jeremy Smith, Mason and Buderus are three massive leaders in the forward pack.

Chris Houston is apparently also a leader and the impression I have of Beau Scott is that he is a real professional.

I would be very surprised if we assembled that pack and got beaten mentally in a big game.

 

[RABK]

Jeremy Smith, Mason and Buderus are three massive leaders in the forward pack.

Chris Houston is apparently also a leader and the impression I have of Beau Scott is that he is a real professional.

I would be very surprised if we assembled that pack and got beaten mentally in a big game.

Snowden will be getting paid the most of them and i hope he earns that. Although he was good, at best, early in the season - in 2010 and early 2011 he was outdoing Gallen in the stats department in only 50-60 minutes of game time. He was consistently making 150-220m a game. I hope he can recapture that form and workrate. If he can't do it with all these old heads around him then he simply never will. He has it in him to be a real leader in the sense of taking that big first hit up to get our sets rolling and provide Mason and co with a retreating defensive line - he did it so well for the Sharks.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

What an awesome dilemma we have here..

 

[Big Tim]

Gids off the bench would mean any major injuries would have no effect on our fluency. He just chips in anywhere in that team. What an intimidating presence off the bench if u r an opposing player. u have no idea where he will pop up. Talk about a tactical weapon!

Craig Wing made a career out of being a bench weapon.

No reason an aging Kurt couldnt do the same.

If his pay packet is an issue for some, look at it as quality over quantity.

If he comes on at the back end of each half, and lifts our tempo and aggression, then he will be worth all the $$ he earns.

 

[jonno_knights]

Jeremy Smith, Mason and Buderus are three massive leaders in the forward pack.

Chris Houston is apparently also a leader and the impression I have of Beau Scott is that he is a real professional.

I would be very surprised if we assembled that pack and got beaten mentally in a big game.

Add Snowden, a former captain through the lower grades, to that pack and its frightening the damage they could cause.

What Snowden has really been lacking at certain times throughout games is that aggression that makes him so good. Early in the season you could see that after something had gone against him/the team, he really lifted for a 5-10minute period after. Hitting harder in defence especially.

We need him to play at that intensity for the majority of the time he is on the field, and not just in small spurts.

 

[jonno_knights]

Craig Wing made a career out of being a bench weapon.

No reason an aging Kurt couldnt do the same.

If his pay packet is an issue for some, look at it as quality over quantity.

If he comes on at the back end of each half, and lifts our tempo and aggression, then he will be worth all the $$ he earns.

Take away his final year for Souths in 2009, Wing hardly ever played off the bench after the 2001 season.

During the Roosters years of dominance (2002-2004) he had 4 games starting off the bench.

 

[Spot On]

I'll pop back in when the round 1 team is announced next year with gids at 7.

I dare say if Tyrone continues in his current from he will be the permanent 7 for as long as he is at the club.

Gidley will murder teams out of dummy half next year. I can't wait for it.

 

[Spot On]

Take away his final year for Souths in 2009, Wing hardly ever played off the bench after the 2001 season.

During the Roosters years of dominance (2002-2004) he had 4 games starting off the bench.

He played 10 out of 22 off the bench for the Roosters in 2005.