Gareth Widdop & James Roby

[LeedsStorm]

Considering he was first picked for England while a Storms under 20s player, I'd say yeah, he would be.

And who was this visionary coach who picked him? :lol:

Tend to agree he should have had more time - he may have had england not lost to Italy before the comp. What would be suicide would be to throw Widdop in for the biggest game in England's recent history.

This game will be won in the forwards

 

[WireMan]

I doubt we'd even be having this conversation if he didn't play in a spine that also featured Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater.

I agree.

But he does so we are.

By the end of next season when he has had a year away from the Storm machine we will see what he has got.

By all reports he will go great and as an England fan I hope he does.

Lol you poms are so dumb. Saying Widdop is unproven because he plays with Cronk and Smith is as dumb as saying George Burgess is unproven because he plays with Sam and Inglis.

If you are going to call people dumb, don't say something stupid after it... ;-)

 

[Springs]

Lol right, what's dumb is saying Widdop is unproven. I fear anything less than Widdop leading the Dragons to the premiership will have you doubters saying 'look he's Nita's good without Cronk and smith holding his hand!!'

Alright then, you poms have fun with Chase.

 

[grouch]

James Maloney seemed to do ok after leaving Smith, Cronk and Slater in Melbourne.
Greg Inglis didn't exactly struggle either.
Brett Finch went to Wigan and won the Challenge Cup.

These were the Storm five-eighths who preceded Widdop. Talent is talent. The only question hovering over Widdop is his full recovery from the hip injury. And early signs are good based on the speed of his comeback so far

 

[MrAnonymous]

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[Billythekid]

James Maloney seemed to do ok after leaving Smith, Cronk and Slater in Melbourne.

Maloney only played what, 4 games for the storm? He never built up his name as a quality player alongside them. Completely irrelevant comparison.

Greg Inglis didn't exactly struggle either.

Inglis mostly didn't play at 5/8 for us. When he did he was pretty widely criticized and most thought he should have been left at centre or fullback. He also isn't a 5/8 now making the comparison even worse.

Widdop also hasn't had near the same sort of impact Inglis did at the club. Inglis was being looked at as arguably the best player in the league.

Brett Finch went to Wigan and won the Challenge Cup.

Lol Finch really? He barely even played for us. We picked him up at the end of his career just to fill in if we were desperate. Like Maloney his career was never built from playing with Smith, Cronk and Slater. He also never really showed anything at the club.

These were the Storm five-eighths who preceded Widdop. Talent is talent. The only question hovering over Widdop is his full recovery from the hip injury. And early signs are good based on the speed of his comeback so far

All of your examples are bloody terrible and aren't similar to Widdops situation at all.

For the record i think Widdop should be starting for England and their halves combination right now is woeful and will probably be the main reason they get barreled out of the cup against NZ.

 

[Packy]

Roby has been underused since the day he came in to rep footy. Remember when he used to warm the wood for Cunningham? That was funny

 

[grouch]

Maloney only played what, 4 games for the storm? He never built up his name as a quality player alongside them. Completely irrelevant comparison.

It's not irrelevant. He's a five-eighth who played alongside the big 3 of the Storm and wasn't exposed as a dud when he left. That's the point I'm addressing.

Inglis mostly didn't play at 5/8 for us. When he did he was pretty widely criticized and most thought he should have been left at centre or fullback.

He spent the entire 2008 season at five-eighth. Cheating aside it seemed to be an ok season

Lol Finch really? He barely even played for us. We picked him up at the end of his career just to fill in if we were desperate. Like Maloney his career was never built from playing with Smith, Cronk and Slater. He also never really showed anything at the club.

Finch played the entire 2009* season at five-eighth. If he performed so poorly I doubt the asterisk would be required.

 

[Billythekid]

It's not irrelevant. He's a five-eighth who played alongside the big 3 of the Storm and wasn't exposed as a dud when he left. That's the point I'm addressing.

Essentially Widdops entire career in the NRL has been played alongside the big 3 at the storm. His reputation as a top player has been built by playing with them. When Maloney left the storm he wasn't a big name and wasn't really rated at all, not to the extent that Widdop is now anyway. He also basically didn't play with the big 3.

It's a completely different situation which is why the comparison is meaningless.

He spent the entire 2008 season at five-eighth. Cheating aside it seemed to be an ok season

Let's face it the storm could have put any nuffy 5/8 in that position and still been pretty much the best team in the comp. It also doesn't mean we wouldn't have been better with Inglis in a better position.

Ultimately it's irrelevant for a few reasons. One is that Inglis doesn't even play 5/8 anymore. So the argument that 5/8's who play with the big 3 can stay just as good when they leave doesn't make sense here. Inglis was also FAR more influential than Widdop ever was. Widdop occasionally chimes in with a run or a pass. Inglis was basically the best player in the game at the storm. They're just not comparable for many reasons.

Finch played the entire 2009* season at five-eighth. If he performed so poorly I doubt the asterisk would be required.

He filled a spot where we had few options. Just like when we had Inglis at 5/8 we could have taken any 5/8 in the comp and still been a top side.

Again though you completely missed the point. Finch's career was never built by playing with the big 3. He had already played SOO and by the time he came to us he was basically over the hill. We already knew what he was capable of.

How is that the same as a player who has spent his entire first grade career playing for us? Widdop still hasn't proven himself outside of the storm, Finch has. More to the point, nobody really rates Finch at all cause he's not that good. Widdop gets included in a 'big 4' at the storm which right now is ludicrous.

Widdop may end up being an incredible player and i agree he should start for England. Comparing him to Finch, Maloney and Inglis doesn't further your position at all though.

 

[grouch]

Because their careers and development are not exact carbon copies of Widdop's the comparisons are meaningless? This is a conceptual discussion, finding exact replicas would make the discussion moot anyway. I'm simply drawing on the examples at hand to make a conceptual point

 

[Parra Pride]

Lol right, what's dumb is saying Widdop is unproven. I fear anything less than Widdop leading the Dragons to the premiership will have you doubters saying 'look he's Nita's good without Cronk and smith holding his hand!!'

Alright then, you poms have fun with Chase.

Widdop will be proven after we see what he can do for the Dragons next year.

 

[Springs]

Widdop will be proven after we see what he can do for the Dragons next year.

Because playing great at the Storm apparently means nothing

 

[WireMan]

Lol right, what's dumb is saying Widdop is unproven.

No what was dumb was what you said.

People in glass houses and all that.

 

[Brutus]

Widdop is a very good player.

England's loss.

Maybe McNamara thinks Gareth will be too easily read by the Aussie players who know him so well.

 

[Bombay Devils RLFC]

Widdop will be proven after we see what he can do for the Dragons next year.

Do England have the luxury of waiting for this to happen.

Rangi Chase is ok but really is he better than Gareth.

 

[thorson1987]

Just saw on Facebook that Widdop is starting and Chase has been dropped

 

[Brutus]

Just saw on Facebook that Widdop is starting and Chase has been dropped

Just heard this on the radio.

Great news. England are a decent shot at beating the Kiwis now.

In fact I think they will win.

 

[Parra Pride]

Because playing great at the Storm apparently means nothing

Do you want me to list off all the nuffies that have played great while at the storm? Let's start with Adam Blair.

 

[typicalfan]

The Tigers haven't really used Blair in the way he should be. But yeah he is one. Widdop is class but he is nowhere near the big 3 IMO.

 

[grouch]

Do you want me to list off all the nuffies that have played great while at the storm? Let's start with Adam Blair.

lol so predictable.

Inglis, Folau, Jeremy Smith, Maloney, Sika Manu, Tolman, Lima, Robbie Rochow, Dallas Johnson, Crocker, Steve Bell, Orford