Gareth Widdop & James Roby

[Billythekid]

They're are players who have kicked on after they left us, they're are players who have floundered when they left us. None of this changes the fact that Widdop still has a lot to prove when he leaves the storm. He can't just sit back and do the occasional pass every couple of sets. He didn't even really have to do any kicking for us because Smith and Cronk covered it.

I'm sure he will be a good player but as of right now i don't think he has proven himself, certainly not enough for how highly people talk of him.

All of this is kinda irrelevant though. He is miles better than Chase and he's not a friggin kiwi. He should be starting for England.

 

[Brutus]

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

Blair has also played great for his country against Australia.

 

[Springs]

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

So how did Blair play so well for NZ then? Oh that's right because he is a good player but has just been hopeless at the Tigers.

All this talk of 'proving himself' would have been avoided if he had more time in the 6 shirt for England these last 2 games. Apparently winning an U20s and an NRL GF is not enough, but surely he had proven he at least deserved a chance at an 80 minute game for England.

 

[Bombay Devils RLFC]

The problem for England is that he has not had enough game time.

Should have been on the bench against France so he could have played some part and get some combinations going.

Still better than Chase but may take time to get into the game and England really need to be at their best to beat the Kiwis

 

[deluded pom?]

Widdop is probably one of those players who is appreciated more by his coach and team mates than he is his own team's supporters.

 

[Perth Red]

I think chase is a far more creative and dangerous player. Winfield is the organiser we don't need widdop over chase IMO.

 

[deluded pom?]

How many times has Chase played for England now? How many times has he turned up? We can't keep playing Chase in the hope that one day he has a blinder. It'll probably be against France when/if it happens.

 

[Billythekid]

I think chase is a far more creative and dangerous player. Winfield is the organiser we don't need widdop over chase IMO.

Huh? Widdop isn't an organizer, he tends to be a creative attacking player and a better one than Chase as well.

 

[adamkungl]

Chase is a dead weight. he is gash

 

[Harrigan]

Chase has shown he is a much better player when he is more direct.

Sadly, he seems to want to do something special every time he gets the ball and it just kills the flow of our attack. I'm a Chase fan, but the only time he has played rep standard footy in this company so far was in the second half against Fiji.

It frustrates the hell out of the players too. I was at the England/Italy game and the whole back line were having words with him at one point or another. On one blown play, Tomkins went up to him and clapped in his face as if to say, "come on, let the ball go". It was just after he killed a 2 man overlap and went himself before getting tackled.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

It frustrates the hell out of the players too. I was at the England/Italy game and the whole back line were having words with him at one point or another. On one blown play, Tomkins went up to him and clapped in his face as if to say, "come on, let the ball go". It was just after he killed a 2 man overlap and went himself before getting tackled.

Which is why people, mostly NRL people, have been calling for Widdop to play instead of Chase. Chase is more dynamic and is more likely to make a line break, IMO, but he doesn't have the football smarts to know when to pass like Widdop does. England have a great backline, but Chase is not the man to complement that backline.

It's funny, Widdop really only needs to do what he does at Melbourne, shift the ball out wide.

 

[thorson1987]

Which is why people, mostly NRL people, have been calling for Widdop to play instead of Chase. Chase is more dynamic and is more likely to make a line break, IMO, but he doesn't have the football smarts to know when to pass like Widdop does. England have a great backline, but Chase is not the man to complement that backline.

It's funny, Widdop really only needs to do what he does at Melbourne, shift the ball out wide.

Provided he backs himself.

In his couple of games back from injury, you could tell he had lost a bit of confidence in himself and was unsure what to do.

Also, just read that Chase has been granted permission to leave camp.

FMD, what a prima donna

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Provided he backs himself.

In his couple of games back from injury, you could tell he had lost a bit of confidence in himself and was unsure what to do.

Yeah you could see that towards the end of the year with Melbourne. But I think Bellamy did him a huge favour by playing him regardless of his form. It gave him confidence.

 

[thorson1987]

Yeah you could see that towards the end of the year with Melbourne. But I think Bellamy did him a huge favour by playing him regardless of his form. It gave him confidence.

I was in two minds about it.

I was glad he got to play again in Storm colours, but I wasn't sure about bringing him back so early.

In the end the right call was made, I just wish Bellamy had've brought up some youngsters instead of finch whilst Gareth was injured.

 

[typicalfan]

Chase kicking up a stink proves this was the correct move.

 

[thorson1987]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/rangi-chase-quits-england-camp-20131123-2y21e.html

Rangi Chase quits England camp

Date November 23, 2013 - 1:09AM

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Brad Walter

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Rangi Chase is going home to his family. Photo: Getty Images


Dumped England halfback Rangi Chase has quit the team camp ahead of Saturday's semi-final against New Zealand in the latest controversy to engulf the host nations's World Cup campaign.

Chase, who has been replaced by St George Illawarra recruit Gareth Widdop in the England, is the third member of the initial 24-man squad named by coach Steve McNamara at the start of the tournament.

McNamara said Chase had asked for permission to return to his Lancashire home to be with his partner who is expecting their second child after not being named in the side to play the Kiwis and he insists he has no issue with the former Dragons and Wests Tigers playmaker.

However, Chase is believed to have taken the news of his axing badly.

"Rangi is back at home with his family," McNamara said.

"He asked for a bit of time to be at home and we were happy to go along with that.

"I have no issue with him. He wasn't selected. People deal with that in different ways."

England captain Kevin Sinfield said he had spoken to Chase after he was given the news of his non-selection.

"He's disappointed, like the rest of the players who miss out this week, but we all realise it is a quality squad and he'll take it on the chin," Sinfield told the press conference.

England's World Cup campaign started badly when McNamara sacked forward Gareth Hock and suspended Canterbury's James Graham from the opening match over a drinking session following the team's shock loss to Italy in a warm up game.

Centre Zac Hardaker also left the camp over a disciplinary issue.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ngland-camp-20131123-2y21e.html#ixzz2lRaDSjr0
​

 

[Springs]

So has he quit altogether or just gone home to be with his pregnant wife for the weekend?

 

[thorson1987]

So has he quit altogether or just gone home to be with his pregnant wife for the weekend?

More then likely the first one.