How To Unravel The Myth Of A First Grade Imposter

[Karmawave]

My mail is the Knights play Canberra this weekend with Supersub Mr. S. Dureau not anywhere in sight.

If he doesn't play, proof positive of what Brian Smith really thinks of his ability as a first grade footballer.

The biggest game of the year, and our ' first grade ' halfback won't even be playing in it.

Now the SuperSub can't even be a supersub because he won't be even warming the bench.

What does that now make him? A reserve grader.

Clearly his inconsistency and doubts about his overall ability has finally taken its toll on Supercoach Smith.

If he does not play, quite simply it will be ...

Game

Set

&

Match


Karmawave.

 

[Serc]

I think you got the location and the week wrong champ

I think key words like "Storm" "at home" "Old Boys Day" "Bedsy's last home game" and the timing of it all in the finals race will make it the biggest game of the year. For me of course the biggest will be against the Broncos up here a week later but thats a personal thing

Going on that criteria I also wouldn't mind you fanning some of your Dureau hate towards White, Taufua, Uate, Tolar, Bailey and others who have been in and out of our FG team this year and all have made valuable contributions.

 

[Karmawave]

It's not Dureau hate, I just don't think he has what it takes at NRL level.

Clearly Coach Smith doesn't either.

Possibly re-defining the 7 forwards one halfback approach that has worked so well over recent weeks with Supersub's 27 minute contributions clearly being expendable.

Whether or not he comes back again to play in first grade this year, its a real slap in his face to be dropped for such a massive game in the context of our season.

Lose the next 2 games and that " Storm " game becomes irrelevant.

 

[Johns Magic]

So Bailey to 5/8?

 

[Karmawave]

Not sure JM, maybe that 7 forwards one half approach like the first half against the Eels.


What other regular first grade halfback is in/out of teams like he is an interchange forward and expendable for another player?

NONE.

 

[perverse]

my gut feeling is that gidley will be playing the same role he played in the panthers game.

... and also scotty having the week off proves absolutely piss all.

 

[perverse]

What other regular first grade halfback is in/out of teams like he is an interchange forward and expendable for another player?

NONE.

the answer to that is that he isn't a regular first grade half yet.

jarrod sammut has found himself in a similar position this year.

 

[Johns Magic]

my gut feeling is that gidley will be playing the same role he played in the panthers game.

That was without Buderus though

 

[perverse]

That was without Buderus though

i don't think we'll see another 80 minute performance from buderus this year unless it will cost us a finals spot if we take him off the field. having said that we have hilder back now too.

either way, gut says halfback in attack, fullback in defense for gids.

 

[Karmawave]

... and also scotty having the week off proves absolutely piss all.

It proves he isn't a first grade halfback's asshole.

Jarrod Sammut - who you mentioned - is on the outer with Elliott and isn't rated highly by him either. Jarrod Sammutt hasn't been sighted since early season.

My argument all along is Supersub doesn't have what it takes to be our first grade halfback. I also have stated that Brian Smith doesn't rate him. I was ridiculed.

How long does the guy need to develop? Wade Graham was given the reins at Penrith and only injury forced him out. Last week a 16 year old showed more ability in 30 minutes than Supersub has shown all year. He got shown up by a 16 year old kid.

Supersub isn't young.

His ordinary effort against the Titans where the Knights played with 12.5 men showed Smith what can be achieved without a substandard half getting in the way.

Already this year he has been dropped once before. Forwards are expendable because they all do the same job.

Halfbacks are not the same.

If he is a first grade quality #7, he wouldn't have been sitting on the bench so often through the year, and getting dropped for poor form.

He's done nothing.

A few bright spots doesn't make a season.

Unfortunately Supersub hit his peak in Round 2 when he kicked a Field Goal.

The guy is a myth, and its been exposed by the embarrasment of being overlooked for one of the most important games of the year.

 

[Johns Magic]

I do agree with Karma to a large extent.

I can't see us being at the top of the ladder with Dureau at 7. Not unless he improves tenfold.

Unfortunately I just don't see an alternative at this stage.

 

[Karmawave]

Oh don't get me wrong, Supersub will more than likely play first grade again this year, but the reason for that is because Supercoach Smith likes to keep rival teams guessing as opposed to anything Supersub does on the field to push for selection.

 

[perverse]

It proves he isn't a first grade halfback's asshole.

Jarrod Sammut - who you mentioned - is on the outer with Elliott and isn't rated highly by him either. Jarrod Sammutt hasn't been sighted since early season.

My argument all along is Supersub doesn't have what it takes to be our first grade halfback. I also have stated that Brian Smith doesn't rate him. I was ridiculed.

How long does the guy need to develop? Wade Graham was given the reins at Penrith and only injury forced him out. Last week a 16 year old showed more ability in 30 minutes than Supersub has shown all year. He got shown up by a 16 year old kid.

Supersub isn't young.

His ordinary effort against the Titans where the Knights played with 12.5 men showed Smith what can be achieved without a substandard half getting in the way.

Already this year he has been dropped once before. Forwards are expendable because they all do the same job.

Halfbacks are not the same.

If he is a first grade quality #7, he wouldn't have been sitting on the bench so often through the year, and getting dropped for poor form.

He's done nothing.

A few bright spots doesn't make a season.

Unfortunately Supersub hit his peak in Round 2 when he kicked a Field Goal.

The guy is a myth, and its been exposed by the embarrasment of being overlooked for one of the most important games of the year.

lol.. you treat all players like slabs of meat, all cut from the same cow. players don't all mature at the same rate. scott would not have been signed to another contract if smith didn't have plans for him. as i've always said, he has the skillset. he may not be there yet, but he has the performance and the skills in him to do it.

all you talk is hearsay, conjecture and opinion. there is not a fact in your posts in this thread except that he wont be playing this week.. which could be for a massive range of reasons.

whinge all you like, but the fact is he is the best halfback that we have got, and we're not looking for any more elsewhere. our only 2 options this off season are gidley to halfback permanently or to continue to groom scotty.

If he is a first grade quality #7, he wouldn't have been sitting on the bench so often through the year, and getting dropped for poor form.

lol i had to post this one again. are you saying that first grade halfbacks are immune to poor form.. and being dropped for it? totally ridiculous.

 

[perverse]

I do agree with Karma to a large extent.

I can't see us being at the top of the ladder with Dureau at 7. Not unless he improves tenfold.

Unfortunately I just don't see an alternative at this stage.

to be fair i can't see the '08 model dureau doing it either. dureau has the skillset to fit into our team perfectly long term, he just needs to utilise it better. i think the term project player fits well with scott at this stage.

either way, our ball distribution is still better with him in the team.. even when he has a quiet game. we also have no other options as far as a long kicking game goes either - he is without doubt our best in that department (a department that karma neglects to give him credit for... and it's a bloody important part of the game of rugby league).

 

[Karmawave]

lol i had to post this one again. are you saying that first grade halfbacks are immune to poor form.. and being dropped for it? totally ridiculous.

Yep, thats exactly what I am saying. If you're good enough to play first grade LONG TERM, you aren't in and out of the team like an expendable ' slab of meat ' as you mentioned all year.

Compare him to his peers.

You're meek effort of comparing Jarrod Sammutt ( who is actually a fullback who filled in at half ) is lame.

Peter Wallace was dropped last year at Penrith because he signed to the Broncos. Apart from that how often does he get benched/dropped/?

Look at the careers of Mitchell Pearce? Todd Carney? Cooper Cronk? Bloody hell even Brett Finch.

At the same age as Supersub. Way different levels of ability and achievements.

You're defending the indefensible. If a halfback is good enough to play first grade, he does not get constantly stood down from big games, or benched.

We have to compete against these other teams and Supersubs peers.

You keep giving him a pass, but its all ridiculous.

He isn't good enough, and any other name from another team you might want to throw up who has found themselves dropped/benched when they are meant to be regular first grade # 7's are no bloody good either.

This is the NRL, not NSW Cup.

If Supersub needs so many years to mature and prepare for a first grade halfback position, then ask yourself this - how many 28/29 year old halfbacks are running around in the NRL and dominating their position with any sort of authority.

Your argument falls flat in the face of simple common sense.

As for not looking for anymore halfbacks anywhere - Arana Taumata would be here next year if he wasn't a goose. Also might want to consider that we already have an overpaid useless halfback earning a chunky wage sitting in reserve grade in one L Walsh. Not going for another halfback isn't because Supersub is good. It's because our signing of Arana was canned, and there's no other decent half on the market.

We have to make do with 2nd best.

 

[perverse]

Yep, thats exactly what I am saying. If you're good enough to play first grade LONG TERM, you aren't in and out of the team like an expendable ' slab of meat ' as you mentioned all year.

Compare him to his peers.

You're meek effort of comparing Jarrod Sammutt ( who is actually a fullback who filled in at half ) is lame.

Peter Wallace was dropped last year at Penrith because he signed to the Broncos. Apart from that how often does he get benched/dropped/?

Look at the careers of Mitchell Pearce? Todd Carney? Cooper Cronk? Bloody hell even Brett Finch.

At the same age as Supersub. Way different levels of ability and achievements.

You're defending the indefensible. If a halfback is good enough to play first grade, he does not get constantly stood down from big games, or benched.

We have to compete against these other teams and Supersubs peers.

You keep giving him a pass, but its all ridiculous.

He isn't good enough, and any other name from another team you might want to throw up who has found themselves dropped/benched when they are meant to be regular first grade # 7's are no bloody good either.

This is the NRL, not NSW Cup.

If Supersub needs so many years to mature and prepare for a first grade halfback position, then ask yourself this - how many 28/29 year old halfbacks are running around in the NRL and dominating their position with any sort of authority.

Your argument falls flat in the face of simple common sense.

As for not looking for anymore halfbacks anywhere - Arana Taumata would be here next year if he wasn't a goose. Also might want to consider that we already have an overpaid useless halfback earning a chunky wage sitting in reserve grade in one L Walsh. Not going for another halfback isn't because Supersub is good. It's because our signing of Arana was canned, and there's no other decent half on the market.

We have to make do with 2nd best.

the difference between most clubs and their halfbacks and us is that no other club has the options that we do in the halves. they don't have a kurt gidley and they don't have a chris bailey or a jarrod mullen for that matter either.

but once again i'm not bothering anymore, and you've probably heard the last out of me on the subject, period. you're nowhere to be seen when scotty is doing well, and lay the boot in when the weekly situation fits your argument. i'm sick of us banging our heads against the wall on a subject that i've grown tired of. at the end of the day, i feel we're a better team with him on the field, and you don't. what happens in the off season, next year, and in the long term is far more relevant than anything that happens for this game against the raiders.

myself vs. karmawave re: scott dureau ends here ladies and gentlemen, i admit defeat by default and by persistence of karma's undying opinion that players don't improve. where karma sees hopelessness, i see potential. where he sees problems, i see solutions. i maintain that scott can give us great service in the #7 jersey for the forseeable future, and the long term.. and believe that he will only improve over the next 12 months at first grade level.

it's official. i'm off the dureau bandwagon as far as these forums go. for the sake of our game against the raiders... i hope to god smithy has a plan for our long kicking game.

 

[Yosh]

the difference between most clubs and their halfbacks and us is that no other club has the options that we do in the halves. they don't have a kurt gidley and they don't have a chris bailey or a jarrod mullen for that matter either.

but once again i'm not bothering anymore, and you've probably heard the last out of me on the subject, period. you're nowhere to be seen when scotty is doing well, and lay the boot in when the weekly situation fits your argument. i'm sick of us banging our heads against the wall on a subject that i've grown tired of. at the end of the day, i feel we're a better team with him on the field, and you don't. what happens in the off season, next year, and in the long term is far more relevant than anything that happens for this game against the raiders.

myself vs. karmawave re: scott dureau ends here ladies and gentlemen, i admit defeat by default and by persistence of karma's undying opinion that players don't improve. where karma sees hopelessness, i see potential. where he sees problems, i see solutions. i maintain that scott can give us great service in the #7 jersey for the forseeable future, and the long term.. and believe that he will only improve over the next 12 months at first grade level.

it's official. i'm off the dureau bandwagon as far as these forums go. for the sake of our game against the raiders... i hope to god smithy has a plan for our long kicking game.

You have made a believer out of me!!! Well not really I always liked him and I think Karmawave and DMC are the same person or come from the same cultural background; Idiot...

Anyways didnt mean to insult any of you guys but I think your opinons count for less than the stuff I was wiping off my foot about a minute ago. Anyways Duearu is a great assest to the team and even though I cannot say he is a gun halfback yet, our team is much better with him playing and in the future he will become a halfback as good as lets say Kimmorley or Orford. Definately not Joey or JT but a solid good halfback hopefully with a couple of premiership rings on his hand for newie

 

[Adsy]

F*ck me dead that will do me. Wicks Can continue getting back in the squad yet Dureau can't stay there.

Karma you still arn't seeing the big team picture.

Now in probably the biggest game of the team's season Mullen is going to be the only half. If he has a sh*t game you will come out and knock him too.

 

[BG]

Unfortunately I just don't see an alternative at this stage.

The alternative is that we play 7 forwards and Gids in the halves when we've got the ball. We did this for the majority of the games against Souths and the Eels and it worked brilliantly. Whether it would be as effective for 80 minutes against superior opposition would remain to be seen.

 

[antonius]

So Bailey to 5/8?

Houston I believe, also heard there are quite a few other changes to the team for Sunday.
I reckon we'll get lapped if the team I've heard runs out. If not then Smithy would truely be a master coach. The team are unbeaten for three and Smith is apparantly majing wholesale changes, including dropping Dureau, Like it or not Karma we score points when Dureau plays, when he doesn't we struggle to score. Hope I'm wrong.