How To Unravel The Myth Of A First Grade Imposter

[Joker's Wild]

FTR I think Cross played well and was a justifiable inclusion to replace Tafua but Wicks and Karawana were god awful and Royal was no where near his effective best. Fa'aoso was our best prop out there and considering he is an impact player that speaks volumes about how the rest played. White should never have been dropped and Mullen should never be left alone to run the team. Gids was back to his catch, dummy, dummy, run, dummy approach to playing in the halves and failed to take any pressure off Jarrod on 5th tackle plays.

The above didnt lose us the game but it certainly added a big rock around our necks.

 

[Karmawave]

FTR I think Cross played well.

His defense in the middle is a massive cause of concern - especially his lateral movement.

 

[antonius]

FTR I think Cross played well and was a justifiable inclusion to replace Tafua but Wicks and Karawana were god awful and Royal was no where near his effective best. Fa'aoso was our best prop out there and considering he is an impact player that speaks volumes about how the rest played. White should never have been dropped and Mullen should never be left alone to run the team. Gids was back to his catch, dummy, dummy, run, dummy approach to playing in the halves and failed to take any pressure off Jarrod on 5th tackle plays.

The above didnt lose us the game but it certainly added a big rock around our necks.

White would've outplayed all of them. Cross IMO was average at best.

 

[Pika]

Whats Doing is spot on, we were smashed in the middle.

Cross was asked to do far more minutes than reasonable because Wicks was terrible, Royal was under done and Tolar was on his own.

Had Cross come in for Taufua and done 30 minutes at the right time, he would have been fine.

 

[antonius]

Prediction for Sunday
Wicks 20mins
metres gained 10
Tackles 3
hamburgers consumed 8

Close
6 tackles 2 missed and 8 hit ups for 85 metres, 7 Hamburgers consumed.

 

[Pika]

Good effort mate.

Though the hamburger consumption was a bit of a gimme

 

[Karmawave]

yeah but the hamburgers were double whoppers so x 2. :lol:

 

[antonius]

Whats Doing is spot on, we were smashed in the middle.

Cross was asked to do far more minutes than reasonable because Wicks was terrible, Royal was under done and Tolar was on his own.

Had Cross come in for Taufua and done 30 minutes at the right time, he would have been fine.

No argument there, but I don't agree with the context of his posts regarding Dureau.

 

[Pika]

I cant say whether Scott would have made a difference.

Ceratinly could not have been any worse you would think though.

 

[antonius]

I cant say whether Scott would have made a difference.

Ceratinly could not have been any worse you would think though.

The biggest thing we gain with Dureau there, is the pressure it takes off Mullen, to say nothing of the advantage it gives us with the opposition second guessing our last play options. Karma aside Dureau has some skills, throws some good passes, and has a quality kicking game, he can also organise a side (despite what Karme would have you believe) if he was given the job consistantly I'm sure he'd come out of his shell, because to me (having watched him come through the grades) he seems to be playing within himself. I know first grade is a different ball game but that's the feeling I get.

 

[Pika]

He has a cool head Scott.

I would have him in the squad.

The only change I would have mad are the forced ones.

Cross in for Mark.

Aku in for Doogs.

Close to our best available side in my opinion.

 

[roopy]

I'm sure he'd come out of his shell, because to me (having watched him come through the grades) he seems to be playing within himself. I know first grade is a different ball game but that's the feeling I get.

I believe it is the game plan he is being given. He is being told that Mullo gets the ball as plan A, and he does something himself as plan B.
He isn't playing his natural game, but the gameplan of using his vision to spin it wide and set Mullen is probably a better option than him being tricky around the middle of the field.

 

[antonius]

He has a cool head Scott.

I would have him in the squad.

The only change I would have mad are the forced ones.

Cross in for Mark.

Aku in for Doogs.

Close to our best available side in my opinion.

Yep we're on the same page Pika

 

[Frederick]

The thing is, as much as the decision to DROP Dureau amused me and didn't suprise me all that much, I certainly don't agree with it.

bullsh*t

 

[Karmawave]

bullsh*t

Read the original post.

This thread was started to prove a point about what Brian Smith THINKS of The Messiah.

Earlier this year when I suggested Smith doesn't rate Dureau all that much, I was ridiculed.

As the year has gone on, and considering he has been dropped now more than once, and sat on the bench many more times than that, I believe it was shown to be correct - the only reason for the thread.

At no stage did I ever say that Smith has made the right decision in dropping Dureau for this game ( though I can see why all the same ), because changing a team - a WINNING team - even for the inclusion of Cross was a bad mistake.

Anyone would think I picked the team or coached them or something the way everyone attacks my personal view of Dureau.

That personal view has not changed. He is not a first graders butthole, but while Bailey is out injured, and the team was winning, he should never have been dropped - twist it around to suit your agenda all you like. But re-read the original thread post.

Having said that, his contribution to the team is severely overstated by many in here nonetheless, because people seem to conveniently forget the many halves and games of football where the Knights have scored points easily and dominated games with him not being on the field.

I wouldn't have changed a winning team, and Supercoach has baffled me with his constant chopping and changing all year.


But all is ok - The Messiah will be back next week, so all will be right in the world once more.

 

[Serc]

Earlier this year when I suggested Smith doesn't rate Dureau all that much, I was ridiculed.

...and you will continue to be while he either is on the bench, starts, or even has a few games out of the side completely - Smithy wouldn't have him near the team at all unless he didn't think he was a worthy part of the plan (see Walsh for NOT 'rated' or part of the plan).

 

[Karmawave]

Smith shouldn't have changed a winning team. Bottom line.

It's the only coach I've ever seen do it in such a drastic way.


P.S. I'd take The Messiah anyday over Matt Orford :lol:

 

[Frederick]

Read the original post.

This thread was started to prove a point about what Brian Smith THINKS of The Messiah.

Earlier this year when I suggested Smith doesn't rate Dureau all that much, I was ridiculed.

As the year has gone on, and considering he has been dropped now more than once, and sat on the bench many more times than that, I believe it was shown to be correct - the only reason for the thread.

At no stage did I ever say that Smith has made the right decision in dropping Dureau for this game ( though I can see why all the same ), because changing a team - a WINNING team - even for the inclusion of Cross was a bad mistake.

Anyone would think I picked the team or coached them or something the way everyone attacks my personal view of Dureau.

That personal view has not changed. He is not a first graders butthole, but while Bailey is out injured, and the team was winning, he should never have been dropped - twist it around to suit your agenda all you like. But re-read the original thread post.

Having said that, his contribution to the team is severely overstated by many in here nonetheless, because people seem to conveniently forget the many halves and games of football where the Knights have scored points easily and dominated games with him not being on the field.

I wouldn't have changed a winning team, and Supercoach has baffled me with his constant chopping and changing all year.


But all is ok - The Messiah will be back next week, so all will be right in the world once more.

:blahb::blahb::blahb:

 

[Karmawave]

It is hilarious that some people think today's loss was all because The Messiah didn't play.

I cannot believe it.

Who's fault was it when we piled on the points against the Eels with Messiah on the bench? Or when the Knights played their best half of the year against the Roosters earlier in the season when Messiah was in the grandstand? That's just 2 examples. Many more abound with a bit of research.

I mean to compare his return to that of Andrew Johns influence... :lol: - Wow. I mean Joey can tackle for starters!

If my constant questioning of The Messiah's ability is like a dog with a bone, what is the term for the blinkered convenient memory loss of everyone else in their praise of him?

Unbelievable.


Whatever suits your agendas :lol:

 

[cram]

For me its simple what happened today and it involved wholesale changes that should never happened. Cross has played SFA football this year so why bring him into such a high pressure match. Wicks well nothing more needs to be discussed. Royal was underdone.

If Dureau would have made any difference, we will never know.

Lastly, Smith identified it....you must defend to win and obviously we didnt.