Is anyone else getting worried that...

[Timbo]

...we're probably only second to the Knights as far as a team depending on one player to win?

Without Smith we are very very ordinary. The rest of the team looks all at sea without him, but look like worldbeaters with him.

It's concerning that we now have that Andrew Johns style dependence about us.

 

[woodgers]

For sure. Without Smith we are quite possibly the worst side in the league.

 

[Timbo]

I suppose it is better to be a one man team than a no man team...

But I wish Elliot would put Carney in #7 and keep him there regardless how he goes so that by the time Smithy hangs up his boots at the end of next season Carney will be a relatively experienced player and will have learned a lot off Smith.

 

[Stuart]

I suppose it is better to be a one man team than a no man team...

But I wish Elliot would put Carney in #7 and keep him there regardless how he goes so that by the time Smithy hangs up his boots at the end of next season Carney will be a relatively experienced player and will have learned a lot off Smith.

Agree totally. Carney needs to be in first grade learning how to organise a team, Smith was brought here as a mentor for our young halves and it would be nice to see Carney get a go along side to learn all he can.

 

[Boing Boing]

I'm sure he will get a go, in time. There is still one and a half seasons to go before Smith retires. Instead of worrying what we'll do without him, let's be happy that we have him and enjoy the fruits it will bear.

 

[Raider_69]

If Smith signs on for one more year as he is expected to then at the very least Carney should be playing along side him for 30-50 minutes a game for the entire season next year

allowing Germ to have a break and withers into hooker

 

[Evergreen]

I agree with both of those posts. Carney will build himself up to standard - there's little doubt there - but we won't see his best this year. Provided our injury toll can remain stable (yeah right) I would like to see him given every chance of playing alongside Smithy as much as possible.

Next year he should be starting half alongside Smith from round 1.

 

[TiTTieS_[CNTDN]]

I think it would have been good if Carney had have been the halfback alongside Smith when Woolford was out. Probably, though, I think Smith might have been injured at these times

 

[Tidus_Raider]

I suppose it is better to be a one man team than a no man team...

But I wish Elliot would put Carney in #7 and keep him there regardless how he goes so that by the time Smithy hangs up his boots at the end of next season Carney will be a relatively experienced player and will have learned a lot off Smith.

Elliot will never do that. He will either:

a) Name him on an extended bench but drop him back to Reggies.

b) Pick him on the bench, but put him on with 15 mins left in the game

c) Have him start at halfback, praise him as a future rep player but drop him after one bad game.

 

[Raider Crusader]

Where does Withers go next year if Carney is the starting half? I say the starting half should be who's in the best form. If we pick on form rather than "potential form" (like Carney has), Withers would be the No.7 every time. So, do we drop our in-form halfback Withers to the bench and put an out-of-form PL halfback in simply because he has the future goods? Sounds a bit dumb to me.

If Carney can prove that he is a better number 7 than Withers, he deserves to start - if he doesnt, then leave Withers as the No.7 next year aswell.
BUT, we all know that Withers is quite ordinary without Smith in the side, so does that mean we should start with Carney instead??? i dunno, im getting confused now...

 

[Raider_69]

Where does Withers go next year if Carney is the starting half? I say the starting half should be who's in the best form. If we pick on form rather than "potential form" (like Carney has), Withers would be the No.7 every time. So, do we drop our in-form halfback Withers to the bench and put an out-of-form PL halfback in simply because he has the future goods? Sounds a bit dumb to me.

If Carney can prove that he is a better number 7 than Withers, he deserves to start - if he doesnt, then leave Withers as the No.7 next year aswell.
BUT, we all know that Withers is quite ordinary without Smith in the side, so does that mean we should start with Carney instead??? i dunno, im getting confused now...

Both germ and smithy cant play 80 minutes
which means we need a half on the bench, be it carney or IMO the better option for impact - Withers

 

[Timbo]

Withers in #17 works well for me.

Impact off the bench.

 

[Tokyo_Raider]

Carney had a chance at #7, and made a hash of it. His chance will come again, but these people who think he's some kind of saviour are completely wrong.

Carney is a talented player and I think he had a bright future ahead of him, but he's obviously not ready for week by week NRL yet.

Let him walk before he runs.

 

[Boing Boing]

Carney had a chance at #7, and made a hash of it. His chance will come again, but these people who think he's some kind of saviour are completely wrong.

Carney is a talented player and I think he had a bright future ahead of him, but he's obviously not ready for week by week NRL yet.

Let him walk before he runs.

You summed up my thoughts exactly.

 

[woodgers]

Carney had a chance at #7, and made a hash of it. His chance will come again, but these people who think he's some kind of saviour are completely wrong.

Carney is a talented player and I think he had a bright future ahead of him, but he's obviously not ready for week by week NRL yet.

Let him walk before he runs.

Fair enough, although I have a different opinion. Besides the Tigers game where the whole team performed badly, can anybody point out where he stuffed up and made a hash of 1st grade? I never said he was our saviour however I do believe he is more than just in our top 17 players at this club at NRL level. In fact I would have him in the top 10 players currently at the Raiders.
Ben, how did he go on Saturday night again in PL? He is badly out of form :lol:

 

[Boing Boing]

Fair enough, although I have a different opinion. Besides the Tigers game where the whole team performed badly, can anybody point out where he stuffed up and made a hash of 1st grade? I never said he was our saviour however I do believe he is more than just in our top 17 players at this club at NRL level. In fact I would have him in the top 10 players currently at the Raiders.
Ben, how did he go on Saturday night again in PL? He is badly out of form :lol:

:lol:

Mate, he had a good one, I'll admit that right now, but you're taking what i said out of context. He hasn't "failed" in first grade, rather, has failed to shine. I don't believe he is ready quite yet, even given his performance on saturday. He performed brilliantly in PL, but then, PL is a lot slower moving than 1sts.

 

[woodgers]

Simon Woolford is slow moving as well

Barely anyone comes into firsts and shines that is correct. However, Ale has been going steady for 2 weeks, he hasn't done much wrong but he also hasn't set the world on fire. Carney was the same yet he is languishing in PL and even appears to be behind Campo and Gafa in the pecking order. How is that fair when he is clearly a better player?

 

[Stuart]

I agree with woodgers on where Carney sits. I hope he gets another go soon. As much as i like withers, i dont really see him as a halfback, most of the damage he does is not with his kicking or passing games, its out of dummy half or when he is running onto balls from smith and taking it to the line. I think he will be a great impact bench player for us. He is quick, he can tackle he can make incisive runs out of dummy half and he can be used to hit the ball up when needed but as a halfback i would take Carney any day.

 

[Chachi]

I don't know if it is coincidence or what, but from what I've seen of Carney and Campo (both together and apart in PL), they seem to play their best footy when along side each other. This poses a big problem when trying to ease both players into FG. They're a good combo and I have no doubts both have the potential to make it, but it's a hard call to bring two young halves in to FG at the same time.

Unfortunately they're both starting their careers when Smith and Germ are finishing theirs, so it's going to be an amazing juggling act to get the transition right - especially with adding Withers to the mix.

Personally, I think for the rest of the year we have to go with who's in form. If this year is anything to go by, Carney will have a stack of opportunities in '06 if he's good enough to take them.

 

[Timbo]

Walking before he runs is all well and good.

But if Smith retires and he's had no extended run with him, we're totally stuffed for an extended period.