Is Ash Graham Luke Burts brother???????

[The Engineers Room]

Luke Burt is in great form in the centres for us. I still would like to see Ash Graham put back to premier league as he is definately not up to first grade standard. Also, Junior Langi should be switched with Ben Smith. This guy is a centre with a big future.

 

[Eels Supporter]

I am all for giving Ben Smith and other young ones a go. But hey, let's not be too harsh on them if they do not come up to your expectations. I think people were saying last year that Ash Graham had a big future. He has suffered a terrible injury and now is trying to make a come back (a comeback for a 20yo mind you!). I personally think he should have come back through the lower grades, but the coaching staff did not see it that way. That is not Ash's fault. But I would think he is giving 100% effort - maybe that 100% is not as good as the 100% he was capable of before his injury. But it is improving as his confidence increases.

Suity, no I am not saying that you shouldn't say they are not putting in. You are entitled to your opinion. I personally just find it difficult to believe that any player would go out on the field and not put in 100% when they are playing a team sport.

 

[True EEL]

Kusto was most definitely the gimp....just hope no one ever "brings him out again"

 

[The Engineers Room]

I personally just find it difficult to believe that any player would go out on the field and not put in 100% when they are playing a team sport.

Well it happens all the time.

 

[booeycollector]

I for one have NEVER called for Graham to be back in first grade. "Give him a go". Mate he has had a go and some and he is not first grade material. I'm sure he is a nice bloke and I'm sure his mum loves him but for god sake we are talking first grade NRL and it's time we started being honest about the football ability some of these blokes who seem to have big wraps but consistantly do not deliver.

YES I know he has had a major injury and YES he's a kid bla bla bla but it's time this bloke went back to premier league where he can hopefully improve to become a good first grade player.

 

[1eyedeel]

I've pretty much resisted buying into this because I've defended Ash on a number of occasions, and I get bored of saying the same thing over and over again. But Graham is absolutely the best hole runner in the club. Despite the fact he's playing out of position, coming back from injury and therefore not at the top of his form, he still averages more line breaks than any other player this year. Parramatta has a desperate lack of attacking penetration and an even worse deficiency in terms of people who can run through a gap. He's a solid defender and I'd personally rather him at centre than Burty, who I'd like to see given a roving commission aka Nathan Blacklock.

And it's also important to remember that bar Eric Grothe, none of our outside backs have had great years because they see f-all ball. And the ball they do get isn't effective, because we've not built up any reasonable combination in the halves.

Put Graham in a team like St George where you've got Barrett and Head actually creating openings and see how he'd go then. Then we'd have the same people decrying him now saying how did we let him go.

 

[True EEL]

when has he made these line breaks.......????

whilst playing on the wing, when he was passed the ball by somebody else, cause i don't honestly remember seeing him make any breaks???

 

[1eyedeel]

Perfect example of his line breaking ability was in the Warriors game, came in off his wing and hit the ball midfield and ran a perfect angle straight through the defence. That's stuff you can't teach, its just instinct. Its also one of the few examples you'll find all year of a Parramatta player creating this kind of opportunity. Had there actually been a player backing him up, would have been a try and somebody might have remembered it.

 

[True EEL]

That's stuff you can't teach, its just instinct.

again we see the underlying problem at the club.......Brian doesn't like instinctive play at his club......oh on.....only what he thinks is best and will win the game, hence why Jamie left, why Dykes has played poorly and is leaving and why Thorman can't get a decent crack and is also probably leaving

they would be three of the most instinctive "try something and see if it comes off" players at the club over the last few years

I watched Thorman in ESL and i never saw him try the same option twice, he used to just go with the flow and usually come up with something....the closest he has come to that here in the NRL was in the Warriors game with those kicks on the first or second tackle which he neraly scored off.....

sure he didn't, but he had of and we had won the game, people on here would have been singing his praises as a legend for trying it.....and BS he would have said that it was his plan to unleash Thorman's ability or something like that to make himself seem good

 

[William Hung]

I don't know how you're arguing that BS doen't like instinctive play- that's just a myth...structured play yes- but I can't agree with you that he doesn't like guys trying things.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

I agree with you on Thorman......and i've actually been pretty vocal about it.

 

[booeycollector]

I must be watching a different Parra eels team. Ashley Graham in the form he is currently in, would not be playing first grade at any other team in the NRL. I really don't see what this bloke has to offer our team.

 

[True EEL]

believe it William its true......

 

[booeycollector]

That's stuff you can't teach, its just instinct.

again we see the underlying problem at the club.......Brian doesn't like instinctive play at his club......oh on.....only what he thinks is best and will win the game, hence why Jamie left, why Dykes has played poorly and is leaving and why Thorman can't get a decent crack and is also probably leaving

they would be three of the most instinctive "try something and see if it comes off" players at the club over the last few years

I watched Thorman in ESL and i never saw him try the same option twice, he used to just go with the flow and usually come up with something....the closest he has come to that here in the NRL was in the Warriors game with those kicks on the first or second tackle which he neraly scored off.....

sure he didn't, but he had of and we had won the game, people on here would have been singing his praises as a legend for trying it.....and BS he would have said that it was his plan to unleash Thorman's ability or something like that to make himself seem good

This is dribble. Mate those two kicks were the worst options I have ever seen. I almost chucked my TV out of my top floor window.

 

[Suitman]

That's stuff you can't teach, its just instinct.

again we see the underlying problem at the club.......Brian doesn't like instinctive play at his club......oh on.....only what he thinks is best and will win the game, hence why Jamie left, why Dykes has played poorly and is leaving and why Thorman can't get a decent crack and is also probably leaving

they would be three of the most instinctive "try something and see if it comes off" players at the club over the last few years

I watched Thorman in ESL and i never saw him try the same option twice, he used to just go with the flow and usually come up with something....the closest he has come to that here in the NRL was in the Warriors game with those kicks on the first or second tackle which he neraly scored off.....

sure he didn't, but he had of and we had won the game, people on here would have been singing his praises as a legend for trying it.....and BS he would have said that it was his plan to unleash Thorman's ability or something like that to make himself seem good

This is dribble. Mate those two kicks were the worst options I have ever seen. I almost chucked my TV out of my top floor window.

In a season that has offered us f*** all, I'd rather he try and fail, than not try at all.

Suity

 

[fish eel]

In a season that has offered us f*** all, I'd rather he try and fail, than not try at all.

Benny Kusto would try and fail as well.

 

[True EEL]

its not dribble mate.....

why did he Thorman win the MOTM in the ESL equivalent of SOO as well as MOTM in an ESL Grand Final (may have been the lower division)

and why was he spotted as being good enough to come over here when he was almost unheard of over in England until the last few years.....because he has talent and skill

and i agree Suity.....at least he was trying something different.....as i said, if he had scored, which he nearly did and we had won opinion would be very different

 

[Suitman]

In a season that has offered us f*** all, I'd rather he try and fail, than not try at all.

Benny Kusto would try and fail as well.

Benny Kusto was given FAR more chance to prove he was hopeless.

Suity

 

[True EEL]

good call Suitman.....in fact Kusto was given 2 seperate chances at Parra

and he proved he was hopeless both times

 

[1eyedeel]

Watching the Eels last three weeks, I really would like to see Thorman come off the bench. Brian Smith's patented strategy of using an interchange hooker has actually been proven at the highest level with the way Craig Wing was used in State of Origin, which showed no matter how good your hooker is, a fast, impulsive player can be useful off the bench. Against the Cowboys last week, we just needed something different because we were never going to score as the match wore on. Thorman, for me, at this stage takes too many wrong options for him to start, but I'd sure like him up my sleeve to pitch into battle when you need to play a joker. He also does seem like he might make the perfect foil for Mark Riddell next year, if he is willing to play hooker.