Is O Meley a big man?

[lucablight]

Every single time I see him on tv he looks pretty small to me. I check his stats and he's 100kg and 180cm. If that's the case that makes his dominance in the forwards even more amazing. I mean there are some centres out there who weigh more. How can O Meley be such an effective prop? Then again I believe the legendary Dean Pay was only 95kg and he played in the front row.

 

[General Knight]

100kg and 180cm - that just shows how chunky he is? His build is solid very much like Utai only much bigger and u know how hard it is to tackle that man, so i guess thats what makes him so effective.

 

[brenno]

Shane webkce isn't overly tall either but, he still is well over the 100kg mark. O'meley just puts his body on the line week in and week out to make yards up the ruck for the Dogs. It's advantage at the position but, size doesn't always matter. Strength, foot speed, consistency and toughness are what make blokes like o'meley and webcke good. O'meley really stepped up in 04 and became arguably one of the best props in the game.

 

[Broncodroid]

Mark is not "chunky", he is actually one with a very athletic build.

Mark as a young Nth Sydney pup was actually physically a bigger player than you witness today dominating up front, in an effort to improve his play around the ruck where he was guilty of coming up short 'clutching for air' (it was a criticism from Gould) he became more lean physically. The broken jaw also saw him lose some of the mass from his junior days which may have been a godsend as he came back more mobile.

What Mark gives away in size to a bopper like Rauhihi for example, he makes up for it with a drive to succeed not many players can equal.

As a 15 y.o. Mark was not one to be automatically picked in junior rep teams, he was often overlooked for junior players who played alot longer with one junior team (St. Edwards). It was not until his started to grow that he made alot of important people sit up and take note as Mark was always a smaller type player with a soft underbelly who possessed this 'tough as teak' quality you see today.

I look forward to seeing "Shrek" debut for the Australian team on Saturday. This was something that the guy has given alot up for make possible and this season he earnt that right to be called a test player.

EDIT: I wrote the above then read the team named to play NZ and learnt Mark has been left out of the side...a joke, a f'ing joke...Jason Ryles was in my 23 man team, but to give him the nod ahead of Mark is a f'ing joke after what Mark did in the finals series and for the entire season at all levels unsurping Webcke in the Origin arena...

 

[bartman]

Yeah, you could've knocked me over with a feather at that selection too...

 

[dontmakemeangry]

As always a Kangaroo coach makes a selection that every man and his dog can see that there is no validitiy to it.
Ryles before the Ogre.......yeah right Bennett.

 

[Dog-E]

He uses EVERY...single...one of those 100kgs to their UTMOST capacity though!! Repeatedly fights WELL out of his weight division...and emerges triumphant!

I can't believe Bennett picked Ryles ahead of him!!...St. George played their last game what feels like MONTHS ago!!

Did O'Meley not do ENOUGH damage to the cane toads in SoO??...Was Bennett watching?...Maybe he had his eyes closed, cringing, as Shrek ripped thru the guts of his own forward pack YET again!...Someone should have showed him a tape then! Was he watching the finals series, or indeed - the Grand Final??...One can presume not from that selection! O'Meley was also given some award as the Blues' player of the series - so Wayne-O must have been the ONLY one not watching there!! :x
Fair go Benno - I hope you're gonna give him a crack against the in the replay in a few weeks' time!! :?

 

[drake]

I can't believe Bennett picked Ryles ahead of him!!...St. George played their last game what feels like MONTHS ago!!

I agree that O'Meley earned a spot on the team, but let's look at the amount of Broncos on the team. They played their last game a week after Saints, wwere beaten both weeks of the finals convincingly, and won 1 from 9.
But farmer Bennett gets his Sunshine boys.

 

[Dog-E]

Yes, but we KNEW that was going to happen!....U just resign yourself to the fact that the Roo coach will have his 'pet' players!...It's been like that since at LEASt the early 90's, when Bob Fulton was in charge...I don't expect to change things now!

Not that Ryles won't probably do a good job - I'm not saying that at all!...But I just feel that Mark DESERVES to be there!...He was the number 2 prop in the NRL this year - a fact fully borne out statistically - just behind hid skipper Steve Price!...

He'll be disappointed...but he'll live!...Ryles just wants to make sure he doesn't take a SINGLE backwards step against Wiki & co on Saturday!...because the selection of Ryles over Shrek - must have been a hair's breadth in it!...Ryles needs a big one!

Because Civoniceva will NEVER be dropped...This I know...And Webcke - much as I hate to admit it - has EARNED his stripes to be in the team - and STAY there - even if he plays 1 or 2 bad games - he at least DESERVES that kind of team loyalty!...I'm not one BIT sure about the other Broncos in the side, however - Lockyer aside!!!!

 

[brissyleaguedude]

I, as a broncos supporter, and disgraced that wb left out omeley, absolutely disgraced, i have just lost a bit of respect for bennet, i thought he was above that.

 

[General Knight]

Isnt O'Meley on the bench? And the reason why Ryles is the starting line up is because of his mobilty. Cant bother to explain the rest but theres an article on it in todays sydney morning herald.

 

[++ Gregos v.4]

Every coach does it. Opes did it, Gould did it, Ricky Stuart will do it.

I agree the O'Mealy omission is a debacle. But for mine, the more embarassing choice is Carrol at lock with Kennedy and Ryan on the bench. Ryan, for mine, has been one of the most damaging forwards of any club all year. His fringe play is fantastic - consistantly getting quick play the ball, if not stepping more mobile players than him.

Carrol played for NZ in the world cup FFS. Now he wants to play for Australia? That's a deadset disgrace. Especially given the context and capability of the players Bennett (through the selectors) has chosen.

But, it happens. Coaches coach who coaches want.

But they live by that sword too.

 

[Dog-E]

Nope, Shrek missed out!

One could ALSO argue that Ryles was an incumbent player before he got injured....but the very fact that works FOR him there...Also works against him - Ryles has hardly played a lot of footy this season - OR last...now has he??!

I MOST DEFINITELY reckon Shrek should have been given first crack thoigh - on sheer performance alone! Came back from a broken jaw preseason and NEVER looked back!...Sure - if he didn't do the biz against the kiwis, THEN bring in someone else for the next game if u must!...But quite honeslty, I'd like to know if ANYONE can tell me - what MORE must he do to get a guernsey!?? :?

As for Carroll...well - not much more needs to be said there than has already been said!!..Makes as much sense tio me as allowing Kiwis to play for QLD or NSW!...FFS- throw in a Kiwi side, and make it a Tri-Series if u like...Get 'em exposed THAT way - But don't make absolute MONKEYS of the International/Rep selection criteria system! That to me is like saying "My toe really hurts Doc - Plese cut my foot off!"

 

[Mr Saab]

Shane webkce isn't overly tall either but, he still is well over the 100kg mark. O'meley just puts his body on the line week in and week out to make yards up the ruck for the Dogs. It's advantage at the position but, size doesn't always matter. Strength, foot speed, consistency and toughness are what make blokes like o'meley and webcke good. O'meley really stepped up in 04 and became arguably one of the best props in the game.

Webcke is 183cm and about 109-110 kgs
OMeley is 181cm and about 100-101 kgs.

 

[Shrek Is King]

I dont know how o'melley could of been left out. i couldnt belive my ears when my brother told me. what a joke, i know hes in the uk touring team but u cant leave him out of the game against nz, i wanted to see him against sonny billy willy. :?

 

[Costaki]

i have met o'meley and he is huge.

 

[panthersballboy]

It is disgraceful and diabolical that O'meley isn't in the test side.

 

[dontmakemeangry]

what's got me puzzled is that it is plainfully obvious that the coach gets the team he wants ( so it should be) so why in f cks sake have we got selectors.......don't need em and the money we save on paying these parasites we can give to developement in the country....$50, 000 would be very welcomed by the country folk i'm sure.

 

[Le Rouge]

My guess is that Bennett thought he should rest him or something :?

It is pretty odd leaving the best prop of the year out though.

 

[Shrek Is King]

hey le rouge that is one funny avatar mate! for a guy that big omelley is only 5-6 kilos larger than willie tonga (i got this off one of the newspapers around finals time). plus i saw a pic of him smoking (which is a no no for me) so i dont know how the @#$ he runs that hard all game...