Is the McGoldrick the best centre we have available ?

[The Popper]

May as well have my 2 cents worth. IMO McGoldrick is probably the best we centre we have available (after Vagana) at the moment. Although a Dragons mate of mine has a high opinion of Beau Scott. Having watched McGoldrick for a number of years I thought he used to have real good defence. Went to Union, came back a shirt grabber, but lately I feel his defence has been good. In attack? Well, he doesn't seem to do himself any favours there. He's a big bloke, but he insists on doing his little tap dance when he gets to the defence, when he should be crashing through the gap. Still, I'd take him outta the Fred Astaire dance classes and persevere with him.
Mellars: what a disappointment that bloke has been so far. Maybe I expected too much, but all I see is lack of involvement and an apparent half-hearted effort when he does get involved......sort of like a Lomu in the backline.
I'd even try Aitken at centre. A ton of potential, not realised so far in the top grade....it's bound to come.

 

[millersnose]

hmm

i think bringing mellor into the team is a good move

mcgoldrick instead of simmons is puzzling

maybe the lack of center penetration over the last year made raper think about size in the centers

lets hope it works

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Telll me who Mr genius raper expects to catch Bowen if he gets half a break?

Actually the idea is you don't let them make half breaks.
If you've watched any Cowboys games, when they make half breaks it usually leads to trys because their backing up is brilliant.

I think it's a great call by Raper if it eventuates (I haven't heard anything official yet). Goldy has been going way to high on opposite numbers again this year. I stated earlier in the week that I feared Bowman or Hannay would expose this on Saturday night.

Good proactive move by Raper.
To make the sometimes unpopular out of left field decisions from gut feelings is not easy. Especially after the team has won two in a row. I don't agree with McGoldrick not properly being addressed about the pro's and con's of his game however.

Mellor will be alot better in defence in the Centres than McGoldrick.
As for dropping him after one so called quiet game that is a fallicy as he hasn't achieved much all season. He received the same amount of chances as Lomu. Actually one week more to show something.

 

[blacktip-reefy]

inconsistent pro-active move.
For the worst player in the NRL is still on our wings.
& he has had 30 games to prove hiself & still come up with anything more startling than under 8's football acheivments.

 

[Nuffs]

i may have agreed with this move if simmons was playing in turkey or somewhere

but to have simmo instead of goldy?

give me a break

 

[Frenzy.]

maybe stuey shuld change his name to Rusty

ridiculos decision to drop goldy if its a form isue

these r the type of decision that divide clubs - phuqing pathatic

can i adress some things people said

1] simmo over goldy - look to the junor clubs they each come from. look to the junior club the coach and nearly all his staff com from. the prez. etc

2] goldy's defense is fine. he is 6th in 1 on 1 hits with 11. why? becase he is left posted more often than otha centers. this is y their will be an occasionl miss. not many tho

3] someone said

The difference between those 2 players and Mcgoldrick is that they have proven themselves in the past where ZEUS has not.

bk 168 career games nv 151 career games rm less than 50

where was bk and nv when they wer novice playrs?

bk - a going nowhere bum at the mariners
nv - a going nowhere bum at the auckland side

4] best 2 ventres i hav seen in lower grads so far are pelo who is really a winga and goodwin who is a cut above in flegg - not seen scott i think hes wounded. mellars is a bum. andy le breton goes ok.

the point is why thro the baby outr with the bath water. all the options except Mellor are rookies. is Mellor really up to handling Hannay and bowman withn his dickie knee? goldy is by far the best option

5] The popper - aitken - i agree, he has the sizxe and pace and is not seting the world on fire as a half or 5/8- but again hed be a novice. i dont know that he could handle the poositional defense sive plays

now im tierd

 

[millersnose]

hey da vinci

a great and thoughtful post and i am no angel in the department but could you spend just a couple of extra seconds on spelling and "grandma"

and can i ask if you actually seen bk play at the mariners?

he was a pretty good player and an obvious target for clubs for the future

i agree that goldies defence is fine but, as is obvious with the continued selection of simmons, defence for outside backs is being shunted in favor of attacking prowess

and mellor was his english clubs highest try scorer

 

[Frenzy.]

yes i saw him play at the maraners and he was ok but as giood as an ok kid gets. he like all othere needd time to develop

i can actually spell but my dyslexai cause me prob,lems to type OK

they don't make keynords for dyslexia people

Mellor - high try for pommie team! I sqaw most games. mightysharks could of scored most of thoes trys against that defense lol l ol

 

[Special K]

In big league it says Raper had a word to Covell about having a poor game against Parramatta :?

if Covell had a poor game against Parramatta what type of season has Simmons had?

Watching the replay today - McGoldrick gave so much ball to Covell and sent Covell on so many breaks I don't know why you would mess with that. The best was when McGoldrick drew El Magic and gave Covell so much room!

 

[fizman]

Could someone please expand on the Centre/Winger Stephen Ross?? I am particularly interested in how much pace this young fella has. Why hasn't he been considered for first grade??

thoughts??

 

[blacktip-reefy]

because hes had 2 games afer 2 years out with injury.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Could someone please expand on the Centre/Winger Stephen Ross?? I am particularly interested in how much pace this young fella has. Why hasn't he been considered for first grade??

thoughts??

He's actually been listed to play in the second row on one of those occasions and on the bench the following week.

He's a long way off yet.

 

[BeenThere]

In big league it says Raper had a word to Covell about having a poor game against Parramatta :?

if Covell had a poor game against Parramatta what type of season has Simmons had?

Watching the replay today - McGoldrick gave so much ball to Covell and sent Covell on so many breaks I don't know why you would mess with that. The best was when McGoldrick drew El Magic and gave Covell so much room!

I can tell you that won't happen again -- if he gets back to the top side he won't be so generous. I will be watching with interest how many opportunitities unco gets with the new combination -- just ask simmo how much quality ball he now gets. I defend the right of the coach to pick whoever he or she likes, but this one is confusing to say the least! None of the subsequent reasons that have been given make any sense at all.

 

[Frenzy.]

what are the reasons been there

starting to smell like the ole piss em off so they l;eave tactic

 

[PJ]

Da Vinci, kimmorley was carving them up at the Mariners. So much so that he kept the NSW Tri Series halfback in reserves when the rep games were over.

 

[Mr Sharkie]

Disgraceful effort from the coach & in line with his inconsistent & erratic coaching methods.

I agree

But the msot average of all sharks players over the last 12 months, is still there out on the wing.

Amen

He needs to get down there & be relentless. Not that its doing Merrit any good. Hes scoring 4,000 points a week & still cant shift (build the team around me) Simmo.

What does poor Merritt have to do? It's like Raper has this disease whereby he's the only one who can't see how much Simmo sucks and how Nath's tearin' the bag!

To get back Goldy has to have a look at his game, refine some things.

1. Arm tackles. No matter what the coaching staff are saying, they have to go. His career is at stake. Tell them to get fugged, I will tackle my way. Go & speak to ET.
2. Remove the anchor. the anchor that keeps him in that spot. He has to become more dynamic. Predict breaks like Gallens & get with him. Follow wingers after he passes. Stay on his toes & get with the play no matter which side or part of the field it happens on.
3. Take the niggle out of his game. If hes good enough, he doesnt need that.
4. he needs to watch a couple of DVD's for inspiration. help is on its way.

Well said.

 

[black_dot]

I said at the start of the year that Ryan would have a big year, and I still have the belief in him that he can.

Perhaps Rapers decision this week was a tactical selction , the cowboys high kicks to the wingers and also Sing and Hannay have gained them many tries in the past 12 months and longer. Mellor is a handy defuser of these kicks, covell has shown his ability in the air too, perhaps raper sees Ryan as not as apt in the air ?

How Simmons fits into this is for conjecture, however few can claim to understand the logic behind decisions made regarding that youngster.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

So when will Raper reveal the makeup of the side to the public?
A couple of hours before the game?

 

[SadShark]

Vagana & Bailey in the centres - there's enough to cover for Bailey in the second row. Simmons can go and pick up rubbish with a sharp pointed stick and a heshan sack after each home game if the club so desperatley wants to retain him.

Fair dinkum, has this useless nuff even bagged a try this year yet? I don't think he has. I'd get the last year out of Robbie O Davis who is fully fit and gagging for a go, on the wing. You'd pick him up for peanuts and if it was at the expense of a kid who might have to drop into Newtown for just one year, well too bad.

If that's what it takes to patch up a spot where one player - that is a game losing turnstyle, speed bump and all round scardey cat, in exchange for our first ever Premiership, well then so be it. His feelings being hurt aren't worth the same value as holding up the trophy at years end.

They talk about a "match winner" in your team - this kid is a "match breaker". I'll say it again, he is yet to cost us a match single handedly and I fear it will be soon to come.

 

[blacktip-reefy]

Good call on the Robbie O . His form was great last year when he came back.

simmons has cost us games already. Not this year though. yet.