Is Widdop injured still? Or just tentative?

[SnowDragon]

Guys, without turning the thread into a bring back Dufty, what is the opinion on Widdop? To me he seems worried and a little noncommittal atm. I am not sure if he needs a few games to get back confidence in the body, or he still isn’t 100%

 

[possm]

In my opinion he is not completely over his shoulder injury.

 

[Dragons22]

He is not too confident playing fullback.
And that is ok. That is understandable.
Because he is not a fullback.
He is a 5/8.
And that is where he should be.

 

[Smurf]

He is not too confident playing fullback.
And that is ok. That is understandable.
Because he is not a fullback.
He is a 5/8.
And that is where he should be.

Like x 100
Dally M 5/8

 

[TruSaint]

He's a 6 and a damn fine one.
Did well to stop Taumalolo one on one, but looked awkward at the back. Needs ball in hand.
Once this experiment ends, its back to Gaz at 6, and move Norman to 1.

 

[Smurf]

Last year Mary said Hunt & Gaz needed time to gel
Gaz gets a Daily M
We also have speed & a ball playing fullback in Dufty
So what does Mary do in 2019
Puts Gaz to fullback and says Hunt & Norman need time to gel
He seriously has no idea

 

[Dragons22]

Last year Mary said Hunt & Gaz needed time to gel
Gaz gets a Daily M
We also have speed & a ball playing fullback in Dufty
So what does Mary do in 2019
Puts Gaz to fullback and says Hunt & Norman need time to gel
He seriously has no idea

The man is just a fool.
Took Hunt and Widdop 1 game to gel. They never looked out of place.
Look at Round 1 last year!
We carved up Brisbane at Kogarah.
Norman has just came here and stuffed everything up. Could never work with Moses, look at Moses and Parra today. A far superior team without Norman.
Norman is just a plague to the club. That is that.
Widdop should be 5/8.

 

[_snafu_]

He's clocked off - on the plane to England already.

 

[Carlton]

Widdop is going next year and we have posters who dont want to let Hunt and Norman develop a partnership. So we play Widdop at 5/8 this year and then next year we have to wait while Hunt and Norman or whoever develop a combination.

I dont understand the logic, at some stage we have to give our half and 5/8 a chance to gel, either this year or next year. If we know its going to be Hunt and Norman then let them develop that combination now.

They haven't been perfect but they sure as hell haven't been anywhere near as bad as some people have made out. I prefer Widdop over Dufty at fullback and would prefer someone like TVS over both of them. No matter what anyone says Widdops choice to go to Super League has created an unwanted situation that has meant a key part of the team is no longer settled and must be rebuilt.

 

[George Dragon]

ARM fullback
Hughes 224
Boyd 127
Watson 117
Moylan 192
Tedesco 87
Johnson 116
RTS 208
Thompson 271
Elliott 74
Haha 76
Edwards 124
Gutherson 204
Widdop 53

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

He is not too confident playing fullback.
And that is ok. That is understandable.
Because he is not a fullback.
He is a 5/8.
And that is where he should be.

Nicely said, D22

 

[muzby]

Bring back Dufty

 

[Dragons22]

Nicely said, D22

Thanks OKB.
Have always enjoyed reading your postings.

 

[Old Kogarah Boy 1]

Widdop is going next year and we have posters who dont want to let Hunt and Norman develop a partnership. So we play Widdop at 5/8 this year and then next year we have to wait while Hunt and Norman or whoever develop a combination.

I dont understand the logic, at some stage we have to give our half and 5/8 a chance to gel, either this year or next year. If we know its going to be Hunt and Norman then let them develop that combination now.

They haven't been perfect but they sure as hell haven't been anywhere near as bad as some people have made out. I prefer Widdop over Dufty at fullback and would prefer someone like TVS over both of them. No matter what anyone says Widdops choice to go to Super League has created an unwanted situation that has meant a key part of the team is no longer settled and must be rebuilt.

Fair comment there, Carlton but don't you think it would of been a safer bet by easing Norman into the side, possibly playing centre and then reverting for a period of in the game, say, the last 20 t5o 5/8?

Don't upset a good system that works by changing the whole team around.
We could ease Norman in to the position over the next 12 months .................. but not Mcgregor.
Never learns,

Ray Charles could see we'll have teething problems for the first couple of months,at least.
I think Widdops shoulder is a lot worse than we're being told, hence the move to fullback, then SL, where they tackle less.

Either way, I doubt whether the coach is taking the best option.

 

[watatank]

Last year the player roles were defined and the players were stayed together and were comfortable even early on.

At the moment we just have a situation where we are just trying to fit everyone in and no one is really sure what their role is and not playing with the confidence they should be.

We should have just kept Widdop and Hunt in the halves because that was working fine. We could have worked Norman into the team through fullback or another spot.

Anyway, just hoping that the talent will shine through here but will just have to see.

 

[Carlton]

Fair comment there, Carlton but don't you think it would of been a safer bet by easing Norman into the side, possibly playing centre and then reverting for a period of in the game, say, the last 20 t5o 5/8?

Don't upset a good system that works by changing the whole team around.
We could ease Norman in to the position over the next 12 months .................. but not Mcgregor.
Never learns,

Ray Charles could see we'll have teething problems for the first couple of months,at least.
I think Widdops shoulder is a lot worse than we're being told, hence the move to fullback, then SL, where they tackle less.

Either way, I doubt whether the coach is not taking the best option.

Try and come up with any alternative you want but at the end of the day Hunt and Norman need time together to gel. If you dont do it this year we would be having the same discussion next year. Easing norman into the team at center does nothing for his combination with Hunt as a half.

What I want to see is Hunt and Norman given time to gel this year and for us to buy a good fullback and centre for next year. My suspicion is Lomax will not be the centre we hope and Marsters will be. I think Ravalawa and Pearson will prove to be the wingers we want.

 

[TruSaint]

Last year the player roles were defined and the players were stayed together and were comfortable even early on.

At the moment we just have a situation where we are just trying to fit everyone in and no one is really sure what their role is and not playing with the confidence they should be.

We should have just kept Widdop and Hunt in the halves because that was working fine. We could have worked Norman into the team through fullback or another spot.

Anyway, just hoping that the talent will shine through here but will just have to see.

This,

They had only 1 year together. A proper 6 and 7.

I understand planning for 2020, but how about we focus on 2019 ?

Norman is more than capable of playing at 1, whilst Matt improves his game. Injuries, suspensions etc will give us a chance to try out combinations, but as it stands, Hunt / Widdop combo in the halves serves us best for this year.

 

[blacksafake]

Widdop just doesn’t look comfortable at fullback. I really worry about his kick returns & along with our wingers we must have the weakest back three in the NRL.

 

[Dragonsamy]

In my opinion he is not completely over his shoulder injury.

He is over his injury.
He should be in the 6 not the 1

 

[TruSaint]

Widdop just doesn’t look comfortable at fullback. I really worry about his kick returns & along with our wingers we must have the weakest back three in the NRL.

Not too sure of our centres either. Albeit Euen scored a nice try. Anyway, early days, so lets see what pans out. My point is mate playing players in their rightful position and not adjusting a spine to suit one newcomer, unless its warranted. I may be wrong.