James Maloney...... what do you think so far?

[mxlegend99]

Maloney putting egg on Mx legends face.

I've backed him to do well. In this very thread. Numerous times.

I even quoted them for you on the previous page.

 

[tripster]

I completely agree. We can't go back to letting Cleary run the team. We'd even benefit having Cleary at six and playing what he sees in front of him, but with Maloney staying at 7 and just running the show. I hope to f**k we don't mess with what is working now once Cleary is back.

Further to this, Cleary's first game back is likely to either be against the Tigers in round 11 or the Dragons in round 12. If things go to plan we will be hitting our bootstraps by then in terms of form, and Maloney will have been running the show for most of our season.

Those two games are likely to be critical games in terms of where we finish on the ladder at the end of the year.

We can't suddenly switch back to Cleary - particularly when he will have been on the sidelines for so long - if we do we will likely disrupt our performances in those games.

Far better to have him back in the 7 during Origin when presumably Maloney will be unavaible (and Cleary unlikely to be picked this year).

 

[mxlegend99]

I wake up every day thanking Cronulla for sending him to us

Thank Ben Hunt. He is the reason Maloney was unhappy at Sharks. He changed the market value for halves.

Could also be the reason we lose Cleary though. Hard to imagine a decent half accepting less than $1m a season in future. $1.5m could be the reality when Cleary is re-signed.

 

[Thirsty Panther]

Shame JM missed that kick for the record, otherwise a top game from him again.

 

[Nealo 12]

Thank Ben Hunt. He is the reason Maloney was unhappy at Sharks. He changed the market value for halves.

Could also be the reason we lost Cleary though. Hard to imagine a decent half accepting less than $1m a season in future. $1.5m could be the reality when Cleary is re-signed.

Pay Maloney double , he lifts our side 10 fold ... Pity his age is the only drawback .

 

[Fangs]

We'd even benefit having Cleary at six and playing what he sees in front of him, but with Maloney staying at 7 and just running the show. I hope to f**k we don't mess with what is working now once Cleary is back.

Too much chat if we swap numbers. Cleary can wear the 7 just like he did in 2016, he just won't be leading the side.

King Maloney all the way.

 

[tripster]

Good extract from the NRL.com article about today's game regarding Maloney:

The team is being directed by a premiership-winning playmaker.

"That was the first thing we did, come up with a very simple structure that we run over and over again," Maloney said of how the Panthers have dealt with losing the control that Cleary provides.

"That's where I come in, I sat down with the coaches and said this is what we need to do to make it all work.

''Three guys up the play. It frees me up, I can't spend my time telling every bloke where they need to be. You need guys falling into a rough idea of what we're doing and then tweaking them here or there.

"We spoke about my role and what it would have to be. Together we nutted it out and said how can we get the best of this side in this situation? They've helped with that and we've fallen into a pretty simple system that lets us play footy."

Maloney was as laid-back with his five-star performance as the Panthers were about their 5-1 start to the season – pleased but not satisfied.

 

[tripster]

Too much chat if we swap numbers. Cleary can wear the 7 just like he did in 2016, he just won't be leading the side.

King Maloney all the way.

Sure, I agree the number they wear isn't important. It is all about the role they are assigned.

 

[mxlegend99]

If Maloney brings this form into finals he will have matched the Soward signing. He's kicking field goals for fun at the moment..this practice could be what puts us to week 3 of finals.

 

[soc123_au]

Maloney could make an outstanding coach in the future. I hope Gus has something in the pipeline in that regard.

 

[Dodgy]

Hopefully he'll separate himself from the likes of Smith, Thurston and Cronk as an all time great of this era by leading a 4th side to a GF and win with a 3rd.

I know he played for Canterbury in 04, but I don't think Thurston was a prominent player on the team, so has the single GF win. Smith/Cronk/Slater had the continuity of playing with each other at the same team with the salary cap issue. JM hasn't had the benefit of any of that.

 

[Sime_11]

i feel its only a matter of time before Maloney eclipses Sowie as best imported half.

he is phenomenal atm

 

[soc123_au]

My Weber is now known as Sir James.

 

[mxlegend99]

i feel its only a matter of time before Maloney eclipses Sowie as best imported half.

he is phenomenal atm

Presto was imported too.

Needs to win a finals match to match Sowie. 2 to beat him. Grand final and hes arguably a god.

 

[soc123_au]

Preston & Sowie have set the benchmark pretty high for imported halves. I'm getting more confident by the week that Maloney can get somewhere near what the other 2 delivered.

 

[franklin2323]

I did warn you blokes you would want to have his babies by the end of the season

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

I did warn you blokes you would want to have his babies by the end of the season

I can remember you saying that. His playing style and demeanor at times reminds of one Tom Terrific. (Tommy Raudonikis) voice that could / should strip wallpaper from a wall, like of a larrikin, and when he steps onto a footy field, tough as old boots and a bloody good player. He makes those around him look like world beaters.

 

[OldPanther]

He'll get the Dally M if he keeps playing like this.

 

[betcats]

He'll get the Dally M if he keeps playing like this.

Is he leading it right now? He'd be close.

 

[OldPanther]

Is he leading it right now? He'd be close.

I'd imagine after this week he will be.