Let's chase Johnathan Thurston for AFL: Paul Kelly

[The Dodger]

Ugh, more fumbleball bullsh*t...

to me they look like they are chasing chickens.

 

[Talanexor]

Thurston is so unsuited to AFL it's scary. Most Cowboys fans will tell you that his vision, passing and short-kicking game are great. His long-kicking game is very average.

Brilliant halfback in league who MIGHT make it as a five-eighth in union (with players like Giteau, Barnes etc in front of him). But a short, skinny bloke who can't kick the ball more than 25 metres? Since when is THAT an advantage in an AFL team?

 

[no name]

"Those sorts of blokes, the smaller Billy Slater types. Greg Inglis could do it. But could he catch and kick the footy?"

 

[hineyrulz]

Gotta love the delusion of these Tardballers, "can he adapt to a faster game" :lol: WTF??? These spastics have over 100 interchanges a game.

 

[ozenzud]

I'm so sick of these "I'm gunna go" to Union or now AFL stories, that I reckon (and I'm serious) that the NRL or new independant commission, should make it a prerequisite for all NRL contracts, to have a pay reduction clause. Every time an article mentions a player could go to union or AFL, without being denied by the players agent, then they get docked $5000 for unbecoming behaviour.

Then only the ones who are serious will talk about it. Then we sack them and tell them to take the money and run and leave so we know who the good blokes are.

 

[Johns Magic]

I'm so sick of these "I'm gunna go" to Union or now AFL stories, that I reckon (and I'm serious) that the NRL or new independant commission, should make it a prerequisite for all NRL contracts, to have a pay reduction clause. Every time an article mentions a player could go to union or AFL, without being denied by the players agent, then they get docked $5000 for unbecoming behaviour.

Then only the ones who are serious will talk about it. Then we sack them and tell them to take the money and run and leave so we know who the good blokes are.

Hmmmmm....

 

[Big Time]

"Even Karmichael Hunt, who will be only 24 when he makes his AFL debut for the Gold Coast in 2011, could be too conditioned to league to truly adapt to the faster game."


When did AFL actually become a faster game then NRL?? What do the pricks down either end of the field do when the ball is up the other end. Unlike League, you get plenty of chance to take a breather. Even wingers do a bit in League these days and aren't just there to make up the numbers. I would still like to clarify that wingers are not real footballers. Just had to make that clear.

 

[Godz Illa]

Well, the AFL guy did win the heavily-handicapped bench press contest on the Australia's Greatest Athlete show. He came third in the AFL kicking contest though, behind Billy Slater and Andrew Symonds, a leaguie and an ex-leaguie

 

[Rhino_NQ]

Endurance and stamina are the only things that afl have over rugby league (not all of the players though, sure slater, gidley, and the likes would easily match it fitness wise, meaning more towards forwards) but when it comes to size, strength, brutality and contact it is not even a contest. Get the fumbeball fans to ick the toughest in the comp and then have them take the first hitup off the kickoff, or better yet try and take down moimoi when he takes it off the kickoff.

 

[Vic Mackey]

'Greg Inglis could do it. But could he catch and kick the footy?" Kelly should be able to spot a potential league to AFL convert as he is the little-known poster child of switching codes.

gee the afl skills must be harder then i thought!!they have to be able to catch and kick a footy!!

 

[Lambretta]

Paul Kelly did actually play both codes, so he might actually know what he's talking about.

In fairness to him, he played league at a junior level and AFL at a professional level, so of course his experience of playing is that AFL is faster. Had he played League professionally he might have a different view on things.

Also he was a ruck rover in AFL and played both ends of the park and was rarely substituted. If you watched the Swans in the 95-2000 era you would see the level of running Kelly did.

He is right about one thing though. Most League players, by the age of 24 wouldnt make the transition successfully from league to AFL unless it was for a specialist position.

AFL midfielders cover about 50% more ground than Football players (I am talking the round ball game here) and the best ones, the Jonathan Browns of the World cover about 14 kilometres per game.

It's a highly aerobic sport and lacks contact, so most league players with far bigger muscle frames etc would be required to change their entire trainining programme.

It's not worth them doing it. AFL should stick to recruiting AFL players, not league players,.

 

[Bulldog Force]

Yeah but imagine how funny it would be if they win this tug-of-war against us, then see how crap Thurston turns out to be in their code :lol: it'll look very stupid on their behalf, almost embarrassing. I can't see why they'd want to even consider something like this.

 

[Ray Mosters]

Paul Kelly: "Thurston could make it, I guess, depending on whether he can catch and kick"

Courier Mail: "LETS CHASE THURSTON SAYS KELLY"

Scared Rugby League Fans: "The AFL is attacking us again! Now they want Thurston" "The courier mail and daily telegraph are the only papers that show the truth, thats why I buy them and go onto their websites"

That my friends, is the entire "code war".

 

[Feej]

I can't see why they'd want to even consider something like this.

Newspaper ink - Thats all.

 

[hutch]

depending on whether he can catch and kick"

since when has this been a requirement to play afl?

what a pathetic article!

 

[Jason_(Is_our_King)_Smith]

I was playing league and I went and played rules for a while, found I was better at it and obviously enjoyed it a bit more," said Kelly.

Code for " I found rugby league too hard."

When I was at school in the Riverina, the best athletes played for the school's rugby league team, those who tried out but couldn't make it played rules.

PS: I still like his music though.

 

[jasonstevenswedgie]

I was playing league and I went and played rules for a while, found I was better at it and obviously enjoyed it a bit more," said Kelly.

Code for " I found rugby league too hard."

When I was at school in the Riverina, the best athletes played for the school's rugby league team, those who tried out but couldn't make it played rules.

So true

 

[Gaba]

:lol::lol:

 

[nitabita]

Thurston is so unsuited to AFL it's scary. Most Cowboys fans will tell you that his vision, passing and short-kicking game are great. His long-kicking game is very average.

Bingo. How his comments could be taken seriously, I have no idea.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Can they catch and kick a footy? Can they?