Matthew Head

[N.C.]

Wasn't Farah playing at half when we lost to the Roosters, Storm and Panthers?

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

If anyone wants to see the difference between Morris and Head at 1/2, just look at the try assists.

Head has some work to do to be the 1/2 we need but Morris isn't and never will be a 1/2.

 

[macnaz]

i cant wait until we get spanked by one of these teams in the final four rounds (and we will) and people start calling for farahs head from halfback.

farah is a good halfback but a great hooker, morris is a sh*t halfback and an average hooker.

against sides like souths, the bulldogs and the dragons we will get away with playing him there, however if people think we will beat a top 8 team with this combo then they are sadly mistaken.

SPOT ON !!!! cant add anymore.

 

[ucantseeme]

I think Josh Lewis from the Titans is joining the club in 2009 so that should give us another option.

As for the rest of this year, I say stick with Farah at #7. At least for defensive purposes. Imagine was Parra's big boppers would do to Head if they run straight at him.

 

[fulleightyminutes]

I'm happy that we are winning - even if it is against the lower quality teams so can't be too critical of Farah 7, Morris 9. Farah is a good player and seems to be able to adapt to being a half - whether or not he should be a half, I don't know. I'm not sure if Gower was a half then hooker then half - but he made the switch okay. As I'm sure Michael Monaghan did.

The few times I saw Mat Head I thought he was great (especially the first half of that Canberra game) - and with a decent forward pack might have been much better. But when Farah and Marshall came back, he seemed to go quiet. Like he wasn't allowed to take control and unless they sort that out, him returning to the team won't work anyway. The last time I saw him he did nothing againts the Warriors but then Benji going sideways was the only player who did.

If we did somehow keep him next year, and we opted for a less ballplaying fullback (gallant or ryan) then we might use him better, especially now that Benji seems to be able to tackle!

 

[macnaz]

The Farah trial is over,, put him back in the forwards. We have to get the forwards moving and running the angles and utilizing their mobilty. Tonight against Parra when they finaly made a good run they lacked direction on the next play, just more of Morris doing his new show and think and pause then go trick that fools no one except Tim Sheens . I do feel sorry for Morris as he tries very hard especialy in defence, but at the end of the day he isnt what we need. An Robbie at half isnt what we need. Regardless of wether or not we can technicaly make it..the season ENDED tonight if i hadnt already, so now lets try some juniors at halfback ffs!! what can we loose.

 

[rupertpupkin]

Farah wasn't a halfback last year either. Not this year, and won't be one next year. That won't necessarily stop Sheens though. Look at the Morris Era. Morris is a pretty decent utility. A seat filler who isn't particularly good at any position, but can slot in a fair few places if needed. Trouble is, he is apparently on the sort of dough that key play makers get. Sheens was so convinced of the vision. Regardless of the season at any point, a Halfback needed to be played, be it Head, or one of the juniors. While we were screwing around trying to make Morris shine at 7, Farah and Marshall into 7's, we could have used Head while fit, or given even Moltzen a go. Might have even been in the 8 by now with a couple of those blown rounds avoided.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Morris' service from dummy half is sh1t.

 

[N.C.]

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/dragons-may-regain-head/2008/08/18/1218911574377.html

WESTS TIGERS halfback Mathew Head has been linked with a return to St George Illawarra for next season after the Dragons yesterday lost utility Ben Rogers to Newcastle. Rogers, who made his debut for St George Illawarra in last Friday night's win over Brisbane after joining the joint venture club mid-season from South Sydney, signed a two-year deal with the Knights.
His departure clears the way for Head to again link with the Dragons, where he played from 2003 until last season when the club released him to play in England following a spate of injuries.
Head returned to the NRL this year with the Tigers but they have opted against re-signing him and his future had appeared to be in limbo after he baulked at a move to the Warriors.
But the 26-year-old, who is considered one of the smartest playmakers in the game, has been in talks with St George Illawarra officials for some time and is believed to be close to finalising a deal with the Dragons.
Head would join Canberra forwards Michael Weyman and Neville Costigan and Melbourne back-rower Jeremy Smith as recruits for next season, while Broncos pair Tonie Carroll and Darius Boyd have also been linked to the club - although the latter now appears more likely to join the cashed-up Bulldogs...

 

[fulleightyminutes]

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/dragons-may-regain-head/2008/08/18/1218911574377.html

Why wouldn't we sign him? Crazy. :crazy:

 

[Magpies Forever]

Why wouldn't we sign him? Crazy. :crazy:

Why wouldn't we sign him?- Sheens & co do not like him, respect him and never will. We have let a good player slip away and keep an average player in Morris. Oh well- whats the point in getting upset? As long as Sheens and Simmons are there things will not change.

 

[N.C.]

Why wouldn't we sign him?- Sheens & co do not like him, respect him and never will. We have let a good player slip away and keep an average player in Morris. Oh well- whats the point in getting upset? As long as Sheens and Simmons are there things will not change.

Begs the question - how did we get him in the first place??? I'm not convinced this is about a personality clash. I think we had hopes for him that have not been realised, whatever that may mean. Morris is still under contract so I don't think you can make that comparison... It probably has more to do with the young blokes we signed from the Toyota Cup team earlier in the year. Morris will spend another year as a backup hooker/bench player then he will be sent on his way, unless we can farm him out to the ESL in the off-season...

 

[rupertpupkin]

Begs the question - how did we get him in the first place???

Am not so sure it was anything more than he was cheap, available, and on a 1-year contract. Bought to bolster the lower grade's season. Anything said to the contrary by Sheens just "smoke and mirrors", and to shore up flak over Morris' and Farah's mediocre showings in 07. Head was ready by round-1, if not by round-2. But the Cronkster kept the spot anyway. Not completely making a mess of it apparently enough to excite Sheens into believing his vision would still pan out. But, the total fiasco of rounds 3 and 4 forced his hand. Torch wielding villagers were at the gates, demanding that the affront against nature be terminated. Still, Head never got a full game, from what I recall. Remember the matches that were almost won, but Morris was rolled on to replace Head, in the last quarter, in order to collect the laurels as HB, in a hoped for "thrilling finish"?

 

[fulleightyminutes]

Am not so sure it was anything more than he was cheap, available, and on a 1-year contract. Bought to bolster the lower grade's season. Anything said to the contrary by Sheens just "smoke and mirrors", and to shore up flak over Morris' and Farah's mediocre showings in 07. Head was ready by round-1, if not by round-2. But the Cronkster kept the spot anyway. Not completely making a mess of it apparently enough to excite Sheens into believing his vision would still pan out. But, the total fiasco of rounds 3 and 4 forced his hand. Torch wielding villagers were at the gates, demanding that the affront against nature be terminated. Still, Head never got a full game, from what I recall. Remember the matches that were almost won, but Morris was rolled on to replace Head, in the last quarter, in order to collect the laurels as HB, in a hoped for "thrilling finish"?

Yes, unfortunately they are all coming flooding back. The 'take Head off for the last twenty' tactic. Geez that worked, didn't it. I know Head has his faults (tackling etc), he is a better prospect than any half we have right now. Perhaps we can't afford two small non-tacklers in the team (Benji being the other) or Perhaps Farah at 7 is an attempt to prolong Farah's career (in light of what's happened to Anthony Minnicello)...anyway, I think we have treated mat Head like s**t and I don't blame him wanting to move on.

 

[matty-ducati]

i think its something more then a character clash.

 

[fulleightyminutes]

i think its something more then a character clash.

Any ideas what...

 

[scarcev]

Any ideas what...

Yea, shock horror, no conspiracy theory, its injury!!!!! Has been since he got supposedly 'dropped', he's been running around on one leg with a busted shoulder to boot and spends more time at physio than Sheens does on blind side scrum plays, hence the reason for a one year contract Im guessing.

 

[fulleightyminutes]

Yea, shock horror, no conspiracy theory, its injury!!!!! Has been since he got supposedly 'dropped', he's been running around on one leg with a busted shoulder to boot and spends more time at physio than Sheens does on blind side scrum plays, hence the reason for a one year contract Im guessing.

I'm sure you are right, and we did know he was injury prone when he came to the club, but we have nursed/bought plenty of injury-prone players before...Benji and Scott Prince being examples. I don't know why the tone was always so much different with Matt Head. Like Benji I'm sure he doesn't go out there looking to get injured.

 

[N.C.]

Am not so sure it was anything more than he was cheap, available, and on a 1-year contract.

From memory there were a couple of other clubs interested in bringing him back from the UK, and we were the lucky one's to nab him. I remember reading an interview with him talking about how the Tigers were his preferred option, and something about Sheens having a bit to do with it...

Turned out pretty well for us all then, eh???

 

[madunit]

Looks like he's signed with the Dragons now for 2009. again on a one year deal.

http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=16876