Nathan Smith????

[raiders_boy]

What was he doing out there tonight? To drop Gafa for him is a joke... Yay, he scored a few tries a couple of weeks ago, but put anyone outside Mogg, and its too easy. He never cuts back inside, he's a terrible defender, hopeless under the high ball, and never in position in attack or defence!

Elliott must just think "Well he scored 2 tries on debut... He must be good!!!" It just doesn't work like that. Get anyone on for him.

 

[Kris_man]

Hopefully Phil "the next ET" Graham will be back for the semis. I don't think Phil's played a semi before, has he? Maybe 2002, I don't remember. Anyway, i want him out there against the Roosters/Bulldogs, even if he's on crutches!

 

[raiders_boy]

Do u agree with me on Smith, or am i being too harsh...? Personally, I don't think i am, I also dont think he deserves to be in first grade... ESPECIALLY at the expense of someone like Gaff

 

[Kris_man]

I'm somewhere in the middle. I think he's a great stop-gap solution, not much more. He's certainly no Phil Graham, for example, but at the same time I think we could do much worse.

 

[greeneyed]

The interesting thing was, that, despite Graham being unfit to play first grade.... he started in the PL game.

 

[lotm]

well, i suggested that perhaps gafa's calf injury wasn't quite up to first-grade football, but he could play pl without any major concerns. perhaps graham was the same?

any pl score, btw?

 

[Um Jammer Lammy]

Can't say I'm hugely impressed with Smith, certainly not at the expense of Gafa. I think he might be a bit slow for a first grade winger. Gafa is not exaxctly the flash either but he brings good performances week in week out.

 

[Raider_69]

Graham needed some match fitness
i'd expect him to be there next week

Smith is a top player IMO, will probably never play reps but if one of our top guns like Gaf, Graham, Frawley or Mogg go down, he would be my #1 pick to take their spot

 

[woodgers]

What was he doing out there tonight? To drop Gafa for him is a joke... Yay, he scored a few tries a couple of weeks ago, but put anyone outside Mogg, and its too easy. He never cuts back inside, he's a terrible defender, hopeless under the high ball, and never in position in attack or defence!

Do u agree with me on Smith, or am i being too harsh...? Personally, I don't think i am, I also dont think he deserves to be in first grade... ESPECIALLY at the expense of someone like Gaff

Far too harsh. I don't think he has the attacking ability of Graham but he is a better defender than Phil. He is 21, came into a first grade side that is the worst in the league at getting the ball out wide and has already scored quite a few for the games he has played. The first 2 tries he got against the Cowboys were cutting back inside so I was a little baffled at that statements. I also want to know is what is 'in position' in attack? On his wing? Because if so Robbo and Joel have been belted from pillar to post on this forum for staying on their wings. Also, don't forget that he is more versatile than some of the other backs because he can switch into the backrow as he does in PL. He also hasn't played a game of footy for 4 weeks so with the pace of the game today that is difficult to slot back in as if you have never left. I would have Graham ahead of him and also Gaf so I agree with you there. I don't agree with some of the faults aimed at him though.

 

[brenno]

so phil graham played in PL? Interesting.. How did the reggies go? Any standout perfomers? Did todd carney play or was he injured? I noticed that he wasn't named in the SL for premierleague.

 

[Raider_69]

Ben Cross played arguably the perfect game, best game played by an individual ever... what a champion :mrgreen: :lol:

 

[Mal Meninga]

I reckon Smith is a quality defender one on one but the way we compress the line any wideman will look dreadful.

 

[lolesi]

Hopefully Phil "the next ET" Graham !

Haha get ya hand of it.

Great player, but no ET.

 

[raiders_lover_18]

Phil will be back next week and if not id rather see gafa play againsta top side!!!!

 

[raiders_boy]

Ok, maybe i was a little harsh with all the criticism, but last night, he didnt have a great game. Souths try just before half time, could easily have been stopped, but he just stuck an arm out and let him go back inside... And our compressed defence makes the wingers look worse than maybe they are, but one long ball and they're outside us every time

I understand he hasn't played for a while, but still... Get gafa there IMO

 

[raiders_boy]

wow, how about that... its been exactly one year since i joined... I just noticed... How random

 

[greeneyed]

Cross didn't play all that well. Carney was out. Gafa played well, Campese was back at half, but that is not really his spot.

 

[SOULS 04]

i really like smith and reckon he has a mountain of potential

im glad chalk is in the top grade... lets hoe he satys there

it hought he did well last week with a couple of nervous mistakes but still played well and the 4 tries in his second game.... top stuff

 

[Kris_man]

The interesting thing was, that, despite Graham being unfit to play first grade.... he started in the PL game.

:shock: what's doing there?? That could be either good news or bad news:
the good: he'll have match fitness for next week.
the bad: could he have been dropped for reasons other than injury? if so, he may not be there next week.
the ugly: elliott might not want to change a winning team. hopefully he does though, because the Roosters/Bulldogs are the polar opposites of Souths.

greeneyed, whats was the score in PL?

 

[ball boy]

premier league was good a few dust ups to lucky for souths crossy was off the field at the time