Pull the finger out Burt

[Stagger eel]

Love him or hate him, but what you can not deny is that he spent 10 years are a regular first grader to 4 different coaches. They can't all be playing favourites by picking every week him can they?

no no no!!...no one knows more than the Terrigal tool...just ask him. :lol:

 

[oldmancraigy]

fullback or not, to catch.

In response to this drivel...


2-And yet he still returns it better than Hayne, who runs like a prancing twat from the back. He's not a big guy, why the hell do people still want him smashing it back like Hunt or McKinnon? They both have 10kg and 15cm on him, at least. He tries to slip through the line, and almost did it on two occaisions this past weekend.

3-We have several excellent, big backs to do this (eg Grothe, Inu, Ben Smith and even Reddy these days)...why get the small agile fullback to take a hitup? What a stupid thing to say...Never mind his nippy dummy half runs from our end, which you've conveniently ignored...

4-His support is the best in the side...I suggest you watch him closely, he's generally hanging around the ball runner. Just because he doesn't always get the ball means nothing except that, as a team, our timings are out. It's been two rounds, what do you expect. Also, Hayne especially has been brought closer to the action to do pretty much this...act as a ball runner and supporter. Why can't he do it too? Or Inu? Or Reddy? Are you going to make threads about them too?

5-Ever played fullback? Burt was doing his job...covering the support. If he runs across, makes the tackle, but Best offloads and they score, then I bet you blame him too...Hindy and Hayne had Best covered, someone needed to cover his support on the inside

Honestly - if you're talking about drivel, you've just contributed a significant amount of drivel to this board with your nonsense post here.

I cut out your points that were marginally fair - but the ones that remain spell A-G-E-N-D-A :roll:
The above points are hopeless.

On (2) - he does not return it better than Hayne. That's so stupid to suggest that it's beyond belief. He doesn't even return the ball - he waits for Grothe or Reddy to loop around behind him and then passes it to them.

Which leads to (3) I completely agree that Grothe and Reddy are better suited at hitting the ball up - however, one wonders why a footballer should get a free ride. Rhys Wesser is about the same size as Luke Burt (not to mention 15 years older) - but he manages to hit the ball up one off the ruck to help out his teammates and give them a rest. Over the course of the first 2 rounds, Burt has had 2 of these mythical 'nippy dummy half runs' that you're talking about. That goes alongside his 2 hitups and 6 kick returns - for a total of 10 runs in 2 games of NRL.
Way to help out Lukey...

Now, I feel like I'm objective on the matter (I don't HATE Burt - just a lot of what he brings) - and I will admit that I LIKE Burt in the squad for SOME of the things he does - namely make breaks from half chances (as against the Rabbitohs - that was classic Burt) - and he CAN take chances from a broken defensive line. He (in the past) had some good support play, but, as has been pointed out, that actually hasn't happened this year.
He used to sniff around Cayless and Mateo and was a support runner - but sadly, that hasn't been seen.
Like I said, being objective, I think we persevere with him, because it's been done in the past, and there's reason to believe his support play (the best part of his game) will come back.

But on (5) you're drunk.
Go back and watch the game - there was no support, it was Best running away, Burt didn't chase, Hayne and Hindy made the running from further away, and got the job done. They showed heart on that play - Burt showed that he needs to take an attitude pill.

If Burt gets his attitude together (and perhaps his confidence up?) then hopefully we'll see him 'putting in' on support play and actually chasing and contending.

And who knows - we might actually see him run the ball more than 5 times in a match?? (most fullbacks are around the 15 mark).

It's ok to like the guy - just don't try the "he's a top level player" drivel.
He's a nice guy with some great ability to support breaks and finish half chances - but there are some serious weaknesses to his game that won't go away, no matter how loudly anyone tries to shout out 'Burt RuLeZzZz'.

But we can still like a limited player can't we?

 

[SDM]

When the bomb went up, the wingers should have been sprinting back, knowing he wouldn't get anywhere near it. If he keeps getting picked, the other players must treat him like that nuffy in your cricket team, and as soon as the ball is hit at him, you start running to cut off the mis-field.

 

[Twizzle]

welcome to annual Burty sux thread

 

[fanool]

Burt's form in the past 2 weeks doesn't warrant him being dropped and replaced by Kevin Kingston.

Which is what would need to happen to accomodate Hayne to Fullback.

I think if you looked at specific instances and statistics such as metres gained, handling errors, line breaks and try assists (fullback kind of stuff) you wouldn't be able to justify what you are talking about.

In fact if you had a look at these stats I would bet that Burt would be in front of Hayne.

I can think of a few good things Burt has done in the past 2 matches. Can't say the same about Hayne.

Until then you should take your generalisations somewhere else.

As a fan I am really happy with the team (as opposed to last year where I made nil posts).

I think Hayne good go good at 5/8 and we should stick with the experiment until we lose more.

 

[_goParra]

ok... i just spoke with burty and he has assured me that he WILL pull his finger out. But he wanted to know from where??

 

[The Colonel]

I'd just like to know which fullback, past or present, people believe would have caught that bomb on the full on Friday night?

 

[_goParra]

I'd just like to know which fullback, past or present, people believe would have caught that bomb on the full on Friday night?

Anyone but burt:sarcasm:

 

[mickdo]

Ok, he dropped the bomb. What else did he screw up on Friday?

He converted the final try from the sideline to put us in front by 6, not 4. He's only ever had one stellar year, and that ended up with a season-ending injury. I'm happy to stick with him until he does a lot worse than he has.

 

[bartman]

Shocking post bartman, really biased statement with no idea.

Burt is an ordinary fullback, the sooner you realise that the better.

I have no reason for bias toward Burt RJ. Have never met him, don't really want to. My only bias stems from wanting Hayne to earn his 3x higher contract money by performing 3x better than Burt in the same (or any) position. It hasn't happened.

And Hayne was a big reason why we didn't leak any points, not bloody Burt, you do remember that pathetic attempt at catching a bomb dont you?oh yeah it was swirling :lol: they're taught to catch those at training.

Burt pointing and talking blah blah, EVERY FULLBACK DOES THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How long since you've been at the ground to see it RJ? Hayne hardly did it at all last year. Brilliant in attack at fullback in that last month yes, but no grasp yet of how to read a game the way a fullback needs to do. You can see that with how he's often lost at five-eigth even in attack so far. He's learning, and I hope he makes a better fist of it than learning centre play.

Burt will be chosen at fullback until there is a better option. At the moment there's not, let's get behind the team

 

[SDM]

Why is burts form linked to Hayne? we have a few other blokes who could have a go at fullback

 

[spiderdan]

while i still think hayne is our best option at fullback, anyone that is gonna bag burt after rd 2 is kidding themself. he had a pretty good game against souths and apart from the bomb that led to their try he did very well.

on a side note, anyone that bags him for not taking that kick needs to open their eyes. hayne, stewart, slater, bowen and hunt would all have struggled to take a towering spiral bomb right on the posts.

forget last year as most of our side was crap then. based on last week he deserves to keep his spot. ditto for lowrie. he copped a hammering (and still does) even though he was one of our better forwards in the late part of last year. he played what i thought was his best game for us against souths and hopefully he backs it up against the roiders.

 

[The Colonel]

Minichiello was made look quite silly by Sutton in round one....

 

[SDM]

Mini should give up footy, he is deadset held together by band-aids.

 

[The Colonel]

Maybe so, he is still a bloody good fullback though....

 

[planeteels]

Puts on the Devils advocates Cap

1. He always misses bombs when teh defence is running through and he will have to take a hit. Last week end was embaressing to watch.

How can you say always??

2. He has no urgency returning kicks and his metres gained each week is the lowest of all fullbacks.

I would love to see and compare Burts return yardage and line breaks from the returns with stats for our other option in Hayne.. when Burt runs the ball back at least he runs the whole way back unlike Hayne who jogs the first 10 metres only to goosestep.. fool himself and get tackled...

3. He hardly ever takes the next hit up after a kick has been returned by the wingers and teh forwards are struggling to get back.

If you have the ball and have an open Runner nearby.. you are wise to promote the ball to them to gain yardage out of your own Red-zone.. that is something that most Coaches encourage .. so to me I don't see a problem with it.

4. His support play is just not there for all the talk aboout it. So many times have Mateo and others turned with their arms free and no one is there. Follow Mateo around the park Burt it is not rocket science.

You will also note how many defenders are usually hanging around Mateo when he runs because they know what he can do... Makes it hard for anyone to be a 2nd/3rd phase runner AND.. it isn't only the Fullbacks role to run as a support player.

5. Last week when Souths made a break down the wing and Hindmarsh ran across to help push the bloke into touch Burt was standing about 3-5 metres closer to the play and made no effort to get there in cover. Hindy had to run past him to get there.

I saw the footage and again.. Burt was doing his job. He was closing the field down but remaining uncommitted in case a kick through or infield pass was made.. It was obvious for all to see that Hindy had it covered and it allowed the cover defence to close the play down completely. Again.. I see nothing wrong with what he did.

6. Where is his kicking game? He can kick a good long ball but is hardly ever doing so? (Glad he no longer does the kick offs though Inu is going gr8)

i would dare say it would be an instruction not to be a kicker..??

I would rather see Inu at fullback and TT in the centres. Leave Hayne at pivot he will get better and his defence on teh fringes is great. Hayne and Inu are two players I want to see with the ball in their hands as often as possible.

Putting Inu to Fullback won't see him getting more ball.. Please explain??

 

[junior009]

Question for anyone who wants to answer it.

Why do these debates always have to degenerate into player A vs player B???

Can't we support ALL of the players??

 

[planeteels]

Question for anyone who wants to answer it.

Why do these debates always have to degenerate into player A vs player B???

Can't we support ALL of the players??

It's called healthy debate of a Team Sport

Everyone is going to have an opinion and a preference...

and for the most part, discussions/comparisons are done with the good of the Team in mind

 

[yy_cheng]

It's called healthy debate of a Team Sport

Everyone is going to have an opinion and a preference...

and for the most part, discussions/comparisons are done with the good of the Team in mind

I agree on this point.

We are debating the best combination of the team from each person's perspective.

There are sometime views and points thrown in that have changed my mind.

The best example is Finch. If based on his pure talent and execution, I would get rid of him asap.

THe forumites have told me look at what he does off the ball and so, I have payed special attention to do just that and he does do alot off the ball which I think contributes tremendously to the team. However, I still maintain my view that I would have him in the team but not as the main playmaker.


For me, I am not a Burt fan. It is not personal but it he is not the type of player I like.

The fullback that I have liked the best was

i) Gary Belcher
- He really knew how to use his wingers or he went himself.
- He didn't just pass it to the winger to get belted. He actually ran a bit to at least make the defender think before passing in it to winger.

Yes it might be a different game now though

 

[SDM]

He had an awesome mo.