Quade Cooper knocks back Parramatta Eels offer to switch to NRL and sticks with Union

[yy_cheng]

So like Mateo

 

[attamarrap]

What the?

ANY running #10 / Five Eigth could/would play HALFBACK IN LEAGUE.

Five Eigth is first receiver in Union. Look to Gower if you have any doubt!

There are 2 distinct styles of inside centre or #12 in Union. There is the "second receiver" who is often a High School/provincial five eigth pushed out wider when playing more senior footy. Lee Steness, Pita Alitini, Aaron Mauger even Matt Giteau are examples. They offer creativity and a second kick option. Then there is the physical ball running style - think SBW, Nonu, Sella (france used to swap centres around during the game), Andy Farrell, even Hape at a pinch. Often these guys originated on wing or centre and came further in as they got bigger, older and slower eg Tana Umaga.

The two different styles have been around since the dawn of Rugby. The physical ball runner style was actually originated from needing a strong defender. Now the attack they bring through mere physicality seems to be decisive in the decision.

The thing to remember is that most five eigths in Union can play second five eigth but as a creative option. Carter debut'd his first 2 years in tests as a 12. Wilkinson played a lot of second five. Giteau another example.

As someone pointed out the games are not identical. For example - Joey would have been awesome at Union as five eigth - but Benji would have needed to be a second five. Carlos Spencer would have been a dynamite league halfback. Grant Fox/Mehrtens would have been horrid.

If you see a running five eigth in Union (rare as hens teeth) I have no doubt they could play halfback successfully. This includes Larkham though he'd have been even outstanding as a fullback in league in my opinion.

:shock: You know way to much about union dude

 

[Maroubra Eel]

:shock: You know way to much about union dude

It all sounded good but in reality there are no positions in union. They all just run around like little kids rumbling for the ball.

 

[mrpwnd]

It all sounded good but in reality there are no positions in union. They all just run around like little kids rumbling for the ball.

Nah that's more AFL.

 

[lingard]

You know, there are some half-backs who aren`t very good defensively, and they can be protected. For a five-eight to be less than good defensively is a bit more of a concern in my opinion. But Quade Cooper isn`t just bad defensively. He is absolutely abysmal. He is like a tackle-shy ten year old. Really, for the money he`d be asking, I`d be very reluctant to sign him at all - regardless of his attacking skills - which are, I admit, considerable.

 

[ANTiLAG]

C'mon - he'd be no worse than Lockyer or Soward.

 

[caylo]

You know, there are some half-backs who aren`t very good defensively, and they can be protected. For a five-eight to be less than good defensively is a bit more of a concern in my opinion. But Quade Cooper isn`t just bad defensively. He is absolutely abysmal. He is like a tackle-shy ten year old. Really, for the money he`d be asking, I`d be very reluctant to sign him at all - regardless of his attacking skills - which are, I admit, considerable.

Lingard RU is a different match, he would be fine in the NRL IMO. In RU he defends in the middle of the park while in RL he would be defending on the edges which means he is tackling smaller backrower rather then RU props who weight 120kg+.

Also in RU he defends in between Barnes/M.Giteau (inside centre) and Geina (halfback) while in League he would be between a backrower and centre who are generally larger and better defender, Cooper has good size so if he makes contact he will be aided be covering defenders. Im RU you can't just make contact because a defeder can be cleared off by an offencive player who doesnt have the ball. If Quade doesn't get low and have a solid tackling technique he will get thrown off everytime when a ruck is formed while in league there is no ruck.

The difference is you can generally hide in defence in RU while in league you cant, he would make alot more tackles a game and he would have to learn how to slide in defence, something RU players dont do very well.

 

[mrpwnd]

His defense hasn't been all too bad lately.
I haven't seen a world breaking passing game or a kicking game in his highlights videos though, I just see a white Benji Marshall.

 

[The EELiminator]

His defense hasn't been all too bad lately.
I haven't seen a world breaking passing game or a kicking game in his highlights videos though, I just see a white Benji Marshall.

benji's passing and kicking game was good enough to beat australia (god id love to see him as an eel) we dont need the worlds greatest halfback we just need someone with a decent passing and kicking game who can maintain pressure on the opposition and when a break appears take the right option
how many times in 2010 did our halves put up a nothing kick that was caught in goal when there was an overlap out wide?

 

[mrpwnd]

benji's passing and kicking game was good enough to beat australia (god id love to see him as an eel) we dont need the worlds greatest halfback we just need someone with a decent passing and kicking game who can maintain pressure on the opposition and when a break appears take the right option
how many times in 2010 did our halves put up a nothing kick that was caught in goal when there was an overlap out wide?

I was referencing his running game being very similar to Marshall, not his playmaking.
Honestly, aside from a few flick passes, I just saw a Marshall/McCrone type half in Quade Cooper.
Maybe because I was only watching the highlights packages I didn't see any kicking or passing game, but assuming those highlights are representative of his career to date, then we've just signed another running 5/8 sort of player.

 

[Delboy]

Let me think " a white Benji Marshall" === sign here please NOW, that would be a real coup. We tried a7 who could tackle , how about one who can kick and run.....

 

[Eelementary]

you're right but at the same time he also has a tendency to take a flashy high risk option when the simple stuff would work. Since the news broke that osbourne wanted him at parra I've watched him play a bit (great work by Ossie to do marketing for the aru and increase their audience). Qc has got some freaky ability but watching him play now for every good amazing thing he does he also does 3 or 4 really stupid things. Have some union mates who agree with this. When i asked them at first about qc they said take him. Some people bagged Tim smith for that same reason years ago and I think Qc has more of that in his game.

No offence, but you cannot compare Tim Smith to Quade Cooper like that. Tim may dream of playing rep football - Quade is a Wallaby and tore the Kiwis a new one single-handedly. Ditto for Italy.

I'm well aware of his supposed deficiencies. But what did we struggle with badly in 2010? Scoring points. Our defence was fine.

Quade Cooper would be a sensational, sensational - SENSATIONAL - signing.

 

[Eelementary]

let me think " a white benji marshall" === sign here please now, that would be a real coup. We tried a7 who could tackle , how about one who can kick and run.....

x 20,000,000

 

[caylo]

I was referencing his running game being very similar to Marshall, not his playmaking.
Honestly, aside from a few flick passes, I just saw a Marshall/McCrone type half in Quade Cooper.
Maybe because I was only watching the highlights packages I didn't see any kicking or passing game, but assuming those highlights are representative of his career to date, then we've just signed another running 5/8 sort of player.

The guy can throw a long ball just as good if not better then tim smith in 2005. His long kicking gamer is very good and would be more than sufficient in the nrl wilder hiss short kicking game would take some working on simply because of the difference in types of kicks used in ru.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

The guy can throw a long ball just as good if not better then tim smith in 2005. His long kicking gamer is very good and would be more than sufficient in the nrl wilder hiss short kicking game would take some working on simply because of the difference in types of kicks used in ru.

Who is Wilder Hiss? Was he any good caylo?

 

[mrpwnd]

The guy can throw a long ball just as good if not better then tim smith in 2005. His long kicking gamer is very good and would be more than sufficient in the nrl wilder hiss short kicking game would take some working on simply because of the difference in types of kicks used in ru.

That's all the clarification I need.
I had my doubts as all the vids of him on youtube show him stepping a few blokes and scoring tries.

 

[caylo]

Who is Wilder Hiss? Was he any good caylo?

I'm typing on my phone and its dictionary does that some times. It was ment to say "while his"

 

[lingard]

As usual you are full of sh*t and have no idea..if Quade came to parra and played 5/8 and morts had a half decent partner in the halves instead of f**kin robson or kk they would kill it.some of you people have no idea at all.yes i mean you to lingard:crazy:

Oh, Raudonikis. You`re no fun anymore.

 

[lingard]

Who is Wilder Hiss? Was he any good caylo?

No. His short kicking game needs working on. I think.

 

[caylo]

For those too that have not seen him, i'll give you opinnion of Quade.

He is very much a Benji type player but its not about the step, the way he plays his football is very similar.

He has a huge boot on him, now a rugby ball is slightly different to a league ball and a league ball is generally more difficult to kick as far but Quade ability to kick the out is very important. In Rugby you can have 3-4 players back 50% of the time and it can be difficult to find the side line ut Quade does that more often then not.

His long pass is flat and fast, rarley get intercepted and can throw it 30meters no problem. You can be critical that he goes to wide to early, which is a no no in rugby because if you get tackled without support you will loss the ball.

His short passing game is his best quality thou, he can pick hole runner inside and out at ease. Doesnt throw a flick pass like Marshall but just as effective with his short passing game. He also generally is on the move when his is passing and that allows him to dumby and go, he is a big boy and can break a tackle (just as easily as he misses them) and that is why there are so man highlight of him running through lines, its what he does when he isnt making breaks that allows him to make those breaks later on.

He also plays with beale who is a very skillful fullback, and generally the combine pretty well in that Quade feeds Beale alot more then Barnes did for NSW.

I am confident if Quade came to parramatta or any NRL team he would quickly superseed Carney or Lockyer as the Australian 5-8 and be just as good as benji. If we had a Robson-Quade combo we would pretty much win the comp, so if Murray, Humble or Mortimer could develop as a halfback then a combo of either of them and Quade would be pretty dangerous.