Rate Gareth Widdop

[Get2dachopper!]

Val, I can only read your rantings after I've had a few Vodka's late at night.

 

[Ruby]

Well.... since our halves are paid 900k a year between them, pretty much for the sole purpose of creating 4.5 tries per game, against that, I rate Benji 2 and Widdop 3.5

Time for both to be moved on and recruit / find /develop 2 smart tough halves.

Its been 2 years guys!

Nothing will change, they aren't developing players in their late teens!

 

[Dragonslayer]

Our young Dragon halves Payne and Field go ok, but need a lot of development, both weigh only in the 70kg range.
Widdop is 27 and should be in his prime, I still say he's playing out of position.
Hutch is 21 and had 4 chances to make an impact in first grade but alas was not up to standard. He's 187cm and 95kg's and I think he should start to prepare for time in the forwards
Both Mann and Quinlan (wow surprised me) are both only 23.
Nona is 25 (time has beaten him I think ,but still rated by JD)
McCrone is 29 (you won't see him again after his contract expires)

I would be really chasing hard for Lolohea he's only 21. Has immense talent and someone you would build a team around, has speed and spark and knows how to score a try.
Corey Norman is 25.

 

[Vasilevsky]

Our young Dragon halves Payne and Field go ok, but need a lot of development, both weigh only in the 70kg range.
Widdop is 27 and should be in his prime, I still say he's playing out of position.
Hutch is 21 and had 4 chances to make an impact in first grade but alas was not up to standard. He's 187cm and 95kg's and I think he should start to prepare for time in the forwards
Both Mann and Quinlan (wow surprised me) are both only 23.
Nona is 25 (time has beaten him I think ,but still rated by JD)
McCrone is 29 (you won't see him again after his contract expires)

I would be really chasing hard for Lolohea he's only 21. Has immense talent and someone you would build a team around, has speed and spark and knows how to score a try.
Corey Norman is 25.

For sure! I'd be not resigning Benji and Creagh (even though last year Benji was very good) and releasing Widdop, Mann and Lafai and throwing 1.3 to 1.5 million a year at Lolohea and one of the Titans young halfbacks. I doubt we could get them for any less than 1.3. Titans have 2 (Elgey and Taylor) who are seemingly only suited to playing halfback.

Of course whether the club can afford to pay out those 3 plodders is another story but IMO the club can't afford not to. Short of that I'd like to see Benji and McCrone get a chance. We know Benji and Widdop doesn't work or Widdop and McCrone or Widdop and whoever was half before Benji was signed.

 

[Wittenberg]

'Objective view' ? Sorry none of us have them. Stats - they cannot be disputed surely...well yes they can. Do they take into account context etc, usually not. That's why I always thought that Lara was better than some of our batsmen who had better averages because in the last half of his career he repeatedly had to drag a weak side out of trouble. Now Widdop doesn't play cricket but stats, unless overwhelming prove little. We can look at each of our players from different sides both positive and negative, and at times both can be right eg:
*Dugan - not a ball player therefore not an ideal FB vs running metres and defensive quality
* Nightingale - too slow to be a winger in modern game, if any break made will not be able to catch up and gets run down when in open space vs kick defusing, tackling, inspiration, scoring near line
*JDB - the new Prior. Tackles but drops ball every game and gives away at least one stupid penalty. Thinks he is a ball player vs. hardest hitter in team, tackling outstanding, stamina and can gain metres well.
* Aitken - has made few breaks, can't pass, plays more like a forward vs. strength, tackle busting ability, stamina and defensive abilities excellent
Widdop - predictable, long kicking game needs improvement vs tackling, saves so many tries with cover defence, short kicking game, speed
* Frizzel - goes missing, sometimes doesn't have impact that his size and speed should allow him to do vs. destructive ball runner who can run good lines and does more than his share in defence
* Benji - slow after short distance, mistake ridden, can be pressured out of a game, injury prone vs didn't lead Dally M's early last year for nothing. Impact on younger players.
* Rein - the devil's child according to some, slow passing, poor decisions, penalties vs tackling in middle of ruck, support play and running, if timing is right
* Havili - strong, versatility and better than Rein vs poor decision making, slow passing and silly penalties, less tackling. Are they brothers?

You get what I mean. We all have different views, live with it. The only ones that can't are those who think their's is the only view.

 

[duck]

F**k Vas I thought you'd left the building.

Bugger.

 

[Maximus]

In the second was rarely sighted apart from a few mistakes and a penalty kick from almost in front.

He only made 1 error and that was in the first half.

 

[DRAGONSNZ]

Our young Dragon halves Payne and Field go ok, but need a lot of development, both weigh only in the 70kg range.
Widdop is 27 and should be in his prime, I still say he's playing out of position.
Hutch is 21 and had 4 chances to make an impact in first grade but alas was not up to standard. He's 187cm and 95kg's and I think he should start to prepare for time in the forwards
Both Mann and Quinlan (wow surprised me) are both only 23.
Nona is 25 (time has beaten him I think ,but still rated by JD)
McCrone is 29 (you won't see him again after his contract expires)

I would be really chasing hard for Lolohea he's only 21. Has immense talent and someone you would build a team around, has speed and spark and knows how to score a try.
Corey Norman is 25.

0 chance of that happening. Doesn't suit the Dragons style.

 

[SBD82]

F**k Vas I thought you'd left the building.

Bugger.

He was probably supporting his own team that was doing well, but since they've gone back to losing has come back to troll again.

Most probably wests. There are other contenders though.

 

[Vasilevsky]

Okay. Back on topic.
I rate Widdop at 2.9 out of 10 so far this season.
Dragonslayer gives him a 6/10
Slippery Morris gives him a "7 at best" (Obviously an optimistic guy. After the last 5 years and still no sign of improvement, I'm all out of patience and optimism.)
This Year gives him a 7
Rob Dragon didn't provide a rating but he almost threw up when Widdop was referred to as "a superstar". Pretty funny:lol:. Personally I more see the black comedic side of it these days.
Ruby gave him 3.5

Is there anybody else? I know BrissyRedV won't provide a rating because he wants to give 10/10 but realizes that would be ridiculous but on the other hand, sees anything less than 10/10 as blasphemy. So the best way to deal with this contradiction is to chime in with a few snide comments for anyone who doesn't think Widdop is "a superstar" and one of the Dragons greatest ever players, but not provide a rating himself.

 

[Mr Red]

widdop 6/10 this season to date.
overall since he has been at the dragons - 7.5/10

if we were smart enough to pair him with a genuine halfback and not an aging Barge Ass i could see Widdop increasing to 8/10

 

[coast_dragons]

Its going to be difficult to get a 7 when you won't pay top dolla for one.

 

[Mr Red]

Its going to be difficult to get a 7 when you won't pay top dolla for one.

And you didnt think Cooper Cronk was asking top dollar when we were approaching him?

 

[Vasilevsky]

widdop 6/10 this season to date.
overall since he has been at the dragons - 7.5/10

if we were smart enough to pair him with a genuine halfback and not an aging Barge Ass i could see Widdop increasing to 8/10

Don't you think the time has come to stop blaming everyone else for Widdop's shortcomings? Benji is the forum favorite but he has been out for most of this season. Dugan is another due to his lack of ball-playing ability but if we had a 5/8 who had a shred of play making ability Dugan would be even better.

It's a putting the chicken before the egg argument but I must say, we have seen Benji and Widdop doesn't work. Widdop and McCrone doesn't work. Widdop and whoever was halfback before Benji came (was it Williams from Canberra?) doesn't work.

Anyway, 6/10. Thanks for your rating.

 

[duck]

9/10

 

[coast_dragons]

Did you think Cronk was actually interested lol sorry i have to laugh.

 

[Mr Red]

Did you think Cronk was actually interested lol sorry i have to laugh.

irrelevant to your argument, sorry i have to laugh...
i dont think he was ever a chance to come to the dragons, however the fact the dragons were interested indicates they were prepared to spend big for him, which contradicts your point of we will never have a good 7 because we arent prepared to pay top dollars..

i would suggest the fact we had conversations with Cronk indicate we are prepared to pay top dollars, whether he signed or not is irrelevant..

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

I gave him 6/10 way way back in this blog. I've seen nothing to change that opinion. He had a good first half last weekend and a below par second half.

I dunno, I always get the impression with Widdop that he is saving himself for the big games. He'll perform for England in internationals, and for us should we make the finals. Outside of that he seems to do just enough.

 

[Get2dachopper!]

Okay. Back on topic.
I rate Widdop at 2.9 out of 10 so far this season.
Dragonslayer gives him a 6/10
Slippery Morris gives him a "7 at best" (Obviously an optimistic guy. After the last 5 years and still no sign of improvement, I'm all out of patience and optimism.)
This Year gives him a 7
Rob Dragon didn't provide a rating but he almost threw up when Widdop was referred to as "a superstar". Pretty funny:lol:. Personally I more see the black comedic side of it these days.
Ruby gave him 3.5

Is there anybody else? I know BrissyRedV won't provide a rating because he wants to give 10/10 but realizes that would be ridiculous but on the other hand, sees anything less than 10/10 as blasphemy. So the best way to deal with this contradiction is to chime in with a few snide comments for anyone who doesn't think Widdop is "a superstar" and one of the Dragons greatest ever players, but not provide a rating himself.

Dugan our best player this season so far, miles ahead of anyone else. But tell me, if you think widdop is only a 2.9 what the hell do you rate everyone else? Do you think Rein, frizzell ,JDB, Thompson all rate higher than widdop?

I rate Widdop a 5.

 

[Vasilevsky]

I gave him 6/10 way way back in this blog. I've seen nothing to change that opinion. He had a good first half last weekend and a below par second half.

I dunno, I always get the impression with Widdop that he is saving himself for the big games. He'll perform for England in internationals, and for us should we make the finals. Outside of that he seems to do just enough.

Not even his one man blooper show against the Broncos is enough to lower his rating? If it were merely an aberration that would be fine but he has been exceptionally poor far more than he has been good.

And as for finals, in the last game last season the smaller, fitter Dragons forwards were running riot over the fat grubs in the last 1/4 of the game. Like all good halves Gareth Widdop took full advantage and had 0 tries, 0 try assists, 0 line breaks and 0 line break assists:?. If that constituted "a good game" I must ask what exactly do you expect from the halves?

Anyway, thanks for your rating. 6 seems to be pretty standard with the significantly lower scores from myself and Ruby bringing the average below that.

Dugan our best player this season so far, miles ahead of anyone else. But tell me, if you think widdop is only a 2.9 what the hell do you rate everyone else? Do you think Rein, frizzell ,JDB, Thompson all rate higher than widdop?

I rate Widdop a 5.

I think the forwards have all been pretty good. At least in comparison to the outside backs and especially the halves. As you eluded to, I rate Dugan 9.5/10, JDB 8.5/10 and no one else near those two. If you start a thread and nominate the specific players, I will be happy to rate them.

Anyway, thanks for the rating. 5/10 or half as good as we wish he were and at least a few notches below how good he should be playing seems fair.