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Barry O'Speedwagon

Barry O'Speedwagon

Coach
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19,393
Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
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91,671
caylo said:
Isn't that a reason stats can be misleading?
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Only if you don't know which stats are relevant. Why do you think I spell it out for you nitwits?
A miss tacklen not count if the player makes the wrong call and space opens up.
I.e on tedescos try vave wasn't pushing up on the inside and leave a hole but no MT on vave compared to if he pushed up and wasn't able to complete the tackle.
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Absolutely, which is why I go on about tackles per minute. Players who make a lot of tackles per minute are filling these gaps a lot more than the slugs whose work rate is much lower. It's why Alvaro is one of the most valuable players in our defensive line.
Yes it is a team game but teams with better individual players tend to be better (yes there is also there better team but generally in club footy the better individuals makes a better total teaml
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I totally agree. But the best teams also have great balance, by which I mean they have the right players contributing significantly more in attack than others, and very little redundancy in their attack. Some (most?) players in a strong team are just there to work hard and be safe in defence. In attack their job is to support the stars.
 
Poupou Escobar

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
91,671
Barry O'Speedwagon said:
He must just slouch a lot in team photos. Coz he doesn't look 7 or 8 cms tall than Slater (who is 178cm)

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He is a bit of a hunchy. I'm sure he would look taller if he stood up straight.

That said I wouldn't have thought he is 186cm. Looks closer to 183, which is still tall for a dummy half.
 
El Diablo

El Diablo

Post Whore
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94,107
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/a84a1c8f1b11d30ad79505a1be3e73e1

Can Wayne Bennett convince Ashley Taylor to ditch the Titans for the Broncos?
EXCLUSIVE, The Courier-Mail
an hour ago

THE Titans are fighting to retain Ashley Taylor with Wayne Bennett revealing his plan to bring the boom Queensland Origin hopeful back to the Broncos.

In a spicy prelude to the Broncos-Titans derby this Saturday night, Bennett broke his silence on Taylor to confirm his interest in poaching one of the hottest playmakers in the code.

It was Bennett who reluctantly agreed to release Taylor two years ago at a time when the Broncos super coach was pinning the club’s long-term prosperity on halves Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford.

But with Hunt joining the Dragons next year on a $6 million deal, the Broncos No. 7 jumper is up for grabs — and Brisbane’s recruitment and retention committee have their eyes on Taylor.

Speculation is rife that Taylor, who is off-contract at the end of next season, is considering quitting the Titans and Bennett is ready to strike if the 22-year-old is keen to return to Red Hill.

“I’d be silly not to try and bring Ash Taylor back,” Bennett told The Courier-Mail.

“If he interested in us and he is on the open market, I am interested in talking to him.

“Until it all happens, I guess it’s speculation, but I never wanted to lose a player of Ash’s ability.

“Sometimes guys only get one opportunity at this level and it wouldn’t have been fair to keep Ash Taylor stuck behind Ben and Anthony.

“I wanted him to get an opportunity and it’s worked out great for him.

“He’s a much more mature player now, which is what the idea was.

“If Ash is interested in coming back, I’ll look at our salary cap position ... but you always hope if they do come back, they come back a better player.”

Bennett’s stance will ring alarm bells for a Titans organisation that faces a major battle to secure Taylor, whose salary is set to soar following his impressive rise in the past 18 months.

Broncos legend Darren Lockyer, a member of Brisbane’s recruitment and retention committee, confirmed the former Junior Kangaroos ace is on their hit list.

“If he comes off in 2019, depending on how the Broncos are travelling, if we are in need of a halfback then he will be one of the options,” Lockyer said.

“We didn’t envisage Ben Hunt was going to leave.

“We’ve done it with a number of players who can’t get the game time. We let them go and a fair few times they’ve come back to us.


“It is a long way out but he has history with the club and is a player who would fit into the system well.

“He’s got a lot of good attributes as a halfback.”

Titans skipper Ryan James inked a three-year deal earlier this season and hopes Taylor also stays loyal.

“He is an Origin player of the future so it would be good to keep him here on the Gold Coast,” he said. “Ash is pretty happy at the moment and we know he has the ability to take this club forward.

“It’s up to the Titans’ management and his manager now to get the deal over the line.”
 
El Diablo

El Diablo

Post Whore
Messages
94,107
i'm sure he'd take a pay cut like every other Bronco does

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...n/news-story/175f93c224025a43432c0710f9771097

Gold Coast Titans preparing three-year deal for Ashley Taylor worth $3 million
TRAVIS MEYN - Exclusive, The Courier-Mail
July 28, 2017 9:07am

THE Gold Coast Titans are formulating a $3 million package to stave off poaching bids for in-demand halfback Ashley Taylor, who has emerged as the NRL’s hottest playmaking talent.

Taylor is certain to become the code’s next million-dollar player after already attracting interest from five NRL rivals, including former club Brisbane, despite being contracted to the Titans until the end of next season.

He joins the Broncos’ Anthony Milford and the Cowboys’ Jason Taumalolo as players set to become million-dollar men, an exclusive club of which the Storm’s Cameron Smith is already a member.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the Titans are preparing a three-year extension for Taylor in the hope of warding off rivals before the Queensland Origin hopeful becomes a free agent for 2019 on November 1 this year.

If Taylor pledges his allegiance to the Titans on a deal averaging $1 million-a-season, he will be tied up at the Gold Coast until at least 2021.

Taylor, 22, is leading the NRL for try-assists (24) this season, backing up his heroics from last year when he was crowned the Dally M rookie-of-the-year.

With NSW Origin stars Nathan Peats (2020) and Jarryd Hayne (2018) locked up, Titans COO Tony Mestrov said the club had shifted its focus to retaining Taylor.

“He is definitely a priority for the club,” he said.

“We believe he is a player that can transition the side into a top four team.

“He was a shadow for the Queensland side this year and we think he will play State of Origin in the future.

“He is a priority to keep.”

If the Titans want to secure Taylor they will have to get moving.

While NRL rules prevent players from signing with a rival before November 1, Taylor has already generated significant interest from cashed-up clubs desperate to land a quality shot-caller.

The Titans have held initial discussions with Taylor’s new management group, Black Money Enterprises, but are yet to make a submission.

“No formal offers have come through,” Taylor’s manager Warrick Wright said.

“A player like Ash has attracted enormous interest from other clubs but we haven’t gone down that path yet. We are happy to talk to the Titans.

“We will see what happens over the next couple of weeks.”

Clouding the Taylor situation is five-eighth Tyrone Roberts’ public pay dispute with the Titans.

Roberts rejected a two-year extension worth $600,000 and claimed the club had “stuffed him around”.

The halves are incredibly close and Taylor revealed in March that Roberts’ future would play a role in his decision.

Kane Elgey was coach Neil Henry’s first-choice No. 6 but Taylor and Roberts piloted the Titans into last year’s finals series and have won three of four games alongside each other this season.
 
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