I know Norman is good. I'd call him a specialist five-eight (but we won't go into that). I just think that he's played his best football partnering someone in the halves who is less flamboyant and more workman-like. I think he did better with Foran, Robson and a number of makeshift halves than he did with Sandow, for instance. I know halves tend to play mostly on opposite sides of the ruck these days - but they still effect each other's play. They are still a partnership. I feel that Norman would perform better with a methodical halves partner. Someone like Hodgkinson or Adam Reynolds, Chad Townsend maybe. I just done see Gutherson as that sort of player. I can see our attack being quite confused at times. I hope I'm wrong though.
But - food for thought - did he play worse partnering Sandow because Sandow's deficiencies put more pressure on Norman?
Sandow had a tendency to not put in on defence (we all know this), and he also was rocks or diamonds in attack; I reckon this put a lot of extra pressure on Norman's shoulders.
I have all the faith in the world in both Arthur (a man with integrity, bleeds blue and gold), and Clint Gutherson (a true professional, and a genuine footballer; not as athletically gifted as a Semi Radradra, for example, but supremely fit, possessing a fantastic attitude, and always working hard on his game [which, imo, is the true measure of a great player; Cronk was slightly above average when he burst onto the scene, but he worked hard on his game, and became one of the game's elite halfbacks]).
I just know that Gutherson will make the number 6 his own, and will help Norman's game immeasurably.
