SMH: Grothe in Origin frame

[fish eel]

Name a winger, and not a centre who is playing on the wing, that isn't a liability......

The two blokes who will play on the wing on wednesday.

 

[The Engineers Room]

FMD that is a stupid statement.

His form isn't that good and he makes silly errors. You may think that is stupid but Grothe has shown little this year to make me think that he deserves a rep jersey.

 

[The Colonel]

The two blokes who will play on the wing on wednesday.

They both have their own liabilities, just like Grothe or any other winger...... unless you are referring to the Qld wingers who again are centres on the wing.

 

[fish eel]

They both have their own liabilities, just like Grothe or any other winger...... unless you are referring to the Qld wingers who again are centres on the wing.

well, if you wanted to nit pick....you could say every player has their liabilities.

Hayne's an obvious choice. El Masri will be solid and wont let anyone done and deserves the chance. I would have liked to have seen Eric called up, but am not sure his form has been consistantly good enough for State of Origin.

 

[Bigfella]

The statement was "Grothe is a big liability".

Not, Grothe has some aspects of his game which can be a liability or anything qualified or reasonable.

It was a broad sweeping statement which is unexplained, unjustified, and considering that Grothe is our leading metres per run, leading offloader, one of our leading hit up merchants, one of top three in metres gained, it is fundamentally and objectively wrong.

It also ingores the fact that he has saved several tries in defence by coming in and making hits which forced turnovers, as well as saving tries from intercepts by making try saving chases.

As against that he dropped one bomb which led to a try, and twice had kicks put behind him which led to kicks which would have been tries against any winger in the comp. Hayne has dropped more bombs leading to tries.

We like NSW are a side which has recently struggled with go forward. Grothe offers an extra forward in this respect. He is fundamental to our winning games and he can offer this to NSw as well.

When Grothe doesn't play for us we struggle to go forward and to score points. Sound familiar for NSW?

When he does play for us we go forward through his work rate, his power and pace, and his offloads. Yes he drops a few balls but his error rate is actually lower than Finch, Inu and Mateo for example. I would say he has provided more to us in attack than any of those players this year.

I am happy to repeat it - to say he is a "big liability" is a stupid statement.

 

[The Colonel]

El Masri will be solid and wont let anyone done and deserves the chance. I would have liked to have seen Eric called up, but am not sure his form has been consistantly good enough for State of Origin.

Why does El Masri deserve a chance? Because he has been a long term servant of the game? Because he is a good goalkicker? It can't be because he is the best choice because if he was he would have played in game one ahead of Hayne.

The same statement you make for Grothe can be made for El Masri.

And before its made out to be Grothe v El Masri I couldn't care less if it was Grothe, Merritt or Luke Lewis he has been picked ahead of..... I just don't think he is the best option for Origin. The selectors have made a token selection in a game that doesn't matter.... and that isn't how Origin jerseys should be awarded.

 

[The Colonel]

well, if you wanted to nit pick....you could say every player has their liabilities.

Which, if you read back, was the response I was giving to Natalie's Daddy in regard to Grothe being a liability - only in regard to wingers.

 

[fish eel]

Why does El Masri deserve a chance? Because he has been a long term servant of the game? Because he is a good goalkicker? It can't be because he is the best choice because if he was he would have played in game one ahead of Hayne.

Because El Masri has been consistantly overlooked, despite his form being often the equal to or better than other wingers selected ahead of him.

And before its made out to be Grothe v El Masri I couldn't care less if it was Grothe, Merritt or Luke Lewis he has been picked ahead of..... I just don't think he is the best option for Origin. The selectors have made a token selection in a game that doesn't matter.

Maybe it is a token selection, or maybe they've decided they needed a specialist goal kicker given the closeness of the scores in the previous two matches, in which case El Masri is probably the best option.

Your last point though is most pertinant...the game doesnt matter. So why freaking play it...but thats another thread:crazy:

 

[Utey]

There'll be some funny times if Elmasri misses a few and we lose the game.

 

[fish eel]

There'll be some funny times if Elmasri misses a few and we lose the game.

I'll just point my finger at his centre leaving him stranded....

 

[The Colonel]

Because El Masri has been consistantly overlooked, despite his form being often the equal to or better than other wingers selected ahead of him.

I would disagree with that. I don't think El Masri has ever been consistently overlooked. There may have been the odd occassion that he should have been picked but given that before last year NSW was well served at Origin level his non-selection hasn't been an issue.

Maybe it is a token selection, or maybe they've decided they needed a specialist goal kicker given the closeness of the scores in the previous two matches, in which case El Masri is probably the best option.

Considering that they have struggled to score points first the goalkicking should really be an afterthought wouldn't you think? They really need to get some points on the board first and they have missed one kick at goal if memory serves me correct form five attempts. Sure Lyon isn't a bad kicker but Kimmorley or another player could have done the job just as well.

As a finisher, rather than a player who can score a try from no where he'd be best served with players around him that can create and that just isn't happening for NSW this year as I mentioned previously.

 

[fish eel]

I would disagree with that. I don't think El Masri has ever been consistently overlooked. There may have been the odd occassion that he should have been picked but given that before last year NSW was well served at Origin level his non-selection hasn't been an issue.

You're not going to tell me Jason Moodie is or was a better winger than Hazem?

As a finisher, rather than a player who can score a try from no where he'd be best served with players around him that can create and that just isn't happening for NSW this year as I mentioned previously.

TBH, I'm not sure it really matters who we have on the wing given our halves combination :lol:

 

[The Colonel]

You're not going to tell me Jason Moodie is or was a better winger than Hazem?

There is maybe one winger - Jason did have a very good series however...... but if you can name me three or four more who should have played behind Hazem than I'll bow to the fact he was consistently overlooked. I don't think it has ever been the case.

TBH, I'm not sure it really matters who we have on the wing given our halves combination :lol:

Given that the tries scored have been mostly individual efforts, someone like Eric who can create something from nothing would then be a much better choice.

 

[strider]

if it comes down to goal kicking then I'd want no one other than el masri to be taking hte kick ... but i don't think it'll come down to that .... if el masri lines up on inglis they'll bomb him till the cows come home - el masri can catch bombs, but so can inglis the height difference will matter

PLUS - eric should be there PURELY so he can go the biff on that dickhead Hodges

 

[fish eel]

There is maybe one winger - Jason did have a very good series however...... but if you can name me three or four more who should have played behind Hazem than I'll bow to the fact he was consistently overlooked. I don't think it has ever been the case.

off the top of my head I'll give you Mick Devere, Jason Moodie and Luke Rooney as 3 wingers I think El Masri is better than that were picked ahead of him.

Not sure if Luke Lewis played on the wing in SOO or in the centres (which is where I think he did). If he played on the wing, then add him to the list.

 

[Bigfella]

Fish, all those players you mentioned were very good performers at Origin and NRL level in their time, although Lewis and Rooney are now arguably shadows of their former selves.

I don't think El Masri is at their level TBH. He is also yet to prove himself in Origin.

 

[The Colonel]

I wouldn't have picked him ahead of De Vere and the year Rooney played he was one of the better wingers in the game. Lewis played mostly in the centres and I still would have picked him ahead of El Masri now. The difference is these players are big players who can get into dummy half and take pressure off the forwards. El Masri doesn't even do that for the Dogs regularly and in a game like Origin where it is essential he will struggle.

 

[fish eel]

well...well.....he would have been picked if he wasnt lebanese!!!! :sarcasm:

 

[The Colonel]

well...well.....he would have been picked if he wasnt lebanese!!!! :sarcasm:

Only works if you're Aboriginal..... :lol: ;-)

 

[fish eel]

Only works if you're Aboriginal..... :lol: ;-)

and why do you think Merritt isnt on the other wing :lol: