SMH: Grothe in Origin frame

[hybrideel]

All i have to say is as i put a few dollars on a NSW win by more than 12.5, Go Hazem. And also got Jarryd for 1st try scorer. Great night
However i agree El Masri offered little in attack and we were lucky Inglis got injured and we didn't need the extra wingers hitup to take the pressure off the forwards

 

[strider]

You guys are jokers. All you are doing is simply backing up your pre-game statements and are losing credibility fast.

Would another winger have shut down those raids? Maybe, maybe not. Hazam DID.
If anyone can sit there and say that Grothe definitely would have then they are liars. For all of Eric's good points defensive solidarity isn't at the top of the list.

You can't underestimate the value of those shots at goal. The game would have been totally different if the scores were tied, or even if we only had a 6 point lead (or worse, 4).

So, the question that really needs to be asked is: Do NSW have another player that could have kicked those goals AND been relied upon to shut down those Qld raids.

Please, answer this question - I want to know the name of this superstar who you would have picked.

chill out dude - EVERYONE has agreed el masri was great defensively and no one has said eric would have done any better

 

[fish eel]

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.

Goals kicked.
Match won.
Job done.
Selection justified.

 

[B-Tron 3000]

chill out dude - EVERYONE has agreed el masri was great defensively and no one has said eric would have done any better

First - I don't need to chill. I'm quite relaxed. I mean, it's not me who's trying to justify my ridiculous pre-match comments after being proven wrong, so why would I be worked up?

Second, people are still trying to say that it was a token selection, and claim that El Masri did nothing in regards to go-forward, which is where the Grothe thing comes in.

Honestly, this is ridicuous. Fish Eel's post sums it up. El Masri made no mistakes, saved some tries, kicked pressure goals, and was even right on the spot to score. A simple try for sure, but he still did his job well.

There's really nothing to debate, and I'm surprised people would even bother attempting to downplay his performance.

 

[Bigfella]

people are still trying to say that it was a token selection, and claim that El Masri did nothing in regards to go-forward, which is where the Grothe thing comes in.

Honestly, this is ridicuous. Fish Eel's post sums it up. El Masri made no mistakes, saved some tries, kicked pressure goals, and was even right on the spot to score.

So where does any of that disprove that he did nothing to go-forward?

PS Belly,

Luke Covell is another!

 

[fish eel]

So where does any of that disprove that he did nothing to go-forward?

PS Belly,

Luke Covell is another!

My point yesterday was for the balance of the team, in a series where the first two games where close on the scoreboard, El Masri was the best selection. Sure, he doesn't provide as much from dummy half as others, but he is solid and doesn't let you down....and nothing stopping a big centre like Matt King doing some of that dummy half work.

As for Covell....surely you're taking the piss if you're saying he is as reliable as El Masri.

 

[strider]

I reckon Covell is actually a decent player :lol: - ppl just like to bag the sh*t out of him cos he looks like a dill ..... and no i am not saying he's better than el masri, i'd pick el masri over him ... plus covell is a kiwi isn't he? - played for NZ A a year or so back

 

[Suitman]

I reckon Covell is actually a decent player :lol: - ppl just like to bag the sh*t out of him cos he looks like a dill ..... and no i am not saying he's better than el masri, i'd pick el masri over him ... plus covell is a kiwi isn't he? - played for NZ A a year or so back

Covell has been playing very well this year. Very well.

Suity

 

[strider]

and last yr aswell

 

[B-Tron 3000]

Yeah Covell is ok, and probably the only player in the NRL who could have been been in the running as a goalkicking winger instead of El Masri.

Pity he's pledged his allegiance to the Kiwi's.

As for Luke Burt - you guys are either stupid or incredibly one-eyed. Here's a little tip - Luke's been playing fullback this year. FFS.

 

[Bigfella]

I agree mate, Burt is a far better fullback than winger.

Any mention of Covell by me will certainly be taking the piss, only becasue he excites so much emotion on these pages!

Has been going well though...

BTW I like Hasem, and admire him as a person. I just don't think you should get picked in rep teams for being "safe". You should be the best in your position (pending injuries and avaialbility) ... and IMO he's not, and last night's performance did nothing to change that opinion.

And also, plenty of players play different positions in rep games than they do in club games. Soemone had a massive whinge at me for suggesting Bird as a 5/8 because he plays backrow for the Sharks ... but it doesn't stop him playing a role. Just like Greg Inglis would walk into any rep team at most positions other than 5/8.

 

[The Colonel]

My post was funny was it Colonel?

Hilarious. It isn't about Grothe at least from my perspective.

Could have, should have, would have, if only Qld were fit, blah blah blah. Why don't we talk about what DID happen? Possibly because you guys were WRONG. Admit it.

Admit I was wrong about his selection being nothing but a token gesture as a goalkicker? At this stage I'm not wrong. He proved that as a goalkicker he was the correct selection. If he makes game one next year then I'll admit I was wrong. Until then :lol: .

 

[fish eel]

I agree mate, Burt is a far better fullback than winger.

Any mention of Covell by me will certainly be taking the piss, only becasue he excites so much emotion on these pages!

Has been going well though...

BTW I like Hasem, and admire him as a person. I just don't think you should get picked in rep teams for being "safe". You should be the best in your position (pending injuries and avaialbility) ... and IMO he's not, and last night's performance did nothing to change that opinion.

And also, plenty of players play different positions in rep games than they do in club games. Soemone had a massive whinge at me for suggesting Bird as a 5/8 because he plays backrow for the Sharks ... but it doesn't stop him playing a role. Just like Greg Inglis would walk into any rep team at most positions other than 5/8.

I would add to that part that I bolded that you should also include the team balance, and with injuries, and his goalkicking, El Masri provided the best option for the side.

In anycase, they won, there is no game 4, so its academic,

 

[Belly in Brisvegas]

As for Luke Burt - you guys are either stupid or incredibly one-eyed. Here's a little tip - Luke's been playing fullback this year. FFS.

Hey mate...Matt King plays centre for the Storm but for the first two games they picked him on the wing.

Burt was put forward in the context of being able to kick goals, tackle a bit and provide a bit more in attack which is what he does better at club level than Hazem IMO.

 

[B-Tron 3000]

Hilarious. It isn't about Grothe.

The thread title would suggest otherwise.

As would the suggestions by everyone that Hazem's lack of go-forward was a problem.

So, if it's not about Grothe, please inform me who it is I am discussing the merits of. Because, y'see, when you suggest someone isn't good enough you really should have a viable alternative.

Admit I was wrong about his selection being nothing but a token gesture as a goalkicker? At this stage I'm not wrong.

No? Then why was this your next sentence:

He proved that as a goalkicker he was the correct selection.

He can't be a token selection and the correct selection at the same time now, can he?

I'll tell you why you said he was the correct selection - because goalkicking is not a token skill. It's very important.

Besides, was it his goalkicking skills that enabled him to come off his wing and snuff out three potentially matchwinning tries?

Defensive judgement for a winger is one of the hardest things in the game. Hazem gets it right nearly all the time.

If he makes game one next year then I'll admit I was wrong. Until then :lol: .

You're hilarious. You know very well (or perhaps you don't) that this discussion is about this game, not next year. No-one knows who will be fit and firing next year.



Again I ask people to post their alternatives please.

So far we have Grothe (liability in defence, can't kick goals), Burt (ummm, fullback, and offers absolutely nothing from the wing that Hazem doesn't have) and Covell (Kiwi :lol: ).

Any others?

Please, go through this week's team sheets and give us a name.

 

[Bigfella]

Fair enough Fishy.

 

[The Colonel]

No? Then why was this your next sentence:


He can't be a token selection and the correct selection at the same time now, can he?

He can be a token selection and a correct selection. For the selectors who have been hounded from pillar to post about the selection they have been found as being correct as his goal kicking seemingly helped in the end. If he was good enough for selection in the last game than he should have been good enough for the first two. Much like his Australian jersey this was just a reward for a long serving player hence it being a token selection as well. If he makes game one next year based on form then I'm more than happy for this to be brought up again. Until that happens his selection is nothing more than a token gesture by the NSWRL and selectors which for them paid off.

I'll tell you why you said he was the correct selection - because goalkicking is not a token skill. It's very important.

Specialist goalkickers make teams the world over - always have done. Eion Crossan, Ian Herron, Ross Conlon, Joel Caine...... mediocre players who wouldn't have made first grade or representative teams if they weren't good goal kickers. Sure in the end its important but unless the contribute then they are carrying a player for the sake of one skill. Thankfully for the selectors they were vindicated in the end.... shame they couldn't have been a little more adventurous in the first few games. I suppose one from three is reasonable odds....

As for alternative selections as wingers first and foremost - Michael Robertson and Chris Hicks, Nathan Merritt, Josh Morris, Adam MacDougall. All in as good if not better form than that of El Masri and would have been just as capable of contributing..... outside of only one area - goalkicking.

 

[The Colonel]

As for Luke Burt - you guys are either stupid or incredibly one-eyed. Here's a little tip - Luke's been playing fullback this year. FFS.

:lol:

Gidley - playing fullback or five eight, came on at hooker.
Bird - playing lock, played the game at 5/8.
King, played his entire Origin career until last night on the wing while at club level has played the past three seasons in the centres.

Players adapt.

 

[Bazal]

I dunno if this has been said, but lets put it in perspective. El Masri was marking Shaun Berrigan...a hooker playing wing. Sure, he was solid, but he didn't have much to contend with. Other than kicking some goals and falling on a loose ball...what did he do? Not very much and I can't say he deserves another shot based on that performance. Solid is not what Origin is about, although with the sanitary and often boring nature of the contest these days I can see why people are jumping up and down about that mediocre performance

 

[The Colonel]

I dunno if this has been said, but lets put it in perspective. El Masri was marking Shaun Berrigan...a hooker playing wing. Sure, he was solid, but he didn't have much to contend with. Other than kicking some goals and falling on a loose ball...what did he do? Not very much and I can't say he deserves another shot based on that performance. Solid is not what Origin is about, although with the sanitary and often boring nature of the contest these days I can see why people are jumping up and down about that mediocre performance