The Freshen Up Worked Wonders.

[Maroubra Eel]

I get the impression that like yourself that a certain few players drop thier heads and give up when the going gets tough, thats the down fall this year not Morts, shut the f**k up with your morts bashing. Morts and Hindy were really the only players who would get back up when the going was tough, thats the type of players i want playing for my team, you obviously want someone who can win you every single game of the season, goodluck finding that, eveyone has bad games and bad seasons live with it.

I agree that he tries hard and always give 100%. But he just doesn't seem up to standard.

He is a tough little courageous player though.

I don't like your tone when you say to shut the f**k up. I'm pretty certain you wouldn't say it to my face. It doesn't do anything for you.

 

[lewiscook]

Perfectly agree. Says a lot about supposed 'fans' here.

"IT is harsh but its a business and he should not be considered for nrl again has got nothing ."

Wow. Tell that to every team that does their level best to shut him down.
Tell that to him after what he did individually last year.

There is no player in Rugby League that has got 'nothing'. The issue with Mortimer this year is that he has been forced to play a style of game he will never adapt to; moving him to halfback was a terrible decision, when he is clearly too young and lacking the halfback skills to wear the number 7 and be given all responsibility for organising our team. You look at the average age a halfback debuts, it it is around 23 or so, and these players usually play halfback through their whole education.
Mortimer is 21, and has never played halfback before.

Pretty obvious what the problem with Mortimer is....

But let's look at his strengths;
STRENGTHS
Easily the toughest young player in the NRL. -something that is very important in RL
A good defender given his size. -something that is very important in RL
Never say die attitude. -possibly THE most important thing in RL
More heart than any other young player I have seen. -obviously very important in RL.
A good short-kicking game, if you want evidence of this watch video highlights of him from this year or last year to see that when it works, it has brilliant results; his grubber and chip-kicks for himself when he is on are brilliant. -a very good attacking attribute, one that is typical of a GOOD FIVE-EIGHTH.
Brilliant support-running and good running game. When he is playing his natural game at FIVE-EIGHTH and on song, Mortimer cuts through defenders with relative ease, and he is extremely fast off the mark. If you had him at five-eighth with Cooper Cronk at halfback, he would be the Eels version of Billy Slater (the Cronk/Slater combo).

Those last points tell you immediately what his best position is. Why he was moved to halfback is beyond me. That is a decision the coach made, and it is quite obviously why Mortimer has struggled so badly this year (that and opposition teams have figured out how to defend against him and shut him down). When you look at the games this year when he has played his best, it has been when he has been allowed to play his natural supporting game; his chip-kick try against the Sharks should tell you that, plus his short grubbers for himself last year were fantastic.

What do you notice about this year, that he hasn't been doing? He hasn't been doing chip-kicking or played a support-player role at all, thus quite OBVIOUSLY the reason he is struggling. Whenever you take a player away from their natural game, especially when they are that young, it can have dire consequences. Of course Mortimer is in a form slump, but I bet he would be playing so much better if Anderson had let him play at five-eighth.

What did last night show? He played five-eighth, showed more heart than any other player and was actually one of our better players that night in a sh*t team.
So before you say he has got 'nothing', maybe you should look at my list, which are all proven by fact, and then make up your mind. He is a five-eighth, not a halfback. Want to know why he has been sh*t this year? Ask the coach for making him wear the no 7 and not allowing him to play his natural, and best, type of game.

Wonderful post Boxhead i agree with everything you have pointed out here.

All thoughs plusses about Mortimer will ensure that he will become a great player for the eels one day with his persistence and never die attitude.

Great post.

 

[yy_cheng]

Look I am no mortz fan.

I think he could make a good 5/8th if we had a decent 7. But the point is WE DO NOT.

Even last year, it was Robbo on one side and Mortz on the other.

We were playing 2 halves last year who controls one side of the field.

So he wasn't actually playing 5/8th, he was playing more halfback but on one side of the field.

Last year, it was on the back of Fui's (and Grothe's) charges and a freakish Hayne.

The thing is, he has been worked out and has not developed anything else in his game to solve this.

Unless we get a decent 7, I just don't think he has the skills right now to play 6.

 

[ElectricEel]

Dude, he was one of our better players tonight.
If you couldn't see that, you are blind.

He put in his 100% effort, unlike 14 of 17 players out there tonight.....

Yep. Agreed.

 

[spartan2153]

why is it that every mortimer fan's first defence statement they use is always gives 100% effort. When you have no basic tallent apart from trying hard & backing up well. He does not have the basic skill set to succeed. Its a shame he is not taller or about 15 kilos heavier other wise he would make the perfect lock. Stick him in the mmiddle & defend. Llike a luck or wagon.

Look at his games last year. He never once put a player thru a gap. A 5/8 last i ckecked is also a link to the backline & not a put it under your arm & run player.

He stould out because teams did not know what to expect. This year he really got found out to be a imposter

 

[boxhead]

why is it that every mortimer fan's first defence statement they use is always gives 100% effort. When you have no basic tallent apart from trying hard & backing up well. He does not have the basic skill set to succeed. Its a shame he is not taller or about 15 kilos heavier other wise he would make the perfect lock. Stick him in the mmiddle & defend. Llike a luck or wagon.

Look at his games last year. He never once put a player thru a gap. A 5/8 last i ckecked is also a link to the backline & not a put it under your arm & run player.

He stould out because teams did not know what to expect. This year he really got found out to be a imposter

I actually do remember him putting players through gaps, but his strength was always his short-kicking game, not his passing. If you notice, only type of kicking he has been doing is long, which isn't good at all. His two main attacking strengths last year were short-kicking and support-running, both of which he has barely done at all this season, thus why I believe he will step up once he actually gets a dominant half with him so he can play to his strengths.

"Look I am no mortz fan.

I think he could make a good 5/8th if we had a decent 7. But the point is WE DO NOT."

That's why we are trying to desperately to get Quade Cooper or someone else. However, even if we don't get a big name, we've got by far the best playmaker in the NYC; Brad Murray, and if he plays in first-grade next year, I bet he will succeed. Pair him with Mortimer, and they can be dynamite. Think Todd Carney and Mitchell Pearce; not as much talent or flexibility obviously, but still a young duo that could absolutely carve teams up.

 

[mrpwnd]

Brad Murray/Quade Cooper to partner with Humble. End of story.

 

[Suitman]

he has got all the qualities to be a five-eighth,

In fact, he has very view, almost no qualities to be a 5/8th.

FFS, he can't even pass a ball properly. And.......I'm being serious.

Suity

 

[yy_cheng]

In fact, he has very view, almost no qualities to be a 5/8th.

FFS, he can't even pass a ball properly. And.......I'm being serious.

Suity

Well he can pass it but it either goes to ground or he is out of sync with the runner. He has thrown some BEAUTIFUL HOSPITAL PASSES though.

No wonder he doesn't get a chance to show off his short kicking skills because the runner drops it when he is smashed in the hospital ward.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Morts is a forward in a halves body.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

He is a tough little bugger.

 

[mrpwnd]

I actually do remember him putting players through gaps, but his strength was always his short-kicking game, not his passing.

What is this short-kicking game you are referring to? Could it be result of what happens when he tries to kick long? Or could it be the 0.00001 average line drop-outs we get?

I respect the kid's effort...But atm he's struggling, out of form and overwhelmed by players who have the measure over him now. DA should have the balls to throw him in Wenty, instead of all this stupid 'being rested' crap he's been touting about for the last 2 weeks.

 

[Schiltzenberger]

Id agree with that perspective. I would not be un happy if Ben Smith became co captain next year. OR Captain in his own right when Hindy retires.

I agree, Smith would make a good captain. He'd rev them up when he needed to.

I think that has been one of the teams problems since Cayless was made captain, and maybe one of the reasons why the team has looked mentally weak for the last 10 years. When we were playing crap and needed a rev up in goal or something Cayless just didn't look like he was really giving it to them. Sometimes after a try you'd be think he'd be into them in the in goal but he wasn't even talking, he was just standing there watching the kick attempt.

Brian Smith made him captain because he was respected by his young team mates when we had that really young team. There is a difference between having the respect of people and being an on field leader and captain.

I'm not part of the Mortz fan club, sorry. For mine Ando dumped Finchy and after all was said and done ended up with a worse version of the player he dumped.

Morts is a good backeruperer, defender, team mate, but has no kicking game or money ball. Finchy can actually get repeat sets and (from time to time) even put a guy into a hole.

Rose coloured glasses off people.

+1
Morts is a talentless hack, which is obvious because his supporters are using the same terms that were used for Finch......'tries hard' 'has ticker' 'always gives 100%' 'tough for his size' etc. etc.
We could sign up a number of park footballers that would fit those same descriptions.

 

[boxhead]

I agree, Smith would make a good captain. He'd rev them up when he needed to.

I think that has been one of the teams problems since Cayless was made captain, and maybe one of the reasons why the team has looked mentally weak for the last 10 years. When we were playing crap and needed a rev up in goal or something Cayless just didn't look like he was really giving it to them. Sometimes after a try you'd be think he'd be into them in the in goal but he wasn't even talking, he was just standing there watching the kick attempt.

Brian Smith made him captain because he was respected by his young team mates when we had that really young team. There is a difference between having the respect of people and being an on field leader and captain.


+1
Morts is a talentless hack, which is obvious because his supporters are using the same terms that were used for Finch......'tries hard' 'has ticker' 'always gives 100%' 'tough for his size' etc. etc.
We could sign up a number of park footballers that would fit those same descriptions.

:roll:
I'm not even going to bother. Hey, you are 'useless hacks'. Doesn't sound good when you get called it, does it? Oh but wait, it's the "truth". Grow up.

 

[boxhead]

What is this short-kicking game you are referring to? Could it be result of what happens when he tries to kick long? Or could it be the 0.00001 average line drop-outs we get?

I respect the kid's effort...But atm he's struggling, out of form and overwhelmed by players who have the measure over him now. DA should have the balls to throw him in Wenty, instead of all this stupid 'being rested' crap he's been touting about for the last 2 weeks.

I'm referring to his little grubber and chip-kicks for himself, and also for other players when he is away from the goal-line.
I have a very good memory of last year, and I remember a lot of tries were scored either by him or set up by him because of his short-kicking, i.e. kicking for himself when nothing is on.
That's what is dangerous about Mortimer; his unpredictability.
This year, playing halfback and teams having figured him out somewhat, he has struggled. I can see the bvious reason why (he isn't a halfback).


See I like arguing, it's good for everyone to get their opinions out.
But please, if people are going to take the piss out of Mortimer at least try and suggest stuff he can do to improve his game?
He's on a lucrative deal with us, we won't let him sit in Wenty for any extended period of time, so what do you think he should do to get his form back?

 

[Schiltzenberger]

:roll:
I'm not even going to bother. Hey, you are 'useless hacks'. Doesn't sound good when you get called it, does it? Oh but wait, it's the "truth". Grow up.

:lol:
I don't care what you call me.

You think Morts has talent and is a good player, so your opinion is not worth the toilet paper it's wiped on.

See I like arguing, it's good for everyone to get their opinions out.
But please, if people are going to take the piss out of Mortimer at least try and suggest stuff he can do to improve his game?
He's on a lucrative deal with us, we won't let him sit in Wenty for any extended period of time, so what do you think he should do to get his form back?

We have been saying that he can't kick, can't pass, can't tackle and can't organise.
So he can work on those for a start.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Our 6 and 7 play either side of the ruck. I don't think moving Morts to the other side of the ruck is going to make much difference.

But he is a tough little bugger an he tries really hard.

 

[boxhead]

:lol:
I don't care what you call me.

You think Morts has talent and is a good player, so your opinion is not worth the toilet paper it's wiped on.


We have been saying that he can't kick, can't pass, can't tackle and can't organise.
So he can work on those for a start.

I wasn't directly insulting you, that's the way it came off but anyway....

What really annoys me about your post is that because I have my opinion, you think it's worthless and thus think I'm full of sh*t. I'm allowed to think what I want, as are you, I was never calling your opinion into question, it was more the wording.

I think he can kick (short, not long), he does need to work on his passing, and he can't organise because he isn't a halfback.

I think he has the key ingredients to succeed in NRL, because it's true you don't have to have any talent to succeed in RL, but the problem then is his position, and who controls the game for him. I reckon that if you keep him at five-eighth and get a dominant halfback (we will see how Brad Murray goes), then maybe he will succeed? To be fair, some five-eighths have been successful and only used their speed and heart to do well....
What do you think though?

 

[Schiltzenberger]

I wasn't directly insulting you, that's the way it came off but anyway....

What really annoys me about your post is that because I have my opinion, you think it's worthless and thus think I'm full of sh*t. I'm allowed to think what I want, as are you, I was never calling your opinion into question, it was more the wording.

I called him a 'talentless hack' and you replied that we were 'useless hacks'. I assumed we were 'useless hacks' because we have been bagging Morts, which was insulting our opinion.
So that's why I insulted your opinion, plus I thought my insult was funny.
Whether or not it was is a matter of opinion.;-)

I think he can kick (short, not long), he does need to work on his passing, and he can't organise because he isn't a halfback.

I think he has the key ingredients to succeed in NRL, because it's true you don't have to have any talent to succeed in RL, but the problem then is his position, and who controls the game for him. I reckon that if you keep him at five-eighth and get a dominant halfback (we will see how Brad Murray goes), then maybe he will succeed? To be fair, some five-eighths have been successful and only used their speed and heart to do well....
What do you think though?

While I still don't think he is talented.
I have said it before and will say it again, Morts would look better with a more dominant organising partner. Robson is a back up, nothing more.
If Morts had a Prince, Thurston or Cronk type of player next to him he wouldn't look as bad, but most players would look ok next to them.

We haven't got one of those players, so we needed more from Morts, and he hasn't been able to give us more, and it stands out like a sore thumb.

Most other halves-5/8s that enter the comp have some sort of passing or kicking game but Morts doesn't have either.

 

[joseph1]

Maloney