Tim Smith for Half back?

[scottyeel]

I know It may be a little to early for the young fella as he is only 18-19.

I believe this is how it works Age wise for different Position or when is the best time to bring them in:

Fullback: 18-20
Wingers: 18-20
3/4: 18-19
5/8: 19-20
Half back:20-21
Lock: :20-21
2nd Row: 19-21
Front row:19-23
Hooker: 19

I believe we will see Tim Late this year in 1st grade if not definately next year.

Last night the raiders put young todd carney who is just 18 into 1st grade, he came off the bench into the 5/8 spot and IMO didnt let anyone down. Surely you dont knoew how Tim will go until he gets a chance. Please brian give him a shot. [-o<

 

[Pazza]

I'd have Tim Smith on the bench with Morris and Witt in the halves.

 

[JasonE]

C'mon let's be honest, Tim Smith has been poor for the past few weeks in Premier League and shouldn't be anywhere near NRL.
For the record Smith played Australian Schoolboys in 2002 when we got smashed by the poms.

 

[Jake the snake]

I thought he had been doing ok for the position he is not used to which is 5/8. He has been playing out of position.

From memory didn't last years school boys lose to N>Z as welll?

 

[strider]

when we got smashed by the poms

How embarassing is that...better never let him near a footy field again :lol:

 

[strider]

I believe Big Smithy (ie Brian) is giving the guys he wants to play in NRL a go at 5/8 so they can get some experience there - as big Smithy seems set on Dykes as our half (for now) - so when he puts the young guys up, they will play outside Dykes at 5/8.

 

[Eelementary]

REASONS FOR TIM SMITH TO PLAY FIRSTS:

* If he's good enough, he's old enough

* Too many injuries

* Entering a critical time where we need a decent organising halfback

* Witt was great last year; if this guy supposedly is brilliant he'll handle it

* Seeing as he's off contract, presumably we'd like to keep him. By giving him a go, it would be an extra tool to help keep him here.


REASONS FOR TIM SMITH NOT TO PLAY FIRSTS:

* If we lose or he plays badly, his confidence will go down

* We need experience plus class

* Resorting to an un-tested youngster is a last resort measure.

Overall, I'd say give him a go.

 

[eeelectroshooting?]

REASONS FOR TIM SMITH TO PLAY FIRSTS:

* If he's good enough, he's old enough

* Too many injuries

* Entering a critical time where we need a decent organising halfback

* Witt was great last year; if this guy supposedly is brilliant he'll handle it

* Seeing as he's off contract, presumably we'd like to keep him. By giving him a go, it would be an extra tool to help keep him here.


REASONS FOR TIM SMITH NOT TO PLAY FIRSTS:

* If we lose or he plays badly, his confidence will go down

* We need experience plus class

* Resorting to an un-tested youngster is a last resort measure.

Overall, I'd say give him a go.

the "good enough, old enough" theory is ok generally.

however, just to be picky, a young player can be good enough and still crumble with lack of maturity after the step up. there is much more taken into consideration with the stepping-up of a youngster.

like you said, if he plays badly/or we lose his confidance could go down, sometimes its not worth taking a few steps backwards when holding off a few more wks/mths is all it takes.


in saying that, i say bring him on anyway only if he's in the no.7. not worth the risk having him as 5/8 (where he appears to be not as comfortable) and witt or thorman at half.

 

[Eelementary]

Yes, I generally don't resort to the "If you're good enough, you're old enough" argument.

It DOES have flaws.

I would like to see him get a bench spot. Maybe introducing him in little bursts and pulling him out when he struggles would be a good idea.

 

[bartman]

I think coach Smith will select:
6. Wagon
7. Witt
Bench: Thorman/Webster

The Dykes injury would not have been as much of an issue if we didn't have four forwards on the bench. With Wags as a starter in the halves you really need to have that extra option on the bench each week, to change up the halves if things aren't working with Wags into the pack.

On Tim Smith, I'd only debut him off the bench first, and when the side has some confidence about it. I think it will happen before the end of the season, just to give him a taste if we are serious about re-signing him (or if he is serious about wanting to stay, and not chasing Delmerge $$$).

That's my opinion anyway.

 

[greena]

Watching Tim Smith in 1st Division on the weekend I would say that he needs 12 months to work on his defence before moving up with the big boys.

He reads the game well, has a good kicking and passing game but let in several tries with terrible defence. It has nothing to do with him palying out of position, he always defends out wide.

 

[fish eel]

Tim Smith needs to dominate premier league every week before getting the call up. He's not doing that at the moment. If our first grade side was dominating aka 2001, then I'd say yes, put him up.

But really, we're not dominating, Smith has been pretty quiet in reggies the last two weeks, so it really would be counterproductive playing him this week. We dont want to play him just for the sake of it.

I think we'll see either wags and witt or morris and witt in the hal;ves with hopkins to hooker.

 

[William Hung]

Watching Tim Smith in 1st Division on the weekend I would say that he needs 12 months to work on his defence before moving up with the big boys.

He reads the game well, has a good kicking and passing game but let in several tries with terrible defence. It has nothing to do with him palying out of position, he always defends out wide.

Exactly- It makes me wonder if you guys watch the game at all or just jump on the Tim Smith bandwagon. At this stage his defence is terrible (he cannot read the game in defene or tackle a man one on one), he is the second playmaker behind Thorman (so he hardly calls the shots at all) and he lacks the strength to beat tackles. Geez...give him time and he'll get better- he is nowhere near first grade standard yet though.

If you're good enough your old enough? Let me tell you, at this point in time Tim Smith is nowhere near first grade level.

Having said that he has good vision and a touch of class and if he works hard on his game he'll get to the top level within the next season or two. For mine the halves this week should be Wagon and Witt - (Witt and Dykes if he makes a miraculous recovery). Chris (I can't even feed a scrum properly) Thorman should never be let near the first grade side again- he truely is a pommy joke.

 

[eeelectroshooting?]

Watching Tim Smith in 1st Division on the weekend I would say that he needs 12 months to work on his defence before moving up with the big boys.

He reads the game well, has a good kicking and passing game but let in several tries with terrible defence. It has nothing to do with him palying out of position, he always defends out wide.

Exactly- It makes me wonder if you guys watch the game at all or just jump on the Tim Smith bandwagon. At this stage his defence is terrible (he cannot read the game in defene or tackle a man one on one), he is the second playmaker behind Thorman (so he hardly calls the shots at all) and he lacks the strength to beat tackles. Geez...give him time and he'll get better- he is nowhere near first grade standard yet though.

If you're good enough your old enough? Let me tell you, at this point in time Tim Smith is nowhere near first grade level.

Having said that he has good vision and a touch of class and if he works hard on his game he'll get to the top level within the next season or two. For mine the halves this week should be Wagon and Witt - (Witt and Dykes if he makes a miraculous recovery). Chris (I can't even feed a scrum properly) Thorman should never be let near the first grade side again- he truely is a pommy joke.

William, good point bout Smith, but maybe you're too quick to jump off the Thorman bandwagon. He showed class in few FG opportunities, and that was at our lowest point - you watch him go behind a stronger pack.

 

[William Hung]

William, good point bout Smith, but maybe you're too quick to jump off the Thorman bandwagon. He showed class in few FG opportunities, and that was at our lowest point - you watch him go behind a stronger pack.

I thought he was really horrible at the basics in his time in first grade- he just can't keep up with the game/concentrate for the full 80 minutes. His mind seems to wonder off.

Thing is- in the reggies games i've watched him play in the last fortnight- he has the exact same problems. His mind seems to wonder and he makes silly mistakes at crucial times- kicks poorly, reads the play poorly- and is basically a player who will never be more than a solid reserve grader at best.

 

[The Colonel]

On Tim Smith - I'd like to see the kid given a chance in first grade however I would prefer that he is given time before that happens. He could be a star in the making, like Karmichael Hunt or he could acquire an injury like Benji Marshall and have his season ended there and then, and as a result lose vital time in first division imperative for his development for the top flight.

 

[William Hung]

On Tim Smith - I'd like to see the kid given a chance in first grade however I would prefer that he is given time before that happens. He could be a star in the making, like Karmichael Hunt or he could acquire an injury like Benji Marshall and have his season ended there and then, and as a result lose vital time in first division imperative for his development for the top flight.

He could get an injury in reserve grade too.

Belioeve me guys- get out to a reserve grade game and you'll see that he is at least 12 months away from being able to challenge for a top grade spot- i'd be shocked to say the least if he got a run in first grade this season.

 

[Stagger eel]

without going into too much detail.

I've seen enough of him to suggest that he won't be ready for another 12 to 18 months, basically for the reasons already posted.

 

[Parraren]

Thank god for some sanity prevailing here. I think everyone is forgetting Tim Smith started the year playing Flegg and he's only 18. He needs at least a full season in Premier League before being considered for first grade. Smith started Witty in Premier League this year because he didn't want Michael to be under the pressure of leading a side around in the NRL at such a young age. Hence, there is no chance he'll rush Tim Smith into first grade after what, 5 or 6 games of Premier League. It would be a huge risk and one we don't need to take at this stage.

It looks like Dykes injury is not as serious as first thought so he could be back in 2-3 weeks anyway.

 

[Y2Eel]

Hope he plays out the year in premier league at half back, but we had better not lose him to any other clubs in the mean time...