Timana Tahu ends union nightmare by returning to Parramatta Eels

[Bazal]

im sorry but a halfback who made 1 line break in what was suppost to be a good year (2007), just cannot cut amongst the current crop of halbacks!! and can no way in the world be considered as 'one of the best in the nrl'

The "halfbacks need to run the ball" is one of the most laughable myths I've ever come across tbh, regardless of who the target is.

 

[pedge]

The "halfbacks need to run the ball" is one of the most laughable myths I've ever come across tbh, regardless of who the target is.

so you dont think that a good halfback needs to put doubt in the defenders mind as to whether he will run or pass the ball?
tell me the top halfbacks in our game atm who dont have a good running game?

 

[big boppa eel]

No one actually been given the flick, but rumored to be leaving are:
tautai
kingston
oake
hauraki
latimore
lowrie
paulo
galuvao

already gone are:
finch
wright
cordoba

Shame, really like Kingston as a player, are they definetly punting him?

 

[bartman]

Bartman I think it's pretty obvious you're letting your dislike of Tim Smith influence your opinion on his playing ability.

It's actually his overall playing ability I don't like... nothing against him as a person. I'm sure he's grown up mentally in the past few years etc, but it's laughable imo to suggest he is one of the best NRL halfbacks now.

Also why are a few good games in England insignificant but a few games in 2008 suddenly significant enough to be considered a woeful season?

Because to be a decent first grade halfback in 2009, you need more than four good games out of 16 (with Wigan in 2008/9) and more than zero good games out of four in 2008...?

 

[Bazal]

so you dont think that a good halfback needs to put doubt in the defenders mind as to whether he will run or pass the ball?
tell me the top halfbacks in our game atm who dont have a good running game?

No, I don't think that at all, and I've been a half most of my life thus far. On the flipside, explain to me why a halfback who runs the ball automatically puts doubt into the defence, and why that's supposedly enough to keep a guy guy of grade despite his kicking and passing game? Linking that back to Tim Smith, he is deadly with both of those at his best. Why should he need to run the ball every now and again to be worthy of a spot? It's a ridiculous assertion.

 

[ianlovesparra]

Just have faith in ossie and DA. They know what they are doing. I don't think they would be bringing tim back if he was going to take the club backwards, with a little guidance from a good coach and not someone like hagan and a good teacher like sterling, tim will be back to his best and we will all love him again.

 

[Avenger]

No, I don't think that at all, and I've been a half most of my life thus far. On the flipside, explain to me why a halfback who runs the ball automatically puts doubt into the defence, and why that's supposedly enough to keep a guy guy of grade despite his kicking and passing game? Linking that back to Tim Smith, he is deadly with both of those at his best. Why should he need to run the ball every now and again to be worthy of a spot? It's a ridiculous assertion.

Brian Smith also stated once in 2005 during Tim Smith's rookie year that running the ball for a 7 was an overrated quality.

 

[big boppa eel]

In a nutshell Bart. I wouldn't touch him if it was my call.

Agreed.

 

[ianlovesparra]

Shame, really like Kingston as a player, are they definetly punting him?

I'd love for him to stay to. But word is he won't be re-signed.

 

[Bazal]

Brian Smith also stated once in 2005 during Tim Smith's rookie year that running the ball for a 7 was an overrated quality.

I agree with him totally. It's great if a half can do it, but if he's got other strings to his bow then my question has always been why does he need to run? Let him play to his strengths...as I recall, Sterlo and Joey weren't the greatest runners of the ball either, and it didn't stop them from achieving what they did.

 

[pedge]

No, I don't think that at all, and I've been a half most of my life thus far. On the flipside, explain to me why a halfback who runs the ball automatically puts doubt into the defence, and why that's supposedly enough to keep a guy guy of grade despite his kicking and passing game? Linking that back to Tim Smith, he is deadly with both of those at his best. Why should he need to run the ball every now and again to be worthy of a spot? It's a ridiculous assertion.

I dont claim to be an expert...ive followed the game my whole life, but have never played it. But just looking at the current crop of topline nrl halfbacks - thurston, prince, cronk, mullen, orford, even kimmorley..they are deadly when taking the line on.

How many so called experts (who i would assume know more then u and i) used to criticse tim smith saying that he just didnt take the line on enough and needed that extra dimention in his game...

 

[bartman]

Just have faith in ossie and DA. They know what they are doing. I don't think they would be bringing tim back if he was going to take the club backwards, with a little guidance from a good coach and not someone like hagan and a good teacher like sterling, tim will be back to his best and we will all love him again.

Fair enough, and I suspect DA and PO would only be bringing Tim Smith back as a 55-75K third string/Wenty halfback, to take the place of Robson in the squad, and be behind Keating and Mortimer in the pecking order next year.

I'm saying let's not pile the pressure of expectation back onto Tim that he couldn't handle in the first place. He is not the saviour, he is not really a first choice first grade option. Reading the comments of Wigan fans in their local paper they're not even sorry he's gone, as they have a better local prospect: http://www.wigantoday.net/warriors/Warriors-confirm-Smith39s-out.5431921.jp (Comment 11 is particularly telling).

 

[ianlovesparra]

Fair enough, and I suspect DA and PO would only be bringing Tim Smith back as a 55-75K third string/Wenty halfback, to take the place of Robson in the squad, and be behind Keating and Mortimer in the pecking order next year.

I'm saying let's not pile the pressure of expectation back onto Tim that he couldn't handle in the first place. He is not the saviour, he is not really a first choice first grade option. Reading the comments of Wigan fans in their local paper they're not even sorry he's gone, as they have a better local prospect: http://www.wigantoday.net/warriors/Warriors-confirm-Smith39s-out.5431921.jp (Comment 11 is particularly telling).

If he has to come through wenty then i am happy for that, i dont want and im sure tim doesnt want to be thought of as our savior. Let him play in wenty and if he is killing it then he will earn his call up.

In DA and Ossie we trust.

 

[Bazal]

I dont claim to be an expert...ive followed the game my whole life, but have never played it. But just looking at the current crop of topline nrl halfbacks - thurston, prince, cronk, mullen, orford, even kimmorley..they are deadly when taking the line on.

How many so called experts (who i would assume know more then u and i) used to criticse tim smith saying that he just didnt take the line on enough and needed that extra dimention in his game...

That's why I said it's such a massive myth IMO, because it's so widely spread...some of the most deadly halfback performances I've seen have come without a single run. It's all down to the skills of the player, and even some of those you mention haven't got much of a running game (or, in the case of Cronk, a great running game but not an abundance of anything else).

 

[benoir91]

if we do sign smith and he fires, the 2010 first team IMO will be nothing short of amazing:

1. Jarryd HAYNE
2. Krisnan INU
3. Joel REDDY
4. Timana TAHU
5. Eric GROTHE
6. Daniel MORTIMER
7. Tim SMITH
8. Nathan CAYLESS
9. Matt KEATING
10. Justin POORE
11. Nathan HINDMARSH
12. Shane SHACKLETON
13. Feleti MATEO

14. Kris KEATING
15. Fuifui MOIMOI
16. Tim MANNAH
17. Ben SMITH

 

[pedge]

That's why I said it's such a massive myth IMO, because it's so widely spread...some of the most deadly halfback performances I've seen have come without a single run. It's all down to the skills of the player, and even some of those you mention haven't got much of a running game (or, in the case of Cronk, a great running game but not an abundance of anything else).

Ill agree ith you there - cronk while a good player, has been made to look alot better by the backs he has had around him.
I ill however disagree with you in that i think all the halfbacks i mentioned have a good running game (albeit kimmorley doesnt have the legs he once did)
I look at a player like mullen, absolutely deadly short kicking game imo, great at giving his outside backs good early ball, but his running game makes him deadly IMO, especially so close to the line because the defence just doesnt know what hes going to do....

Either way, great year next year, and Smith might make me eat my words!!

My first healthy debate on this forum

 

[bartman]

If he has to come through wenty then i am happy for that, i dont want and im sure tim doesnt want to be thought of as our savior. Let him play in wenty and if he is killing it then he will earn his call up.

In DA and Ossie we trust.

Exactly. He hasn't killed it at Wigan, that much is certain.

Tim needs to earn an NRL call up with consistent form which he hasn't shown anywhere imo since 2005. (2007 might have been an OK year, but as has been said there were other Eels players driving that season every bit as much as Tim was.)

 

[bartman]

My first healthy debate on this forum

Not bad for 18 posts, pedge... I'm sure there'll be plenty more!

 

[Jake the snake]

I have never seen a player signing polarise this forum like Tim has. And opinions seem to be 50 / 50.

 

[Bazal]

Ill agree ith you there - cronk while a good player, has been made to look alot better by the backs he has had around him.
I ill however disagree with you in that i think all the halfbacks i mentioned have a good running game (albeit kimmorley doesnt have the legs he once did)
I look at a player like mullen, absolutely deadly short kicking game imo, great at giving his outside backs good early ball, but his running game makes him deadly IMO, especially so close to the line because the defence just doesnt know what hes going to do....

Either way, great year next year, and Smith might make me eat my words!!

Mullen has a great running game, sure, but other aspects of his game are very hit and miss and he's a 6 anyway. Orford's is so-so, Kimmorley needs a good running game because he plays so insanely flat at the line, and Thurston and Prince are in a different class to be perfectly honest.

Let's go hypothetical here, and say we sign Tim Smith and he plays first grade at 7. That gives us, hypothetically;

6-KK (ball running is his best skill)
7-Tim Smith (deadly passing and kicking game)
14-Mortimer (ball running is his best skill)

Not to mention Mateo, who is a fantastic ball runner

So, in that environment, why does Tim Smith even need to run the ball? If anything, he offers (again, hypothetically) everything we lack in his kicking and passing, which are skills that KK and Mortimer are erratic with at best. He's the organiser and the 5th tackle option, and the same could be said for many sevens going around with the way the five-eighth role has evolved in the modern game. It has become the major ball running role, something Anderson realised when he tried the failed Hayne experiment earlier in the year. Most sides have a ball runner at 6, some are just lucky to have a top flight 7 as well. We can offer two excellent ball runners, so IMO our 7 doesn't need that skill regardless of who he is.