Tony Iro

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

It wasn't a stuff up though - clearly they've done just

If youre talking about Melbourne, NOONE is disputing that. Check my posts and it keeps saying Melbournes doing fine so maybe its time to leave Melbourne.

 

[JJ]

Geez everyone knew Maloney was good! I honestly did not hear of Maloney before the Warriors. Suprised Storm didnt keep him if they knew he was good. An unknown player wouldve been cheap.

Well we can only speculate really. Some will say 'Maloney leaked through the cracks' and had a Sydney based offer came, he wouldve taken it. But everyone knew he was so good, they didnt chase him! Come on...it doesnt sound right.

So it wasnt a choice out of Cronk and Maloney, so that speculation is out the window, but now 'its he was so good the clubs he wanted to play for, did not pick him.' Im sure he was unknown and when I say an unknown, I mean nobody knew hed be as good as he is know.

Nobody can ever be sure anyone's going to turn out as good as they are - injury, the right fit etc

Maloney was relatively highly touted, but was a fringe first grader at Melbourne as I recall - several clubs were interested in him... I guess maybe like Hingano if he came of contract and we had a settled/preferred halve combo - he wanted first grade, it wasn't likely to happen at Melbourne and was at other clubs who could presumably offer more money...

As I say, be nice if he was still here, but some were glad to see the back of him, and I think he wanted to go home anyway

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The only way we'd have held onto James would've been if we'd stayed as premiership contenders in 2012. He came to Auckland to advance his career, the Bluey debacle wasn't doing that for him.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

The only way we'd have held onto James would've been if we'd stayed as premiership contenders in 2012. He came to Auckland to advance his career, the Bluey debacle wasn't doing that for him.

He wanted to go back to Australia mid way through 2011 to chase his Origin dream and move back to Australia. When we decided to activate our 1 year option in the contract and not letting him go. He just played in 1st gear in 2012 season, it had nothing to do with the Bluey appointment

 

[JJ]

Opinions differ on Maloney in that last year, I don't think he was in first gear, he was far from the worst

 

[spear tackle]

I'm sure I read somewhere a few years back that Malony's manager called him and told him there were a few offers from clubs but only one team was offering a decent pay packet and a first grade spot, he was hoping for anyone except the Warriors. He didn't get his wish, but joining us was a means to an end.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

He wanted to go back to Australia mid way through 2011 to chase his Origin dream and move back to Australia. When we decided to activate our 1 year option in the contract and not letting him go. He just played in 1st gear in 2012 season, it had nothing to do with the Bluey appointment

Yeah sure. But if the rest of team had actually played like contenders he might've actually pulled finger and done the same. Any incentive he had to stick around was torpedoed by the team as a whole being a shambles.
That's the reality we have with good Aussie players- for the most part they just don't want to live in Auckland so they're only going to hang around as long as being there is good for their careers, or if they're total plodders nobody else wants. The only exceptions are older guys like pricey who have specific circumstances that make the move attractive.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

Opinions differ on Maloney in that last year, I don't think he was in first gear, he was far from the worst

He didn't even put his body on the line it was obvious he was a passenger compared to his 2010 and 2011 seasons. I was pretty pissed at him at the time but also understood why he was feeling that way. Any player that wants to leave our club we should just let them go for future references. I don't want our jersey to be cheapened anymore I cannot stand for that mediocrity. From our business POV I understood why we never let him go. I repeat we should never ever keep a player that is unhappy being in our team ever again even if we have an option to take up.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

Anyway, James Maloney was bloody good times watching the Warriors thats for sure. I doubt it but hopefully we get another one like him.

Townsend wasnt too bad but he stuck to the plan too much and didnt even look to see whats in front of him on most plays.

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

I'm sure I read somewhere a few years back that Malony's manager called him and told him there were a few offers from clubs but only one team was offering a decent pay packet and a first grade spot, he was hoping for anyone except the Warriors. He didn't get his wish, but joining us was a means to an end.

Oh how dreadful. Poor Maloney got us haha.

 

[Iafeta]

I know from a close source once James cracked it at the Warriors he had zero intention of staying in NZ. He made it pretty clear that the club was a stepping stone only.

The clubs that really stuffed up were Parramatta who had him on their books but showed no interest in him, and the Tigers. He's a life long Tigers fan and tried desperately to go there but they never had any interest in him.

 

[Meth]

Opinions differ on Maloney in that last year, I don't think he was in first gear, he was far from the worst

Opinions differed on Maloney full stop.

Its hard to deny the form that he's in right now, but I really didn't think he was as good for us as he was made out to be.

 

[Iafeta]

He was good for us. Supported excellence, good ability to break the line, good short passing game. His career broke out at the Warriors

 

[ZEROMISSTACKLES]

I agree with both you girls. For me, Maloney was exciting and everything Iafeta was saying but then I remember watching some games where he was just quiet. He'd go quiet, quiet and then he scores a try and all of a sudden the commentary blow his balloon up into a swiss ball. Defintely the man now with his last few performances in the final, actually good performance throughout the seasons!

Im confident he'll come up with a big play tomorrow.

 

[Big Marn]

I think the most value Maloney brings to teams is his goalkicking. Kicking over sideline conversions with regularity turns narrow losses into narrow wins. We definitely wouldnt have made the 2011 final without his goal kicking. Yes he has a running and kicking game, but you cant put a price on a quality goal kicker.