TUPOU coming WIDDOP going

[giboz71]

Wow we've gone full circle in this thread, Widdops gone from being shown the door to being Captain.

Don't think they will take the captaincy away from Benny Creagh but agree that both Widdop or Joel Thompson would make excellent leaders.

 

[Vasilevsky]

Earlier in the season McGregor wanted Benji to be captain. Benji said he turned Mary down because he thought it was unfair to someone like Nightingale. I think Benji would make the best captain and think he will be captain next year.

Also, I think the hysteric ravings of 'BennyV' and 'Mr Red' say it all. Widdop played well. I think they would have only scored 1 or 2 tries without Benji but finally Widdop actually took the ball and ran with it like he actually wanted to break the line, kicked the ball with purpose and looked like he actually wanted to create something in attack rather than be scared of making a mistake and thus, take the easy option of just passing right away to a player in a worse position than himself. If Widdop plays a few more games like that, taking some pressure off Dugan and Benji to create everything in attack themselves, we will probably see more Benji and Dugan masterclasses like they put on in the second half.

 

[The Nick]

Wow we've gone full circle in this thread, Widdops gone from being shown the door to being Captain.

Don't think they will take the captaincy away from Benny Creagh but agree that both Widdop or Joel Thompson would make excellent leaders.

Goes to show that a week is a bloody long time in Rugby League!

 

[hardbaby]

Earlier in the season McGregor wanted Benji to be captain. Benji said he turned Mary down because he thought it was unfair to someone like Nightingale. I think Benji would make the best captain and think he will be captain next year.

I could think of nothing worse. A brilliant talent that goes missing all too often. My captaincy pick is Joel Thompson. He was always considered a future captain at the Raiders. He is the right style of player. A tough guy who puts in 100% every game, never shirks and is hugely popular with his team mates. That's what we need. Some serious steel...

 

[BennyV]

I could think of nothing worse. A brilliant talent that goes missing all too often. My captaincy pick is Joel Thompson. He was always considered a future captain at the Raiders. He is the right style of player. A tough guy who puts in 100% every game, never shirks and is hugely popular with his team mates. That's what we need. Some serious steel...

I 100% support Joel Thompson as captain. All hail the Real JT! Definite caotain material.

Not even sure why, but he is becoming one of my favorites in this team.

 

[Vasilevsky]

I could think of nothing worse. A brilliant talent that goes missing all too often. My captaincy pick is Joel Thompson. He was always considered a future captain at the Raiders. He is the right style of player. A tough guy who puts in 100% every game, never shirks and is hugely popular with his team mates. That's what we need. Some serious steel...

Joel Thompson would make a great captain but my pick would still be Benji. There is something to be said for the added responsibility giving him the right kind of subconscious perspective not to go missing. I don't think he goes missing anyway. It must be hard for both him and Dugan being the only backline players that do anything noteworthy in attack on a regular basis.

It reminds me of what they used to say about Hayne. For him it was even worse at Parra. The opposition defense could ignore 12 of Parras 13 players (no, I don't mean that literally 'BennyV' and 'Mr Red'......) and only concentrate on keeping Hayne quiet.

 

[BennyV]

Joel Thompson would make a great captain but my pick would still be Benji. There is something to be said for the added responsibility giving him the right kind of subconscious perspective not to go missing. I don't think he goes missing anyway. It must be hard for both him and Dugan being the only backline players that do anything noteworthy in attack on a regular basis.

It reminds me of what they used to say about Hayne. For him it was even worse at Parra. The opposition defense could ignore 12 of Parras 13 players (no, I don't mean that literally 'BennyV' and 'Mr Red'......) and only concentrate on keeping Hayne quiet.

Benji's issue isn't necessarily that he goes missing. His issue is that he tends to overplay his hand and the result can be horrible. He's thrown 2 intercepts in the last 2 games that directly lead to opposition tries, and I can think of a number of occasions yesterday where he interrupted a set move to step, dance and try to go himself, which completely throws off the attack (and for a captain to be doing that is bad for the team). This wouldn't be so much of an issue if we had a hooker or another half who's job is to control the game and direct the team around, but we dont, that's Benji's job.

He gets distracted being the chief game manager as it is, I'd hate to see how it suffers if he had the added responsibility of captaincy.

As for the defence only having to worry about Dugan and Benji...god I hope other coaches are telling their teams this!

 

[Vasilevsky]

As for the defence only having to worry about Dugan and Benji...god I hope other coaches are telling their teams this!

Is that what I stated? Apart from your nasty cynicism do you also have problems with simple English comprehension? Having said that, certainly Benji and Dugan are the only backs who have caused more than a little trouble for the opposition defence on a regular basis this year. If including forwards you would have to add Frizell, Thompson, and even Rein and JDB (due to his excellent offloads). Of course if counting short kicking game, you would have to add Widdop as well though not as much trouble as with Benjis short kicks.