Whatuira, Marshall & Ryles

[God-King Dean]

Agreed. But those who rate Cooper his equal are delusional.

No doubt. I don't know of anyone who does though.

 

[Bring Back the Spliff]

The thing that separates Whatuira from Gasnier and Cooper is that he is a team player. Not saying those blokes are selfish, I just don't think they add to the cohesion of the Saints. Fatz does for us. I wouldn't swap him for Gasnier, I might for Cooper or Lyon.

Indeed!

I am GLAD I am not the only one that rates Cooper as a better centre than Gasnier!! (3 tries tonight aside - 2 of them, fortuitously from kicks!)

It makes me chuckle when people speak of Gasnier as being a 'Great Loss to the Game' in talking of his negotiations with Rugby Union!

Go Gaz. We could not care less - Australian RL will lose NOTHING!....Once again - Rugby has listened to the HYPE and PUBLICITY surrounding a player - and failed to look in any deeper - and actually take the players with the REAL abilty! Players with an actual FUTURE..that have not already reached their peak!

They think they're picking out friggin' pockets for the best of the best though!....ok - Sailor, Tuquiri and, ummmmmmm - Duncan McRae???

They seem to think they're picking our pockets - but what they fail to realise...is that those wallets are EMPTY! GO for it Rugger Buggers!! :lol:

And Saints fans that revere him...are similarly delusional! You are worshipping a false god. I can assure you!

Mind you - these are the same people that claim that Barrett & Ryles are the kind of genius players that will lead them to the promised land of a Premiership!

 

[Big Pete]

Using insults now? Wow arn't you a clever one OVP.

Who do I rate better than Whatuira? Mark Gasnier. You know what Mark can do, you saw it first hand when he tore the Roosters to shreds. Gasnier is a game breaker and a player that has that X-Factor about him. Whatuira though good isn't in the same class IMO.

I could name more, however I believe those opinions shouldn't be rushed (unlike yours) until the rest of the matches are played out.

 

[God-King Dean]

Indeed!

I am GLAD I am not the only one that rates Cooper as a better centre than Gasnier!! (3 tries tonight aside - 2 of them, fortuitously from kicks!)

You, my good man, are a moron.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

well then here is a comparisson for you.
See which device plays your 1986 GF tape at a higher quality...

Beta
or
VHS

ohhh BURN.

 

[Raider_69]

fats is awesome, one of the best centres in the game but he isnt the best
lyon, cooper, gasnier and king (when he plays there) are ahead of him atleast

 

[Bring Back the Spliff]

You, my good man, are a moron.

You my 'good man' are supporting a team that will never win a Premiership in the next decade at LEAST!...

I don't expect you to understand right now - you're obvoiusly a quite simple man, with little understanding of the game of Rugby League in general - let alone it's finer points - but when Gasnier takes himself & Anthony Minichello's mobile phone over to the Yawnion ranks...you will soon see exactly how inconsequential he is to your side!

Your puerile insults are as dust in the wind to me...you are blinded by the hype.

You just keep on listening to Gus Gould for now - for he shall continue to blow the smoke up your arse that you obviously continue to enjoy so much! ;-)

But you will come to see...in time. Ohhhhh yes you will!

 

[Munky]

Does anyone remember Gasnier letting in three tries to Bott last year?

Everyone blamed Best yet Gasnier always lets the opposite centre get outside of him.

 

[kbw]

I think "if I only had a brain" applies even more to Barrett, that guy just is so dumb, its ridiculous.
Gower for me is still CAt of the century.

On Marshall I think he had shocker, but I think the broken cheek bone didn't help.

 

[Citizen.Eras3d]

Best in the World after 1 game eh... what happens if Brett Finch has a blinder and scores 4? Do we even want to consider this?

 

[kbw]

For the last few years I have thought there has not been real great centres running around.
I'd like to see a good attacking centre that can defend like a demon too.

As much as I can see the things Gasnier is able to do, I think at union he would fail miserably. He needs room that he would not get in Union and would have some problems defending

 

[LESStar58]

Marshall
A turnstile. Just like Lockyer. But can Lockyer set up tries like that? Benji's pass to Marshall was only matched by 2 last year: his own to Richards in the GF, and Johns to Buderis in Origin 2.

Watch for opposition attacks to go towards Marshall when hes defending on the wing....send a few his way when hes having a spell out there. It'd be like sending high balls to Matt Utai!

 

[Kiwi]

To those saying marshall is better than Lockyer.

When marshall captains the Tigers, is the teams organiser, playmaker, general play kicker and stops defending on the wing, then you can talk.

 

[Johns Magic]

As much as I can see the things Gasnier is able to do, I think at union he would fail miserably. He needs room that he would not get in Union and would have some problems defending

You have twice as much room in union as in league.

 

[thuganomics]

To those saying marshall is better than Lockyer.

When marshall captains the Tigers, is the teams organiser, playmaker, general play kicker and stops defending on the wing, then you can talk.

Bingo

 

[Kiwi]

Who is deleting posts and why?

 

[Iafeta]

Whatuira is amazing.

I remember John Lang in Christmas 2002 at my uncles place. John was going on and on about some Kiwi Penrith bought ... he's NEVER seen a better attitude in his whole life. In 2003 he got a premiership ring with John Lang ... was booted after 2004, for some unknown reason, and got another one in 2005.

This guy has slipped under EVERYONE's radar. No wonder NZ kicked the crap out of us, its hardly surprising when this guy is NEVER mentioned as the best centre. But imo, he's the number 1 atm, by a LONG way.

I thought he was fairly ordinary in the Tri-Nations, even, low and behold, Clinton Toopi outplayed him.

 

[Iafeta]

The thing that separates Whatuira from Gasnier and Cooper is that he is a team player. Not saying those blokes are selfish, I just don't think they add to the cohesion of the Saints. Fatz does for us. I wouldn't swap him for Gasnier, I might for Cooper or Lyon.

Agree. The structure/set up on field for the Tigers is outstanding; everyone knows their role, they play hard up the middle with the little blokes supporting, and they go wide when they have a good platform, with depth, with creativity, with decoys.

They're incredibly tough to defend against, I'd hate to see Gasnier on the end of that, could be curtains for a lot of defensive sides.

 

[Iafeta]

To those saying marshall is better than Lockyer.

When marshall captains the Tigers, is the teams organiser, playmaker, general play kicker and stops defending on the wing, then you can talk.

Different types of five eighths.

One is an organiser, the other is a gifted individual who knows it.

As long as there's someone like Stacey Jones at #7, I'm more than comfortable with Benji Marshall in the #6 jumper against Lockyer at test level.

It will though be interesting to see who the Tigers use as #7 next year, they may not realise it, but Prince's organisation and ability to make a play on the last tackle is a valuable asset to any team and will be a loss not only to the team, but the way Benji Marshall is allowed to play - IE without too much need to put a high regard on organisation, set closure.

 

[borat]

Well talk about 4 pages of absolute BS. Apart from a few posters like R69, Big Pete and Iafeta the rest of this thread is based on clowns like OVP who watches 1 game and suddenly Whatuira is the greatest of all time. Except of course he wouldn't trade Cross or Sia for him. :roll:

How about a bit of rational thinking here. Whatuira may have been the best centre or equal to the best on the field last night. He plays in a very good team who are the premiers and is without a doubt the most underated centre in the game. BUT, as R69 said he is undoubtedly still behind Gasnier, Cooper, Lyon and King and to be brutally honest If I would probably have centres like Vagana, Hodges, Tate & Tahu infront of him also, although very close.