Who would you rather have as your Halfback? Mitchell Pearce or Johnathon Thurston

[johns_reds]

I think a better thread would've been something like "who would you rather at your club as halfback? Jonathon Thurston Or Andrew Johns" (bar the injuries)

Thurston as Johns is too old now... :sarcasm:

 

[God-King Dean]

absolute rubbish. he's better than pearce, but he's not the best player in the league. the bloke does stuff all for 60 minutes of a game... and i'm amazed some other people don't see it. yes the other 20 minutes are often pretty influential, but he fair dinkum goes MIA for about the first 30 minutes of each half.

i would take cam smith, greg inglis (although form is down), billy slater, robbie farah and benji marshall over thurston, and that's literally just off the top of my head.

thurston is the best halfback in the league, but it's not by the absurd margins that his fans think.

Thurston is a machine. You don't have to think he's the best player, but to say Thurston goes MIA is one of the most absurd things I've read on this forum.

 

[user_nat]

I think a better thread would've been something like "who would you rather at your club as halfback? Jonathon Thurston Or Andrew Johns" (bar the injuries)

Great half back or a pretty bad sideline commentator.. tough one. :sarcasm:

 

[ME SO HORNBY!]

Id take Johns over Thurston. Haynetrain said earlier that hayne isn't in Thurstons league..... well Thurston isn't in Johns league.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Thurston as Johns is too old now... :sarcasm:

haha ill make myself clearer next time lol andrew johns IN HIS PRIME

 

[typicalfan]

Farah and Marshall didn't lead their side to the 2005 Premiership? Riiiight...

The Cowboys have only made one finals appearance since 2005 and have won less games than the Tigers to boot. Even with JT, the Cowboys are wildly inconsistent. From a club level, I'd take both of them over JT. sh*t, I'd take Cronk over Thurston, and I don't think Manly would have won 2008 with Thurston there. No doubting his class at representative level however.

The Cowboys have been but Thurston hasn't. The Cowboys rely on their big 4 Bowen, Thurston, Payne and O'Donnell and getting them all on the park at once seems too hard for the Cowboys. I think laying the blame on Thurston for the Cowboys inconsistency is wrong and would have him in a heartbeat over any other halfback unless I wanted to play Thurston as a 5/8 which I wouldnt mind doing but I definitely would never pick Pearce over him.

Cronk is a very good halfback but it is easy having the best fullback, centre and hooker in the game all in your side isn't it? I think it is.

 

[Shorty]

Of course Cooper Cronk is a fantastic halfback, let's see how he goes with a team like the Sharks or perhaps Canberra.
And of course you'd have Benji Marshall or Robbie Farah, but how good do they look without each other? Hell even in Origin Farah struggles bigtime.

Apparently Thurston's expected to do it on his own, when if some of you actually paid attention you'd realise when the Cowboys win games or do well, he actually doesn't do it on his own.

 

[I bleed blue & gold]

Thurston for sure.

 

[Someone]

Jeff robson beats them all easily.

 

[The Tank]

Honestly, is there anyone on earth they seriously believes Pearce is even close to Thurston? Even Mitchell himself would be embarassed by this thread.

 

[Didgi]

Would you rather a solid defender, great organiser, great leader and quickly becoming one of the hottest halves in the game at the helm for your side as the main aggressor or

A player who is completely over-hyped has no organisation skills what-so-ever, is only in the Australian side what I believe in reputation and really hasn't had an overly good season since 2007?.
-------------------------------
My brief thoughts.

Stop making excuses for Thurston and the Cowboys side which is apparently not a good proposition on paper, Thurston was trained to link up with Bowen and Payne, He's had enough time to get used to them not being there, He simply has no leadership skills, no time management or no organisational skills. Why do you think the Cowboys have been struggling these last few years?, The lack of Time Aaron Payne has played and the Cowboys lack of a leader to steer them around the park, If Cowboys are to be a success, either get a halfback who can organise his troops or just hope Aaron Payne can stay on the field.

Thurston is only the player he is due to Payne being around him and really developing his role at halfback and also the big game experience I believe he's lucky to of had for so long.

I love Mitchell Pearce's determination, I love his courage and I love his willingness to take on a leadership role at such a young age. The bloke has what i believe the best passing game in the competition and he is a very handy kicker in general play, The bloke has everything you want in an apprenctice halfback still learning the trade. He also has one of the better defensive games for a halfback.

I don't believe the Roosters have a much better side then the Cowboys to be totally honest. and look at the difference in the position on the table.

Lol, the opening to your post is based purely on emotion and opinion.
1) A halfback's job is not to tackle. A good defender is an asset in any position, but defence is not important to a halfback.
2) A halfback's job IS to create linebreaks, set up tries, and organise the team. Please don't tell me you think that Pearce is better at any of those than Thurston.
3) "Overhyped.. hasnt had a good season since 2007" Overhyped - Ummlolwut? I agree that Thurston isn't able to showcase his true potential beside some of the hacks that Henry has in our team, but overhyped is just not the word. I understand this sin't about rep, but you only need to see Thurston play in a SOO or Test to see him really come into his own.
4) Thurston links beautifully with Bowen and Payne, but there is sometimes a lack of team cohesion.

You don't think the Roosters have a much better team than the Cowboys?
Perret, Mini, SK-D, Carney, Anasta, Pearce, Myles, etc. All representative players.

If you want 'lucky to get the big game', you only need to look at Pearce's Origin appearance.

 

[Adolf Hitler]

The Cowboys have been but Thurston hasn't. The Cowboys rely on their big 4 Bowen, Thurston, Payne and O'Donnell and getting them all on the park at once seems too hard for the Cowboys. I think laying the blame on Thurston for the Cowboys inconsistency is wrong and would have him in a heartbeat over any other halfback unless I wanted to play Thurston as a 5/8 which I wouldnt mind doing but I definitely would never pick Pearce over him.

It's not Thurston's fault directly, but his bite at the salary cap contributes to the teams' inconsistency.

Spend less dollars on a good halfback (I don't think anyone is denying (except maybe for Gaybar) that Pearce is a good halfback), and spread the love on your whole roster. The roosters failed last year with the Mason-O'meley debacle. They seem to have a good mix this season.

Pearce is the perfect sort of halfback to build the core of a strong team.

**rushes off to build a fantasy team**

Heil me

 

[Tigers_are_Pro]

Thurston is a two time Dally M winner and comfortably the best halfback in the game and better than Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall. Those guys are yet to prove anything other than they are immensely talented, they haven't guided their side to a premiership although they were involved in one, and they have for the last 4 seasons failed to even make the semi finals. Greg Inglis and Billy Slater might be on their day as good but there are plently of quality centres and fullbacks in the game, not plenty of halfbacks of JTs class, in fact there aren't any.

I know many many "football analysts" that would highly disagree with you. You are entitled to your opinion but please save us the I am a better poster than you BS.

What the hell do you have against the Tigers?

I'm not saying Farah and Benji are as good as Thurston, Benji may be but Farah plays a different position and just isn't quite simply.

You say they didn't guide the Tigers to a premiership but were involved? They were the 6 and 9 and two of the best players in our run to it, you have no f**king clue.

How many premierships has Thurston guided the Cowboys to? None. What about JT leading the Doggies to their premiership in 04 with his amazing 400 odd minutes off the bench throughout the course of the season.

Thurston has made the semi's only 1 more time at the Cowboys....

Ahh forget it, you can't polish a turd.

 

[Tigers_are_Pro]

Lol, the opening to your post is based purely on emotion and opinion.
1) A halfback's job is not to tackle. A good defender is an asset in any position, but defence is not important to a halfback.
2) A halfback's job IS to create linebreaks, set up tries, and organise the team. Please don't tell me you think that Pearce is better at any of those than Thurston.
3) "Overhyped.. hasnt had a good season since 2007" Overhyped - Ummlolwut? I agree that Thurston isn't able to showcase his true potential beside some of the hacks that Henry has in our team, but overhyped is just not the word. I understand this sin't about rep, but you only need to see Thurston play in a SOO or Test to see him really come into his own.
4) Thurston links beautifully with Bowen and Payne, but there is sometimes a lack of team cohesion.

You don't think the Roosters have a much better team than the Cowboys?
Perret, Mini, SK-D, Carney, Anasta, Pearce, Myles, etc. All representative players.

If you want 'lucky to get the big game', you only need to look at Pearce's Origin appearance.

lol wut? You're saying Thurston's a better organiser than Pearce.
That's like saying John Morris is a better 5/8th than Wally Lewis.

 

[Rudderriffic]

Of course Cooper Cronk is a fantastic halfback, let's see how he goes with a team like the Sharks or perhaps Canberra.

Point taken about Cronk to the Sharks, but Cronk to Canberra would be a pretty damn good fit. They have a talent laden young side, their biggest weakness at the moment is steady direction in the 7 and the 9, Cronk playing a similar game as he does in Melbourne would be great for them. 1, 6, 7, & 9 of Duggan, Campese, Cronk, and a player that isn't Alan Tongue, would be a great spine.

As for the thread topic, easily Thurston if you ignore realities like how much of your salary cap he wants. If you were a hypothetical club having to think about salary cap issues, then it would be difficult to justify his asking price as it practically cripples your club. In saying that, if the media begin 'reporting' Pearce's good form in a simlar light to Hayne of late last year and beyond, then who knows how much Pearce's manager would demand.

 

[Non Terminator]

You don't think the Roosters have a much better team than the Cowboys?
Perret, Mini, SK-D, Carney, Anasta, Pearce, Myles, etc. All representative players.

We have 11 current/former rep players in our squad. You have 9.
By that logic there isn't much difference.

 

[Raider_69]

Not often you get a thread dealt with by the 4th post, but here it is

Thurston and its not even close.

FTR, canberra with Cooper Cronk, or any top class halfback, would be a fair dinkum contender. Its the only missing link but the most important by far.

 

[typicalfan]

What the hell do you have against the Tigers?

I'm not saying Farah and Benji are as good as Thurston, Benji may be but Farah plays a different position and just isn't quite simply.

You say they didn't guide the Tigers to a premiership but were involved? They were the 6 and 9 and two of the best players in our run to it, you have no f**king clue.

How many premierships has Thurston guided the Cowboys to? None. What about JT leading the Doggies to their premiership in 04 with his amazing 400 odd minutes off the bench throughout the course of the season.

Thurston has made the semi's only 1 more time at the Cowboys....

Ahh forget it, you can't polish a turd.

I have nothing against the Tigers I just rate Farah and Marshall below Thurston. However I rate them higher than Mitchell Pearce. It was in response to someone suggesting Thurston went MIA and tagged these two players as better but in the past Marshall and Farah have frustrated their fans on occasion especially Marshall as going MIA, but he has stepped up this year and I have said many times I think Marshall is now the best 6 in the comp.

 

[Raider_69]

i'm 20 times the poster and thousands of times the football analyst that you will ever be.

Whilst i think you shade him, i dont think your that far ahead. Lets get real here, you're pretty hopeless

 

[DRAGONZ_RULE]

Voting currently at 58-8 in favour of Thurston, lol ... one of the most dominant poll responses ever on here!