"Why I said no to Ricky": Lyon

[Frank_Grimes]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/...n-return-for-nsw/story-fn31yxah-1226378817668

Manly skipper Jamie Lyon has revealed the reason behind his long-standing reluctance to play rep footy - admitting his confidence to play at the highest level never recovered from criticism he copped when he returned from England in 2007.

"As much as you don't want to admit the criticism hurt, it did," Lyon said in the lead-up to Friday's match against St George Illawarra.
It's why, when New South Wales coach Ricky Stuart phoned Lyon before Origin I, the Manly centre said "no thanks".
At the time Stuart said he "totally accepted" Lyon's reasons.
"If everyone was as honest as Jamie Lyon the world would be a better place," was Stuart's comment. The Blues coach refused to elaborate further on their conversation.
But in the countdown to Manly's crucial clash with St George Illawarra at Brookvale, Lyon opened up and admitted his confidence was crushed from the criticism early in his career and that is what destroyed his desire to play rep footy.

"When I first came back from England I made a couple of teams and got hammered for it with people saying I shouldn't have got in the teams," he said.
"Confidence-wise that knocked me around. I don't want to get into who said what about me. I just thought it would be the right thing for me not to play and it would be better for everyone.
"You try to ignore it but it does knock you around when people are saying that it probably does take your confidence away and it is in the back of your mind all the time and you don't perform as well as you like."
Lyon said he had a good talk to Stuart about his reasons.
"My motivation is probably not where it should be and as bad as it sounds I probably don't have the drive and the hunger to compete at that level any more," he said.
"Ricky was great about it. He was really honest with me and I was honest with him. I have a lot of respect for him and the way he handled it."

Asked if he still cheered for the Blues, he added: "Of course. I was really excited to watch it and I was hoping the boys could get up. I have a lot of mates in the team and I really wanted to see them win and I am really behind the Blues."
Lyon will lead Manly in Friday's clash against the Dragons and says the premiers can still be a force in 2012 despite their up-and-down start to the season.
"We are all backing our ability as a side and we know what we are capable of,' he said. "Once we get a full side back I think we'll be real dangerous.
"Melbourne are the only ones who have kicked away so we have to get through Origin time with a few of the boys missing and hopefully we are still close enough to finish in the top four.
"Then a new competition starts pretty much, so that's going to be our goal."

 

[Bretto]

Hmmm. Hard to know what to make of that. He's basically saying that a few people said he didn't deserve his spot, he made a few mistakes in a game, so he gave it up. Now he never wants to play again because he doesn't think he can cut it at that level of competition.

I'd hate to say pea heart, because I actually like Jamie Lyon as a player, but boy...

 

[Big Pete]

:lol: You got to be kidding me, that's his reasoning?

Soft...

 

[Jason Maher]

Well if he knows deep down he's a pea heart...

 

[gUt]

Did he cop as much shit as Hodges did for his clangers?

 

[Bretto]

Did he cop as much shit as Hodges did for his clangers?

Good question. One could only assume the answer is no. But, Hodges is a fierce competitor with a big heart. He's more than made up for it through his proceeding Origin football. Lyon on the other hand...

I'll be interested to see what the Manly and NSW fans think of this.

 

[Snappy]

As the form centre of the comp its weird to think why he believes he couldn't handle it. Most players and athletes use criticism as motivation, but instead he's taken his ball and gone home.

 

[Snappy]

No doubt Manly fans will defend him to the death

 

[mberg]

how many people would have the courage to even talk about this to a close friend,let alone in public.

 

[NSW of Origin]

because he would have had to oppose GI in every Origin game over the past and this current year.

He knows how that will turn out.

Right centre would be the toughest position for a NSW origin player over the course of the QLD domination. has any Blue in that position had a decent game in the last 6 years?

EDIT - make that 7 years with J. Moz's woeful defence in Game 1.

 

[NSW of Origin]

As the form centre of the comp its weird to think why he believes he couldn't handle it. Most players and athletes use criticism as motivation, but instead he's taken his ball and gone home.

form centre in the NRL, but he doesn't play against GI at left centre for the opposition every week either.

this is the problem for a NSW right centre. his reward is to oppose that freak in every single origin game. 9 times out of 10, Inglis will make his direct opponent look extremely ordinary.

 

[Bretto]

because he would have had to oppose GI in every Origin game over the past and this current year.

He knows how that will turn out.

Right centre would be the toughest position for a NSW origin player over the course of the QLD domination. has any Blue in that position had a decent game in the last 6 years?

EDIT - make that 7 years with J. Moz's woeful defence in Game 1.

I thought Morris did a good job defending on that side. What let him down was Carney not sliding, and making poor decisions, which forced him to come in, which forced Uate to come in, which gave heaps of room for JT and Boyd. One on one, Morris was good against Inglis. Much better than Gasnier ever was.

 

[Mr Fourex]

One on one, Morris was good against Inglis. Much better than Gasnier ever was.

Agreed......you don't see too many players man handle Greg Inglis and throw him into touch

and now for Jamie Lyon or should I say Jamie Pussy-Cat......:lol: :lol: :lol:

That is all.

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

f**k him.

 

[GB!]

as a QLD & Manly fan, i'm happy with his decision!

club form wise, he is the best centre (with GI at fullback)

 

[Snappy]

Origin is meant to be hard, not a stroll on the park. Not wanting to play cause your opposition is strong is just soft.

To be the best you must play the best.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Did he cop as much shit as Hodges did for his clangers?

That game made Hodges. It wasn't long after we played Brisbane up there and he tore it up and never looked back.

NSW don't need pea hearts like Lyon. Origin doesn't need him either.

 

[roarr]

Is that even a reason ???

There's no way he can possibly be remembered as a "great" of the game because he is too scared to play rep footy. I guess he doesn't care about that.

At least manly fans can remember him as a pretty damn good club player I suppose.

 

[Jono078]

Seems very soft from Lyon, what drives this guy to star for the Sea Eagles is what I want to know now..

But if he says his heart isn't in origin then fair enough, but the reasoning seems very very soft..

 

[NSW of Origin]

I thought Morris did a good job defending on that side. What let him down was Carney not sliding, and making poor decisions, which forced him to come in, which forced Uate to come in, which gave heaps of room for JT and Boyd. One on one, Morris was good against Inglis. Much better than Gasnier ever was.

Morris was over pre-occupied with Inglis. It was his errors on both occasions in only being concerned with Inglis that led to the QLD tries. JM was the broken link in the right-side defensive chain who failed to continue sliding and gave the Maroons 12 pts. GI became the decoy on both occasions as JM got roped in twice when both G Stewart & Carney continued the slide to cover the play, the numbers, and Inglis.

On the first try, Cronk fed the ball out to the wider Slater as Inglis ran the decoy and ended up being covered by all of GS, TC & JM while Uate was stuck defending the overlap. JM had to continue sliding to cover Slater. Uate would then have had to just deal with Boyd.

On the second try, Thurston ran across the line showing the ball to both Harrison and Inglis. Harrison remained at the back of the play but Inglis ran the decoy again and was once again met by GS, TC & JM in defence. JT continued to run across the line generating another overlap Uate had to deal.

Sure, Inglis demands the attention, but the QLDers know that every new player at right centre for NSW is going to be shitting themselves playing against GI and will want to make sure they're not embarrassed by him.

In the years GI has been at left centre for QLD, NSW have put up Gasnier, Monaghan, Lyon, J.Morris, Tahu, Scott, Gasnier (again), & now J Morris again.

J.Morris wasn't embarrassed by GI in game 1, but QLD exposed him.

Agreed......you don't see too many players man handle Greg Inglis and throw him into touch

and now for Jamie Lyon or should I say Jamie Pussy-Cat......:lol: :lol: :lol:

That is all.

You're a nuffie who only sees the noticeable. I assume you think Uate was the one at fault because it was his direct opponent that scored both tries? :roll:

Morris proceeded to undo that good work by abandoned his basic number and manning up role on the next two plays down the QLD left-edge, gifting your mob points and in the wash-up, the game.

He'll be persisted with at right centre, but he'll need to respect the players inside him to do their job and continue with his defensive assignment.

Discussing Lyon in great length is pointless. He's doesn't want to be there, hasn't been there for a few series, and is not going to be there so who cares.