Widdop- still the worst player in the nrl

[gregstar]

Let's not afford the white players more latitude than we do indigenous players.

furthermore,

Wtf?

Soward's best season was actually the year before the premiership.

He steadily turned into the exact player you accuse widderp of being. I was glad he left. His time was definitely up.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Let's not afford the white players more latitude than we do indigenous players.

What a bizarre thing to say. There are so many legitimate reasons to be critical of the club. I'm not sure racism is one them.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

What a bizarre thing to say. There are so many legitimate reasons to be critical of the club. I'm not sure racism is one them.

Racism is not something the club can be criticised for. In fact the opposite is true. The club has called out racism on the field whenever it has occurred and has a long history of engaging players of all backgrounds.

Anyway, getting off topic in a thread purportedly about Widdop. He is still underwhelming in my book. Tries hard but never swings a game.

 

[BringTheNoise]

Racism is not something the club can be criticised for. In fact the opposite is true. The club has called out racism on the field whenever it has occurred and has a long history of engaging players of all backgrounds.

Anyway, getting off topic in a thread purportedly about Widdop. He is still underwhelming in my book. Tries hard but never swings a game.

Widdop should be stripped of the captaincy IMO.

 

[Saintsified]

Never rated Widdop, only aimed up till he got his new contract.

 

[PuffGasnier]

Zero creativity. Zero spark. Bad decision making. Crap and predictable kicking game. At the time there was outrage and the thread taken down. How many of his fans would still defend him now? Next year will be the same as this. You can't do the same thing over and expect a different result. We either lose widdop or we miss the finals.

Gareth Widdop has been one of the best players in the Dragons team for 2017, and literally is in the top five players for the Dally M medal for the season. He scored 191 points this season (second place, 25 points off the top spot), and had 18 try assists (one assist off first place) as well as 10 tries to his name, one of the best try totals for a halves player in the year.

Statically, only Vaughn is in contention for our best player of the year, and you have to remember that this is in a year playing alongside either McCrone or Mann in the halves! Pair him long term with Ben Hunt and we will see a different side of him.

I will admit that making him the captain of the side may have been a mistake, just because he would rather be the playmaker, focal point and star player, instead of an on-field leader, but that is the only thing that you can fault him on. If he is replaced in the captaincy by a pairing of someone like Jack de Belin/Tariq Sims then he is free to command as a half, not a captain, and he doesn't catch nearly as much flack.

If he was playing for the Panthers and racked up the numbers that he has this year, and the performances that he has, there would be a thread on the front page of the forums saying that we should find cap space for him, and that he will be what fixes our team. He's been scintillating, and yes he's had some off games too, but with Hunt beside him instead of Josh McCrone, those games go a little more by the way side.

 

[watatank]

If Widdop was just another player or in a different contract situation this wouldn't be such a big deal but the club has made a point about building the team around him. The club tried to build around Dugan, Widdop, Marshall and Rein a few years ago. They have eventually got rid of them all except Widdop who not only stays on, but signs for another four years! How many players sign four year contracts, back to back? Anyway the guy is ok, has his moments but should be held to higher standards.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Gareth will show next year if he is as good as people think. With Hunt at 7 that will make a huge difference. He will have no excuses then. Having McCrone there and the inexperience Mann would have not made it easy for him this year and he still had some cracking games. You can't bag him for his effort as he does put his body on the line.

 

[MrDragon007]

A while back I stated we would never win a premiership with widdop in our team. That it was a case of history repeating when we had Barrett in our side.

Zero creativity. Zero spark. Bad decision making. Crap and predictable kicking game.

At the time there was outrage and the thread taken down.

How many of his fans would still defend him now?

We gave up soward who consistently kept us in games and gave us our first premiership in an age. Yet we are cursed with widdop and nobody is looking to drop him.

Next year will be the same as this. You can't do the same thing over and expect a different result. We either lose widdop or we miss the finals. Let's not afford the white players more latitude than we do indigenous players.

Without Widdop, we dont win half the games we won. Glass half empty? or glass half full? yes he was ordinary in a number of games, but having no good half to take some pressure off him isnt easy.
Even Thurston has some games where Morgan outplays him. Widdop hasnt had that. Wait till Hunt gets here, watch Widdop become the best 5/8 in the comp. He will be able to inject himself when he wants, between him and Hunt we will have the best halves pairing in the comp!

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Reminder that Widdop was in contention for the Dally M until about 3 weeks ago.

He will still finish 3rd or 4th. He was pulling the strings for the first half of the year, but was never able to really come back from that injury this season.

Worst player in the NRL is nothing but hyperbole

No way can anyone seriously say he is a bad player but he was pulling the strings in a handful of games.
That was on the back of a dominant forward pack.
Easy to blame the injury but he has shown flashes of brilliance since then but totally out of his depth in tight games.
Definitely not a captain.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I agree with most of the things you mentioned, I was trying to highlight the fact that he has the ability, just rarely do we get to see it consistently and for 80mins.

Both halves have had shocking seasons with the boot, especially the long kicks. It must be the way they are coached. Almost all kicks inside our own half were midfield bombs. I also think we hold the record for most kicks into players, it's a Widdop specialty.

I don't think Widdop should be skipper. I would give it to Thompson or JDB. Hopefully that would take some pressure off him.

If you look at the list of halfbacks he's had next to him, its no surprise really.

I'm really hoping that Hunt will come in and become the dominant half and direct the team around the park. Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

We really are in synch and my view is that Widdop has been screwed blued and tattooed by McGregor.
The guy can't coach and regardless of who was paired up with Widdop, he could not coach them into a decent combination.
People keep pointing to Mann and McCrone but last year, the combination with Benji was just as pathetic.
Benji went on to do some really good things at the Broncos.
My great fear is that when Hunt arrives, we will see the same nightmare all over again with McGregor in charge.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Gareth Widdop has been one of the best players in the Dragons team for 2017, and literally is in the top five players for the Dally M medal for the season. He scored 191 points this season (second place, 25 points off the top spot), and had 18 try assists (one assist off first place) as well as 10 tries to his name, one of the best try totals for a halves player in the year.

Statically, only Vaughn is in contention for our best player of the year, and you have to remember that this is in a year playing alongside either McCrone or Mann in the halves! Pair him long term with Ben Hunt and we will see a different side of him.

I will admit that making him the captain of the side may have been a mistake, just because he would rather be the playmaker, focal point and star player, instead of an on-field leader, but that is the only thing that you can fault him on. If he is replaced in the captaincy by a pairing of someone like Jack de Belin/Tariq Sims then he is free to command as a half, not a captain, and he doesn't catch nearly as much flack.

If he was playing for the Panthers and racked up the numbers that he has this year, and the performances that he has, there would be a thread on the front page of the forums saying that we should find cap space for him, and that he will be what fixes our team. He's been scintillating, and yes he's had some off games too, but with Hunt beside him instead of Josh McCrone, those games go a little more by the way side.

You make an excellent counter argument but as far as his stats are concerned this is reality.
Our whole Team has generated excellent statistics - top 4-5... yet we finished 9th!
Totally agree regarding the captaincy - major error in judgement by McGregor which manifested itself into an inability to close games out.
Good player but I think you are being very generous by describing him as "scintillating".

 

[Carlton]

Without Widdop, we dont win half the games we won. Glass half empty? or glass half full? yes he was ordinary in a number of games, but having no good half to take some pressure off him isnt easy.
Even Thurston has some games where Morgan outplays him. Widdop hasnt had that. Wait till Hunt gets here, watch Widdop become the best 5/8 in the comp. He will be able to inject himself when he wants, between him and Hunt we will have the best halves pairing in the comp!

I don't accept this argument that Widdop only played poorly because he didn't have a halves partner. Instead of blaming his halves partner start asking what the common denominator has been for - what is it, 4 years?

Widdop does not help his partner in the halves and wants all the control until the game gets tough and then goes missing.

 

[MrDragon007]

I don't accept this argument that Widdop only played poorly because he didn't have a halves partner. Instead of blaming his halves partner start asking what the common denominator has been for - what is it, 4 years?

Widdop does not help his partner in the halves and wants all the control until the game gets tough and then goes missing.

Does he? Or is the control thrust entirely on his shoulders pretty much every set? i see it differently to you... i see your point, but i think the burden on him the last 4 years has been made heavier due to not having a dominant halves partner.

 

[Carlton]

Does he? Or is the control thrust entirely on his shoulders pretty much every set? i see it differently to you... i see your point, but i think the burden on him the last 4 years has been made heavier due to not having a dominant halves partner.

The complaint when Benji was playing was that he was interfering with Widdops game by being more dominant. You cant have it all ways. Either Widdop can do the job as the dominant half and manage the game properly or he cant. If he cant (which based on four years of an inability to do it) replace him because he does not seem to want to work with anyone unless he is in charge. I am basing this on a number of comments the media has reported he has supposedly made over the years about his partners, and the influence he seems to have regarding who his partner is.

 

[Dragons22]

No, he's a good player, as stated above he hasn't really had great half partners with him but he's still played well, sure he'll make a few errors every now and then but that's normal, he's been a good player for the club, but doesn't have Captaincy qualities, someone else should be captain. Also he'll have Hunt next year as well and should be fine, but you never know with this coach.

 

[clifford]

The complaint when Benji was playing was that he was interfering with Widdops game by being more dominant. You cant have it all ways. Either Widdop can do the job as the dominant half and manage the game properly or he cant. If he cant (which based on four years of an inability to do it) replace him because he does not seem to want to work with anyone unless he is in charge. I am basing this on a number of comments the media has reported he has supposedly made over the years about his partners, and the influence he seems to have regarding who his partner is.

Will be interesting to see how it works next year with hunt since it always seems Widdop likes to have the overriding call. Fingers crossed that they work well together.

 

[rasaint]

Good on you Puff for sticking up for Gareth Widdop.

Gareth is a top class player.

I can understand the disappointment given our result yesterday, wanting to vent. I feel the same.

Gareth played well yesterday but below his best. Yes, he fell off Hoppa on the scramble to stop the Tolman try. However generally tackled strongly and shut down one strong sweep from the Dogs.

Overall, can break a line and scores tries / tackles well / a great passer of the ball and at times his passes have been sublime / a good goal kicker and can bang over shots from all angles / can sniff an intercept and never recall him being rundown from behind ( not express speed but has reasonable sustained speed) / rarely injured over the past 4 seasons for us, so durable and good healer.

 

[WoyD4LWoy]

A while back I stated we would never win a premiership with widdop in our team. That it was a case of history repeating when we had Barrett in our side.

Zero creativity. Zero spark. Bad decision making. Crap and predictable kicking game.

At the time there was outrage and the thread taken down.

How many of his fans would still defend him now?

We gave up soward who consistently kept us in games and gave us our first premiership in an age. Yet we are cursed with widdop and nobody is looking to drop him.

Next year will be the same as this. You can't do the same thing over and expect a different result. We either lose widdop or we miss the finals. Let's not afford the white players more latitude than we do indigenous players.

That's bullshit "white"

What a bizarre thing to say. There are so many legitimate reasons to be critical of the club. I'm not sure racism is one them.

Exactly what is with the "white" thing! Racist and disgraceful! From an Indigenous man!

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Reminder that Widdop was in contention for the Dally M until about 3 weeks ago.

He will still finish 3rd or 4th. He was pulling the strings for the first half of the year, but was never able to really come back from that injury this season.

Worst player in the NRL is nothing but hyperbole

I didn't know hyperbole is a synonym for "bullshit".

Now, I do.