Widdop- still the worst player in the nrl

[Saint_JimmyG]

Can anyone assist me with a bleeding obvious paradigm with the following players mentioned above; Witt. Williams, JDB, Marshall, McCrone and Mann?

In laymen terms, they are ALL pretty shithouse as halfbacks for varying reasons.

I'm for respecting others opinions, but this the most asinine thread for quite some time.

If Widdop is only a shadow of his Melbourne Storm days, there is only one person responsible for his decline.

His name is Paul McGregor.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

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.

I'll remind you of Wayne Bennett's words as soon as Marshall signed with Brisbane.

"He won't be playing there (halfback)".

This is why (in part) he has done "some good things".

 

[Carlton]

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.

How often have you seen Widdop break the line, he doesn't take the line on that's one of the problems. If you watch JT he will run right to the line knowing that when he passes he is going to take a hit, when have you seen Widdop do this? If the defence hold off JT he goes himself but you cant do this unless you are playing at the line.

 

[PuffGasnier]

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".

It's fair for you to pull me up on using the word scintillating, especially because I argued against the 'hyperbole' of the opening paragraph and then said that.

When I call him that, I think of times like the last 10 minutes of the Panthers game last week, or the blitzing of Manly in Round 20. When he's firing, he's bagging tries, his kicks are cutting opponents open and he's a pleasure to watch. Hence my, perhaps over-exaggeration, of his talent at play when he's playing well.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

It's fair for you to pull me up on using the word scintillating, especially because I argued against the 'hyperbole' of the opening paragraph and then said that.

When I call him that, I think of times like the last 10 minutes of the Panthers game last week, or the blitzing of Manly in Round 20. When he's firing, he's bagging tries, his kicks are cutting opponents open and he's a pleasure to watch. Hence my, perhaps over-exaggeration, of his talent at play when he's playing well.

Look, I really like him as a player but he needs to be a cog in the wheel to be playing his best football.
Game management and leading the troops on the field actually affects him negatively.