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Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah that was my first thought. Struck it unbelievably well. Much bigger moment too.
There was a Shaun Timmins one in an Origin some years back that sticks out as well.
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Offical Rugby League Thread
- Thread starter dermo
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There was a Shaun Timmins one in an Origin some years back that sticks out as well.
Prince EWS
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The exact same thing happened to Wests at the start of last year too - those good changes and those bad changes. Some coaches are largely palming that sort of physical conditioning off to a specialist these days; Cleary seems like a prime candidate given his teams have historically struggled in that area (ie. he sucks at it).
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
In terms of the actual strike it wasn't that special - 35m out on the back of a quick play the ball, and it didn't go dead. it stands out more because of the moment (golden point in Origin) and the player (Timmins was a lock or centre who ended up playing five-eighth to fill a hole -- kicking field goals wasn't really his thing).
dontcloseyoureyes
BARNES OUT
Aye I thought the Timmins one initially as well and looked it up, only just made it over. In terms of NSW field goals the Finch one in 2006 was a much better hit. Nearly landed in the front row.
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Cricketer Of The Year
There've been a few interviews that suggest that the fitness work is much less rigorous than last year. I think Griffin was something of a slavedriver in that regard so there's a lot of room in that statement. Couldn't say whether he's just outsourcing that aspect of it though.
The worry is that our fitness papered over a whole bunch of cracks last year. We just ran right over teams in the last 20, to the point that we'd have been well outside the 8 if the game ended at 60 minutes.
Prince EWS
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No I know he isn't; I was making the argument that he probably should. Good coach otherwise.
Prince EWS
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I think the squad is actually pretty solid on paper, but that's probably even more reason to suggest Brown could be under pressure. It's one thing to struggle with a dire roster, but if you can't coach this team into top eight contention then it's going to fall back on you as a coach more than the other factors at the club.
Burgey
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Yeah, it does seem as though their fitness has gone a bit backwards.
It's crazy how some sides fluctuate so much every season with substantially the same squad on board. Penrith just don't look likely at all to me. Early days, I know. Same thing happened with Parra last year- top four in 2017, spooners in 2018. Because they lost a winger.
Burgey
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John Muggleton (of all people) hit one from about 45 out from dummy half to win a game for Parra in the late 80s at the SCG. Might have been against either Easts or Saints. As with Timmins, it came out of nowhere, and I don't think her really ever kicked another one.
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Cricketer Of The Year
I think I posted about it, but Parra 2018 was about confidence for mine. Lost a few close ones early, got smashed once in the heat and morale just disappeared. When the game was on the line they went missing. Injuries didn't help either ofc. I think 2017 was a slight over achievement, but no way that's a wooden spoon roster.
Reckon 5-8 would be about par for them this year.
Burgey
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Yeah I'd be happy with that tbh. Particularly if they then jagged a finals win instead of going out in straight sets.
That young winger they picked up from your lot (I think) has a mistake in him, but he's dynamic and with Ferguson gets the sets off to very strong starts. Smart from Arthur to keep french out f the side imho. He's a terrific finisher but he gets rag dolled bringing the ball back and would get kicked to every single defensive set.
That young winger they picked up from your lot (I think) has a mistake in him, but he's dynamic and with Ferguson gets the sets off to very strong starts. Smart from Arthur to keep french out f the side imho. He's a terrific finisher but he gets rag dolled bringing the ball back and would get kicked to every single defensive set.
Prince EWS
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Yeah I don't think French is even first reserve anymore; Sivo seemed to be in competition with George Jennings in the pre-season, who missed Rounds 1 and 2 due to injury and is now struggling to get back in. Hoffman still exists as well, so French is seemingly a long way back. If he's going to make it in first grade again I think he has to work on his ball-playing and get in as a fullback (probably not at Parra either); wingers on average are just getting bigger to the point where the position has left him behind.
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Cricketer Of The Year
I'm spewing about losing Sivo. Yeah he can catch the dick fingers but he's got the strength and power of an elite modern winger and it's not like our back 3 are safe as houses atm. Mansour has looked slow and old since his injuries started. Edwards just doesn't have the physical attributes for what the position needs now days and is now accident prone on top of it. Dallin is great but we need 3 of him.
To think just a few years ago we had both of the younger Jennings and Sivo as options and now 3 of our 1-5 just aren't NRL standard. Probably the most poorly managed component of our roster imo.
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Cricketer Of The Year
It's a similar problem at fullback though. You can be great at chiming in to an attack as a ball player and supporting breaks, but bringing back kicks is still a big part of the position. If he could get to ground reliably it might work but he gets so badly driven back all the time.
I don't think you can find a position for a guy who gets dominated physically like that. Which is a shame as there are parts of his game that are electrifying.
Prince EWS
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I totally disagree about the fullback position. A modern fullback does so much more running off the ball to be an option on every play these days than even 10 years ago to the point where we're going to start seeing more lighter frames play there IMO. Lots of fullbacks are just linking up with their bigger wingers on the kick returns these days, and then getting into dummy half on play 1 to either scoot and get to the ground quickly or throw a longer pass to the other winger. Being particularly quick and agile over 30 can help fullbacks on kick returns in a way that it can't help wingers as much as well, because getting it closer to the centre of the field they can use that speed to quickly find whichever part of the chase is the most staggered, particularly given they often have options both ways to pass to.
Penrith clearly have a problem with Edwards, but I don't think the problem is necessarily that he's too small. The problems are that his ball-playing, while clearly not terrible, doesn't quite actually make up for the size he's giving away, and most importantly his confidence is just completely shot to the point where he's making unforced handling errors repeatedly at the moment. If he was throwing cuts on sweep plays and wasn't fumbling kicks so often his size would not be a drama, and I think that's by far French's best chance at cracking first grade. I don't really know if French has got it in him to develop his ball-playing to the sort of standard where a team would be interested - he was a fullback all through juniors and never really looked like doing it then - but that's what he should be aiming at IMO.
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Cricketer Of The Year
That never seems like a particularly good play though. Even ignoring the risk involved you generally give away 5-15 meters depending on the length/depth of the pass. The winger generally doesn't do that well given they have little time to wind up. There's times when that won't be an option as well, particularly when cleaning up short kicks in your own 20.
French's game definitely isn't without merit, I just think he has more of a downside than other small fullbacks like Ponga or Moylan. They aren't big guys by any stretch but manage to get to ground when caught and get don't get driven back as far or as often as French. Maybe it's a technique thing he can work on. He doesn't need to run the ball back like Dallin or J Treb, just not be a liability.
Agree for the most part on Edwards. His physicality isn't necessarily the problem, it's more that he doesn't really offer anything else and is just mentally shot atm.
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Burgey
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They could maybe play him in the halves at some point if there are injuries, depending on his defensive reliability. He certainly has great footwork. The young bloke at 5/8 is out for a while with bruising to his spine, but they covered that ok last week. I now he's no superstar, but I think one of Parra's most valuable players is Takarangi - he's solid at centre and makes his tackles, but can cover back row and the halves at a pinch in case of injury too, and do a serviceable job. I think he's very important.