Brian Smith comming up on 2ue

[Guest]

Carney was signed in the same vein as Willie Mason - a player signed almost specifically for the purpose of being a 'big-name player' who can draw crowds, regardless of our depth in the particular position.

I think Carney is a great player, but so is Mason, and his signing cost us crucial depth and experience in the backrow with the losses of Harrison, Fitzgibbon and Tupou.

We don't NEED Carney, but now that we have him, we are trying to accommodate him into the team.

Just when I think you can't get any sillier Mack, you set a new benchmark

Consider this comment;
Carney was signed in the same vein as Willie Mason - a player signed almost specifically for the purpose of being a 'big-name player' who can draw crowds, regardless of our depth in the particular position.

What a mind numbingly stupid assertion. Todd Carney was signed to draw crowds. We don't really need him as a player, because we're already well set up in terms of halves. We just want him to "draw crowds". Yep, that's it.

Mason was signed for the same reason. Mason was signed as a "big name" player who can draw crowds, regardless of the depth we have in his position

My god, what are you on?

[Vasco]

Carney was signed in the same vein as Willie Mason - a player signed almost specifically for the purpose of being a 'big-name player' who can draw crowds, regardless of our depth in the particular position.

I think Carney is a great player, but so is Mason, and his signing cost us crucial depth and experience in the backrow with the losses of Harrison, Fitzgibbon and Tupou.

We don't NEED Carney, but now that we have him, we are trying to accommodate him into the team.

I believe we do need Carney. Anasta is an average ball player at best. Unless Smith can coach Pearce into being a good consistent halfback then we would lack strike in the opposition 20. Carney has proven to be dangerous in that area of the field.

[Guest]

Just when I think you can't get any sillier Mack, you set a new benchmark

Consider this comment;
Carney was signed in the same vein as Willie Mason - a player signed almost specifically for the purpose of being a 'big-name player' who can draw crowds, regardless of our depth in the particular position.

What a mind numbingly stupid assertion. Todd Carney was signed to draw crowds. We don't really need him as a player, because we're already well set up in terms of halves. We just want him to "draw crowds". Yep, that's it.

Mason was signed for the same reason. Mason was signed as a "big name" player who can draw crowds, regardless of the depth we have in his position

My god, what are you on?

Imho Mack is a pretty good judge

[Billy Gunn]

I believe we do need Carney. Anasta is an average ball player at best. Unless Smith can coach Pearce into being a good consistent halfback then we would lack strike in the opposition 20. Carney has proven to be dangerous in that area of the field.

I agree and he also has a great kicking game, he might look better playing half than 5/8th

[Guest]

Whoever thinks we dont need Carney must seriously be on the good stuff..
Our Club is screaming out for a genuine gamebreaking 6/7,we finaly get Todd Carney and POS decides to get involved and stuff it up!
Anasta is not the answer in the halves,the kid tries his guts out but he isnt individually brilliant enough to take us to the next level..
We need Todd Carney the 5/8th,not Todd Carney the untested fullback!

[Guest]

Please God, dont let Smith play Carney at fullback. We finally have a 5/8 after many years without one post-Fittler. Please dont let me tear any more hair out this year. I dont want to look like Fitzy lol.

[melon....]

Carney 6
Dumb and Dumber 7
Anasta 13


It will not be any different. i dont think Smith is THAT stupid than to experiment with Carney at 1.

[Guest]

Carney 6
Dumb and Dumber 7
Anasta 13


It will not be any different. i dont think Smith is THAT stupid than to experiment with Carney at 1.

Its the Kurt Gidley thing that has me wondering though. The thing is, Gidley HAD to be shifted to fullback because he was utter crap in the halves. Carney is an excellent 5/8 though, thats the big difference. Do you remember in 08, when we were doing well under Fittler, we played Canberra in the rain down there. Both Anasta and Pearce were on fire that day, their kicking was superb. But they were completely overshadowed by Carney who had an absolute monster of a game. He was Fittler-like, thats how good. He got MotM, we got towelled even though we didnt play badly at all.

[Guest]

Just when I think you can't get any sillier Mack, you set a new benchmark

Consider this comment;
Carney was signed in the same vein as Willie Mason - a player signed almost specifically for the purpose of being a 'big-name player' who can draw crowds, regardless of our depth in the particular position.

What a mind numbingly stupid assertion. Todd Carney was signed to draw crowds. We don't really need him as a player, because we're already well set up in terms of halves. We just want him to "draw crowds". Yep, that's it.

Mason was signed for the same reason. Mason was signed as a "big name" player who can draw crowds, regardless of the depth we have in his position

My god, what are you on?

Mate you are an absolute tool of the highest order. I think you should STFU and go back to your corner where you belong.

It has been the hallmark of our player recruitment policy for quite some time now, and you have to be completely oblivious not to realize this. Our recruitment policy has been exclusively aimed at big-name players rather than players that we need for particular positions. It is a commonly known fact - we sign the big names, they come here and underperform, and the rest of the money is spent on absolute no-names from obscure backgrounds e.g. Tevita Folau, Brent Grose, Albert Hopoate, Sisa Waqa, Willie Brown, etc.

Mason was just another example - we had plenty of backrowers, but the moment Mason was considered available, we threw all our money at him, costing us an entirely efficient and hard-working backrow just to sign the big name.

Carney was chased the moment he was considered available to come back to the NRL, even though we have two completely serviceable halves in Anasta/Pearce. This is PROVEN by the fact that Brian Smith is being forced to find a spot for Carney in the team that he has never played before - he is making do with what he has been given.

However, if you still consider me a tool, that is fine. I'm glad because I really do not give a flying fark about what you think of my opinion.

For the record, 'this guy' Tries Off Kicks can follow the rest of the crap down the sh!tter.

[Guest]

Mate you are an absolute tool of the highest order. I think you should STFU and go back to your corner where you belong.

It has been the hallmark of our player recruitment policy for quite some time now, and you have to be completely oblivious not to realize this. Our recruitment policy has been exclusively aimed at big-name players rather than players that we need for particular positions. It is a commonly known fact - we sign the big names, they come here and underperform, and the rest of the money is spent on absolute no-names from obscure backgrounds e.g. Tevita Folau, Brent Grose, Albert Hopoate, Sisa Waqa, Willie Brown, etc.

Mason was just another example - we had plenty of backrowers, but the moment Mason was considered available, we threw all our money at him, costing us an entirely efficient and hard-working backrow just to sign the big name.

Carney was chased the moment he was considered available to come back to the NRL, even though we have two completely serviceable halves in Anasta/Pearce. This is PROVEN by the fact that Brian Smith is being forced to find a spot for Carney in the team that he has never played before - he is making do with what he has been given.

However, if you still consider me a tool, that is fine. I'm glad because I really do not give a flying fark about what you think of my opinion.

For the record, 'this guy' Tries Off Kicks can follow the rest of the crap down the sh!tter.

you're a class A twit

get off the drugs

[Cockadoodledoo]

Please God no

The team needs to improve their attack. Anasta and Pearce don't threaten the line. Playing Carney anywhere else but in the halves will mean his signing is a waste of time, and the backline will be as innefective as last year.

Mate, I agree 100%... Pearce and Anasta's major contribution was your nick (tries off kicks).. Other than that they don't really create much.

[Cockadoodledoo]

Carney was signed in the same vein as Willie Mason - a player signed almost specifically for the purpose of being a 'big-name player' who can draw crowds, regardless of our depth in the particular position.

I think Carney is a great player, but so is Mason, and his signing cost us crucial depth and experience in the backrow with the losses of Harrison, Fitzgibbon and Tupou.

We don't NEED Carney, but now that we have him, we are trying to accommodate him into the team.

There is one big difference, 2 even if you think we need him at 5/8 as I do.. Carney is coming at the right end of his career... He is young, has yet to really achieve any goals in Rugby League.. Mason came after achieving everything and had nothing left to prove and mainly played that way apart from a handful of games such as the Bulldogs match in 2008..

[Guest]

anasta spent half of the last off season crying about playing lock.

[Guest]

smith sounded a very confident man in that interview on 2ue. What a difference to the idiot freddy.

[TheLoneRooster]

Why the fark does Peter O' Sullivan feel he has the right to lobby to have Pearce and Anasta retained as the halves combination? He should stay right away from these matters, keep his friggin head out of the press and just do his job.