Riddell is the new Kouparitsas

[BUDDY]

Koups has plenty of deficiencies but passing in the line isn't one of them. The only good moments he had for us last year were his involvement in tries and line breaks where he displayed good quick hands in helping to create overlaps. He often showed good ballskills when playing as a backrower for the Dogs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LnDrdElM9k

Dummy-half requires a very different skill set, and being forced to play there was the very thing that gave Koups a reputation as being absolutely hopeless, when he is in fact a fringe NRL-standard backrower.

FFS you went out of your way to find a Koups video to prove he can pass. So let me ask you this, if a player as sh!t as Koups can be "manufactured" to play at dummy half, do you think we have more skillful footballers in the team that can be manufactured to do a better job?

OK here is a scenario. Now that Maubs is at centre. Do you think if JJ slots in at dummy half for 20 minutes, Carney plays halfback and Tommy 5/8, would we have a decent structure until Friend comes on; better than Piggy filling in?

[Guest]

Read again. IF Friend can't play 80 minutes and Smithy wants someone to do it for 20 minutes it then Yes I prefer someone else do it than Piggy. Does that make sense?

Yes, I get the 20 minutes part

But even though you admit it's a specialist position, and you admit that Watts is the only other specialist we have, you still want someone else to fill in?

No, that doesn't make sense

[BUDDY]

Yes, I get the 20 minutes part

But even though you admit it's a specialist position, and you admit that Watts is the only other specialist we have, you still want someone else to fill in?

No, that doesn't make sense

Do we need English lessons here?

I didn't say that at all. I said I prefer Friend play for 80 minutes.
READ S-L-O-W-L-Y....I'll even highlight for you.

IF Friend can't play 80 minutes and Smithy wants someone to do it for 20 minutes

Kapish????

[Guest]

Brunton and Jaubs (to a lesser extent) that I feel could do the job. But IMO Piggy does not provide the skill as well as Friend or Watts and I feel that someone else can do as good a job in that role for the sake of 20 minutes which in turn provides benefits for the remainder of the game. Add the pros vs cons and tell me otherwise. Piggy will never be the player he was 5 years ago. Not even close.

No one's suggesting Piggy's in the same class as Friend nowadays, or that he's going to get back to where he was six years ago. But we had good go forward during Piggy's 25 minutes on Sunday, and his work at dummy-half certainly contributed to it.

[Pass the Ball]

Buddy - You do understand that a hooker defends in the middle of the field don't you?

Yet you want to put our playmaker there for the first twenty minutes to get belted in the middle...??

I am not sure you have thought this hooker thing through...

[Guest]

Do we need English lessons here?

I didn't say that at all. I said I prefer Friend play for 80 minutes.
READ S-L-O-W-L-Y....I'll even highlight for you.

IF Friend can't play 80 minutes and Smithy wants someone to do it for 20 minutes

Kapish????

"You are missing the point my friend. I know it is a specialised skill and I am hugely in favour of Watts as part of the team to take on that role if Friend can't hack 80 minutes. Watts is probably the only other in the club that is specialised in that role. We have lost Brunton and Jaubs (to a lesser extent) that I feel could do the job. But IMO Piggy does not provide the skill as well as Friend or Watts and I feel that someone else can do as good a job in that role for the sake of 20 minutes which in turn provides benefits for the remainder of the game. Add the pros vs cons and tell me otherwise. Piggy will never be the player he was 5 years ago. Not even close."

[BUDDY]

Buddy - You do understand that a hooker defends in the middle of the field don't you?

Yet you want to put our playmaker there for the first twenty minutes to get belted in the middle...??

I am not sure you have thought this hooker thing through...

Defensive lines can be changed. Many players don't defend in the position they attack from. Turn the argument around anyway you want. I suggested Symonds in another thread and he can't be manufactured to play there. I suggested Anasta and his passing game is too sh!t. Pick anyone you want. But if you think Piggy is a specialist in that position and our best option then you have your blinkers on and nobody will change your mind.

[BUDDY]

"You are missing the point my friend. I know it is a specialised skill and I am hugely in favour of Watts as part of the team to take on that role if Friend can't hack 80 minutes. Watts is probably the only other in the club that is specialised in that role. We have lost Brunton and Jaubs (to a lesser extent) that I feel could do the job. But IMO Piggy does not provide the skill as well as Friend or Watts and I feel that someone else can do as good a job in that role for the sake of 20 minutes which in turn provides benefits for the remainder of the game. Add the pros vs cons and tell me otherwise. Piggy will never be the player he was 5 years ago. Not even close."

What's your point TOK? That is nothing different to what I said.
I feel that someone can do a better job than Piggy if Friend can't hack the 80 minutes and Smithy wants someone to take on the role.

You need to learn how to read if you ever want to take over from your mate.

[Rooster_6]

Who though?

Riddell is just being used in the wrong role imo. He'd be much better as an impact player.

[Guest]

What's your point TOK? That is nothing different to what I said.
I feel that someone can do a better job than Piggy if Friend can't hack the 80 minutes and Smithy wants someone to take on the role.

You need to learn how to read if you ever want to take over from your mate.

But if you know it's a specialised position, and you know Watts is the only specialist we have, you're contradicting yourself if you then go on to say, as you do, that you'd rather a non specialist ie; someone else, fill the role

[Guest]

FFS you went out of your way to find a Koups video to prove he can pass. So let me ask you this, if a player as sh!t as Koups can be "manufactured" to play at dummy half, do you think we have more skillful footballers in the team that can be manufactured to do a better job?

OK here is a scenario. Now that Maubs is at centre. Do you think if JJ slots in at dummy half for 20 minutes, Carney plays halfback and Tommy 5/8, would we have a decent structure until Friend comes on; better than Piggy filling in?

I guess I should know better than providing evidence instead of simply shooting off my mouth in a footy forum. The point is that for a backrower Koups doesn't have that shite a passing game (he has plenty of other deficiencies); but he still couldn't be manufactured into a decent dummy-half over two seasons.

As for your hypothetical, are you seriously suggesting:

9 Pearce, 7 Carney, 6 Symonds

ahead of

9 Piggy, 7 Pearce, 6 Carney

?



Pearce is probably the guy we have to turn to if Friend gets injured prior to Watts' return and we need someone to share game time with Piggy. He will go OK because he will pose a constant threat of running himself if the markers are lazy. But this will only compensate for a lot of little specialist dummy-half things that he won't do as well as Piggy.

But this should only be considered if our hand is forced. Our halves are our major attacking weapon and splitting them unless absolutely necessary is absurd. At least at fullback Carney was able to play like a pseudo-half. Putting one of them in the dummy-half role should be an absolute last resort.

[BUDDY]

But if you know it's a specialised position, and you know Watts is the only specialist we have, you're contradicting yourself if you then go on to say, as you do, that you'd rather a non specialist ie; someone else, fill the role

Read your comments again carefully after your read my previous one highlighted in red and underlined. I really don't believe you are that stupid

[BUDDY]

I guess I should know better than providing evidence instead of simply shooting off my mouth in a footy forum. The point is that for a backrower Koups doesn't have that shite a passing game (he has plenty of other deficiencies); but he still couldn't be manufactured into a decent dummy-half over two seasons.

As for your hypothetical, are you seriously suggesting:

9 Pearce, 7 Carney, 6 Symonds

ahead of

9 Piggy, 7 Pearce, 6 Carney

?



Pearce is probably the guy we have to turn to if Friend gets injured prior to Watts' return and we need someone to share game time with Piggy. He will go OK because he will pose a constant threat of running himself if the markers are lazy. But this will only compensate for a lot of little specialist dummy-half things that he won't do as well as Piggy.

But this should only be considered if our hand is forced. Our halves are our major attacking weapon and splitting them unless absolutely necessary is absurd. At least at fullback Carney was able to play like a pseudo-half. Putting one of them in the dummy-half role should be an absolute last resort.

What's with the yet the next line you say he is our next option and will go OK because he will pose a constant threat of running himself if the markers are lazy? So it is viable option? All we need is to "compensate" for 20 minutes. Then we have a perfect bench for 60 minutes. Is it that hard to understand we are better off that way?

I give up. I am off for a double short black <insert icon of head hitting wall>.

BTW no malice intended for the Koups video comment.

[Guest]

What's with the yet the next line you say he is our next option and will go OK because he will pose a constant threat of running himself if the markers are lazy? So it is viable option? All we need is to "compensate" for 20 minutes. Then we have a perfect bench for 60 minutes. Is it that hard to understand we are better off that way?.

is a response to 20 minutes of Carney/Symonds instead of Pearce/Carney, unless we have no other option.

Btw, you'd play Symonds at 5/8th ahead of Anasta?

BTW no malice intended for the Koups video comment.

No dramas. A bit of heat in the debate is good. But you'd probably get marched ten under the new ref's code.

[Pass the Ball]

I can't keep up..

Symonds to hooker, no, to 5/8..Pearce from halfback to hooker, Carney to halfback..

or...

Smith might just go for a specialist hooker for hooker, specialist halfback for halfback and specialist 5/8 for 5/8...