Braith Anasta and how he will influence the success or failure of 2012

[Guest]

Anasta=Pain

[Guest]

Anyone who saw Lewis in the years after he was shown the door from tjis club Would know exactly why he was shwon the door One the worst NO6s I have evr seen play 1st grade

Yep!! I think the fact that Lewis has had more clubs than first grade games speaks for itself.

[The Axe]

Well, there has not been a thread about Braith Anasta for a while now so it seems one is due. I have been thinking about it a lot recently and I think a lot of things to do with Anasta are going to have a serious influence on the Roosters in 2012. Braith has probably been on the receiving end of more hate and criticism from us Roosters supporters than any other player I can recall (Finch?). In my opinion a lot of the hate and criticism has been justified. Despite some good performances from time to time he has never lived up to his potential or hype. He is very inconsistent with his level of involvement and intensity in matches. He has been called a media whore and a manipulator. However, I don't think he is as bad as some people have been making out. I have also bagged him relentlessly over the last few years but I am trying to think about things differently because the way I see it we are stuck with him for 2012 and I want him to be as successful as possible.

I ask you all to consider the following points;

- It seems Braith has a strong desire to play in 2013. How is this going to impact Season 2012. Does it mean that being under pressure he is going to be focussed and play out of his skin in 2012? Contract negotiations seem to make him focussed on his performance. The team may benefit.

- Will we see Season 2012 disrupted as Braith Anasta plays out his contract negotiations through the media? Is some farking fool going to start a petition to save him. If this happens the team will not benefit.

- In all fairness to Braith Anasta he was ****ed over last year by Todd Carney as was everyone else. Braith had an off-season preparing to play in the forwards but found himself back at 5/8 and not really knowing what position he would be playing from week to week. Nobody ever mentions this but if it were any other player I feel we would be jumping all over the issue. How is an entire off-season preparing to play 5/8 going to positively impact his on-field performance?

- In my opinion, while Braith Anasta may not be one of the top 5/8s in the game he is not even close to the worst. He is certainly a better 5/8 than a second-rower. He is criticised for his lack of speed, creativity, kicking and passing games. However, he is a good athlete and when he is on and involved in games he can do good things. A lot of high quality 5/8s such as Fittler and Lockyer lose their speed but pick up something else at the backend of their careers. Is it possible that Braith Anasta could have his best ever season in 2012? Could it be the career defining season that we all remember him for?

- Finally, like it or not he is at the club in 2012. Regardless of how much of the salary cap he is taking, rightly or wrongly, he is our captain and 5/8. As supporters should we accept this and support him? If we get off to a poor start to the season there are going to be people calling for Mortimer to take his job. In my opinion Mortimer is not even close to Anasta's level (this is more a criticism of Mortimer than praise for Anasta). Mortimer could not even crack first grade last year. I call for the club and the supporters to back Braith Anasta as our 5/8 for the entire season, barring injury or a string of losses and poor form that can not be ignored.

So I guess that is about all. I call for all fellow Chookpenners to discuss this very critical issue in a sensible way and to put the Anasta hate away for the time being until a point in the season when he truly deserves it. I hope our season does not reach that point.

Mad Bastard,
This is your best ever post. Well constructed and careful consideration. More like this.
Excellent stuff. Can't wait to read on. Deserves good comment.

Anasta is a positive influence off the field, who is also a great ambassador for the sport and the club.
Distill it down and he just simply does not perform at the level you would expect for someone of his salary.
I wish him well and a great 2012 but he may be doing it for the wrong reasons - his 2013 contract and not the club. For mine, this does not make him a good leader. He places himself ahead of the team.
BTW if he kicks out on the full again.....

[Guest]

Like I said, you'll have to drag the captaincy of the Roosters out of his cold, dead hand.

[Guest]

Mad Bastard,
This is your best ever post. Well constructed and careful consideration. More like this.
Excellent stuff. Can't wait to read on. Deserves good comment.

Anasta is a positive influence off the field, who is also a great ambassador for the sport and the club.
Distill it down and he just simply does not perform at the level you would expect for someone of his salary.
I wish him well and a great 2012 but he may be doing it for the wrong reasons - his 2013 contract and not the club. For mine, this does not make him a good leader. He places himself ahead of the team.
BTW if he kicks out on the full again.....

Cheers Axe. Glad you enjoyed it.

The biggest worry I have about Anasta this year is how his contract negotiation may disrupt the season. We all saw the disruptions of 2011 and the damage done. I hope the club ann Anasta can come to an agreement quickly and privately and all involved can move forward.

[melon....]

Anasta is crap and its a shame our Club has allowed him to stay as a Rooster despite his obvious lack of talent as a 5/8th..
Im not getting too excited about this season,ill be pumped and ready for 2013 when Maloney arrives..
Sadly having Mini and Bwaith in our first grade squad gives me no confidence or excitement for the year ahead.
Just my honest opinion!

Dont be...Maloney will be disappointing. I think he was a knee jerk and is nowjere near as good as people say. Id rather Perace play 5/8 and let Morts play halfback.

[melon....]

Well, there has not been a thread about Braith Anasta for a while now so it seems one is due. I have been thinking about it a lot recently and I think a lot of things to do with Anasta are going to have a serious influence on the Roosters in 2012. Braith has probably been on the receiving end of more hate and criticism from us Roosters supporters than any other player I can recall (Finch?). In my opinion a lot of the hate and criticism has been justified. Despite some good performances from time to time he has never lived up to his potential or hype. He is very inconsistent with his level of involvement and intensity in matches. He has been called a media whore and a manipulator. However, I don't think he is as bad as some people have been making out. I have also bagged him relentlessly over the last few years but I am trying to think about things differently because the way I see it we are stuck with him for 2012 and I want him to be as successful as possible.

I ask you all to consider the following points;

- It seems Braith has a strong desire to play in 2013. How is this going to impact Season 2012. Does it mean that being under pressure he is going to be focussed and play out of his skin in 2012? Contract negotiations seem to make him focussed on his performance. The team may benefit.

- Will we see Season 2012 disrupted as Braith Anasta plays out his contract negotiations through the media? Is some farking fool going to start a petition to save him. If this happens the team will not benefit.

- In all fairness to Braith Anasta he was ****ed over last year by Todd Carney as was everyone else. Braith had an off-season preparing to play in the forwards but found himself back at 5/8 and not really knowing what position he would be playing from week to week. Nobody ever mentions this but if it were any other player I feel we would be jumping all over the issue. How is an entire off-season preparing to play 5/8 going to positively impact his on-field performance?

- In my opinion, while Braith Anasta may not be one of the top 5/8s in the game he is not even close to the worst. He is certainly a better 5/8 than a second-rower. He is criticised for his lack of speed, creativity, kicking and passing games. However, he is a good athlete and when he is on and involved in games he can do good things. A lot of high quality 5/8s such as Fittler and Lockyer lose their speed but pick up something else at the backend of their careers. Is it possible that Braith Anasta could have his best ever season in 2012? Could it be the career defining season that we all remember him for?

- Finally, like it or not he is at the club in 2012. Regardless of how much of the salary cap he is taking, rightly or wrongly, he is our captain and 5/8. As supporters should we accept this and support him? If we get off to a poor start to the season there are going to be people calling for Mortimer to take his job. In my opinion Mortimer is not even close to Anasta's level (this is more a criticism of Mortimer than praise for Anasta). Mortimer could not even crack first grade last year. I call for the club and the supporters to back Braith Anasta as our 5/8 for the entire season, barring injury or a string of losses and poor form that can not be ignored.

So I guess that is about all. I call for all fellow Chookpenners to discuss this very critical issue in a sensible way and to put the Anasta hate away for the time being until a point in the season when he truly deserves it. I hope our season does not reach that point.

Donkey Kong. Good post.

Nobody was hated and for good reason, more than Finch. He was a dickhead on and off the field.

Anasta is too one dimensional, and the years are passing. Same crap again this year Im afraid. Thankfully he is a respectful hiuman being and a good positive role model and our yojng hopefuls need that.

But we wont win another comp with him at 5/8 or Mini at fullback. We need 1 genuine game breaker that isnt an alcoholic.

Im hoping Mortimer can spark something.

[Yak]

I'm afraid Mortimer is not the answer. Yesterday he showed that he can still compete in the 6 jersey. But he is a long way from being a game breaker and I don't think he ever was really. At the moment James Maloney is at least 3 times the player Morts is. Mortimer will be lucky to get a spot on the bench before round 8 I think. I get the feeling you haven't seen Mortimer play that much in the last two years Melon.

[BarnstormingBlockbustin']

anasta is way to inconsistent.let's hope he starts this season well, if not smith has to do something bout it before its too late into the season.. Ppl shouldn't jus be lookin forward to 2013. all teams hav a chance to be playin in September (except souths ofcorse)
for wat hes raking in he hasnt reali dished out much (except in 2010 wen he made way for carmey n was pissed off n playin well lol)
if anasta could play footy as well as he can pull the chicks we wud back to back premiers lol.

[Muffdaddy]

Dont be...Maloney will be disappointing. I think he was a knee jerk and is nowjere near as good as people say. Id rather Perace play 5/8 and let Morts play halfback.

I agree wholeheartedly with your first sentence. I am not at all excited about Maloney. I think Baloney.

Gareth Widdup will come to Easts with Bellamy next year. That excites me a little bit.

[Guest]

Anasta will not be at the Roosters in 2013. You don't dedicate as much time to a media gig as Anasta has done recently without it being a serious option sooner rather than later. He's obviously setting himself up for life after footy. Until that becomes his ONLY option we'll have to live with him being in our backline for most if not all of 2012.

Chook.

[Guest]

Ppl shouldn't jus be lookin forward to 2013. .

On one hand I agree with this but like most of us I love NRL and the Roosters. Moreover, I love watching the Roosters win as often and as well as possible. Yeah it is unlikely we will win the premiership this year but after the agony of 2011 I really am hoping we have more to enjoy this year than last.

[Guest]

I thought when Braith started being a sideline commentator and all the rest of Fox Sports his days were numbered and he was just looking out and setting up for the future.

To think he still wants to be here in 2013 is a bit frustrating, I know his heart is in the right place and I know he loves the club and he is a great role model off the field, but I just wish that is where he would stay, around the club but off the field.

That being said, it was said earlier, he is probably the best number 6 we have at the club at he moment, hopefully Maloney develops further this season and brings that form to us in 2013, but I am not holding my breath and seeing him as our saviour that is for sure

[melon....]

I'm afraid Mortimer is not the answer. Yesterday he showed that he can still compete in the 6 jersey. But he is a long way from being a game breaker and I don't think he ever was really. At the moment James Maloney is at least 3 times the player Morts is. Mortimer will be lucky to get a spot on the bench before round 8 I think. I get the feeling you haven't seen Mortimer play that much in the last two years Melon.

No I havent Yak....I didnt follow teh Wenty Magpie's progress.

I can be hopeful because everyone needs a chance. I hope he plays in teh 7 and we move Pearce wider in the 6. Braith must be left right out.

[Yak]

Or you might've seen some Parramatta games...Mortimer is not a playmaker. He is a runner and showed a reasonable long kicking game yesterday but he doesn't have the ability to steer a team around the park. That was bleedingly obvious to anyone that saw him play for Parra or Wenty when they put him in at 7. Just seems a bit strange that you say Mortimer needs a chance when you're already saying Maloney is going to be hopeless.