Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Odessa]

I used to hear some commentators say that Walters and Buderis ultimately eclipsed Benny. No way. I reckon Benny was the best and most influential hooker I’d seen (80s onwards) until Cameron Smith came along. Hard to argue with Smith’s stats, but Benny was an unbelievable player.

Benny was unbelievable and changed the way hooker's played

 

[stephen]

Agree. Benny changed the way hookers played. Overshadowed by his grating personality, but as a player he was a revelation.

However, I don't fully accept the rhetoric around Smith. Longevity, sure. Captaincy and ref control, absolutely. But take away goal kicking and his stats per game aren't that much to write home about. Farah consistently beat him stat-wise as did other hookers around that time. I personally think the hyperbole around his career is mainly due to his longevity and the fact he captained grand final-winning teams and origin dominance. Yes that should be considered but being in a team with Slater, Cronk, and the rest plus having Bellamy as your only club coach pads that out. Would he have been as successful at the Titans with a new coach every 2 years? No way in hell.

I'm gonna say it... Overrated. On a purely playing level, was not even the best hooker of his period. I think the Qld mindset that undercuts Benny's legacy is the same mindset that puffs up Smiths.

Smith helped make Bellamy.
Absolutely dictated the pace of the game at every level he played.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Benny was unbelievable and changed the way hooker's played

He brought the skills of a halfback to the hooker position. Even now, many of the halfbacks today do not have the skills or guile of Elias.

 

[Odessa]

Smith helped make Bellamy.
Absolutely dictated the pace of the game at every level he played.

When I think of the way Smith played I always think of died by 1000 cuts

Never or very rare the big play just cut after cut after cut you bleed out slowly

 

[stephen]

How long have you got haha.

The eternal WT question.

 

[barnsta]

Could we get Kotoni Staggs?
Would be a great acquisition if possible

 

[Tiger Tarl]

Universaly considered one of the greatest players ever is over rated lol I’ve heard it all now.

Exactly, that's the definition of over rated. 😉

 

[batboy]

Smith helped make Bellamy.
Absolutely dictated the pace of the game at every level he played.

Bellamy made smith well before that…
The culture there is all Bellamy.
He just got 3 real good students all at the same time.

 

[stephen]

Bellamy made smith well before that…
The culture there is all Bellamy.
He just got 3 real good students all at the same time.

Fair take. Mutually beneficial in my view.
Would be a dream to have those types at WT. A coach & club that build a strong culture, and players that buy in and drive it.

 

[batboy]

Bellamy made smith well before that…
The culture there is all Bellamy.
He just got 3 real good students all at the same time.

Heard smith talk about it more than a few times in his first pre-season with Bellamy he wasn’t having a go and was pushed pretty hard by the coach - worked out well for them both

 

[Oldman]

He has done about the same as Galvin, Bula or Pole did before they played. NRL. No doubt there is a lot of talent but we have to see how it translates to the NRL. What I do know is we need more quality in our NRL side and certainly imo he is an improvement of some of the players we have in our backline or some that have been in our backline and are now playing NSW Cup.

Don’t get me wrong
I’m hoping L.Fainu turns out as good as people’s expectations
As a punter I don’t go the early crow.
I will wait to see how it turns out.

 

[TSP]

JL had a game tonight, otherwise you look at these origin players and realise how far behind we are.

See the energy in the last 10 minutes, pretty incredible.

And Madge wins the series which is richly deserved after a troubled few years at the office.

Billy managed to get some of his mojo back after game 2, but missed a few selections.

I enjoyed a lot of the speed and accuracy of the passing by Qld near the end there. Still trying.

People can criticise DCE but his attitude is amazing.

 

[jadtiger]

Heard smith talk about it more than a few times in his first pre-season with Bellamy he wasn’t having a go and was pushed pretty hard by the coach - worked out well for them both

Bellamy will go down as one of the best coaches of all time.At the moment the only coaches i rate as high as him were Jack Gibson and Warren Ryan

 

[magpies forever]

JL had a game tonight, otherwise you look at these origin players and realise how far behind we are.

See the energy in the last 10 minutes, pretty incredible.

I thought about it during the game and I would say it's been quite a few seasons since any WT player earned even consideration for a shot at the 18 man squads. I don't rate Ute's selection in the squad last season as deserved.

 

[weststigerman]

JL had a game tonight, otherwise you look at these origin players and realise how far behind we are.

See the energy in the last 10 minutes, pretty incredible.

Yeah not hard to see why none of our current players are close to selection. Different intensity to the way our lot play.

 

[old_man_tiger]

I'm being as optimistic as possible here. The minimum we need is 2 better middles and a centre or winger if we hope to see Luai anywhere near his best here. In a perfect world we get 6 new players at least, just about any position except hooker or half, but minimum 3 required

 

[old_man_tiger]

Oh and a coach would be nice, wouldn't a guy like Maguire be great for us.....oh

 

[Demps]

I know Parra squashed the claims....

But, Luai is very close friends with Jnr Paulo.
Is he the old head we need for our pack?
Set the standard....

Where there is smoke there is fire.

 

[TSP]

I'm being as optimistic as possible here. The minimum we need is 2 better middles and a centre or winger if we hope to see Luai anywhere near his best here. In a perfect world we get 6 new players at least, just about any position except hooker or half, but minimum 3 required

We can only scrimp on new signings if we can get better value out of our kids.

Apart from the talent on display tonight, the difference between the effort in the first minute until we started mucking about in the 78th minute was minimal.

And these are gassed players, more or less brutalised all game.

And the entire match was decided in the space of a few seconds by misjudgments and wonderful skills to capitalise.

And then everyone is back into combat!

It was almost like a vintage origin, a bit of genuine hate and contempt.

 

[Oldman]

I know Parra squashed the claims....

But, Luai is very close friends with Jnr Paulo.
Is he the old head we need for our pack?
Set the standard....

Where there is smoke there is fire.

If only
A front rower that can punch through the line or ball play like a half when needed.
A 1 year deal would be a dream 😴