All star not shining

[tigeress]

IMO Im a bit worried. Either they were'nt trying last night or they have lost it. Exhibition match or not I cant imagine they would just sit back and avoid making a play. Ben Barba certainly didnt, Nor did Inglis or thurston. They all played great. There is no excuse. If they had played good you all would singing their praises.

Robbie's kick out on the full was woeful and Benji could hold onto the ball and seemed to just not want to touch it.

Maybe they just dont have the ability to play with different combos. I thought they both looked quite silly out there, and Ill be shocked if Marshall is pre selected again. If it happens again.

I'm inclined to agree with you on this one tigsta, I thought both Benji & Farah were quite poor in this game, neither did anything outstanding, and I don't think Benji deserved to be the captain. I just hope they will put in better performances this season for us 😢

 

[Guest]

When its next week you will be saying what a game from Benji and Farah they will be sweet lets just move on let the 2013 season start here come the tigers.

Love your confidence, but time will tell. One of Marshall's biggest criticisms last year was that he didn't run the ball anywhere near as often as he should. Again, our outside backs will suffer if Marshall isn't taking the line on and coming up with the right plays, and by that I mean he needs to play a lot more direct rather than sideways shuffling across field which makes his outside men easy targets.

Anyway, we may get a better idea against the Eels and chooks.

 

[Masterton]

It's not like Reynolds was any better.

I'm sure the Rabbitohs forums are resisting the urge to predict a woeful season for Reynolds based on last night's game.

Everyone knows that this will be an important season for Benji, with new coach, halves partner and change back to 5/8\. And people are right to be concerned. But, last night's performance was eerily similar to his other 3 all-star games and dozens of Kiwi performances. Let's not jump to any conclusions.

 

[tigersrule4life]

Why are we taking this game so hard you can tell he didnt even try relax were not round 1 yet wait until the year starts then will see from there.

 

[Yossarian]

Didn't really look like anyone from the NRL All Stars was trying. All-in-all it was a pretty dismal game. For an exhibition game there was little in the way of trick plays - just one out running and simple footy. Much as you'd expect from a Bennett-coached team. If last night is going to become the standard (i.e. a pumped up Indigenous team beating a bored NRL team) I don't see it surviving in its current state for too much longer. Hopefully it was a one-off although surely they could make it a little more interesting. Why not a field goal kicking comp or something at half-time?

As for Marshall it's a bit early to be making judgements. Round 1 will show us how he's going.

 

[Goose]

over reaction! benji was poor in a trial game

 

[mtd]

i am not basing it on purely last nights game. just using it as an example. he had an all star cast around him and failed to shine.

we need to stop making excuses. its not the players around him. its not the forwards. he just isnt the player sheens wanted to mould him into. its been 6 years and he has not once been outstandingly consistent. he is a fantastic player, just not a natural organiser.

in 05 the play makers were prince and HODGSON. marshall was never the organiser. when lui hit form a few years back, so did the tigers - because lui was running the show.

i personally think benji is better served as a 1, 3, 4 or 9\. its not too late (if potter has the jatz).

 

[Tiger_Watto]

9??? I get what your saying, but seriously a 9???

mtd, please don't plant that seed in Potters head!

 

[Billjodimck]

Give Benji a decent go at 6 with the same 7 & he will show what position he is made for. Benji has lost some speed but Freddie, Locky etc weren't the fastest in the last part of their career either.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Freddy & Locky ran the show.

 

[mtd]

9??? I get what your saying, but seriously a 9???

mtd, please don't plant that seed in Potters head!

haha :slight_smile:

mate it was only last night i thought it a possibility. farah looks more like the running ball player we need in the halves. And benjis fortae is his footwork and abilitiy to make a mockery of defenders (when they dont have the ability to gang target him aka as a 6 or 7) - which makes #9 appealing.

another one i wouldnt mind:

1\. tuqiri
2\. lawrence
3\. ayshford
4\. marshall
5\. koro
6\. sirro
7\. miller
8\. BMM
9\. farah
10\. woods
11\. pettybourne
12\. blair
13\. anasta

fulton from the bench

wish i was coach :righton:

 

[innsaneink]

over reaction! benji was poor in a trial game

Yeh we expect farrrr tooooo much from the guy rated THE best in the world 2 short years ago

 

[Flippedy]

9??? I get what your saying, but seriously a 9???

mtd, please don't plant that seed in Potters head!

haha :slight_smile:

mate it was only last night i thought it a possibility. farah looks more like the running ball player we need in the halves. And benjis fortae is his footwork and abilitiy to make a mockery of defenders (when they dont have the ability to gang target him aka as a 6 or 7) - which makes #9 appealing.

another one i wouldnt mind:

1\. tuqiri
2\. lawrence
3\. ayshford
4\. marshall
5\. koro
6\. sirro
7\. miller
8\. BMM
9\. farah
10\. woods
11\. pettybourne
12\. blair
13\. anasta

fulton from the bench

wish i was coach :righton:

Glad you're not! An aging fullback who has trouble turning around in a hurry, Lawrence wasted on the wing, no Galloway, no Utai, no Bell?

 

[mtd]

9??? I get what your saying, but seriously a 9???

mtd, please don't plant that seed in Potters head!

haha :slight_smile:

mate it was only last night i thought it a possibility. farah looks more like the running ball player we need in the halves. And benjis fortae is his footwork and abilitiy to make a mockery of defenders (when they dont have the ability to gang target him aka as a 6 or 7) - which makes #9 appealing.

another one i wouldnt mind:

1\. tuqiri
2\. lawrence
3\. ayshford
4\. marshall
5\. koro
6\. sirro
7\. miller
8\. BMM
9\. farah
10\. woods
11\. pettybourne
12\. blair
13\. anasta

fulton from the bench

wish i was coach :righton:

Glad you're not! An aging fullback who has trouble turning around in a hurry, Lawrence wasted on the wing, no Galloway, no Utai, no Bell?

lawrence has done nothing in the centres for years. he is good hitting the ball with speed not worrying about passsing it. his best footy for us has been from the wing.

galloway for impact and experience from the bench.

bell from the bench too. i rate him, but doubt he will start.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

9??? I get what your saying, but seriously a 9???

mtd, please don't plant that seed in Potters head!

haha :slight_smile:

mate it was only last night i thought it a possibility. farah looks more like the running ball player we need in the halves. And benjis fortae is his footwork and abilitiy to make a mockery of defenders (when they dont have the ability to gang target him aka as a 6 or 7) - which makes #9 appealing.

another one i wouldnt mind:

1\. tuqiri
2\. lawrence
3\. ayshford
4\. marshall
5\. koro
6\. sirro
7\. miller
8\. BMM
9\. farah
10\. woods
11\. pettybourne
12\. blair
13\. anasta

fulton from the bench

wish i was coach :righton:

Glad you're not! An aging fullback who has trouble turning around in a hurry, Lawrence wasted on the wing, no Galloway, no Utai, no Bell?

**lawrence has done nothing in the centres for years.** he is good hitting the ball with speed not worrying about passsing it. his best footy for us has been from the wing.

galloway for impact and experience from the bench.

bell from the bench too. i rate him, but doubt he will start.

Yeah, almost becoming crippled will do that to you

 

[mtd]

no doubt… but why persist with him in a positon he is not the same player as he once was?

im all for being loyal, but we need the best team on the park in the position thats the best for the team.

lawrence in the centres is another that needs to be reconsidered, imo..

broncos won or almost won the comp with hodges at fullback... it was the best thing for him and the team.. our coaching staff dont make decisions like that...

 

[Fade_To_Black]

I strongly disagree thats its a meaningless exhibition match especially for the indigenous like ive said in another thread its a chance to play with there people and showcase there heritage…

IMO it is a meaningless match for anyone who isn't Indigenous (player or supporter). You only have to look at how many players from the NRL All-Star team that got chosen to play and then pulled out for various reasons, it means bugger all to them and probably rightly so..it is just a glorified trial after all.

No surprise that pretty much the best 6 or so players on the night were from Indigenous team, the game has some meaning for them at least.

 

[Fade_To_Black]

i am not basing it on purely last nights game. just using it as an example. he had an all star cast around him and failed to shine.

we need to stop making excuses. its not the players around him. its not the forwards. he just isnt the player sheens wanted to mould him into. its been 6 years and he has not once been outstandingly consistent. he is a fantastic player, just not a natural organiser.

in 05 the play makers were prince and HODGSON. marshall was never the organiser. when lui hit form a few years back, so did the tigers - because lui was running the show.

i personally think benji is better served as a 1, 3, 4 or 9\. its not too late (if potter has the jatz).

Benji would be great as far as the attacking side of things went playing at centre or fullback, but his defence would get found out bigtime defending in the centres and from what I have seen he isn't real good under the high ball so that would be a big worry at fullback.
Like you though I would definitely love to see him with a bit of space bringing the ball back from a downfield kick like we all saw in the '05 GF.