John Grant hopefuls

[AmericanHistoryX]

guys, it seems that many people on this forum belive grant will jump straight into first grade. Who is he better than in our current team? I think many people are getting carried away, and i did too at the beginning, that he came second in the footy version of the stall gift. But watching him play on tv - reality set in. john grant is a work in progress or pot luck at best - like i said in another thread he will have to learn his craft in the lower grades. On tv when he was in the clear he was run down, so there are faster than him in that comp, he bombed a few tries, some sitters. Yes, he did score some tries but some games were against teams that they put 50 or 60 on and there are a few of those teams in that comp. He is a park footballer at best with the potential to play in the big leagues because he has/was spotted. Which player in our current roster in the top 25 will make way for john grant? Has he ever played super 14's or 15's whatever it is. I just think we shouldn't get carried away by one race. I have hope just like you guys that he turns out to be a revelation. ButI dont mind if i get egg on my face about this one. I just dont think he'll play first grade in 2012.

 

[Demps]

Depth.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

demps dont you think its just a gamble - a stab in the dark maybe - history tells us that very few can make the transition from union to league at the elite level. and vice versa. how can it be depth when he is still unproven. maybe depth in hope, keep the faith. Long live our Wests Tigers.

 

[citizen_cub]

I can definitely see where your coming from in expressing your concerns X.

From what I've heard from my Rugby informants and from what I've seen from John Grant, he seems a pretty reasonable player. He is fast, possesses good ball skills and has a solid tackling technique but I must admit, I am a little concerned at the fact he has not played in any elite rugby competition. He's been playing for Eastwood in the Shute Shield, but Shute Shield is far from what I'd call 'elite' or what I'd consider a high standard of Rugby. I know both games are completely different, but if I were to measure Shute Shield in terms of it's standard, it's equivalent in RL would probably be NSW Cup. And we're all aware of the discrepancy between NSW Cup and NRL. It will be a huge step up if he plays NRL sometime next year, but hopefully he proves my concerns to be irrelevant.

Maybe our Rugby experts Citizen and Goose can reveal more?

 

[GNR4LIFE]

IMO people are only getting carried away because of his speed. OK so he's quick, what are some of his other attriubutes?. Being a winger in Union, i'd be willing to bet he's hardly ever had to make a tackle in his life.

 

[happy_tiger]

guys, it seems that many people on this forum belive grant will jump straight into first grade. Who is he better than in our current team? I think many people are getting carried away, and i did too at the beginning, that he came second in the footy version of the stall gift. But watching him play on tv - reality set in. john grant is a work in progress or pot luck at best - like i said in another thread he will have to learn his craft in the lower grades. On tv when he was in the clear he was run down, so there are faster than him in that comp, he bombed a few tries, some sitters. Yes, he did score some tries but some games were against teams that they put 50 or 60 on and there are a few of those teams in that comp. He is a park footballer at best with the potential to play in the big leagues because he has/was spotted. Which player in our current roster in the top 25 will make way for john grant? Has he ever played super 14's or 15's whatever it is. I just think we shouldn't get carried away by one race. I have hope just like you guys that he turns out to be a revelation. ButI dont mind if i get egg on my face about this one. I just dont think he'll play first grade in 2012.

1000% agree AHX He has a hell of a lot of hard work before he will be considered for NRL
Changing from union to league isn't easy and the higher you try and step up the harder it gets
For him to play NRL every decision he makes has to be 2nd nature
Getting that thought process alone will take time
Goose before you jump all over me I respect your opinion brother but i can't see him in top grade at least for 3 months unless we are overrun by injuries
I hope he makes it as well but as I said it won't happen overnight

 

[851]

I am one who thinks he will exceed your expectations,and I applaud the club for giving him a go.

 

[Flippedy]

**IMO people are only getting carried away because of his speed**. OK so he's quick, what are some of his other attriubutes?. Being a winger in Union, i'd be willing to bet he's hardly ever had to make a tackle in his life.

Yeah, his speed, size and physique are probably the reasons people are getting carried away. He has the 'Pat Richards' look about him, but of course, this means nothing unless he can produce on the field. That said, I have a feeling that Grant may very well excel in the NRL and the fact that he hasn't played Super Rugby, or whatever it's called, could actually end up being a blessing in disguise :wink:

 

[Kul]

Flanno was a 21 year old nuffie from the UK with a handful of games under his belt, but sheens used him heavily from the word go

Who knows how things will pan out, but going off past selection behaviour I don't think it's unreasonable to think that grant will be given a shot.
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[dermo]

guys, it seems that many people on this forum belive grant will jump straight into first grade. Who is he better than in our current team? I think many people are getting carried away, and i did too at the beginning, that he came second in the footy version of the stall gift. But watching him play on tv - reality set in. john grant is a work in progress or pot luck at best - like i said in another thread he will have to learn his craft in the lower grades. On tv when he was in the clear he was run down, so there are faster than him in that comp, he bombed a few tries, some sitters. Yes, he did score some tries but some games were against teams that they put 50 or 60 on and there are a few of those teams in that comp. He is a park footballer at best with the potential to play in the big leagues because he has/was spotted. Which player in our current roster in the top 25 will make way for john grant? Has he ever played super 14's or 15's whatever it is. I just think we shouldn't get carried away by one race. I have hope just like you guys that he turns out to be a revelation. ButI dont mind if i get egg on my face about this one. I just dont think he'll play first grade in 2012.

1000% agree AHX He has a hell of a lot of hard work before he will be considered for NRL
Changing from union to league isn't easy and the higher you try and step up the harder it gets
For him to play NRL every decision he makes has to be 2nd nature
Getting that thought process alone will take time
Goose before you jump all over me I respect your opinion brother but i can't see him in top grade at least for 3 months unless we are overrun by injuries
I hope he makes it as well but as I said it won't happen overnight

Rugby Leauge isn't rocket science and seeing as he played 7's his defence will be good

 

[Demonborger]

Sheens likes finding players with an x factor, particularly wingers. Two such players also came from unlikely sources namely Utai (from park footy) and Tuiaki (from rugby union) - those two had power and incredible leg drive, Grant has height and pace.

I think Grant will be played at some stage by Sheens to see if he can utilise his x factor and add to the team.

It's something a little different from the generic 6ft 85kg winger.

As for his defense, well I can't see it being any worse than most wingers in the game, and certain aspects would probably be above average (defusing bombs?)

We might see the cross field kick to winger added to our attacking options (ala Folau)

 

[Dazza-96]

Im a John Grant fan but he won't and probaly shouldn't get a start right away because the style and tactics of playing Union is a bit different to NRL

 

[Fraze23]

IMO people are only getting carried away because of his speed. OK so he's quick, what are some of his other attriubutes?. Being a winger in Union, i'd be willing to bet he's hardly ever had to make a tackle in his life.

His defence can't be any worse than Utai's and he can catch a bomb which is an area that Utai has struggled in.

 

[1_4_chicken_chips]

He is fast, possesses good ball skills and has a solid tackling technique .
All the ingredients for a finisher,on the end of a good backline.
Other clubs can unearth wingers with these same qualities,why cant Wests .

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

I am one who thinks he will exceed your expectations,and I applaud the club for giving him a go.

851 - i applaud the club too - i always read your posts because i think you make a lot of sense, and i will hold you to this post when the line up comes out next season - you give me hope - i think you know something that I dont know about grant. all that i have to go on is the coverage i've seen on him on the ABC and one race that made him famous for wests tigers fans only because we bought him around the same time. Now correct me if im wrong but didnt balmain have an athlete winger in the 80's or 90's, Darren Clarke right, how good did he go and he was much faster than grant. Did Darren Clarke for all you Balmain fans, and my close friends, make your team of balmain legends. Or was pommy Ellery Hanley, who has league experience in the elite level, surpass Darren Clarke, an australian olympian i think. but not sure.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

i mean guys what does one race have to do with nrl?

 

[king_sirro]

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

We have invested very little in Grant, so the loss is very minimal but the gain could be huge. Clubs make these signings all the time, most dont work out, but when u jag one that does, u have a qaulity player for a couple of years on the cheap…..then the task comes of keeping him when he's established.

Its a good experiment, regardless of how successful it ends up.

 

[jadtiger]

it would take very little to be a more effective winger than Utai at least Grant can leap and catch high balls and as for ball handling…...

 

[magpiecol]

i mean guys what does one race have to do with nrl?

Only that he was slower than Turner and faster than Hayne.

You cannot beat speed in League or Union. Union is not a game that lends itself to lots of tries. However,
Grant scored something like 21 or 22 tries during the season. His team also won the Grand Final. I think that they were undefeated during the season.

I have watched him play on the tv only, like most others on this forum. He appeared to me to have terrific hands, and good idea of positional play, and his defence was first class.

He is big and strong with long stride which will make him hard to tackle, even if you can catch him. He will build up his strength and conditioning during the off season and I am looking forward to seeing how he develops.

I can see no reason why he could not go straight to first grade and be a wonderful asset for our club.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

We have invested very little in Grant, so the loss is very minimal but the gain could be huge. Clubs make these signings all the time, most dont work out, but when u jag one that does, u have a qaulity player for a couple of years on the cheap…..then the task comes of keeping him when he's established.

Its a good experiment, regardless of how successful it ends up.

thank you king sirro for the common sense. thats all it is.