The mystery that is Ben Creagh

[Flippedy]

Everytime I've watched Ben Creagh play for the Dragons, he has been awesome and today was no exception. What I can't understand is why he cannot reproduce that type of form in SOO. I've yet to see him play a good game at that level. Is he not being used correctly in SOO or is he one of those guys, who is only good at club level and can't cut it in rep games? Would like to know what others think because it's got me baffled.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

i think Creagh is just a perfect example of a very good club player…there are a lot of them out there and Creagh is one of the best...however that doesn't alwayz mean they neccessarily play as well at rep level

 

[steve-o]

ive got a theory about dragons players from nsw: they cant stand up for the blues. it started off with ryles and bailey - both were good for the dragons but could never stand up in SOO. matt cooper was another who suffered from this syndrome as he never produced the goods for his state. nowadays its ben creagh carrying on the tradition, along with brett morris, dean young and trent merrin (though IMO the latter 2 should never have been picked)

 

[Leroy_The_Tigers_Fan]

I just think it's the fact that the Drag Queens instead of a Red V on the front of their Jumpers appear in the oppositions eyes to have a big S, not the Super League S but the superman S.
They'll come back to the pack when a team exposes the myth, sadly it wasn't the Tigers today.

 

[steve-o]

storm well expose the myth. i know they havnt been great lately, but at their best they are a far better team IMO

 

[Flippedy]

ive got a theory about dragons players from nsw: they cant stand up for the blues. it started off with ryles and bailey - both were good for the dragons but could never stand up in SOO. matt cooper was another who suffered from this syndrome as he never produced the goods for his state. nowadays its ben creagh carrying on the tradition, along with brett morris, dean young and trent merrin (though IMO the latter 2 should never have been picked)

It does appear to be that way, doesn't it, steve-o. Although I have to disagree about Bailey - always thought he was one of NSW's best whenever he played.

 

[stryker]

Funny thing is, I thought Creagh was very good in the ANZAC test. He, Gallen and Scott were huge.

 

[tiger4ever]

easier to look good in a winning team…..as gnr4life said great club player just doesnt transform to the next level.Id have watmough in front of him and think dwyer if going a go wouldnt let anyone down and may even suprise.

 

[steve-o]

ive got a theory about dragons players from nsw: they cant stand up for the blues. it started off with ryles and bailey - both were good for the dragons but could never stand up in SOO. matt cooper was another who suffered from this syndrome as he never produced the goods for his state. nowadays its ben creagh carrying on the tradition, along with brett morris, dean young and trent merrin (though IMO the latter 2 should never have been picked)

It does appear to be that way, doesn't it, steve-o. Although I have to disagree about Bailey - always thought he was one of NSW's best whenever he played.

yeah ok i was probably a bit harsh on bailey. i was just thinking of the one SOO game where carl webb came on off the bench and smashed bailey several times, making him look like a big softie

 

[TIGER]

Dwyer hasn't really performed consistently well at nrl level yet and will never be picked for soo as long as he wears a tigers jersey.

 

[happy_tiger]

easier to look good in a winning team…..as gnr4life said great club player just doesnt transform to the next level.Id have watmough in front of him and think dwyer if going a go wouldnt let anyone down and may even suprise.

Yeah as much as I think Watmough is a grub he probably should be their before Creagh If Rhino played like he did yesterday every week he would also be a chance

 

[Demps]

Ben Creagh is a cat
Watmough > Creagh

 

[Deano1]

Ben Creagh is a cat
Watmough Creagh

Agreed. Many second rowers run out wide to cause a bit of damage, I reckon Creagh almost stands with the touchie. He can't get away with it in Origin cause the Maroons centres are usually about the same size as him.

I think watching him back peddling away from a stink he started the other year about sums him up!

 

[Coast_Tiger]

Creagh was used incorrectly in Origin. He came on and was playing middle third instead of on the left edge. Was so noticable at the ground live! So much for ricky not picking players and playing them in unfamiliar positions…

 

[Flippedy]

All good points you guys have raised there. It's probably a combination of all of them, but it does appear that the losing culture of the NSW Origin team may have a lot to do with it. As Tiger4ever said it's easy to look good in a winning team - Dragons and Australia, but when it comes to the Blues, well….. I guess a lot of the players have had trouble playing to their potential in that team lately, and Creagh has never tasted success in his time with them.

That said, it would help if the Blues coaches used him in the same way he is used at the Dragons, as Coast Tiger alluded to. I thought with Soward there this time we might have seen a freer, wider running Ben Creagh, but once again, we hardly saw him at all!